Can you actually use an e-bike for fitness?
Posted by SamFox336@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 196 comments
I love cycling but want some extra help on hills and long rides. For those who ride e-bikes regularly, do you still feel like you’re getting a workout or does it make things too easy?
chrispark70@reddit
Make sure to get a torque sensor if you want exercise.
PlanetElephant@reddit
Only if you pedal under resistance. If you ride an emoped, then no.
maxadmiral@reddit
Yup, pedal assist only and a max "250W" torque sensing motor is what you want if exercise is the goal.
Large wattages with cadence sensing or throttle makes the bike move like a moped, which makes it unnatural and uncomfortable to pedal properly.
No_Beach64@reddit
Yes i commute 3-5 times a week, 15mile round trip. I get my BPM in the 110-130 for ~40min, which is solidly in the aerobic range for me (60yr old). My RHR has dropped from mid-50’s to high 40’s after dong this for a few months, and I have much better endurances
ThornKRT@reddit
I lost 70lbs from the exercise I get riding my e-bike. Probably more if you take in account that muscle mass weighs more than fat. It’s like anything else what you get out of it depends on what you put into it. In other words can you use a stationary exercise bike for exercise? Of course you can and an e-bike is no different. As long as your putting in an effort to pedal your getting exercise. How much exercise depends upon how much effort you put into pedaling.
funcentric@reddit
Ebikes have different sub categories. What you're looking for is a stealthy torque sensored ebike like an Aventon Scoria or similar. A lightweight bike that you can somewhat ride w/o PAS. I would never recommend that to people who don't ride bikes and who aren't looking for exercise. But being that you are, then that's what you'll want. Otherwise, you'd be looking at a big heavy bike due to the need for long range w/o having to put as much work into it and that will be terrible for times that you need less assist. That might be good for some, but not for you.
LifeguardSas976@reddit
On second year of rising a bicycle. Lost 80 pounds riding an e bike and simply eating within a calorie deficit. Changed nothing else. Just 700-800 calories per meal and riding a bicycle to and from work over 1.5 miles away. Now I have a higher calorie count but still losing weight as I switched to a normal bike.
Fire2box@reddit
Just turn the battery off and pedal. My Radrunner is mych heavier than my trek marlin 5 so itst even more of a workout. When I get tired I can just turn it back on a cruise.
Ill_Cheetah_1991@reddit
I ride around on a UK legal ebike - so max 250W, no throttle and the motor cuts out at 25 kph
and I get get a lot of exercise from it - I do ride mostly in Eco mode - but even higher modes give me exercise
OK - not as much as a proper" bike
but I get a lot more exercise from do 20 miles over 90-110 minutes 2-3 times a week than I would from a "proper bike" doing 10 miles once a week
AND it is better for my mental stuff
DarkMorph18@reddit
I have a problem. I keep adding more and more distance which is great but I need a huge challenge! I want to ride across the country or from Maine to Florida first ? I realize that I’m happy and free on my bike and it’s a good time to reflect and also make decisions for one’s betterment ! Do you think I need to scale back ?
Ill_Cheetah_1991@reddit
I think you need to ask this as a separate question ratehr than a reply to another comment
you might get more answers that way
SammyUser@reddit
this is mostly because it is torque sensing
btw no bicycle sold in the EU has max*** 250W lol, if it's a Bosch motor, the Performance Line CX really can peak up to 850W 😉, the lower end models a bit less.
Ill_Cheetah_1991@reddit
Yes - I do know that the "max 250W" is a thing that is rather wolley in its interpretation and mine is the lowest power version from Bosch anyway
but I certainly get a lot of exercise from a decent ride if I make sure I put the effort in.
For example if I am ona road my speed if ofetn over the 15.5 mph cut off point and on paths where this is lower the accelerating and decellerating requires effort
OK - not as much as a "proper bike"
and if I want to reduce it I can always up the assist level - which I generally only do if my asthma starts causing problems - or the weather gets really terrible
but a 2 hour ride 3 times a week is much more that I would probably get from a proper bike simply because I go out more than I would
DMT-Dave2025@reddit
Spot on 🫡
carlitobrigantehf@reddit
Yup Same as
Aggressive-Fun-1824@reddit
I never really understood why some people make it seem as if you wouldn't get a workout on an e-bike. The beauty of an e-bike is that you can choose how hard your workout should be but even with a Bosch Performance CX you can take on hills that would be challenging even for fit people. (Source: Am fit, own an e-bike with said motor and I've done tours where I would kill the whole 800Wh battery and still do >2.7W/kg myself. I just take on larger mountains than I would with a regular bike, which is more fun to me.)
Putrid_Werewolf7977@reddit
Absolutely, with the right settings and intention, an e-bike can be solid cardio
Ph4antomPB@reddit
I typically have my pedal assist turned up enough to where I don’t need much physical work, but sometimes if I’m wanting some blood flow I’ll turn the pedal assist to the lowest or completely off and pedal manually. Legs get pretty sore after a couple minutes
Able_Boat_8966@reddit
Of course, turn the motor off or to the lowest assist level.
DjiMtb@reddit
Absolutely not for me tbh
TheSkitzoid@reddit
Depends heavily on the bike. It it isn't torque sensing, probably not. I had an ebike im> wanted more exercise on, so I just left the battery at home for about a year straight.
Competitive_Let3812@reddit
In my case I use the engine only when I need an extra help on hills because of my bad knees or I have a head wind. I do not use the e-bike for commuting, just recreational. However I have compared the number of burned calories on the same distance with a regular bike and is more or less the same.
InvestigatorSenior@reddit
no, ebikes are cheating. Mine cheated me out of almost 40kg body fat and in almost 15 kg of new muscle mass.
Just a typical EU legal 250w pedal assist bike ridden on medium assist (Touring mode) over a few months.
Active_Scallion_5322@reddit
Not really possible
InvestigatorSenior@reddit
care to elaborate? In 14 mos I went from 118kg to 82kg depending on the day and my body fat % went from 32 to 17. All I've ever done about my fitness was zone 2 bike rides. So far almost 15k km total.
SingularBlue@reddit
Damn, you're giving me ideas. I live in the US (Florida) and it's mostly flat here, but if I pedal until I'm tired, and put put back...
That may be a winning strategy.
