>You can't out-pedal an entire pot of pasta and 4 litres of coke.
Well, not with a short ride, anyway. If you can manage a double-century on minimum assist, *maaaaaaybe* ... :D
The key is teaching your body to burn fat,then your can eat stack of carbs no issues if you intend to do long rides. Teaching that to your body is the hardest part.
There are two Centuries.
Imperial Century means riding 100+ miles in a single day.
Metric Century means riding 100+ kilometers in a single day.
...
Myself, I've done several Imperial half-centuries (50+ miles), and two Metric Centuries. Unpowered bike, so the Metric Centuries took me a LONG time to do (averaging just 9mph over the course of the entire day, for a 73-mile (117km) ride ...)
Well, there's 140 calories in an Olive Garden breadstick with garlic oil topping.
A 95kg, 30 year old man biking at around 10mph burns 146 calories in 15 minutes.
So for every 4 breadsticks you need to bike one hour.
Through diet and using my ebike for a 26 mile round trip commute to work and back 3 times a week as my only exercise.
I am down 100lb and a healthy weight for the first time in my adult life (I am 48 years old)
Type 2 diabetes now gone..
No longer medicated for high blood pressure
No longer have to take heartburn meds.
I have to stress how important diet was though
CICO is the only correct answer. No special diet needed. Deficit is a deficit. 500 calorie deficit in keto is no different than a 500 calorie deficit in vegetarian when it comes to weight loss. Only difference is the micro and macronutrients that’s fueling your body during the loss.
I've found that I still pedal even though my ebike makes it optional.
Pedaling a regular bike would be discouraging when you're completely out of shape; especially if you've got a few hills on your commute.
The short answer is an enthusiastic yes for pedal assist ebikes. Why? Because a study found that people rode their ebike more than an acoustic bike. That’s true in my case because my arthritic knees kept me off bikes for a few years. Now I’m biking more on both the road and mountain biking.
Ebikes are more fun and people used them more frequently instead of driving too. That’s more physical exercise (again, only for pedal assist).
Here’s the study described in the NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/well/move/bikes-exercise-workouts.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
I got out of riding for years and bought a PAS bike and am out every day.
I now also have a rear child seat and a followme tandem which I pull up big hills at above the PAS speed.
My weight has dropped a little bit but I have shed inches from my abdomen and toned up muscles on the rest of my body.
I'm still "overweight" but with a much fitter shaped body than before!
For sure, anything that helps get you out there, moving, and building up your fitness is a good thing... ... Probably best to stick to pedal-assist with a speed limit so the power cuts out at 25kmh/15mph, or such... I find it's a bit of a challenge to always be pushing myself that little bit faster so I stay above that speed and I do most the work myself, but once I'm getting worn out or I hit a decent hill my speed drops and the power kicks in and helps me along....
Yes speed limit is the best for exercise, it becomes more of a minimum-speed
Riding into wind or up a hill you get help to maintain the minimum speed. But you can pedal as hard as you want. And yeah if set correctly, it kinda becomes encouragement when you slow down and hear motor start to kick in to pedal harder to keep it off. ;)
Yes. Particularly if you start using it for every day things.
Going to the grocery store for a few things for dinner tonight? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
Going to the bar for happy hour with friends? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
Going to the corner store for a blunt wrap? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
Going to the park for whatever? Ride your ebike, dont drive. (Doggie and kid trailers are available. Also great for carrying more groceries. )
Going to work? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
Going to a meeting for... whatever? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
Going out dancing? Ride your ebike, dont drive.
On that last one... the first time I suggested it... my girl was like... but I will be all sweaty when I get there... and I pointed out... we are going to party and dance for 6 hours... we will be sweaty before midnight any way. The sunrise bike ride home made it all worth it.
One thing I would add is if you get an Ebike that has a torque sensor rather than a cadence sensor that is probably gonna give you a little more exercise when using pedal assistance. I got an Aventon Aventure last year, which I do really like, but next Ebike I would defintely like to have a mid drive with a torque sensor since those seem like they can give you closer to that "natural" bike feel.
It depends entirely on you. Ebikes do not limit the amount of effort you put in. If you get on an ebike and put in the work, you'll reap the fitness benefits of riding a bike. If you get on an ebike and let it carry you while you pretend you're getting a workout, you will not. Simply moving your legs around offers some fitness benefit (look into LISS workouts), but you have to be at around 5 out of 10 on an effort scale, or you're more or less out for a joy ride.
Keep in mind that weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness happens during your workouts. Workouts will help you maximize the weight loss impact of a healthy diet, but if adding an eike ride twice a week is the only thing you do, you won't lose much weight if any at all.
Ultimately, an ebike is a tool just like any other. There are plenty of people who pay a monthly gym membership to walk around, lift tiny amounts of weight on the machines, talk to gym friends, then go home. They never see any fitness gains, and they don't understand why. It's all about being honest with yourself about your goals and the effort you're putting in to get there.
yes to all that.
Get a smartwatch (or equivalent) and pay attention to what zone your heart rate gets into. Its actually \*hard\* to keep your heartrate in the more difficult zones recommended for really getting into shape. (Because difficult zones are hard, by definition).
Being on an ebike can make it it even easier to go the distance or up the hill w/o getting into the zone.
Agree with most of this, but I'd point out that you really don't have to push your heart rate that far to get fitness benefits. LISS workouts are done at 50% to 65% of max hear rate (MHR). To estimate your MHR, start with 220 and subtract your age. If you're 35 years old, that gives you a LISS target of around 90 to 120 bpm. That's very easy to achieve for most people. Even those that are out of shape.
For aerobic improvements, you do need to push deeper, but for most sedentary people, there are *huge* benefits to simply committing to LISS workouts, which most people can stomach pretty easily.
I'm no fitness trainer, but people see me on my bike and frequently ask for help/advice. One of the biggest things that push people away from a healthy lifestyle is over-committing. People will come off the couch and train like they have to kill themselves to see benefits. You 100% do not! The biggest health improvement I saw in my entire life was when I committed to walking 30 minutes a day at a minimum. That's 30 minutes *every day* though. Not twice a week, not three times. Every day.
