Actually, ebikes will get you much LESS exercise

[Over50]

The thread is mistitled. It should be something to the effect of "all things being equal, riding an e-bike instead of a non-e-bike will get you much less exercise". All things being equal referring to distance, time on bike, wind resistance etc. Just seems common sense that if I ride a mile to the store on my regular bike on one day then the same trip on the next day with my e-bike (using the assist) that I would get less exercise with the e-bike trip. This is completely different from saying "e-bikers get less exercise because they ride e-bikes".

For me, I'm commuting by bike because I have e-bikes to commute on. Without the e-bike a 36 mile commute is not feasible except by auto. And on days I commute by car, which is still the majority, it isn't feasible for me to go out for a bike ride after I get home. It is usually too late, usually dark and I'm usually too tired. So on days I commute by e-bike, my commute is my workout. Without the e-bike commute, likely there would be no workout which was the case before I had my first e-bike. Since starting the e-bike commuting, I've dropped over 10 pounds. Just had my yearly doctor exam this week and BMI was in the very good range. About to turn 53 and I'm only about 10 pounds heavier now than I was at age 25. Definitely I'm exercising more because I have e-bikes. Without e-bikes, as proven in the years prior to purchasing my first, I'd be exercising less. So for me, e-bikes get me far more exercise.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

What does it mean to double your hand positions??

I supposed he meant you can hold the handlebar in multiple ways, preventing numbness, fatigue, and making it more comfortable overall.

 

[larry-new]

Those of us with hand numbness are constantly shifting the position if their grip to make the numbness go away...this grip is wider and incorporates end bars to give a whole range of grips.

https://www.amazon.com/Ergon-424100...F8&qid=1536369896&sr=8-5&keywords=ergon+grips

 

[elyhim]

A downhill guy gave me advice and I picked up some that had an irregular pattern with squareish open next to regular rubber and I have not have numbness since.

These

 

[Gator]

Correct, ebiking requires less physical exertion than regular biking. The human works less, burns less calories, does not require the same oxygen exchange than a rider on a regular bike.

That's why I bought an ebike. A 30 mile round trip for my commute would not be practical for me on a regular bike.

 

[ebikemom]

My husband got tons of exercise on his bike today--he had an electrical problem and rode his 60 pound bike home, 2.2 miles and 400 feet elevation gain, with no power. Now THAT's exercise!

The dealer kindly came to pick it up and brought a loaner. We are hoping that it is a minor problem, easily solved.

 

[elyhim]

I've purchased a heart monitor and recorded some rides. I feel like these types of studies are hiding the facts. Riders of EMTB's can certainly get a BETTER aerobic exercise than on a regular bike. It's baffling but it's completely true and any person who is riding an EMTB at their limits knows it's true. Riders will put out LESS energy from their legs but MORE energy from their cardiovascular system. Strength training for your legs - not so much, for your heart - it's great!

Turbo - off. Use EMTB mode or the default mode. My samples are all from medium to difficult singletrack (advanced riders with drops, logs, creek crossings, jumps, rock gardens etc.). Ride as fast as your ability allows and only stop for water breaks when you stop sweating.

Look at the EMBN channel for their episodes about training/cheating and you'll see the exact results I've found. You will use LESS strength in your legs but you will maintain a HIGHER, CONSISTENT BPM.

Of course you can drop it in turbo and take an easy day. You could drop it into Economy and do strength training or simply turn the motor off. The beauty is you get to choose.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

There are a very few bikes out there that offer "negative pedal assist" modes. I think it would be interesting to combine those with a interval timers and heart rate monitor to produce an e-bike training system. That would be especially helpful for those who are training for (e.g.) riding in mountainous areas but who live someplace very flat.

 

[DaveMatthews]

My husband got tons of exercise on his bike today--he had an electrical problem and rode his 60 pound bike home, 2.2 miles and 400 feet elevation gain, with no power. Now THAT's exercise!
View attachment 25457
The dealer kindly came to pick it up and brought a loaner. We are hoping that it is a minor problem, easily solved.

Bummer!
But... great service! Awesome!