BoringBob84@reddit
Knowing that you can request more assistance (even if you don't use it) is very reassuring. I ride my ebike much more than I ride my Muggle bike. It is a replacement for driving in many situations.
cbdoc@reddit
Exactly my experience. I’m super fit, but gained a bit of weight during Covid. The valley is riding in zone 1 and 2 consistently is ideal for weight loss. Lost about 39 lb over the course of a year riding 6 days a week. I’m back on my regular bike now and putting out heavy wattage, typically Z3+- impossible to lose weight.
zed_patrol@reddit
If you are disciplined you can still get a great workout. I try and rarely go above level 2 on mine and my legs are as strong as ever. It's just great to have on those hills that used to really kick your butt.
abercrombezie@reddit
Just did a 50 mile 3000 elevation ride with my regular road bike this weekend. It's a big ride with 3000 other riders from Rosarito to Ensenada. This is after mostly training on my Specialized Creo eBike maybe 80% of the time.
FullMeltAlkmst@reddit
The reason I bought a e bike is because I didn’t want a stationary exercise bike in my living room. I got a 7 speed & upgraded chain ring for resistance. Pedaling off the line, uphill and in certain pedal resistance modes I get a good workout around the city. Frame batteries are heavy also so with a 170lb bike it’s like tossing around a small motorcycle.
lanas_high_heels@reddit
Nah mate - I put on a buncha weight when I went over to electric.
yarn_slinger@reddit
Just turn off the motor when you don’t need it.
lanas_high_heels@reddit
I hadn’t thought of that
Virtike@reddit
That entirely depends on how you're using it. Generally though i've found that you can get a workout, but no matter what people say, it's not quite the same.
Context: Ride eMTB on long climbs/descents, mostly in eco/tour (Bosch).
MountainDadwBeard@reddit
It depends on the style of ebike you get. My ebike has a torque sensor so the motor pushes harder, the harder I push... MY heart rate ranges 130-160 while I'm biking and I'm definitely not going to get upto 28 mph on flats without pushing hard.
Spending 10 hours a week on it, I was able to switch over to my acoustic bike and knock out a century ride no problem. This fall i've been hitting the acoustic bike a little more often. My ftp is down slightly but I get a better core workout on the gravel bike riding position.
MTB_SF@reddit
The best aerobic training is actually riding in heart rate zone 2, which is around 130 for me. Long zone 2 rides build aerobic capacity much better than harder efforts.
On my regular bike, it's pretty hard to maintain a steady zone 2, as I'm always pushing harder then easing off.
I usually do my zone 2 training in an indoor trainer, but it's also pretty easy to maintain your zone 2 on an e bike.
squishlight@reddit
"But can riding an e-bike count as doctor-recommended regular physical activity and contribute to good health? The experts, literature, and research point to yes.
First, studies have shown that people who ride e-bikes do it often and farther distances, enabling moderate exercise, even though it is not as intense as taking a conventional bike. Adjusting and cycling between leg power and charged-up power provides a workout.
Modest activity (say 30 minutes a day of movement) helps with enhanced physical fitness, improved cardiovascular function, muscle strengthening, reduced inflammation, improved mental health like better mood and lower stress, and enriched sleep quality.
A 2017 study comparing the physical activity of pedal-assist electric bikes with walking and conventional bicycles found that e-bikes provide moderate physical activity on flat and downhill segments and vigorous physical activity on uphill segments. A 2021 study of a 3-mile e-bike commute found the ride met the intensity level of healthy physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization.
Being able to go faster also makes e-biking fun, leading to riding frequently, longer, and farther, with the benefits rolling in. Cycling can get taxing – pedal assist removes the physically demanding barrier. That alone can build confidence and promote building bike riding into a routine, upping the benefits."
Source: https://transportation.ucla.edu/blog/benefits-riding-e-bike
Ol_Man_J@reddit
This highlights the differences to me. Yes, you will get a better workout IF you’re riding further than you would on a conventional bike. But the 3 mile commute doesn’t sound like it should be the “30 min a day for moderate movement “. At a very chill 12 mph that’s 15 minutes of riding time.
Still_Law_6544@reddit
Yea, you have to count time, not distance, since you are likely faster with ebike. If you aren't, then it's a workout for sure.
Still_Law_6544@reddit
Electric or acoustic bike - the fitness level is the same. It depends on your own effort.
The thing an electric bike changes is that you go faster uphill and slower on flat. It's easier to "cheat" on an electric bike since your speed doesn't stall even if you ease on pedalling. It also allows you to ride longer, since a) you go faster b) you don't have to worry so much being exhausted, since if you do, just let the electric motor help you on the way home.
kylerk@reddit
My bike with a Bosch motor system provides a read out of exactly how many watts of power you are pedaling into it, so you can very preciously do a workout on it.
Combined with an Apple Watch, it can read your heart rate too.
sorryknottsorry@reddit
I live in a hilly city so it's a must from me, even with assist my hr is between 140-150 when i bike
highinthemountains@reddit
Hell yes you can get a workout, just turn off the motor. I have a 21 gear, 5 PAS, 70 lb e-bike that I mostly ride in PAS 0. Going up the hills in my town I use the gears until my 72 year old butt can’t pedal anymore.
Difficult_Extent3547@reddit
That’s exactly how I use my e-bike. I have an Apple Watch and it is very easy for me to stay in zone 2 for fitness tracking. Sometimes I have the pedal assist off, and on steep hills I can crank it up. It’s usually in eco mode.
Complete-Equipment90@reddit
What bike? Just curious because I do the same with my Apple Watch, but I rarely turn the assist off. Sometimes, but not often
Difficult_Extent3547@reddit
Trek Verve+ 3
Complete-Equipment90@reddit
Yes. I track my heart rate with a watch. Effort can be high pretty easily. I can vary my effort depending on how I feel that day. My heart rate can be put wherever I want it to be.
bigDpelican42@reddit
Yes. Anything that can increase the time on the bike will help fitness as long as you don’t sit like a numpty food deliverer and just use throttle. I used to ride 60km to or from work more regularly on eBike, now I ride 20km to the train. Also eBike can reduce your HR zone so that you’re not stressing body out more. More Zone2 is apparently better for weight loss.
bigDpelican42@reddit
Yes. Anything that can increase the time on the bike will help fitness as long as you don’t sit like a numpty food deliverer and just use throttle. I used to ride 60km to or from work more regularly on eBike, now I ride 20km to the train. Need to fix my eBike
Sir-Benalot@reddit
You sure can. Use it for commuting. Let it run out batteries, over sleep your alarm, then ride it unpowered to work - in a hurry.
fishling@reddit
It's perfect for what you want. I usually have mine set to pedal assist 1 (of 5) so it's still effort to get anywhere, but it smooths out the effort to be more consistent on hills and headwinds.
