Optic Flow and Cycling Effort: Where to Look to Go Faster

Optic flow can significantly influence the perception and exertion of effort. In
this study, we investigated the effects of exposure to proximal and distal areas
of the optic flow field on exerted and perceived cycling effort. Thirty cyclists participated in two 20-min cycling trials within a virtual reality environment, with
the goal of surpassing the power output achieved during a baseline trial. During
these trials, they viewed the environment through a proximal or distal window,
in counterbalanced order. We measured the cyclists' exerted effort on a bicycle
trainer, and recorded their responses regarding perceived effort and psychological momentum. A one-way repeated measures ANCOVA with average baseline
power as a covariate revealed a significant difference in exerted effort between
the proximal and distal condition, with higher average exerted effort in the proximal condition. However, a significant interaction effect between condition and
baseline power indicated that the beneficial effect of the proximal condition was
mainly present for lower-level cyclists. We observed no significant differences
in perceived effort or psychological momentum. These findings provide novel
insights into the relation between optic flow and cycling effort, and call for new
research on the mechanisms underlying this relation.