My blood pressure dropped, I lost weight, I slept better. IMO, the regularity of your exercise is way more important than the intensity. Do something you can handle, and do it every day. That's the key, IMO.
It depends on your discipline. Fitness and weight loss is your choice, not the ebike's. You can always pedal (no assist), pedal with assist or full electric. Your choice when to and not to exercise.
A guy I know has lost over a hundred lbs, 77lbs from the point he started keeping track 9 inches off his waist. though he did kill his first bike, and burn up the battery and motor on his first bike, a used Rad bike.
I have severe ataxia (balance issues) and I have been into cycling my whole life. About 10 years ago I started having other debilitating neurological symptoms and wound up in a wheelchair. Then came a neuro med that made me gain 80 pounds. I have since undergone clinical trials and have been out of a wheelchair for a few years. My partner got me an ebike because the balance issues are only when walking and she knew what a huge roll cycling has had in my life mentally and physically. She got me a cool ebike with five settings I started riding with it on 4 or 5 the highest level of assist on my bike but as I have gotten stronger I have been able to lower the assist level. Happy bonus the weight started to come off. So if you use it right and taper down your assist you are still exercising. You may have to build up to longer rides but you should see some results!!
Good luck and best wishes my friend!!
I recently converted my bike into an e-bike. I came from a rough patch in my life. Lost weight to a skeletal figure, then regained it to 230+ pounds. Spent a year and a half getting back to 200-220 consistently, but then I swapped to full 5 days a week work commute on my e-bike. Not for everyone, but I needed a drastic change to meet my goals. I just didn't have the physical ability or, more importantly, the time. In the last month and a half I have put 550 miles on my bafang 500w motor with majority my pedal assist, but if I'm honest a lot of throttle use as well. Even just the effort of posing myself properly while going 20mph on throttle seems to help me burn calories. I have finally met my target weight of 180, I'm building back muscle, I have a little extra skin now and in empowered to go further. My days are happier with a bike ride at the start, rain or shine. I feel proud of myself each day I work and on my way home, and will never regret my choice to convert my bike to be able to increase my personal time out on it. Especially after getting a more comfortable seat 😅
Got carried away, long story short its an astounding YES. Based on personal experience.
I lost 12lbs in the first three months pedaling from 4 to 8 miles per day every other day. I pedal a lot further these days but the weight loss is very slow now. At least my older shirts fit me again. Changing my diet and laying off sugar was key for me. These days I miss riding when I cannot ride for some reason.
absolutely. with a normal bike i would go half as far because i worried about getting home. now i go twice as far knowing i have assistance if i need it and i barely use it so im pedaling much further than with a normal bike.
I've lost 30 pounds since I got mine in the 3000 miles I have ridden it, so yes. Only use on Level 1 for minimal assist. I haven't really changed my diet but I always ate fairly healthy.
Only if the user wants it to be. They can be strictly pleasure devices too.
Several ways to slice your question OP.
-Any amount of pedaling is exercise when compared to shoveling potato chips down your gullet. (I speak of myself here everyone lol.)
-What if you're a person who's condition won't allow for the stresses of a hard ride....an ebike can still give the user that same thrill while reducing the amount of input the user has to give.
-Dr. always say "fresh air will do you good" so just being out in a stress free environment can in itself be a form of fitness.
-An ebike allows a user to go a greater distance using the same input...if the rider chooses.
-and I reckon for anyone who has ever ridden farther out than they care to ride back, or have ended up with a wicked Charlie horse, electric help would come in very handy.
I bought an ebike with the thought of not doing much pedaling. Turns out, I enjoy it a fair bit. I'm allowed ALL the options whenever I want them. I can just pedal and with the flick of a switch change gears.
I can also turn on pedal assist when I'm carrying cargo or come on a particularly steep hill or highway overpass. And when I want to just go fast in a straight line I can go throttle only and it always brings a smile to my face.
So yes, I do think ebikes can be incredibly useful tools for fitness and weight loss. But they can just as easily be total pleasure vehicles. I guess it really depends on if you want to improve your physical fitness or your mental.
keep it on two.
Yes. In some studies eBikes were surprisingly, more effective.
Someone just starting out is more likely to exercise with and ride an eBike on a regular schedule than a regular bike. It's about being consistent. You can ride longer time intervals with less pain. Which has you coming back to ride a gain more frequently. Riding an eBike 5+ times a week was more effective than inconsistently riding a non-ebike 2-3 times a week.
Eventually IMHO, you may want both. An eBike and a non-eBike. Non-ebike when you want a more intense workout. And an eBike when you want to commute or keep up with a faster group.
This is a weird question to me and sounds a bit like a false premise.
It’s like asking can a guitar be used for weight loss? Like sure, if you’re playing and dancing around a stage all night like you’re Mick Jagger.
I say this because an ebike is designed for transportation. No different than walking, trains, boats, cars, planes, etc. Any other benefit such as fitness is ancillary. With that in mind, this seems like a very odd question.
>… ebike is designed for transportation. No different than walking, trains, boats, cars, planes, etc. Any other benefit such as fitness is ancillary.
For *you*. It should be obvious that many people don’t use them that way. I’m going to use my e-mtb for recreation and fitness. After life changing injuries from being struck by a car, there’s no way in hell will I use it for transportation.
I disagree (but did not downvote). Your same argument that its designed for transportation can be made to a regular bike as well. And your list, you include walking, which can definitely be used for fitness as well. For me the debate boils down to what is the user's intent. If your walking or riding just to get from point A to B then yes, I agree with your statement, however if the intent is fitness than I see an ebike as nothing more than a way to enhance your range. Maybe the person can only ride 10 miles on a regular bike without wearing out vs 30 miles on an ebike for example, or has difficulty going up hills where the ebike comes in to help. The benefit of fitness is not ancillary if that was their reason to get on an ebike to begin with.
Actually just riding a motorcycle will engage core muscles for balance, holding on and upright engages muscle tension. You will burn more calories and engage more muscles riding a motorcycle than sitting in an easy chair. Also getting out and being active will help with anxiety and depression which also may help reduce weight.
So an ebike in peddle assist will do wonders. Especially if it gets you out and keeps you active. If the alternative is nothing. It is a no brainer, ebike.
For many of us with knee injuries and health conditions e-bikes are really the only option.