 

[AlanDB]

My husband got tons of exercise on his bike today--he had an electrical problem and rode his 60 pound bike home, 2.2 miles and 400 feet elevation gain, with no power. Now THAT's exercise!
View attachment 25457
The dealer kindly came to pick it up and brought a loaner. We are hoping that it is a minor problem, easily solved.

Yikes ... doesn't sound like a pleasant ride, but another good sign that Pedego and their dealers support their customers. Will be interested to hear your follow up on this.

 

[DDBB]

I can't wait to join all you cheaters and get my first ebike.. Wife is now very interested and called crazy Lenny's and talked to them for an hour. My wife doesn't get much excercise, I am very active so this is something we can enjoy together and BOTH get something out of it.

 

[AlanDB]

I can't wait to join all you cheaters and get my first ebike..

Love that comment!

 

[DDBB]

The ebike industry reminds me a little of the snowmobile industry in the early 70's.. EVERYONE was trying to get it on the fast growing snow "sport". Harley Davidson, Johnson/Evinrude, John Deere etc... Now only 4 manufacturers of snowmobiles remain. Being an early adopter of ebikes comes with many potential pitfalls.. We're still not sure which brand(s) we will pick but hope they will still be around for years after our purchases

 

[ebikemom]

Yikes ... doesn't sound like a pleasant ride, but another good sign that Pedego and their dealers support their customers. Will be interested to hear your follow up on this.

I'll give a full report!

 

[ebikemom]

I can't wait to join all you cheaters and get my first ebike.. Wife is now very interested and called crazy Lenny's and talked to them for an hour. My wife doesn't get much excercise, I am very active so this is something we can enjoy together and BOTH get something out of it.

DDBB, if you have a bike shop near you that carries ebikes, I recommend considering looking at bikes there. Things do go wrong, and it's great not to have to be sidelined for too long waiting for parts to be shipped from somewhere and then having to find someone to do the work if one can't do it oneself. If it's for you AND your wife, also, let me also share that my family and I have loved having bikes that have the same battery. Super handy! It's great for diagnosing problems (sometimes a troubleshooting chart says "change the battery"--impossible to do unless you have two batteries!), and nice to be able to snatch the other bike's battery when one has forgotten a charge and other-person-isn't-planning-a-long-outing. It's great that your wife now is interested and that the two of you can do research and shopping together. Whatever brand/model you decide to buy in whatever way, this group is here for you, too, and will have folks who have similar experiences--so much knowledge here. Happy shopping!!!

 

[Don12]

Hello,
What difference does it make! There is no need to defend what makes you happy. Hop on any bike you like, feel the wind in your face and enjoy your life. Have a great day and go for a ride.

 

[larry-new]

The ebike industry reminds me a little of the snowmobile industry in the early 70's.. EVERYONE was trying to get it on the fast growing snow "sport". Harley Davidson, Johnson/Evinrude, John Deere etc... Now only 4 manufacturers of snowmobiles remain. Being an early adopter of ebikes comes with many potential pitfalls.. We're still not sure which brand(s) we will pick but hope they will still be around for years after our purchases

Go to the Discussion by Brand section of this forum, and pick the brands that have thousands of positive comments. Those are the manufacturers that are going to be around for a while.

 

[AlanDB]

Go to the Discussion by Brand section of this forum, and pick the brands that have thousands of positive comments. Those are the manufacturers that are going to be around for a while.

Excellent point ... and further reading in the forum posts will confirm those brands and dealers who support their customers when there is a problem.

 

[DDBB]

The closest large dealer with multiple brands is three hours away.. The giant bike dealer is only an hour away but they refuse to sell or order me an e-mtn. bike.. Crazy Lenny's is 7 hours away. I wish we were in love with the Pedego brand as they are close. Most likely we will buy from the dealer 3 hours away.. Not convenient but not the end of the world if the bikes need repairs that I can't handle.

 

[ebikemom]

Sounds like you're doing your homework!

It's all about the riding experience, so it's great that you can get around to try different products, even if it takes some work and distance. Hopefully you can make a day or a weekend of it and have a good time!