According to a recent study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, e-bike riders tend to make fewer and less physically taxing trips than traditional cyclists. This suggests that e-bikes are unlikely to help users attain their weekly moderate exercise goals.
Comparison Study Between the Physical Activities of Traditional Cyclists, E-bikers
It's unclear if e-bikes enable riders to satisfy physical activity recommendations or if they could increase the number of cycling accidents. So, the researchers compared accident rates among 1,250 e-bike riders and 629 traditional cyclists from across Germany to suggested weekly targets of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA).
According to Medical Xpress, the volunteers shared details of any bike accidents as well as information on health-related quality of life, daily physical activity, and health concerns. Using a smartwatch activity tracker, they were instructed to log the duration, distance, and heart rate of each bike ride over the course of four weeks. Over the course of a year, accident rates were observed.
Traditional Cyclist vs E-bikers Engagement in Physical Activity
Compared to traditional cyclists, e-bike riders tend to be older, heavier, and have more underlying health issues. They also engaged in more leisure time physical activity. Traditional cyclists also completed 150+ minutes more MVPA on their bikes while e-bikers completed over 70 minutes less MVPA on average.
On the other hand, conventional cyclists made six journeys each week on average, compared to four for e-bikers. The average amount of time spent riding a bike was also over 25 minutes longer for traditional cyclists despite the fact that e-bikers averaged longer rides of 6.5 minutes.
The average heart rate of cyclists was also higher, indicating more exertion. The statistics showed that the e-bikers' heart rates were 111 beats per minute as opposed to 119 for the conventional cyclists.
Reaching weekly recommended physical activity targets was significantly predicted by age, sex, underlying conditions, and reported use of a bike for sport and commuting. E-bike riders had around a 50% lower chance of achieving these goals than traditional cyclists.
Accidents and Purchasing Decisions
In total, 157 near-accidents and 109 accidents happened throughout the course of the 12-month monitoring period. After taking into account all relevant variables, the use of an e-bike and total time spent cycling were found to be predictive of the probability of being involved in a road traffic accident, with e-bike users 63% more likely to be involved in an accident than regular cyclists.
Physical fitness was the most frequently mentioned reason for purchasing either type of bike, but e-bike users were twice as likely to mention convenience (ease of cycling) than traditional cyclists. There was hardly any discussion of saving money or the environment.
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Electric Bike as an Alternative
Sean Yates, a former Tour de France winner and directeur sportif for Team Sky, had to cut back on his riding because of persistent cardiac issues. When he did venture outside, it occasionally required a car to pick him up, and it took him many days to recuperate.
According to Bike Radar, Yates offered an electric road bike as an answer. He attributes his return to riding with enjoyment to his electric road bike.
He is not the only ex-professional who has switched to an e-bike. At 91 years old, Brian Robinson, the first British rider to complete the Tour de France in 1955 and the first to win a stage, uses an e-bike as well.
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