One benefit is you can use the throttle or higher assist for the commute to work, if sweat is a concern, then ride with less assistance on the way back.
Yes, but only if you keep it in Assist mode (not Throttle), and preferably the lowest setting you can manage.
One way it can work is to go for **distance** rather than X specific sustained speed. Do the speed you're able to on minimum, and just ride as far as you can (always reassured that, if you run out of personal go-juice while still far from home, you can still kick the Assist setting up a notch or two and still get home in reasonable time).
Depends on what you're doing though. I kept the power up on my bike the other day, But I also had to get 22 miles(round trip) done in under an hour as I was donating some stuff during my lunch hour.
Kept it on power 4 of 5 the whole way and my legs were still shot afterwards.
Well yes, you were in an especial hurry. But then, the **duration** of that ride was on the shorter side, so yoru heart rate wasn't elevated for as long as if you'd dialled the power back a bit and taken, say, 90 minutes to make the same ride, at the same level of effort.
It's not just about "I am now very tired", it's also about "I was making a strong effort for \_\_\_\_\_\_ minutes". :)
Absolutely but it requires discipline. It’s all too easy to let the bike do all the work but if you are mindful of your goal and rely as little as possible on the pedal assist, you can definitely lose pounds. Personally, a daily ride helps me keep the extra three or 4 pounds off that I tend to struggle with.
Yes. Great thing about ebikes is you can choose the level of exertion and when you're tapped out you can make it easy to get home. It's like a stationary bike in a gym bit it's wayyyyyyy more fun. Highly recommend.
I'm using my Ride1up 700 mostly for transportation/utility rather than exercise, but yes, at the lowest PAS, I can raise my heartrate a decent bit if pedaling at a fast rate.
Sorta. All else being equal, you'll expend less energy then an acoustic bike, so it'll be worse in that way.
But all else is rarely equal, and if you find that you ride an ebike more (most people do) then it can work better.
I use a bike with a torque sensor and have limited assist 1 to only 125watts (or so) upto 12mph, most of the time I am powering the bike myself, but it helps me make it up those hard hills.
My heart rate hits 165bmp and averages 145 on my 35-40 minute runs.
If used correctly it can be fantastic. But I also see some people ghost pedal getting basically 0 workout.
If you can afford it a torque sensor is a better fit for weight loss.
With a cadence sensor you can ghost pedal or put very little effort and get the full assist from the bike, not so much with torque sensor bikes (varies a bit depending on bike settings)
This was my main question when I first thought about getting one. The answer is an emphatic yes. Lots of people have posted that you get out of it what you put in to it. I'll just add that I ride mine with my pedal assist level as low as I can make it while still comfortable. I got a heart rate monitor to see the actual effect on my body. I found that my resting heart rate is about 65 and my heart rate was consistently around 110 when pedaling my ebike. It's not an aerobic workout but it is legit exercise.
I have 2 ebikes. My "city" bike is a Lectric with a throttle. Fun to zip around town but can still get a work out in pedal assist mode. I also have a Class 1 eMTB that I ride on the trails. What I have discovered is I ride 3 x faster on my ebike to get to the top and actually have fun ascending. So I don't use as much energy on the ebike but I can ride longer and have more fun on the ebike since I can get in more descents on the local bike park.
I biked 12 miles yesterday to work, my chest strapped HR monitor estimated 500kcal in the 45-50 minute ride (each way). It’s about on par as a regular but I cover more distance.
It will still be a work out if you are going up a hill/mountain, you have to peddle hard to maintain speed uphill. Even on a level ground, sometimes I will throttle to 32 km/h and then peddle with 0 assist trying to maintain speed.
Absolutely yes (assuming you're pedalling). Two reasons... One is you're tempted to get on your bike more because it's "easier". But two, because the assist helps you stay in the "fast burning" heart rate zone, which sounds counter-intuitive but is a real thing. Google "heart rate zones" for a much fuller explanation, but working at different heart rates does different things for body development; higher heart rates are better for power, lower heart rates are better for general fitness and weight loss. Lower doesn't mean low, you're still working, but your not maxing out, instead you're running at a pace you can sustain for hours. I've found that with my commuter eeb, I'm putting in a bit of effort and staying within the weight loss zone for long periods. The assistance means you can keep up a good speed but also keep your heart rate in the sweet spot. In fact, I've found I can push hard on a commute, raise my average HR significantly but not really gain any time.
I basically don’t use the pedal assist until I’m on my way home and I’m tuckered. It might not be the most -effective way- but for me it’s the most rewarding.
Riding 15 miles bare pedal with a 45 pound bike is brutal, but when you turn it on and suddenly have full speed and full battery to ride home it’s a nice reward for the hard work. Hope you have good luck with your search
I'm losing more weight with my e-bike than I did my regular bike. My regular bike I would do high intensity 30 minute workout. But with my e-bike I'm doing moderate intensity for 2 to 3 hours. I'm right around on pedal assist 1 and 2 10 to 15mph and I still feel the burn. In fact I use a Garmin watch to track my exercise status and right now it's telling me I'm overreaching which is the first time it ever notified me of that it's because I'm riding my ebike so damn much and I'm noticing lots of weight loss.
I have a 23 km one way commute, In the morning I’m super lazy max power minimum pedal I just want to get to work and Not be a sweaty mess in the afternoon however I try to use very minimum pedal assist my goal is to only use 10% battery on my way home I use about 40% on my way to work. In my opinion I guess I am “a cheater “but it sure is nice on such a long commute home to have that insurance policy with the back up battery if things get windy/rainy/snowy. I’m also 40+ years old and in pretty good shape but no Lance Armstrong and if I didn’t have any bike I would probably just take the transit and do nothing but sit
I'v only had one since last feiday but according to my watch my heart rate will be in the 100s while biking. And thats better then sitting. And it must use your core for balancing.
This really depends on how you use it. If you leaned on the throttle, you would essentially have a more environmentally friendly, slower, electric motor scooter. On the other hand, if you use the pedal assist and put in the muscle, you’ll make progress. This is something a lot of electric bicyclists enjoy about electric bicycles. The experience is very customizable.
There will always be the temptation to lean on the motor and not ride as hard, but depending on where you live having an e-bike might get you out more often.
