Do Electric Bikes Provide Real Exercise?

If you're considering purchasing an electric bike but worry it might not provide the fitness benefits of a traditional bicycle, you're not alone. Many cycling enthusiasts initially view e-bikes with skepticism, seeing them as "cheating" or offering an easy way out of a proper workout. But what does the science actually say about e-bikes and exercise?

The answer might surprise you: research consistently shows that electric bikes not only provide legitimate exercise but can actually lead to more physical activity than traditional bikes for many riders. Let's dive into the evidence and explore why e-bikes might be the fitness solution you never knew you needed.

The Scientific Evidence: E-Bikes and Exercise

More Total Exercise Minutes

Multiple studies have found that e-bike riders typically log more exercise minutes per week than conventional cyclists. Research published in Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives found that those who ride e-bikes get more exercise minutes per week than those who ride normal bikes, and e-bikers reported significantly longer trip distances.

A comprehensive European study followed over 10,000 adults across seven countries, measuring their transportation habits and energy expenditure. The researchers determined the average energy expenditure of different forms of transportation and surveyed participants to determine how much time they spent engaging in those activities each week. The results clearly showed that e-bike riders accumulated more physical activity overall than traditional cyclists.

Meaningful Cardiovascular Benefits

While it might seem counterintuitive, e-bikes can provide significant cardiovascular exercise. A 2021 study comparing the physiological effects of e-bikes and standard road bikes during a simulated commute determined that e-bike riders elevated their breathing and heart rates enough to count as a meaningful workout.

Even for mountain biking enthusiasts, e-bikes still offer substantial exercise. In a study of e-mountain bikes, researchers found that while cyclists were about 4mph faster on average with pedal assist and reported the riding felt less taxing, their heart rates rose to and remained at about the same level during both the e-bike and traditional bike rides. This shows that the pedal assist lessened the perceived effort without reducing the actual exercise benefits.

Why Do E-Bikes Lead to More Exercise?

Longer Rides, More Frequently

One of the main reasons e-bikes often provide more exercise is simple: people ride them more often and for longer distances. Studies have found that e-bike riders typically ride for longer periods of time than pedal bike riders, and researchers have consistently found that e-bike riding is reported as more enjoyable, leading to more time spent participating in the activity.

The enjoyment factor can't be overstated. When exercise is fun, people do more of it. E-bikes make cycling more accessible and pleasurable, especially for those who might find traditional biking too strenuous or intimidating.

More Consistent Riding Habits

Another advantage of e-bikes is that they encourage more consistent riding habits. Studies have found that electric bike riders tend to ride more consistently, with many using their e-bike as a daily driver type of vehicle, replacing a car for their main commute or daily errands.

This consistency is key to fitness improvements. Rather than occasional intense workouts, regular moderate activity often leads to better long-term health outcomes.

Tackling More Challenging Terrain

E-bikes also enable riders to tackle terrain they might otherwise avoid. E-bike riders who venture onto trails often tackle more challenging uphill climbs than they would on a pedal bike, engaging in far more exercise than those utilizing alternatives like chair lifts at bike parks.

Even on relatively flat routes, e-bikers often choose to explore further and seek out more varied terrain than they would on a conventional bike, increasing the overall exercise benefit of their rides.

Who Benefits Most from E-Bike Exercise?

Beginners and Returning Cyclists

For people new to cycling or returning after a long break, e-bikes offer an ideal entry point. The pedal assist reduces the initial fitness barrier, allowing newcomers to build strength and endurance gradually without becoming discouraged by exhaustion.

Older Adults and Those with Physical Limitations

For older adults, whose immune systems benefit from exercise, as well as folks with pre-existing conditions, e-bikes can be particularly beneficial by making cycling accessible while still providing meaningful exercise.

The adjustable assistance levels on most e-bikes allow riders to customize the workout to their specific needs and abilities, gradually reducing assistance as fitness improves.

Time-Constrained Individuals

For busy professionals and parents with limited time for exercise, e-bikes offer an efficient solution. By integrating physical activity into daily commutes or errands, e-bikes help overcome one of the most common barriers to regular exercise—lack of time.

Maximizing the Fitness Benefits of Your E-Bike

Adjust Assistance Levels Strategically

Most e-bikes offer multiple levels of pedal assistance. To maximize exercise benefits, consider:

• Using lower assistance levels on flat terrain
• Reserving higher assistance for steep hills or when you're feeling fatigued
• Gradually reducing assistance as your fitness improves
• Occasionally riding with no assistance on easy sections

Extend Your Rides

Take advantage of the e-bike's range by exploring routes that might be too long on a conventional bike. Setting distance goals that gradually increase over time can help improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance.

Incorporate Interval Training

Even on an e-bike, you can practice interval training by alternating between periods of intense effort (lower assistance) and recovery (higher assistance). This approach can significantly boost cardiovascular benefits.

Focus on Cadence

Maintaining a steady, relatively high cadence (pedaling rate) of 70-90 rpm is often more beneficial for fitness than pushing hard in a high gear. Your e-bike makes it easier to maintain this optimal cadence even on hills.

Common E-Bike Exercise Myths Debunked

Myth: "E-bikes don't provide real exercise"

Research indicates electric bikes can still give you a great workout, with one study finding that electric mountain bikes are "an excellent form of aerobic or cardiovascular exercise, even for experienced mountain bikers".

Myth: "You can't get fit on an e-bike"

Researchers in Utah looked at the health benefits of commuting on an electric hybrid bike and found that riders' heart rates reached, on average, 89 percent of the mean achieved when riding a non-assisted hybrid bike, giving them a moderate-intensity workout.

Myth: "E-bikes are only for lazy people"

This misconception ignores the fact that e-bikes enable longer, more frequent rides and make cycling accessible to people of varying fitness levels and physical abilities. The research clearly shows that e-bikes encourage more physical activity, not less.

Myth: "E-bikes don't build muscle"

While the motor provides assistance, you're still engaging the same muscle groups as on a conventional bike. The quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes all get a workout, especially when climbing hills or riding in lower assistance modes.

The Future of E-Bike Fitness

The health benefits of e-bikes are becoming increasingly recognized in the medical and fitness communities. Some manufacturers are working to develop long-term, large-scale scientific medical studies with the goal of eventually having doctors prescribe e-bikes as a health intervention.

This recognition points to a future where e-bikes might be recommended by healthcare providers as part of treatment plans for various health conditions, from obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders.

Conclusion: E-Bikes as Fitness Tools

The evidence is clear: electric bikes provide legitimate exercise benefits and often lead to more physical activity than conventional bikes. By making cycling more accessible, enjoyable, and consistent, e-bikes can be powerful tools for improving fitness, especially for beginners, older adults, and those with physical limitations.

If you're considering an e-bike, know that you're not sacrificing exercise—you're likely setting yourself up for more physical activity and a more sustainable fitness habit. The best exercise is always the one you'll actually do, and for many people, that exercise increasingly involves an electric bike.

Ready to experience the fitness benefits of e-biking for yourself? Check out our selection of electric bikes designed to help riders of all levels enjoy the perfect balance of assistance and exercise.