The e-bike under exercising myth.

Before switching to an e-bike 3 years ago, I could only manage around 20 level trail miles in 3 hours or so. My single day record on an e-bike so far is 64 miles in 5 hours. I'm also able to take on slopes which I tended to avoid on my MTB. I find I'm riding longer, faster and farther while getting the same amount of exercise I did on a conventional bike. I'm also riding more frequently for three reasons.

Number one is the e-bike makes the experience much more fun since I'm able to enjoy the scenery with less sweating and being out of breath.

Number two is the e-bike effectively extends the riding season. We have many hot & humid days here in the northeastern US which heretofore were not suitable for riding. I find I'm now comfortable riding at temps up to around 90 degrees.

Number three is the fear factor. For the last 15 years, I've had joint issues and I would ride in some fairly remote places. There was always the fear that I wouldn't be able to pedal home or back to my vehicle should my joints act up. That fear is now gone since I can rely on my e-bike to get me back should the need arise.

Life is good with an e-bike!
 
6zfshdb said:
Before switching to an e-bike 3 years ago, I could only manage around 20 level trail miles in 3 hours or so. My single day record on an e-bike so far is 64 miles in 5 hours. I'm also able to take on slopes which I tended to avoid on my MTB. I find I'm riding longer, faster and farther while getting the same amount of exercise I did on a conventional bike. I'm also riding more frequently for three reasons.

Number one is the e-bike makes the experience much more fun since I'm able to enjoy the scenery with less sweating and being out of breath.

Number two is the e-bike effectively extends the riding season. We have many hot & humid days here in the northeastern US which heretofore were not suitable for riding. I find I'm now comfortable riding at temps up to around 90 degrees.

Number three is the fear factor. For the last 15 years, I've had joint issues and I would ride in some fairly remote places. There was always the fear that I wouldn't be able to pedal home or back to my vehicle should my joints act up. That fear is now gone since I can rely on my e-bike to get me back should the need arise.

Life is good with an e-bike!
Click to expand...

Ditto for me!
Great description. It’s the fun factor that has renewed my love of cycling. Before ebike life I never dreamed of deliberately seeking out hills! My non-ebike cycling friends give me strange looks when I tell them I love hills.
 
Luto said:
I did do 20 miles with no power on yesterday with some hills. After the initial shock, I was surprised a lot of time I thought I had the power on, but did not. I think the only difference was going slower up hills and shifting more on hills to keep cadence up. Work out was pretty similar if not a bit longer.
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LOL You're just jerking our chains right ? ;)
 
I would agree that some people riding an ebike would get far more exercise than if they didn't have an ebike i.e. they wouldn't ride at all. I believe there are many documented cases of people who were quite overweight and found exercise difficult. The ebike allows them to get started exercising as it makes it easier and something is better than nothing. So in those cases an ebike means more exercise not less.

However, on a given day if I decide to ride a conventional bike to work vs. my ebike then for sure I get less exercise on my ebike. One could say oh just go faster until the effort is the same. In theory that works, but in practice it never does. It would result in going so fast on some parts that you'd be endangering yourself or others.

I use a Garmin Fenix 5X Plus so I know my HR and I would say that my average HR while using my ebike tends to be about 20 bpm lower than if I ride my carbon road bike.

So in that regard it is true that using an ebike I get less exercise.

But then, the ebike allows me to ride every day of the week. If I'm tired, I don't need a rest day, I just take the ebike. So from that perspective there are days when I get more exercise because of the ebike. So overall, I probably get more exercise. A perfect example was this past summer. There was a Sunday when my group rode about 90 km's and 1,000 metres of elevation gain. I was on my carbon road bike and I was a bit sore and tired the next day. If I didn't have my Creo I would have bailed on the next day's ride, but instead I just took my Creo for a nice recovery day.
 
The only person you have to answer to for what bike you ride is yourself (maybe your spouse for financial reasons). Everyone else should worry about their own choices for themselves.