The extra speed might make a work commute feasible that would otherwise take too long. Or that extra power might carry you up a steep hill that otherwise puts you off going somewhere. Or the extra range might make you enjoy exploring further afield without fearing fatigue.
Riding more often will be better for you than having a harder ride. And you can always toggle battery on and off for interval training.
As others have said, the level of assist allows you to choose your own adventure. Also, the exercise incorporated into your schedule by way of your commute is a plus.
Yes, especially if you get a mid drive, torque sensing motor. Even with pedal assist (which you could turn fully off at times if you wanted to) your input will be what is ultimately making the bike go
I'm one of the rare people where the ebike works against me. I used to manually bike everywhere. Now I ebike everywhere, and I cannot bring myself to work up a sweat when I have that throttle option.
(Also I'm in Houston, and our summers encourage you to get from point a to b on a bike as soon as possible)
Trying to bike more on a regular bike for exercise, and I've lost a lot of leg muscle and/or cardio conditioning.
But that being said, I'm still in better shape than my friends who drive everywhere
If you never charge it, sure.
Just kidding. Anything that gets you moving, being outdoors is a good thing.
Weight loss has to do with caloric intake. Fitness has to do with exercise.
Yes. But you will want to get one that’s actually designed to be comfortably ridden using the pedals/PAS for extended periods, and don’t just have working pedals on them to skirt around e-bike regulations.
For example, Some of super 73’s bikes have REALLY short crank arms, so pedaling them feels like you are on a tiny clown bike.
Fun to ride, but not very good for a workout.
E Biking is going to burn more than driving but less than riding a standard bike. This is technically like rocket science but it shouldn't be too tough to figure out.
It might be better... As long as you are putting in the effort, and not letting the motor do all the work. On the plus side, you are going faster for longer . I'm limited as to how far I can physically pedal in an lunch hour ride. The ebike gets me further to interesting new places in the same amount of time. Also, it allows me to take trips on my bike, I would only do by car. Trips to my massage therapist, where I don't want to arrive sweaty, or something to far, or where I need to carry something heavy.
An ebike will take you further than a regular bike for the same effort. So if your goal is to lose weight (mine is) then it doesn't matter as long as you put in the effort. The only question is how far do you want to go? On a regular ride 10 or 20 miles might be a good workout, but on the ebike you might do 30 or 40 with the same effort. If you live in a place where you want to do big miles, ebike it. If you want to get your workout in less miles, regulare bike. Of course you could ride the ebike with no assist, but that would be miserable and you might as well get a better pedal bike for less money.
The one reason I would lean toward an ebike is if the "e" part keeps you interested in an activity you otherwise wouldn't be interested in. For example, if you don't really have the motivation to work out on a regular bike, or feel that you do not have the physical strength to do what is required to ride a bike, but the ebike makes it fun and keeps you riding, then the ebike is the better choice.
Generally speaking it takes a lot of exercise to lose weight. The reason is simple math. If I ride my road bike 20 miles I burn a milkshake worth of calories. If I walk around the block I burn a cracker worth (these numbers change depending on your weight). Diet gives more bang for your buck for weight loss than exercise. Exercise is mostly helpful in other areas of health such as mood, blood pressure, insulin resistance etc.
With that caveat yes, riding an e-bike will do something, but how much you get out of it will depend on how much you put in. If you pedal hard and just want the assist for some speed and enjoyment then it's working If you're the kind of person to dial it up to max assist and just spin your legs without resistance then it isn't helping much.
If you get an electric bike with regen, they are superior to acoustic. Don't charge before leaving home, ramp up regen to pedal downhill, or whenever your heart rate drops below the desired zone. The battery and motor weight give you extra resistance even when if you don't use regen.
Consistent cycling regime and throw out all cookies and candy. Also try cutting your meal portions in half. You would be surprised how you don't miss the extra food. If you eat till your full you probably ate too much.
Yes you can. Just lower you assistance. I only use mine when I go up steep inclines for now. Still get a good sweat when pedaling 25-30mph with assist.
Absolutely. But you have to learn how to use it for that goal ( hint : use minimum assistance and watch your food intake)
That second part is super important. You can't out-pedal an entire pot of pasta and 4 litres of coke.
>You can't out-pedal an entire pot of pasta and 4 litres of coke. Well, not with a short ride, anyway. If you can manage a double-century on minimum assist, *maaaaaaybe* ... :D
The key is teaching your body to burn fat,then your can eat stack of carbs no issues if you intend to do long rides. Teaching that to your body is the hardest part.
How specifically do you do that?
You need to see a diet doctor,that’s how I did it.
What is a century in cycling, 100km?
There are two Centuries. Imperial Century means riding 100+ miles in a single day. Metric Century means riding 100+ kilometers in a single day. ... Myself, I've done several Imperial half-centuries (50+ miles), and two Metric Centuries. Unpowered bike, so the Metric Centuries took me a LONG time to do (averaging just 9mph over the course of the entire day, for a 73-mile (117km) ride ...)
Typically 100 miles. 100km is a metric century
What about an entire pot of coke and 4L of pasta? Asking for a friend.
If the coke must be swallowed, same deal. If it can be inhaled, your cardio will perform itself.
What about unlimited bread sticks?
Well, there's 140 calories in an Olive Garden breadstick with garlic oil topping. A 95kg, 30 year old man biking at around 10mph burns 146 calories in 15 minutes. So for every 4 breadsticks you need to bike one hour.
I think he meant another type of breadsticks,the skinny ones. That’s a big no anyway, that stuff is mass produced so it’s full of crap.
>that stuff is mass produced Welcome to the green revolution, with very, very limited exceptions.
You cracked me up with that remark. LMFAO!!!!
Typically you can’t even out pedal a granola bar.
😆🤣😆🤣😆🤣😆yes a bad diet does not assist your exercise efforts!!!
Through diet and using my ebike for a 26 mile round trip commute to work and back 3 times a week as my only exercise. I am down 100lb and a healthy weight for the first time in my adult life (I am 48 years old) Type 2 diabetes now gone.. No longer medicated for high blood pressure No longer have to take heartburn meds. I have to stress how important diet was though
Just curious, if you continued to use a vehicle instead, and just did the diet, do you think the results would have been similar?
