If you're in need of another trump card in the bag to answer those who assume e-bikers are just 'lazy' or it's not so good for exercise, a large new study conducted across seven countries might be one of the best yet... as the results shown that participants on e-bikes actually got more exercise than those on a regular bike!
Are e-bikes good for exercise?
The study, published recently in the Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives journal, followed over 10,000 adults across seven European countries and analysed their riding habits, and how much physical activity they got compared to other modes of transport.
E-bikers reported longer trip distances than regular cyclists, with an average daily travel distance of 8km vs 5.3km a day respectively. It turns out this meant e-bike riders actually got more total exercise per week on average, with the researchers crediting this to the increased amount of time e-bike riders spend on their bikes.
Other interesting points to take away were that both e-bikers and regular cyclists were found to have normal BMIs on average, and e-bike riders tended to be older (an average age of 48.1 years) compared to regular cyclists (41.4 years).
In their full conclusion, the authors say: "This analysis supports the notion to accept, or even promote, e-bikes as a healthy and sustainable transport option based on e-bikers travel behaviour and self-reported mode substitution. Planers should be aware that e-bikers travel longer distances than cyclists. Thus, e-bikes might be used for longer commuting trips than non-electric bicycles. To accommodate (or promote) this new demand and to avoid conflicts with other road users in urban areas, cycling infrastructure should be expanded and may need to be adapted to accommodate higher speeds and address safety needs. The health benefits in terms of physical activity of using e-bikes, particularly when replacing car trips, should be factored in when considering subsidising e-biking."
What do you think, do you feel you can go further for longer on your e-bike compared to a motor-less machine? Let us know in the comments!