Bigbuckmud@reddit
Yea just don’t ever charge it and you’ll get the best workout of your life
SainnQ@reddit
I've seen folks talk about burning tens of thousands of extra calories per year from riding a bike where they need to for errands.
You'd probably burn a damn sight more riding a bike in an american town or city that's unfriendly as fuck to pedal power vehicles.
Bobloblaw878@reddit
I always pedal. I get assist when I need speed or hills but I never just coast. So sure. A little? Lol
Adventurous_Fact8418@reddit
It depends. You have to be more mindful to actually try to get exercise. If you let your mind wander, the bike will sort of take care of itself.
Possible_Singer8601@reddit
I have an ebike that has a max speed of 30 mph. But it has 4 power levels 0-4, so when I want to ride i use 0 and when I want to get the most I use 3 and then everything in between. The one I have also allows you to customize how much power is sent between level 1-3 so I have ~45% level 1 75 level 2 and 100 level 3
PlaceUserNameHere67@reddit
I ride a cheap e-bike and use pedal assist to ride 70% of the time. 30% of the time if I wanna ride farther I'll run throttle only. I have back problems and cannot ride a regular bike for very long. I am able to get out and ride more often with the e-bike. So, yes, I feel I get enough exercise.
Diligent_Air8361@reddit
Turn the bike off for ten mins whilst your out on a ride and you will get lots of exercise trying to maintain the speed then turn back on when your tired. As little or as much exercise as required. One thing for sure though you will spend a lot more time outdoors on your bike just because you can. Come rain wind or snow my e-bikes always on the go :)
Ancient_Pattern_2688@reddit
Snow? For real? I'm curious because it's coming into snow season in a month or two where I am, and I don't want to stop riding, but I also am terrified of wiping out on slick streets. Do you really ride in snow? Have you made any changes to your bike or gotten extra equipment to make that happen?
michaelhannigan2@reddit
It helps if your bike is a fat tire.
BoringBob84@reddit
Yes. Here in the Pacific NW, I commute year-around. I won't ride in heavy rain or black ice. Snow is not a problem, unless there is a lot of it (and it freezes solid with ruts in it), and that is rare. Some people use studded tires. There are surprisingly few days of the year when I cannot ride.
Kletronus@reddit
A Finn here: yes, you can ride them all year long. Wintertires are a must, and really, they need to be studded winter tires of good quality, 200 studs minimum. And don't store the battery outside.
Ancient_Pattern_2688@reddit
Thank you. I'll have to look into winter tires. I've never seen them here, but it does seem like a good idea.
infra_d3ad@reddit
If you want to save a little money, the Schwalbe Winter is a good choice. They only come with studs in the center, but they have the holes for the outside studs. You'll need a stud tool and studs anyhow, because studs fall out and you have to replace them, so just stud the outer holes yourself. Marathon Plus goes for around $100, while Winters can be had for $60.
lfeagan@reddit
Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus is one of a handful of good options. Ride my young ones all winter long through ice and snow on my bakfiet—no falls here.
Humble_Key_4259@reddit
Depends on where you live. In Denver, we get snow but it melts fast so 99% of the time a good non-studded winter tire is more than enough. The only time studs are a benefit here is when there is standing ice for any length of time or if packed snow stays on the ground for longer periods of time which ia rare here. I ride year round and winter is some of my favorite riding. I also gear up with full motocross protection because falls WILL happen if you're out enough.
janke111@reddit
Electric bikes are great in snow, for example when it is unplowed. I cycle to work all year round, I have an electric MTB with slightly wider tires. A regular bike would never have worked for me as I work shifts, often unplowed when I go to or from work.
Dry-Neck2539@reddit
Play with studs and tire pressure. You’re not going down. Don’t store the battery in freezing but as long as your using it, it won’t freeze
Existence_No_You@reddit
Yeah. I ride my bike 5 days a week all year and I live in Ohio. About 20 miles a day
No-Pack-5775@reddit
Or just turn down the level of assist, you can gradually increase the intensity of the same workout, always with the option of whacking it back in turbo for to smooth out the worst hills!
vexingpresence@reddit
Depending on whether you have a cadence sensor or a torque sensor (plus other settings on your specific controller) this may be more or less successful for you. I pretty much have to make sure I'm riding above the km/h where my cadence sensor activates the assist in order to get a workout, or turn it off completely.
At the moment I turn it off entirely on flats/mild hills and turn it on when I need help up a hill if I'm in "workout" mode
adorablefuzzykitten@reddit
I went on 10 mile ebike rides using my throttle alone and soon moved to pedal assist. Then I lowered pedal assist to level one. Now I use my ebike for off road trails and a regular bike for even 25 mile rides.
FrijolesVerdes@reddit
Bars
michaelhannigan2@reddit
I get more exercise than I would with a regular bike because I ride it every single day. It's much more rewarding. You don't necessarily exercise less, you just have more fun.
BoringBob84@reddit
Yes.
A true ebike (not an electric moped with impractical pedals) lets you choose in real time how hard you want to work.
On my commute to work in the morning, I use more assistance so that I don't have to take a shower when I arrive. On my way home in the evening, I use less assistance so that I can get more exercise.
Ok-Armadillo-392@reddit
Absolutely, and it's very common.
I'm an amputee I struggle putting down big power to get up hills or even getting up to speed.
But since I got an ebike my balance is getting better, and I lost 10 lbs in two months and have over 600 miles on my bike.
It's also common for people to start in high power assist levels and gradually work down to turning the pas off.
At first I always needed power assist. Now I am starting to be able to get up small grades by myself.
I'm absolutely fitter thanks to my ebike.