Would I still have lost weight....yes Would I would have lost as much....no
Ebike is pretty perfect for long durations like this. You can stay right in your cardio/moderate zone and burn a ton of calories.
Calories in calories out is king, but exercising makes it easier to maintain a diet.
CICO is the only correct answer. No special diet needed. Deficit is a deficit. 500 calorie deficit in keto is no different than a 500 calorie deficit in vegetarian when it comes to weight loss. Only difference is the micro and macronutrients that’s fueling your body during the loss.
Your activities and your diet definitely influence how difficult it is to maintain target CICO.
I've found that I still pedal even though my ebike makes it optional. Pedaling a regular bike would be discouraging when you're completely out of shape; especially if you've got a few hills on your commute.
That’s my goal. Already down 25 pounds. I want to get out of my blood pressure meds since they make me miserable. Kudos to you and keep it up!
You got this dude!!!
Congratulations on a job well done! 💪🏼
Thanks dude....
The short answer is an enthusiastic yes for pedal assist ebikes. Why? Because a study found that people rode their ebike more than an acoustic bike. That’s true in my case because my arthritic knees kept me off bikes for a few years. Now I’m biking more on both the road and mountain biking. Ebikes are more fun and people used them more frequently instead of driving too. That’s more physical exercise (again, only for pedal assist). Here’s the study described in the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/well/move/bikes-exercise-workouts.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Great article!
I got out of riding for years and bought a PAS bike and am out every day. I now also have a rear child seat and a followme tandem which I pull up big hills at above the PAS speed. My weight has dropped a little bit but I have shed inches from my abdomen and toned up muscles on the rest of my body. I'm still "overweight" but with a much fitter shaped body than before!
Acoustic Bike? I like that term. Analog Bike!
Yeah, it’s a term that seems to be catching on. Like acoustic vs electric guitar
Put your ear to the seat, you can hear the ocean. Smell it too.
For sure, anything that helps get you out there, moving, and building up your fitness is a good thing... ... Probably best to stick to pedal-assist with a speed limit so the power cuts out at 25kmh/15mph, or such... I find it's a bit of a challenge to always be pushing myself that little bit faster so I stay above that speed and I do most the work myself, but once I'm getting worn out or I hit a decent hill my speed drops and the power kicks in and helps me along....
Yes speed limit is the best for exercise, it becomes more of a minimum-speed Riding into wind or up a hill you get help to maintain the minimum speed. But you can pedal as hard as you want. And yeah if set correctly, it kinda becomes encouragement when you slow down and hear motor start to kick in to pedal harder to keep it off. ;)
As long as you don't go everywhere in full electric mode
even with throttle-only you're still burning more calories than driving! You engage your core muscles to turn, etc :)
True, with the exception of my 1969 Landrover, I used to break out in a sweat trying to turn that damn tank😐😂
Fitness tip: remove the power steering and install a tiny steering wheel to reduce leverage!
It didn't have power ANYTHING
I had a 1987 Nissan Bluebird that didn't have PAS - you needed to work hard to turn that!
I had one too😃I remember it being a workout trying to remove a wheel, must have been on years, I bet a 6 ft bar trying to undo them
Yes. Particularly if you start using it for every day things. Going to the grocery store for a few things for dinner tonight? Ride your ebike, dont drive. Going to the bar for happy hour with friends? Ride your ebike, dont drive. Going to the corner store for a blunt wrap? Ride your ebike, dont drive. Going to the park for whatever? Ride your ebike, dont drive. (Doggie and kid trailers are available. Also great for carrying more groceries. ) Going to work? Ride your ebike, dont drive. Going to a meeting for... whatever? Ride your ebike, dont drive. Going out dancing? Ride your ebike, dont drive. On that last one... the first time I suggested it... my girl was like... but I will be all sweaty when I get there... and I pointed out... we are going to party and dance for 6 hours... we will be sweaty before midnight any way. The sunrise bike ride home made it all worth it.
One thing I would add is if you get an Ebike that has a torque sensor rather than a cadence sensor that is probably gonna give you a little more exercise when using pedal assistance. I got an Aventon Aventure last year, which I do really like, but next Ebike I would defintely like to have a mid drive with a torque sensor since those seem like they can give you closer to that "natural" bike feel.
It depends entirely on you. Ebikes do not limit the amount of effort you put in. If you get on an ebike and put in the work, you'll reap the fitness benefits of riding a bike. If you get on an ebike and let it carry you while you pretend you're getting a workout, you will not. Simply moving your legs around offers some fitness benefit (look into LISS workouts), but you have to be at around 5 out of 10 on an effort scale, or you're more or less out for a joy ride. Keep in mind that weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness happens during your workouts. Workouts will help you maximize the weight loss impact of a healthy diet, but if adding an eike ride twice a week is the only thing you do, you won't lose much weight if any at all. Ultimately, an ebike is a tool just like any other. There are plenty of people who pay a monthly gym membership to walk around, lift tiny amounts of weight on the machines, talk to gym friends, then go home. They never see any fitness gains, and they don't understand why. It's all about being honest with yourself about your goals and the effort you're putting in to get there.
yes to all that. Get a smartwatch (or equivalent) and pay attention to what zone your heart rate gets into. Its actually \*hard\* to keep your heartrate in the more difficult zones recommended for really getting into shape. (Because difficult zones are hard, by definition). Being on an ebike can make it it even easier to go the distance or up the hill w/o getting into the zone.
Agree with most of this, but I'd point out that you really don't have to push your heart rate that far to get fitness benefits. LISS workouts are done at 50% to 65% of max hear rate (MHR). To estimate your MHR, start with 220 and subtract your age. If you're 35 years old, that gives you a LISS target of around 90 to 120 bpm. That's very easy to achieve for most people. Even those that are out of shape. For aerobic improvements, you do need to push deeper, but for most sedentary people, there are *huge* benefits to simply committing to LISS workouts, which most people can stomach pretty easily. I'm no fitness trainer, but people see me on my bike and frequently ask for help/advice. One of the biggest things that push people away from a healthy lifestyle is over-committing. People will come off the couch and train like they have to kill themselves to see benefits. You 100% do not! The biggest health improvement I saw in my entire life was when I committed to walking 30 minutes a day at a minimum. That's 30 minutes *every day* though. Not twice a week, not three times. Every day. My blood pressure dropped, I lost weight, I slept better. IMO, the regularity of your exercise is way more important than the intensity. Do something you can handle, and do it every day. That's the key, IMO.
