E-bikes & fitness: More power through motivation.

One person who was interested in this was Professor Uwe Tegtbur from the Hannover Medical School (MHH). He is currently examining the health effects of riding a Pedelec. The study is still ongoing, but Tegtbur was able to present his initial findings from a preliminary study with 101 probands in 2016: According to this, the heart rate of Pedelec riders was only ten beats slower than that of cyclists.

The e-bike technology helps to pedal but most probands still selected a mode that challenged them. This movement has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, on blood pressure and on the health of the vessels: The oxygen consumption of the blood is improved, meaning that the heart works better. According to Dr. Günther Reichle, a lung specialist, riding an e-bike can thereby lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke by up to 50 percent.

This may fall within the “moderate” range of exercise, but Tegtbur noticed something even more crucial: Owners of Pedelecs use them up to 60 percent more than a bicycle. Because encountering headwind and hills on your journey is much less daunting with technical support – this means that getting on your Pedelec is less of a hurdle than getting on your bike. As a result, these riders also leave their cars at home more frequently for their commute, as additionally shown by a European survey (1). The energy that e-bike riders acutely saved compared to cyclists they then made up again through more frequent and faster riding, longer rides and greater elevation gain covered. This regular usage has an effective exercise effect and is ideal for developing one’s physical fitness and muscles. Extra miles can be covered particularly quickly with a Speed Pedelec – at speeds of up to 45 km/h, daily commutes of over 30 kilometers are easily achieved, even by those new to cycling.

This side benefit is obvious: Exercise from riding an e-bike boosts your metabolism, and your fat and glucose metabolism in particular improve – which supports the breakdown of body fat and has a positive effect on your blood sugar levels. Sports scientists assume a consumption of 300 calories per hour when riding an e-bike. For comparison: You achieve about 300 – 400 calories on a bicycle at a speed of 15 – 20 km/h. Riding with the faster S-Pedelec promises an even greater calorie consumption as this enables average speeds of 35 – 40 km/h. More muscle mass also increases your body’s metabolic rate and helps it to burn more calories.

If you look at these results, the e-bike can do quite a lot for commuters’ health in particular: You do not have to worry about showing up to your first meeting covered in sweat, but still manage to get exercise before and after work. You also get out in the fresh air while traveling and free your mind: No e-mails, no calls – your ride on the Pedelec is an effective time-out that turns your commute into quality time. The moderate exertion when riding an e-bike lowers your adrenaline level, you are more relaxed and more resistant to stress.

An e-bike also has other health benefits: Exercise in fresh air provides the brain with more oxygen, helping it to age more slowly and making it more efficient (2). Your body also secretes happiness hormones – endorphins. Your vitamin D production is stimulated by the sunlight, which strengthens your immune system and bones and also has a positive effect on your mood.

You also feel better for another reason: Time savings. This results not only from the time that you save from not going to the gym, but also during the commute itself: Depending on the route you take, you reach your goal more quickly on an e-bike or S-Pedelec than with a car or public transportation as you eliminate the problems of traffic jams and the hunt for a parking space or intermediate stops and delays.

Whether for a 30-minute commute or an additional sporty weekend tour – there is no upper limit on the training effect. The Stromer community impressively proved how sporty e-bike riding can be last year – with a world record!