Persistent_Parkie@reddit
I'm also disabled and my e trike means I can exercise so much more. I can turn it on for the bits I really struggle with and turn it off on lovely flats and just get in the miles. On my last trike with no assist I had no idea how much I was really limiting myself due to fear of possibly getting myself into a situation I couldn't get myself out of. Now I go down all the hills I never would have tried before because I wasn't sure I could make it back up, it turns out lots of those hills I don't even need assist for!
Got home from a 20 mile ride yesterday and my battery was estimating an 80 mile range, I'm still getting plenty of exercise.
Ok-Armadillo-392@reddit
That's a huge battery. Awesome story.
Persistent_Parkie@reddit
It's a 20 mile battery if you use it at full power, it estimates range based on how much you actually use it. I came home from one ride with an estimate of over 200 miles.
camasonian@reddit
I have an e-bike that I use for commuting year-round (about 13 miles one way)
I have a road bike that I use for fitness rides (about 30 miles on average)
Over the past 3 years I've probably put 10,000 miles on each bike and I track my rides and fitness through the Apple Watch fitness app.
In my experience, the difference is roughly the equivalent to brisk walking vs. jogging. When I e-bike it does count as exercise, just like walking the dog counts as exercise, but I rarely or never really get my heart rate up into the anerobic level. This is because the motor kicks in during all the time when you'd normally be doing the most exertion on a road bike: Accelerating after every stop and hill climbing. So e-biking give you a nice gentle aerobic exercise like brisk walking, but in my experience, that is about it. Especially if you are biking in suburban areas with lots of stopping and going. Maybe if you are way out on some open road and just grinding away at the top speed of the bike it would be a bit different.
By contrast, riding my road bike through the rolling and somewhat hilly landscape of this metro area is more like jogging. I have no trouble at all keeping my heart rate up. Every stop sign and stop light means acceleration, every hill means exertion. And when I look at the ride profiles on the apple fitness app by average heart rate is significantly higher on a road bike ride vs. an e-bike ride.
Bottom line? Yes, e-bikes give you exercise. But it won't be as rigorous as road biking. And I liken it to the difference between a brisk 5 mile walk vs a 5 mile jog.
CavalierPumpkin@reddit
I was about to make the same comparison (riding ebikes is to traditional cycling as walking is to running), so I'll just add that you can extend that principle to thinking of the frequency and volume of exercise. If you're only going to move for 20 minutes, a 20-minute run will do you more good than a 20-minute walk but walking everywhere as part of your daily routine is better in aggregate than going for the occasional jog. Likewise, riding my ebike isn't as intensive as other forms of exercise but the fact that it's easy and practical to do it every day in the course of commuting, running errands, etc., in addition to my actual workout routine, makes a huge difference.
Separate-Passion-949@reddit
In short, Yes!
Before I got my eMTB I would probably do 50miles/year on my old bike.
This year on my Specialized MTB I’ve done 800miles.
Yes it did increase my fitness because I now love biking and before I tolerated it
boshbosh92@reddit
yes, on medium to high assist it's akin to a fast walk
RoofGeneral8219@reddit
I ride a regular road bike and e-bike frequently and my sense is that e-bike on eco = 1/2 road bike exertion. I am happy with that. Good exercise.
Medical-Actuary5239@reddit
I end up biking more (so working out harder/longer) because of the e bike. It’s helpful to have like a fitness watch or something so you can track yourself. It really helps me stay motivated and pedaling hard
KyleB463@reddit
100% you can improve your fitness with an ebike. Same as with any exercise system. Progressive overload. Start with intervals of maintaining speed with lower and lower amounts of peddle assist. Throw in longer and longer rides at lower power assist. You may not become Tour de France material. But, if you’re sedentary now. Progressive overload will 100% improve your fitness.
RecognitionFit4871@reddit
Yes. Carrying it up the stairs is much harder than a real bike
xdq@reddit
Mine is a UK legal bike so assisted up to 25km/h, max 250w continuous output and no throttle. Most of the time I ride a little over the max assist speed so have minimal help and only turn it up when I'm in danger of having to walk a hill. Having not ridden for 20 years prior to getting my ebike it's nice knowing that I have a little backup when I tire on a longer ride.
I stick the assist on high to get some fresh air when I can't be arsed with proper exercise, because a little is better than nothing.
Financial_Pick3281@reddit
Mine has a power meter, yesterday I did a 3h 18m ride @142w. Not that special, but without the ebike I would have taken the car to that specific destination.
pinkfloydhomer@reddit
My Garmin watch says I get tons of exercise on ebike.
The nice thing is that you can choose yourself if a ride is exercise or mostly just transportation when you're in a hurry.
And because you know you have the motor as an opportunity, you get more adventurous and do a lot more rides that you might not do on a regular bike.
I get more exercise in a year on ebike than I did in a year on my regular bikes, because there were rides I didn't do before, where I used other kinds of transportation. Now I ebike everywhere, sometimes combined with train if its a very long trip.
Competitive_Ride_943@reddit
Yes class 1 no throttle
Can-I-remember@reddit
Any exercise that increases your heart rate is good for fitness. Walking, swimming or e-bike riding, it doesn’t matter.
Sitting in the couch at home eating chocolate and drinking coke has the opposite effect.
JonMDC@reddit
Simple answer is yes. It’s just how you use it. I found that I went for longer rides and used the power to get to the fun/pretty bits quicker. I have about a mile of busy roads before there are cycle paths etc so I go full power until I hit them. It’s so much more enjoyable!
RareAir8524@reddit
You make is as much of a workout as you want. I have a road bike if I want to bang out 25 or 30 miles. Ebikes are good for cardio because it's easier to stay in zone 1 and 2. Which is where we burn fat.
Thequiet01@reddit
Yes. They’ve actually studied this. E-bikes increase the amount people get out and do things so their activity levels increase significantly.
CoolButterfly1108@reddit
You’ll still get a workout and the intensity will depend on your effort.
58 miles on a group ride with me riding an ebike on level one, sometimes pushing those who fall off the back on hills. I’ll still switch back to the road bike on other outings. Typically my peak heart rate would be around 170+ minus.
EngineerBoy00@reddit
In my experience I get MORE exercise with my ebike because there is no "wall" that I have to worry about hitting and then facing a terrible dlog home while I'm exhausted
Instead, I can just ride wherever I want as long as I want (as long as the batteries hold out - I carry a spare).
Also, if I'm hitting the wall I can up the pedal-assist, or just use the throttle, until I've got my wing back.