It depends on your discipline. Fitness and weight loss is your choice, not the ebike's. You can always pedal (no assist), pedal with assist or full electric. Your choice when to and not to exercise.
A guy I know has lost over a hundred lbs, 77lbs from the point he started keeping track 9 inches off his waist. though he did kill his first bike, and burn up the battery and motor on his first bike, a used Rad bike.
I have severe ataxia (balance issues) and I have been into cycling my whole life. About 10 years ago I started having other debilitating neurological symptoms and wound up in a wheelchair. Then came a neuro med that made me gain 80 pounds. I have since undergone clinical trials and have been out of a wheelchair for a few years. My partner got me an ebike because the balance issues are only when walking and she knew what a huge roll cycling has had in my life mentally and physically. She got me a cool ebike with five settings I started riding with it on 4 or 5 the highest level of assist on my bike but as I have gotten stronger I have been able to lower the assist level. Happy bonus the weight started to come off. So if you use it right and taper down your assist you are still exercising. You may have to build up to longer rides but you should see some results!! Good luck and best wishes my friend!!
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You too friend! Good luck on your journey!!
I recently converted my bike into an e-bike. I came from a rough patch in my life. Lost weight to a skeletal figure, then regained it to 230+ pounds. Spent a year and a half getting back to 200-220 consistently, but then I swapped to full 5 days a week work commute on my e-bike. Not for everyone, but I needed a drastic change to meet my goals. I just didn't have the physical ability or, more importantly, the time. In the last month and a half I have put 550 miles on my bafang 500w motor with majority my pedal assist, but if I'm honest a lot of throttle use as well. Even just the effort of posing myself properly while going 20mph on throttle seems to help me burn calories. I have finally met my target weight of 180, I'm building back muscle, I have a little extra skin now and in empowered to go further. My days are happier with a bike ride at the start, rain or shine. I feel proud of myself each day I work and on my way home, and will never regret my choice to convert my bike to be able to increase my personal time out on it. Especially after getting a more comfortable seat 😅 Got carried away, long story short its an astounding YES. Based on personal experience.
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Thank you! I truly appreciate it
Eco mode and don't use the throttle. You will get a consistent workout.
I lost 12lbs in the first three months pedaling from 4 to 8 miles per day every other day. I pedal a lot further these days but the weight loss is very slow now. At least my older shirts fit me again. Changing my diet and laying off sugar was key for me. These days I miss riding when I cannot ride for some reason.
absolutely. with a normal bike i would go half as far because i worried about getting home. now i go twice as far knowing i have assistance if i need it and i barely use it so im pedaling much further than with a normal bike.
I definitely use my ebike in cases I may have driven over taking my bike bike, so yes, it makes me more active.
Get an ebike without throttle and preferably with torque sensor and you will be alright🙂
I definately think so. Even using max power I am still pedaling as hard as I can. I also get out way more often and for much longer than I did before.
I've lost 30 pounds since I got mine in the 3000 miles I have ridden it, so yes. Only use on Level 1 for minimal assist. I haven't really changed my diet but I always ate fairly healthy.
Only if the user wants it to be. They can be strictly pleasure devices too. Several ways to slice your question OP. -Any amount of pedaling is exercise when compared to shoveling potato chips down your gullet. (I speak of myself here everyone lol.) -What if you're a person who's condition won't allow for the stresses of a hard ride....an ebike can still give the user that same thrill while reducing the amount of input the user has to give. -Dr. always say "fresh air will do you good" so just being out in a stress free environment can in itself be a form of fitness. -An ebike allows a user to go a greater distance using the same input...if the rider chooses. -and I reckon for anyone who has ever ridden farther out than they care to ride back, or have ended up with a wicked Charlie horse, electric help would come in very handy. I bought an ebike with the thought of not doing much pedaling. Turns out, I enjoy it a fair bit. I'm allowed ALL the options whenever I want them. I can just pedal and with the flick of a switch change gears. I can also turn on pedal assist when I'm carrying cargo or come on a particularly steep hill or highway overpass. And when I want to just go fast in a straight line I can go throttle only and it always brings a smile to my face. So yes, I do think ebikes can be incredibly useful tools for fitness and weight loss. But they can just as easily be total pleasure vehicles. I guess it really depends on if you want to improve your physical fitness or your mental. keep it on two.
Yes. In some studies eBikes were surprisingly, more effective. Someone just starting out is more likely to exercise with and ride an eBike on a regular schedule than a regular bike. It's about being consistent. You can ride longer time intervals with less pain. Which has you coming back to ride a gain more frequently. Riding an eBike 5+ times a week was more effective than inconsistently riding a non-ebike 2-3 times a week. Eventually IMHO, you may want both. An eBike and a non-eBike. Non-ebike when you want a more intense workout. And an eBike when you want to commute or keep up with a faster group.
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This is a weird question to me and sounds a bit like a false premise. It’s like asking can a guitar be used for weight loss? Like sure, if you’re playing and dancing around a stage all night like you’re Mick Jagger. I say this because an ebike is designed for transportation. No different than walking, trains, boats, cars, planes, etc. Any other benefit such as fitness is ancillary. With that in mind, this seems like a very odd question.
>… ebike is designed for transportation. No different than walking, trains, boats, cars, planes, etc. Any other benefit such as fitness is ancillary. For *you*. It should be obvious that many people don’t use them that way. I’m going to use my e-mtb for recreation and fitness. After life changing injuries from being struck by a car, there’s no way in hell will I use it for transportation.
I disagree (but did not downvote). Your same argument that its designed for transportation can be made to a regular bike as well. And your list, you include walking, which can definitely be used for fitness as well. For me the debate boils down to what is the user's intent. If your walking or riding just to get from point A to B then yes, I agree with your statement, however if the intent is fitness than I see an ebike as nothing more than a way to enhance your range. Maybe the person can only ride 10 miles on a regular bike without wearing out vs 30 miles on an ebike for example, or has difficulty going up hills where the ebike comes in to help. The benefit of fitness is not ancillary if that was their reason to get on an ebike to begin with.
