Can Electric Bikes Improve Fitness?

Electric bikes have helped many thousands of people to boost their fitness levels and maintain a healthier lifestyle, but there are still naysayers who attempt to argue that it’s all too tempting to simply flick a switch and coast along at speed. Is there truth to this claim, or are cycling purists trying to stain e-bikes for all of us? Let’s take a look at some of the evidence.Cycling is a fantastic low-impact activity which can yield significant improvement to overall health – it boosts stamina, muscle tone and even brainpower. Indeed, studies have shown that those who cycle to work regularly experienced a 39% lower rate of all-cause mortality compared to those who don’t. It’s pretty clear to see that cycling in general is great for both body and mind.

But what other factors come into play with an electric bike? For a start, e-bikes encourage reluctant cyclists to get out on their bike, even if they feel a little tired or weary. Many people are put off from hopping on their bikes if they’ve had a long day or they don’t feel much like cycling long distances – but with high-quality e-bikes, they can simply cycle as much as they want to and then flick the motor on. This can actually increase the amount of cycling that many people do in an average week – even if they cycle 10 minutes of a 30-minute journey before switching on the motor, that’s still 10 minutes more than they’d have cycled if they caught the bus instead!

An electric bike can also encourage people to cycle further and faster, as they don’t have the worry about conserving energy to make the journey home. Many cyclists cut their leisure journeys short so they have less to travel on the return journey, and some don’t go at full speed because they’re trying to save energy that they can use up on the way back. But e-bike riders don’t have that problem – they can cycle as hard and as long as they want, safe in the knowledge that their bike can propel them the rest of the way if their legs give in.

Whilst sometimes it may be tempting to simply push a button and be propelled along by a convenient motor, that’s not the reason people invest in electric bikes. The average e-cyclists is someone who is keen on cycling but has no confidence in their own ability or their stamina levels – someone who likes to cycle but may need a little push now and then. Ebikes can encourage nervous cyclists to make more journeys on two wheels than they would if they used a conventional pushbike – thus boosting their own health and becoming more confident in the process.