I can tackle hills more easily, which also expands my riding range into more interesting places.
In short, for me as a casual cycler, it greatly increases my usage and overall cardio benefit.
placeperson@reddit
100%. Especially with a mid-drive torque sensor ebike, it'll feel like you're riding a normal bike except you can dial the resistance up and down like you're on an exercise bike.
I would not recommend a cadence sensor bike for fitness though; by design they will pretty much always be giving you either too much assist or too little
Yohann_Nevgovesh@reddit
I have a "normal" road Trek bike and recently got an mtb ebike from Canyon. Damn I burned more calories on my Canyon, because I ride much longer and it's extremely fun, you don't have to think about your route, uphills, the quality of the road surface ect! It's so fucking fun! 99% of the time in eco mode, but you always have a choice and that's a privilege. I feel myself like a kid again, I didn't think that the ebike could be so fun. I can't stop riding. 50 miles ride from NJ to NYC and I burned 2000 calories.
J-F_Mattias@reddit
Depends on what your definition of fitness are.
Will an ebike improve your health? Absolutely yes, it will.
But will it replace physical exercise? No, it wont. You will obviously improve your health because you are physically active, but I wouldn`t expect to increase any stamina or endurace, especially not if you ride the Turbo mode, which is of course the most enticing mode on the ebikes.
Aggravating_Zone_167@reddit
I cycle 26 kms a day in 2 batches of 13 and that allows me to burn roughly 400 kcal.
Before getting one, I drove 26 kms a day = 0 kcal.
In my current routine, cycling is the only fitness I’m doing. When I don’t get to cycle for some days I can totally feel the difference!
JPBillingsgate@reddit
Oh my dear God, yes. An ebike actually allows you to dial in the exact level of fitness you want.
I get just as much of a workout on an ebike as I do on my analog bike. The differences is that I can, and absolutely do, do longer, faster rides. And, this is key, I enjoy them more before I can ride in a more comfortable position and carry more stuff with me.
I have never looked forward to going on like rides as much as I have these past 7 weeks that I have owned my ebike. I just had a battery extender installed so that I can go on even longer rides without having to pay attention to my battery meter.
Wflagg@reddit
If you have the willpower and determination, a regular bike is going to be a bigger impact.
However, if you dont, and you just need a little push to get moving. an ebike helps, alot. With a regular bike, i wont know if i have the energy to go for a ride and make it back, so i just... wont. With an ebike, i know if i get tired, I can switch to throttle and make it home.
the result is that even though the regular bike would look better on paper, i actually end up using the e-bike WAY more so it makes a bigger impact.
Hand_and_Eye@reddit
I have an e mountain bike so yes, it has different gears that allow for resistance and I can easily convert it to a regular bike by just removing the battery (even if it looks funky). Super toned from it.
KostyaFedot@reddit
I wish I could upload here gopro camera video where I barely making it at maximum power mode and lowest gear in freaking Seraing, Wallonia. I could only go zigzag where. Less terrible climbing in Seraing is still workout even on e-bike.
But I ride e-bike, not American style e-moped with throttle.
Even on e-moped , 60 km per day is still work out where I'm. They pretend to use pedals, but for this distance it is still better than sitting on scooter.
Yuck_Few@reddit
If you turn it down on the lowest level of pedal assist it doesn't feel much different than writing an analog bike
srslysaras@reddit
Yes I feel like I get a workout because I don't use pedal assist all the time and the bike is fairly heavy, but not heavy enough to be unmovable.
arnaaar@reddit
I arrive sweaty at my destination sometimes. Usually about 11 or 12 km. Do what you want with that information.
fpeterHUN@reddit
I did some tests and riding an ebike in eco mode reduces your heart rate by 20 bmp. So it can be used for training without a problem.
jnson324@reddit
I lost 40lb so far with mine. At first I would go long distances (30 - 60 miles) with a lot of assist. I would get completely worn out from the first 10 miles at first. Then I would take a break while the bike would carry me even farther, leaving a lot of time to get more exercise on the way back. I kept doing this and eventually stopped needing breaks and then eventually lowering the assist. The reason this worked over a regular bike was it was so fun. I could go out for 3+ hours a day, I looked forward to it, and it didn't leave a lot of time left for being lazy at home.
Im still on the grind. Found other people to bike with and life is good. Im also interested in regular bikes now that im back in shape
LargeNerdKid@reddit
According to my garmin watch my fitness age has dropped 8 years in 3 weeks of cycling.
Don't use pas 5 going up hills if you want more exercise. Each day your body gets used to the level of input just keep increasing the level of input buy lowering the pas.
Have you a torque sensor or cadence?
Adventurous-Rope7870@reddit
Lol yes ebikes are quite heavy and you can just use a low asset so you have to work more BUT you can always just turn it up to make the bike feel wayyyy lighter when you get tired so a workout feels way better knowing you won't be tired and stuck someplace and honestly you will go far just on the fun you forget you are even peddling
theLaLiLuLeLol@reddit
fuck yeah, turn the motor off
for real tho if you pedal with the motor some exercise is still better than none
sanjuro_kurosawa@reddit
btw if you really care about training, the answer is wearing a heart rate monitor and noting your max heart rate and your different heart rate zones.
If you are always in the lowest zones, then you're just doing the minimum amount of exercise (which may be your goal). The best way to make dramatic improvement in your fitness level, ie get a workout, is to spend some time in the highest zones. This is called interval training.
While you should read up on this, the bottom line is that if you go up hills with maximum assist, you're likely not to be pushing yourself. Of course, if going up these hills with zero assist is an impossible struggle that is not good exercise, so knowing your heart rate tells you what level of effort you are doing.
OkTale8@reddit
On a real, pedal assist only, 20mph top speed bike. Yeah you can get a great workout.
On these Chinese throttle quasi electronic motorcycle “e-bikes” no way.
Greedy_Pear_1323@reddit
I definitely still feel like I'm getting a workout using my e bike. It's all in how you use the "e" portion of the bike.
Pickle_strength@reddit
You need to use a heart rate monitor if you’re biking for fitness. And yes, you’ll be able to use an e-bike to keep your heart rate in the ideal zone for your intended work out. It’s much easier to control your exertion and effort with the help of the different assist levels on the e-bike. Of course, you have to avoid the temptation of using too much assistance!