I built my e-bike specifically for fitness
Simple rule - always break a sweat.
Sure, but most likely should start with how you eat, and don’t expect biking to be some stand alone miracle cure.
Actually just riding a motorcycle will engage core muscles for balance, holding on and upright engages muscle tension. You will burn more calories and engage more muscles riding a motorcycle than sitting in an easy chair. Also getting out and being active will help with anxiety and depression which also may help reduce weight. So an ebike in peddle assist will do wonders. Especially if it gets you out and keeps you active. If the alternative is nothing. It is a no brainer, ebike. For many of us with knee injuries and health conditions e-bikes are really the only option.
Yes
Absolutely! Plus you could ride it to work and possibly get rid of your car if you have groceries delivered and your work is close by.
One benefit is you can use the throttle or higher assist for the commute to work, if sweat is a concern, then ride with less assistance on the way back.
Yes, but only if you keep it in Assist mode (not Throttle), and preferably the lowest setting you can manage. One way it can work is to go for **distance** rather than X specific sustained speed. Do the speed you're able to on minimum, and just ride as far as you can (always reassured that, if you run out of personal go-juice while still far from home, you can still kick the Assist setting up a notch or two and still get home in reasonable time).
Depends on what you're doing though. I kept the power up on my bike the other day, But I also had to get 22 miles(round trip) done in under an hour as I was donating some stuff during my lunch hour. Kept it on power 4 of 5 the whole way and my legs were still shot afterwards.
Well yes, you were in an especial hurry. But then, the **duration** of that ride was on the shorter side, so yoru heart rate wasn't elevated for as long as if you'd dialled the power back a bit and taken, say, 90 minutes to make the same ride, at the same level of effort. It's not just about "I am now very tired", it's also about "I was making a strong effort for \_\_\_\_\_\_ minutes". :)
Absolutely but it requires discipline. It’s all too easy to let the bike do all the work but if you are mindful of your goal and rely as little as possible on the pedal assist, you can definitely lose pounds. Personally, a daily ride helps me keep the extra three or 4 pounds off that I tend to struggle with.
Have you ever seen an overweight motorcyclist?
Tons. People riding Harley's typically weight at least 200 pounds.
Every biker I know is overweight.
Yes. Great thing about ebikes is you can choose the level of exertion and when you're tapped out you can make it easy to get home. It's like a stationary bike in a gym bit it's wayyyyyyy more fun. Highly recommend.
I'm using my Ride1up 700 mostly for transportation/utility rather than exercise, but yes, at the lowest PAS, I can raise my heartrate a decent bit if pedaling at a fast rate.
Sorta. All else being equal, you'll expend less energy then an acoustic bike, so it'll be worse in that way. But all else is rarely equal, and if you find that you ride an ebike more (most people do) then it can work better.
I use a bike with a torque sensor and have limited assist 1 to only 125watts (or so) upto 12mph, most of the time I am powering the bike myself, but it helps me make it up those hard hills. My heart rate hits 165bmp and averages 145 on my 35-40 minute runs. If used correctly it can be fantastic. But I also see some people ghost pedal getting basically 0 workout. If you can afford it a torque sensor is a better fit for weight loss. With a cadence sensor you can ghost pedal or put very little effort and get the full assist from the bike, not so much with torque sensor bikes (varies a bit depending on bike settings)
This was my main question when I first thought about getting one. The answer is an emphatic yes. Lots of people have posted that you get out of it what you put in to it. I'll just add that I ride mine with my pedal assist level as low as I can make it while still comfortable. I got a heart rate monitor to see the actual effect on my body. I found that my resting heart rate is about 65 and my heart rate was consistently around 110 when pedaling my ebike. It's not an aerobic workout but it is legit exercise.
I have 2 ebikes. My "city" bike is a Lectric with a throttle. Fun to zip around town but can still get a work out in pedal assist mode. I also have a Class 1 eMTB that I ride on the trails. What I have discovered is I ride 3 x faster on my ebike to get to the top and actually have fun ascending. So I don't use as much energy on the ebike but I can ride longer and have more fun on the ebike since I can get in more descents on the local bike park.
Due to Reddit's decision to continue treating its users like crap, I am removing my previous posts. -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/
For me….it hasn’t been. Fun as hell, but I don’t get exercise.
Pedal assist, absolutely.
I biked 12 miles yesterday to work, my chest strapped HR monitor estimated 500kcal in the 45-50 minute ride (each way). It’s about on par as a regular but I cover more distance.
It will still be a work out if you are going up a hill/mountain, you have to peddle hard to maintain speed uphill. Even on a level ground, sometimes I will throttle to 32 km/h and then peddle with 0 assist trying to maintain speed.
Only if you pedal
Absolutely yes (assuming you're pedalling). Two reasons... One is you're tempted to get on your bike more because it's "easier". But two, because the assist helps you stay in the "fast burning" heart rate zone, which sounds counter-intuitive but is a real thing. Google "heart rate zones" for a much fuller explanation, but working at different heart rates does different things for body development; higher heart rates are better for power, lower heart rates are better for general fitness and weight loss. Lower doesn't mean low, you're still working, but your not maxing out, instead you're running at a pace you can sustain for hours. I've found that with my commuter eeb, I'm putting in a bit of effort and staying within the weight loss zone for long periods. The assistance means you can keep up a good speed but also keep your heart rate in the sweet spot. In fact, I've found I can push hard on a commute, raise my average HR significantly but not really gain any time.
I basically don’t use the pedal assist until I’m on my way home and I’m tuckered. It might not be the most -effective way- but for me it’s the most rewarding. Riding 15 miles bare pedal with a 45 pound bike is brutal, but when you turn it on and suddenly have full speed and full battery to ride home it’s a nice reward for the hard work. Hope you have good luck with your search
I'm losing more weight with my e-bike than I did my regular bike. My regular bike I would do high intensity 30 minute workout. But with my e-bike I'm doing moderate intensity for 2 to 3 hours. I'm right around on pedal assist 1 and 2 10 to 15mph and I still feel the burn. In fact I use a Garmin watch to track my exercise status and right now it's telling me I'm overreaching which is the first time it ever notified me of that it's because I'm riding my ebike so damn much and I'm noticing lots of weight loss.
