E-BIKES ARE NOT LIKELY TO HELP YOU reach weekly moderate to vigorous exercise goals. E-bicycle riders take fewer and less physically demanding trips than conventional cyclists. Today we look at e-bikes and exercise.
Have you heard of e-bikes? If you are thinking of getting rid of your car and cycling to work or for some help riding to the top of trails, an electric bike may be a good option.
E-bikes offer many benefits of a conventional non-assisted bike, but with motorized power available when needed. The motor derives its power from a bike-mounted rechargeable battery. To be considered an e-bike, the motor needs to help you rather than drive you independently; you need to pedal to get assistance.
Technology is improving rapidly; virtually any bike type may be outfitted with a motor. You can buy one of these innovative bikes as a whole vehicle; alternatively, electric bike conversion kits can help you transform your pedal-powered bike into an electric one.
I enjoyed reading this old observation in the NY Times: “How do you know if someone has an e-bike? They’ll tell you.” Users of e-bikes tend to be technology proselytizers.
E-bike popularity is rising
E-bikes seem to be everywhere. Sales in the COVID-19 era have rocketed upward: The pandemic bike boom boosted e-bike sales by 145 percent from 2019 to 2020, twice the rate of classic bikes, according to the market research firm NPD Group.
An estimated half a million Americans purchased an electric bicycle in 2020. This contrasts with 231,000 all-electric car purchases in that period.
E-bikes and physical activity
Do you use an e-bike for exercise? A new study from Hannover (Germany) suggests this:
Electric bikes (e-bikes) are unlikely to help you reach weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity targets. E-bike riders often take fewer and less physically demanding trips than conventional cyclists.
Writing in the New York Times, mobility technology specialist David Zipper believes that the explosion in e-bike growth is a product of three trends:
- The rapid development of lithium-ion batteries. The batteries are getting more efficient, smaller, and less expensive.
- Worldwide resurgence in interest in urban cycling.
- Bike-sharing programs permit riders to experience e-bikes before considering a purchase.
E-bikes are capitalizing on all three of these trends. And it’s not only in the United States. The United Kingdom market had a valuation of USD 240 million in 2021 and is expected to grow to $440 million by 2027.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, e-bike demand in the UK exploded. The British government has responded by investing in the e-bike infrastructure.
E-bikes and physical activity
Do e-bikes help users meet physical activity guidelines? How about the cycling accident rates? To answer these questions, researchers compared recommended weekly targets of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (or 75 minutes of vigorous) activity and accident rates in 1,250 e-bikers and 620 conventional cyclists across Germany.
The researchers collected data on health-related quality of life, daily physical activity, health issues, and cycling accidents. The scientists turned to a smartwatch activity tracker to record riding time, distance traveled, and heart rate for every cycle ride over four weeks. They monitored accident rates over 12 months.
Here are the physical activity findings:
Conventional riders clocked an average of more than 150 minutes, while the e-bikers reported 70 fewer minutes. Conventional cyclists took more weekly trips, six versus four.
E-bikers appeared to be approximately half as likely (compared with conventional cyclists) to reach recommended physical activity targets. Perhaps not surprisingly, age, sex, underlying health conditions, and the reported bike use for sport or commuting influenced the odds of hitting these exercise goals.
Accidents
During the one-year monitoring period, 109 accidents and 157 near-accidents happened. Using an e-bike (and overall time spent on a bike) predicted a higher road traffic accident risk:
E-bikers had an over 1.6-times higher risk of suffering a traffic accident than conventional cyclists. Overall time on the bike predicted road accident risk.
E-bikes — My take
We looked at an observational study with all the perils associated with the same. For example, e-biking appeared to be particularly interesting to those who might benefit most from any form of cycling — older folks, the overweight and obese, and those with health-related limitations. If e-bikes promote healthy living, I am all for it. Of course, I worry about the safety of our cyclist friends on the road. Please stay safe.
I hope we see better research looking at users’ motivations. If e-bikes can safely help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution while promoting active living, I say bravo.
Thank you for joining me for this brief look at E-bikes and exercise.
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
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