RectumExplorer--@reddit
Of course. It's like a regular bike, except it's more fun and you can set power settings to dictate how much exercise you want.
Kymudhen@reddit
Yes, whenever my heart rate is over 130 or 140. I’m guessing I’m receiving some type of cardio benefit.
Serial-Biker@reddit
E-bikes encourage you to ride more often. To the restaurant, for shopping etc. You get much more exercise and become fitter.
There are many trips I do I wouldn't do on my regular bike because they are too hard. On the e-bike they are a joy.
Negative-Wishbone634@reddit
I ride further thanks to my ebike and setting pas low and you'll get a serious workout
888Rich@reddit
I can easily work up a sweat pedaling even with the motor assist. It's just annoying when I hit the level 3 cutout and the assist disappears all at once, leaving me pushing all 68 lbs of bike.
MasterChiefette@reddit
Yes. Just turn down petal assist. I ride my Ebike every day. I may of ride my regular bike 1 a week.
eBikeHelper@reddit
I've been on hour long 4 wheel ATV rides where my core and grip were exhausted, I was drenched in sweat, and my heart rate was above my 70% for the majority. Anything can be a workout. It might not be the best workout in terms of improving fitness that is applicable elsewhere. You have to identify your goal to figure out if something is useful.
libbuge@reddit
Yes! My e-bike is really heavy, so if I keep it on the lowest assist level riding up the big hill I live on, I'm breathing hard by the top. And I'm in pretty good shape.
Inciteful_Analysis@reddit
Torque sensors promote exercise more than a cadence sensor.
But the biggest factor is your self control to resist blatant cheating and keep the assist levels low enough.
Yes, it can feel like a workout after 30+ miles.
nrsys@reddit
You will get as much of a workout as you put effort into riding.
Make the riding easier, and you will have to do a lot more riding to hit that same workout.
So doing your usual five mile loop with an assist on the hills will not be as good as doing your usual loop without an assist.
But doing a loop that is three times further and putting in an equivalent amount of effort on the non-hill sections and you can come out equivalent.
The trick is to use the assist as a method to extend the fun parts, not avoid the bad.
Valink-u_u@reddit
This is like asking if you can use a normal bike for fitness because it's more energy efficient speedwise compared to running
Rakadaka8331@reddit
Depends on your exertion level. You can lift weights and not get a work out if you don't lift heavy enough or for long enough duration. My buddy has his heart rate PR set on a climb on his Turbo Levo when it was max assist. Up hill at 17mph is still a workout.
zmr18@reddit
I ride an hour each way to work and it feels like a legit workout. Even with higher levels of assist if you pedal hard for a long time you will feel the workout… you’ll just go father and faster. In my experience this is more true on mid drive than rear hub bikes, the former of which feels much more like natural biking to me.
-Gman_@reddit
Yes!! You still have to pedal and if you can pedal more often then you will benefit from consistency
mclazerlou@reddit
Of course. You can use the same amount of energy and cover 4x the distance in the same time. Especially if there are climbs. And you can adjust the pedal assistance.
richardrc@reddit
Shut off the motor if you really want a workout!
Exotic-Dog-9061@reddit
I still maintain a heart rate averaging 130 on an e bike so yes still good cardio
Ashamed_Data430@reddit
I'm 76. My e-bike (a trike, actually) is part of my fitness routine. I have a comfortable cadence and enjoy long (20km) rides, which, while they aren't intense, I can feel the benefits every time. I also ride sometimes with power assist off, which is like the old days, but with a much heavier bike. I have the option of bearing down and going hard, but usually opt to take the long, slow route to fitness and it seems to be working fine.
creo_rider@reddit
My friend's wife lost 30 lbs in the first 5 months after she bought her ebike. Absolutely you can get exercise and look up Rhonda Martin who lost 277 lbs after she purchased an ebike.
Dry-Neck2539@reddit
Make it what you want it lol. This is such a silly question.
am0x@reddit
I have an eMTB. I ride twice as far twice as fast. In fact, I almost always end up riding longer because I’m having so much fun.
Heart rate monitor tracks calories and end the end, I burn pretty much the same.
DIY-exerciseGuy@reddit
Yes
TLOtis23@reddit
Absolutely. Especially if your battery runs out!
But seriously, I've been using my mid-drive bike for fitness. I used it to get ready for a Bike MS this year, before switching to my meat-powered road bike.
serialband@reddit
Yes, you just set a pedal assist bike with a torque sensor and set a lower PAS level. You have to pedal more at lower levels. If you need more help on a hill, you can increase the level for the motor to help you, but drop it down when you don't need it. Once you get your leg strength you can shut it off for.
Even_Instruction370@reddit
depends on the bike you get tbh, but just like any ebike you turn it off and pedal, yea youre gonna get a work out lol
jms1228@reddit
Yes & no…. I rode my traditional pedal hybrid bike today & the difference is 10x harder vs. a pedal assist e-bike.
Dismal-Practice-3833@reddit
No
rolandofeld19@reddit
When I need zoom zoom, I use the assist. When I don't, I turn it off. When I need it some, I set it low.
Not hard, feels like I'm living my best life at all times basically with almost zero compromises required.
anzitus@reddit
My eBike helped me build endurance the first year. I can now do 25-30 mile loops on a regular bike and get a good workout. I mainly use eBikes on longer or casual rides.
Fassbendr@reddit
Effort on an ebike can be as easy or difficult as you want it to be. If you want a good workout just don't use any assist.
ReedmanV12@reddit
Yes an ebike can improve your fitness, help you lose weight, reduce your savings, and make it likely you will ride more often.
Astr0Scot@reddit
If you're not getting out much on a non-ebike, you will likely get out a lot more on an ebike.
Especially so if you live in a hilly area.
So whilst you may not get as fit as you would on a non-ebike, you'll definitely get a whole load fitter than you would if you don't get out at all due to a lack of fitness.
Lexfu@reddit
I have bad knees and couldn’t ride a standard bike. My peddle assist bike is now my main transportation everywhere. I only use the throttle to get the bike going. Since June I have gone from 355 lbs down to 317 lbs. I have had a slight change in diet but I think the bike has helped tremendously. I bike about 25 miles daily.
ChicoRunningBack@reddit
Of course. It’s exercise. Just don’t use the throttle.