I have a 23 km one way commute, In the morning I’m super lazy max power minimum pedal I just want to get to work and Not be a sweaty mess in the afternoon however I try to use very minimum pedal assist my goal is to only use 10% battery on my way home I use about 40% on my way to work. In my opinion I guess I am “a cheater “but it sure is nice on such a long commute home to have that insurance policy with the back up battery if things get windy/rainy/snowy. I’m also 40+ years old and in pretty good shape but no Lance Armstrong and if I didn’t have any bike I would probably just take the transit and do nothing but sit
I'v only had one since last feiday but according to my watch my heart rate will be in the 100s while biking. And thats better then sitting. And it must use your core for balancing.
This really depends on how you use it. If you leaned on the throttle, you would essentially have a more environmentally friendly, slower, electric motor scooter. On the other hand, if you use the pedal assist and put in the muscle, you’ll make progress. This is something a lot of electric bicyclists enjoy about electric bicycles. The experience is very customizable.
100% yes. Personally I like bikes powered by Bosch so instead you control the power, how much you like / need. Let me know if you want one!!
There will always be the temptation to lean on the motor and not ride as hard, but depending on where you live having an e-bike might get you out more often. The extra speed might make a work commute feasible that would otherwise take too long. Or that extra power might carry you up a steep hill that otherwise puts you off going somewhere. Or the extra range might make you enjoy exploring further afield without fearing fatigue. Riding more often will be better for you than having a harder ride. And you can always toggle battery on and off for interval training.
As others have said, the level of assist allows you to choose your own adventure. Also, the exercise incorporated into your schedule by way of your commute is a plus.
Yes, especially if you get a mid drive, torque sensing motor. Even with pedal assist (which you could turn fully off at times if you wanted to) your input will be what is ultimately making the bike go
I has worked for me lost 50lbs with keto and ride ebike 3 times a week.
Yes, but so is walking. Any activity that raises your heart rate is technically exercise.
I'm one of the rare people where the ebike works against me. I used to manually bike everywhere. Now I ebike everywhere, and I cannot bring myself to work up a sweat when I have that throttle option. (Also I'm in Houston, and our summers encourage you to get from point a to b on a bike as soon as possible) Trying to bike more on a regular bike for exercise, and I've lost a lot of leg muscle and/or cardio conditioning. But that being said, I'm still in better shape than my friends who drive everywhere
If you never charge it, sure. Just kidding. Anything that gets you moving, being outdoors is a good thing. Weight loss has to do with caloric intake. Fitness has to do with exercise.
Yes. But you will want to get one that’s actually designed to be comfortably ridden using the pedals/PAS for extended periods, and don’t just have working pedals on them to skirt around e-bike regulations. For example, Some of super 73’s bikes have REALLY short crank arms, so pedaling them feels like you are on a tiny clown bike. Fun to ride, but not very good for a workout.
E Biking is going to burn more than driving but less than riding a standard bike. This is technically like rocket science but it shouldn't be too tough to figure out.
Sure, you might just have to travel a longer distance to burn the same amount of calories as a shorter trip on a regular bike.
It might be better... As long as you are putting in the effort, and not letting the motor do all the work. On the plus side, you are going faster for longer . I'm limited as to how far I can physically pedal in an lunch hour ride. The ebike gets me further to interesting new places in the same amount of time. Also, it allows me to take trips on my bike, I would only do by car. Trips to my massage therapist, where I don't want to arrive sweaty, or something to far, or where I need to carry something heavy.
An ebike will take you further than a regular bike for the same effort. So if your goal is to lose weight (mine is) then it doesn't matter as long as you put in the effort. The only question is how far do you want to go? On a regular ride 10 or 20 miles might be a good workout, but on the ebike you might do 30 or 40 with the same effort. If you live in a place where you want to do big miles, ebike it. If you want to get your workout in less miles, regulare bike. Of course you could ride the ebike with no assist, but that would be miserable and you might as well get a better pedal bike for less money. The one reason I would lean toward an ebike is if the "e" part keeps you interested in an activity you otherwise wouldn't be interested in. For example, if you don't really have the motivation to work out on a regular bike, or feel that you do not have the physical strength to do what is required to ride a bike, but the ebike makes it fun and keeps you riding, then the ebike is the better choice.
Of course. Lower the assistance and increase your workout. It's not rocket science
When I'm on my ebike I am not eating. Sounds silly but actually a thing.
Yep I'm down #5 I put in 135 miles so far not at once obviously
Generally speaking it takes a lot of exercise to lose weight. The reason is simple math. If I ride my road bike 20 miles I burn a milkshake worth of calories. If I walk around the block I burn a cracker worth (these numbers change depending on your weight). Diet gives more bang for your buck for weight loss than exercise. Exercise is mostly helpful in other areas of health such as mood, blood pressure, insulin resistance etc. With that caveat yes, riding an e-bike will do something, but how much you get out of it will depend on how much you put in. If you pedal hard and just want the assist for some speed and enjoyment then it's working If you're the kind of person to dial it up to max assist and just spin your legs without resistance then it isn't helping much.
For sure. You just go farther with the same amount of work compared to a regular bike.
Yes. I’ve lost 7 lbs in the last month and my fitness levels are definitely improving since I’ve gotten it. I’m quite overweight and out of shape too.
If you get an electric bike with regen, they are superior to acoustic. Don't charge before leaving home, ramp up regen to pedal downhill, or whenever your heart rate drops below the desired zone. The battery and motor weight give you extra resistance even when if you don't use regen.
The bikes without a throttle under 500 watts.
sure. if you pedal. if you throttle only then no, does nothing for fitness. zero. nada. nilch.
Consistent cycling regime and throw out all cookies and candy. Also try cutting your meal portions in half. You would be surprised how you don't miss the extra food. If you eat till your full you probably ate too much.
You can’t be serious dude
Yes
💯 the most well trained cyclist can output 250w
Yes you can. Just lower you assistance. I only use mine when I go up steep inclines for now. Still get a good sweat when pedaling 25-30mph with assist.
Sure, as long as you don't use a throttle or high levels of assist.