If any “elite” rider wants to condemn my choice, I will just remind them that they will age, slow down, etc. and someone younger will look down on them and they will feel all butt hurt that someone will treat them so terribly.
 
BarryS said:
LOL You're just jerking our chains right ? ;)
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Was Serious. Really. I think the thing that is hard to "measure" is momentum assist.

For instance:
When you put in a burst of effort (no assist) to get going faster or up to a cruising speed your legs feel it.
When you are at cruising speed and just need to keep the momentum, with a good (80+ cadence) it is "easy".

E-bikes allow you to get to cruising speed without much effort. Even up hill you can get enough momentum to hill climb speed and keep it going. This is pretty much the same, e-bike or not. The e-bike makes the initial startup momentum to optimal-normal speed and cadence "easy".

I guess what I am trying to say is there is momentum assist (get up to speed, e.g.) and cruising assist. If you keep your cadence up, momentum assist is needed more than cruising assist. Of course, this is just some arm chair pondering... :)
 
Dallant said:
Yes it’s been a good enough year here. We are in a drought but nothing compared to the Pacific coast. I’d love to see the gulf and west coast be able to balance out their precipitation levels.
View attachment 67100
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Personally, I would be delighted to send half our rain to California...
 
Art Deco said:
Personally, I would be delighted to send half our rain to California...
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Lord knows we could sure use it. It keeps clouding up lately here in Palm Springs but no rain, just a little respite from the intense heat and then when the clouds go away, blazing heat & humidity.
 
Myth is highly correct. I'm getting more exercise now than ever. Well, in these my advancing years that is. Last ten years I got a lot of 'exercise' working. Now, retired, the bike IS my exercise and I make sure I'm spinning most of the time ( within reason ) and almost never go beyond ECO 3. 👍👍
 
I just finished 237 miles for the week. well I will get a few more hunting for fireworks to watch. but it was a lot of effort. did 55 miles yesterday and burned 1400 calories would I have burned more calories on a regular bike? most likely but still did a pretty good job.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
Not answering for @phoenixtoohot, I can mention Specialized:
  • Vado SL
  • Creo SL
  • Levo SL
:)
Click to expand...
I concur. The SL specialized bikes are a terrific combination of weight and performance. I was on a group ride a few months ago for which my charging failed - the charge cord got unplugged- and did the 20 miles without assist on my Vado 4 SL. It had a few challenging moments but I was surprised at how easy it was to ride at near my assisted speeds withoug t(e assistance.
Proves two things. The Turbo Vado Sl is light enough to ride without assist and riding an ebike is truly exercise as I’d built up the strength to ride 20 miles at speed without the assistance that allowed me to ride 40 miles with assist.
 
Really it's everything ebike riders are saying...plus more. Riding a ebike now (creo expert) I find I can ride when I want more...meaning less down time recouping...more enjoyment level translating to more effort level. The fact is the more you enjoy biking the more you want to do it. Ebike or traditional....the answer is whatever you enjoy more!
 
I totally agree with those who say they get more exercise on an e-bike. In my case, I spend 2 or 3 times as long on the trail than I did on my conventional bikes and burn 50% or more calories in the process. Being retired gives me that luxury though.

For those who use an e-bike to commute the same distance every day, it might be a different story. I can see where some might be tempted to trade pedal effort for a bit of wattage to gain extra speed or to avoid sweating up your clothes before arriving at the office. In that case, the level of exercise may be somewhat reduced.
 
6zfshdb said:
I totally agree with those who say they get more exercise on an e-bike. In my case, I spend 2 or 3 times as long on the trail than I did on my conventional bikes and burn 50% or more calories in the process. Being retired gives me that luxury though.

For those who use an e-bike to commute the same distance every day, it might be a different story. I can see where some might be tempted to trade pedal effort for a bit of wattage to gain extra speed or to avoid sweating up your clothes before arriving at the office. In that case, the level of exercise may be somewhat reduced.
Click to expand...
My heart rate monitor tells me I'm working out...plus my sweaty clothes 🥵
 
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