Also, don’t compare ebiking to regular biking. different forms of exercise. Heart-rate 20 beats faster per minute with an acoustic bike.
i__hate__you__people@reddit
Any bike that gets you riding more is a good deal. If some pedal assistance will get you riding farther and more often, then yeah, it’s going to be good for you and give you a workout.
Nice_Today_4332@reddit
If it’s PAS yes?
NooberOnABike@reddit
It doesn’t get easier, you just go faster.
roncranl@reddit
Yes.. it does make things eas-ier. But it allows me to go longer than I normally would... to rest a leg pain for a couple of minutes instead of making it worse. You can always turn it off/use the gears to adjust how much resistance you want. Cold weather - use it to warm up the first few miles/laps instead of deciding to stay inside. Game changer for me - just be more careful as incident stats seem to be a lot higher than regular bikes.
FrabbaSA@reddit
My heart rate still averages 130 or more on any ride where I’m not purposefully taking it easy. You’ll be fine.
Freddeh18@reddit
Yes. For sure. If you ride it a lot you’ll notice needing less and less assist. That’s proof of gains. And you may find yourself doing more challenging routes with the same low assist when previously you would have needed max assist on those routes. Good luck!
plasticbomb1986@reddit
On Vanmoofs you just adjust the assist level during ride with the handlebar buttons, or through your phone, on older Stella fiets theres is a dedicated button, on newer middrive setups depends on what ekit they have used. On older Vanmoofs the setting actually set what speed the assist turns off (in EU and US modes), on newers with torque sensors im actually not sure if its power or speed limits it changes.
CoatIcy6070@reddit
Yes…. I pedal with assist and my thighs are rock hard. And….I’m getting my butt back.
Zenigata@reddit
On most of them you can adjust the assistance level through from next to nothing through to yiu barely having to pedal. So how much of a workout you get is up to you.
It is reasuring if you're trying something ambitious to know that you've got some help to get home if you need it.
TamiPeakTravelAgent@reddit
THIS! I have been researching e-bikes for a while and just made the decision to buy the bike! I am almost 55 with asthma but live an active life. I can't want to get started! I do ride a Peloton for exercise. I made this decision due to my asthma because there's a lot I would like to do that I'm afraid to try on my regular bike just in case my asthma flares and I can't get back home. A new journey is about to start!
brick1972@reddit
Here are the ways you will get better fitness, and why the "ebikes take away gains" or whatever cycling purist people get completely wrong. I want to note I say this for pedal assist bikes. For throttle bikes, it's going to be a lot different.
- Riding with any effort at all is better for fitness than sitting on the couch.
- If you can replace car trips with bike trips you will passively add exercise to your daily routine.
- If you pedal without assist, saving assist only for when you are struggling, you can get a better workout on the ebike, because it is heavier and often doesn't have ideal gearing for unassisted climbs and sprints.
Now, here is where the cyclist purists have a point:
- if you are never climbing hills or using your maximum effort, you will not really push yourself to make your max effort higher. What I mean here is that there is going to be a diminishing returns on the ebike. You will get more fit up to a certain level, but if you want to really push and improve your cycling ability, it may hold you back. I say who cares, but I'm old. Depending on your goals, you may care.
Bloxus@reddit
Yeah, sure. Depends on how you use it, but I tend to actually use up more calories on my e-mtb than my road bike on average. I guess the extra power just makes my decision making tell me to do harder, dumber stuff.. I tend to just leave after my time limit is up or I'm tired. The stuff happening in between evens out to pretty similar results.
mumwifealcoholic@reddit
Absolutely. But then I have started out very unfit. My next bike won’t need to be an e-bike.
rochrider@reddit
I often ride mine on flat paved rail trails with the assistance turned off, in which case it's more of a workout than riding my regular bike that weighs 20lbs less. However, I do admit to sometimes turning up the boost out of sheer laziness, especially on the homeward leg of a longer ride. On the good side, I no longer worry as much about being caught out having to ride into a stiff headwind when the wind changes direction!
BeanzleyTX@reddit
Yup . Just don’t charge it
wedstrom@reddit
If you find the challenge of doing it all on your own compelling, absolutely stick with it!
Otherwise, as has been said, of course e-bikes van be good exercise depending on how you use them. An underated key is doing something you enjoy. If you enjoy it and do it regularly, that will give better results than a huge difficult goal that falls by the wayside.
Make sure to get one that pedals well. I ride a fat bike, and I do not primarily use it for exercise. I always use throttle or a high level of assistance, though 28mph is still a decent effort (I'm learning that my cadence sensor can be cheated though). I do find the challenge enjoyable, so I use my acoustic bike for challenging long rides.
If exercise is a priority, I would get a hybrid or commuter or road bike style, and test it with low or no assistance to see how well it really rides. For true no assistance riding, I would look into the conventional brands like Trek (they can be very expensive though).
Short of a compliance pedal emoto, any ebike can be good exercise, even my fat tire bike, so any advice is secondary to your actual wants and needs and preferred riding style. My advice is only to find one that encourages and rewards no/low assistance riding rather than punishing it.
rjstrizz@reddit
I ride mine like 40 miles a day for the work week. My waist went from a 34 to like 31 or 30. I'm wearing 32 w pants and I need a belt. I've had the bike for almost a month.
rjstrizz@reddit
I also walk 7 miles a day between my full day of riding
Central_NY@reddit
I'm down 29lbs in three months of ownership / riding. Family and friends have told me an e-bike is cheating. These are people who don't exercise at all so...the jokes on them.
Lithium_Lily@reddit
I actually log more minutes in my target HR range on the ebike than the normal bike, and even more when I keep the assist relatively high instead of low. I think the exhilaration of going pretty fast keeps my body pumping and my pedals spinning fast.
Significant-Pen-6049@reddit
Yes for sure. Not with the crappy pas bikes.
Ancient_Pattern_2688@reddit
Yes. My ebike has literally been life-changing for me. Not just cardio, but also getting up and down from the ground much more easily, climbing into and out of my trap-door access basement and being able to walk for much longer periods of time without triggering my congenital ankle condition,.
That's with me only having the time to go out riding every other or every third day, and I've only had my ebike for a month and a half. I have been shocked at how much improvement I've seen in my fitness.
