E-bikes are the fastest growing segment of the bike market, and two in three bikes sold in shops are now electric.
More Australians are choosing an e-bike as their preferred mode of transport – recognising them as an affordable and sustainable option. Research has shown that e-bike riders are more likely to ride further and more often than people on a traditional pedal bike.
When Bicycle Network surveyed attendees at its E-bike Expo in Brunswick earlier this year and asked why they were interested in riding an e-bike, the most common response was a desire to be more physically active.
And research shows that they are onto a good thing, as evidence continues to build about the bounty of health benefits an e-bike can bring. Let’s look at some of the more compelling examples.
- An e-bike will help you meet guidelines for physical activity
It is recommended that Australians get 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity each week. And e-bikes are the right tool for the job.
A study Deakin University researchers examined the effects of e-bike use on the body through metrics such as energy expenditure, heart rate and oxygen consumption. “Overall, e‐cycling was associated with an increase in physiological responses, equivalent to moderate intensity physical activity,” they concluded.
- An e-bike will get you pedalling more often, and greater distances
Research shows that e-bike riders travel farther than regular bike riders, but recent examples from Europe really drive the point home.
A study on more than 10,000 adult users in seven European countries found that the average daily distance pedalled was 8km, compared to 5.3km pedalled by conventional bike riders.
A separate trial in Norway tracked parents of kindergarten children using e-bikes and found they averaged 20km a week, compared to the 12km ridden by conventional bike riders.
Another study in Norway found that even for those who already owned a bike, buying an e-bike increased the share of their total kilometres pedalled each week from 17% to 49%.
Turns out a little electrical assistance can take you a long way.
- An e-bike will make exercise fun
While an e-bike is a proven way to get your heart pumping, they can also provide regular moments of relaxation and enjoyment. The result is that the rider mightn’t feel like they’re working as hard as they are.
One study explored the science behind this by tracking the heart rate and intensity of 101 German workers during everyday use of e-bikes and regular bikes. They found that while the perceived exertion for the e-bike riders was lower, they completed more trips, logged more minutes in the saddle and as a result, expended more energy each week than the regular riders.
- An e-bike can boost your mental health
While getting any kind of exercise outdoors is generally good for the mind, one interesting study teased out exactly what an e-bike ride can do for your mental health. The researchers directly compared bike riders and e-bike riders, and while both showed improvements, certain metrics such as self-reported measures of mental health, were greater among the e-bike group.
- An e-bike can boost recovery from injury
By offering electrical assistance that can be dialled up and down, e-bikes are a wonderful tool for those needing a nudge along in their efforts to get physically active. This is particularly true for those recovering from injury as one study on stroke survivors found. The patients were loaned e-bikes to help them in rehabilitation and the researchers found the electrical assistance was just what some needed to ride outdoors.
For more about the benefits of e-bikes, check out our booklet here. Our E-bike Expo at Albert Park on October 5 is another great place to learn all about them and see what they can do. Register your interest via Facebook here.
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