One piece of advice I got that I'll pass on, it's easy to "cheat" with a cadence sensor, and not so much with a torque sensor. My ebike has both options, and I have found this to be an accurate observation.
Kletronus@reddit
Nope, the negative ions from discharging the battery will attract fat molecules to attach to your mid rift.
Of course it can.
maddog2271@reddit
of course you can. just use the lowest assist setting and ride farther, or turn the assist off totally and push the bike. On the lowest assist the effort is about like a moderate-brisk walk depending on your effort. Obviously not as much as on a regular bike pushing it hard, but yes, it’s exercise.
tower_junkie@reddit
In my commute from work which is ten miles each way, I burn an average of about 400-500 calories (both ways combined). And I'm using a double battery ebike that goes up to 45mph.
I think the beautiful thing about most E-bikes is that you can get as much exercise as you want to get. If it's a day you need to get to work fast, you hit the throttle but if you're trying to get some exercise then pedal and/or lower PAS.
It's kind of like a stationary bike where you just keep a rhythm and select the resistance you want.
RipOk3600@reddit
Absolutely you can, as long as it’s a real e-bike and not a disguised motorcycle
Ok_Weird_500@reddit
If you want to make sure your getting a proper workout with an Ebike, use a heart rate monitor and adjust the effort and assistance to keep your heart rate at a suitable level, for the most part just keeping in zone 2 is good. Although, if you're doing any amount of peddling it will still be more exercise than you get when driving, or sitting on your arse at home.
Suissepaddy@reddit
Of course. A 3 hr HR Z2 ride will do wonders for your health.
brydy@reddit
Yes, as long as you can pedal against resistance, you can get as much exercise as you want. Put a heartrate monitor on and you'll see. Easy for me to cruise zone 2 or 3, but go a lot faster.
halukj@reddit
Absolutely. I’m an E-bike shop owner and I have case after case of customers losing weight, building muscle and feeling great cause they can build consistency. Just like anything else, consistency is the key. Whether you go to the gym, pool, walk it doesn’t matter. You build consistency, you build lifelong fitness.
HurtMeSomeMore@reddit
Getting out is half the battle OP. Get out there and get it.
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
Get a torque based system. They scale out based on input.
This allows you to decide an effort level that adds to what you put in. So you put in 100w, it puts in 25, 50, 75... whatever that system is designed for.
I did a CYC Photon build, so I can customize the max wattage and % assist pretty granularly to get a workout.
In MO, I do a 12 mile loop most days. Despite not having a hill over 200ft, I do 1100ft of climb... because it is flat as a waffle.
Ro-54@reddit
I average 70% on my own power and 30 on different levels of assist but even when on full assist you are moving your legs.
Ill_Imagination986@reddit
If you actually get a real class 3 like a Creo, yea, you absolutely can use it for fitness. If you get one of the fake mopeds that seem to swarm this sub, no. The geometry, components, and weight of all these mopeds makes them so godaweful atrocious to ride as a bicycle that you won't ever use it as such.
ExtremeProfession113@reddit
Absolutely. Proper e-bike motors provide assist based on two inputs, cadence (how “fast” is you spin the pedals) and torque (how much force you are applying). Both of these are influenced by gearing. Too little or too much of both and the assist level isn’t great. If you keep that in mind you can use the bike to climb hills with ease (on days you might need a rest) or with effort. Good motors collect a fair bit of data that you can use to figure out how to maximize your fitness goals. A key piece is often to try to maintain an average cadence around 80 plus or minus 10. This gives solid assist when called and descent effort at varying assist levels. This is why turning off assist isn’t necessarily the answer to using an e-bike for fitness. Turn it off on your first hill and you risk burning out. Turning it off and flats and not pushing yourself and you might not achieve the goals either.
I ride for commuting and fitness. E-bike during the week regular bike the odd weekend; as I’ve learned how to get the most out of my e-bike I’ve started to need those weekends for recovery. Earlier in the week I ride harder on flats and climbs (low/no assist), adding more assist later in the week. This routine gives my legs time to recover. Mondays/Tuesday I focus on neuromuscular and spurts of VO2max during my commute (zones 4/5). Wednesday it’s zone 4/3 and by Thursday I’m in zone 2/3 then Friday it’s usually all on assist where I’m focused on keeping a steady cadence without a lot of torque. For steep hills this means my speed drops from 10-12mph down to 4-6mph; still faster than my road bike but super easy; steady cadence low torque.
E-bikes really should come with more information on how to pair assist levels with cadence, torque, and gearing. Perhaps in time.
atlasraven@reddit
Even more so than regular bikes.
WoollySocks@reddit
My Fitbit tells me that yes, it's a workout. For me, the thing with my ebike is that I no longer have to try and guess where the half-way mark is - I just ride as far as I feel like going, and if it turns out I've over-estimated my abilities, I can use assist to get home. I will try to go much further and harder on my ebike than I ever did on my regular bike, becouse there is no harsh penalty for failing to correctly guess what I'm capable of.
blackhawk00001@reddit
Yes. I live in a hilly area and use a class 3 for exercise. The hills are easier but my average HR is higher and legs can still get quite sore. I can always back off my effort and let the bike do more of the work but there’s no fun in that.
I have a class 2 I can unlock for commuting to work.
Jeff61059@reddit
You're in control of how much assistance the bike gives. You can get as much of a workout as you want. With assistance you can go farther and longer than you might without.
techcooop@reddit
Yes, pedal most of the time and if you want to max your fitness while doing so get a "torque" sensor and not a cadence sensor.
Composed_Cicada2428@reddit
You can get as much or as little workout as you want
disposableoutlaw@reddit
I’m in the best shape of my life since making my ebike my daily commuter. I wouldn’t even say it’s half the exercise of a normal bike but I ride far enough to get plenty of exercise
GarthODarth@reddit
I wouldn’t be able to cycle my favourite areas without the pedal assist. It makes me more likely to leave the car at home. One nightmare hill? No problem!
FrijolesVerdes@reddit
With an e-bike you will go further. Lower pedal assist will mean more effort on your behalf. Where you may have ridden for a 30 mins on a pedal bike, you may go for hours on an ebike. If the goal is weight loss, the usual cardio strategy is low impact at around 65% max heart rate for longer periods of time. E-bike will give you more control over your effort and in turn your hr. Just my 2 cents.