Can You Really Get Fit By Riding An Electric Bike?
Is an electric bike the right tool to get in shape? At first sight, you might say no. But, in fact, it can actually boost your fitness level.
So, you have heard that people have been raving about feeling toned, happy, and healthy after taking up riding e-bikes, but you are not sure whether this is fact or fiction?
If you are wondering whether an electric bike can help you get fit, lose weight and become healthier, here are some facts which can help you decide whether it is worth switching to riding an e-bike.
The Benefits Of Riding An Electric Bike
Read on to find out exactly how you can get fit by riding an e-bike.
1. An Electric Bike Is A Fun Way To Get Active
The truth is, riding an electric bike is pure fun. You will be able to get to work, to the store or to visit a friend quickly and without feeling exhausted and drenched in sweat.
This is due to the fact that even though a pedelec does require that you do some pedaling, you can always rely on the motor to get you to your destination faster and without so much effort.
This is especially handy if you are riding in a hilly area, or if you are not as fit as you wish you are and have little or no experience with cycling.
Given the fun factor of cruising along on your e-bike, you can be pretty sure that you will want to take your electric bike out more and ride it more often.
Every time you ride it, you will be performing a physical activity, burning calories and fat, and toning and strengthening your muscles.
2. It Gets You Outside In Fresh Air
If you are used to leading a sedentary life due to a health problem, your age, your low fitness level, or for any other reason, then an electric bike is the easiest way to get out and start leading a more physically active lifestyle. That’s because an e-bike is not a moped, and it does require some movement and exercise.
Even if you are not physically fit or if you are elderly, you can still ride an electric bike, and use its motor assistance whenever you need to.
At the same time, the fact that you are riding, doing some pedaling, steering, and balancing on the bike is a great start towards leading a more active lifestyle and becoming fitter and healthier.
3. Helps You Gain Confidence
An electric bike is a perfect solution for those of you who don’t feel secure in your own cycling capabilities.
If you are dreaming about joining your friends on their fun cycling trips, or your colleagues on their daily commute to work, but are not sure that you can keep up with them on the way, an electric bike will help you join the group.
You can ensure that you keep up with the pace of the other more experienced cyclists and that you don’t end up exhausted and giving up when you come to an uphill climb on the way. And all these thanks to the battery-powered motor on your electric bike.
Again, even though you can use the assistance of the motor, you will still be pedaling whenever you want to. So you still will be burning those calories and working those muscles.
4. You’ll Get More Active
You may have heard that the US Government recommends a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate or at least 1.5 hours of vigorous aerobic exercise per week in order to lower the risk of developing some of the most common diseases including heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and depression.
By switching from driving to riding an electric bike to work, to the store or for running other errands, you will ensure that you get the recommended amount of physical exercise per week.
And the best news is that you still will be able to get to work or do your grocery shopping or other chores without a problem with the help of a motor-assisted e-bike.
Also, if you choose to ride an electric bike rather than drive your car, you will also save a lot of money for fuel, parking, insurance, and vehicle maintenance.
Plus, an e-bike can actually get you to your destination much faster, because you can take alternative routes and beat the traffic jams.
This is especially true if you live in a city or other area where the traffic congestion problem is an everyday issue.
5. Helps You Burn Calories And Lose Weight
As mentioned above, you will need to do some pedaling and put in some effort when riding an electric bike. So you will be burning calories every time you ride it.
Burning calories will lead to losing weight if you manage to burn more calories than the number of calories you have consumed throughout the day.
An electric bike is a fun and easy way to increase the number of calories and fats burned and to get rid of that excess weight without having to go to the gym or engage in strenuous exercising.
6. Strengthens Your Core And Tones Your Body
The physical effort of pedaling, steering, and balancing on an electric bike will help you strengthen your muscles, bones, and joints.
As soon as you start riding regularly, you will find that your buttocks, legs, and core are getting stronger and more toned.
The fact that riding an e-bike is considered a low impact aerobic exercise makes this activity especially suitable for those of you recovering from injuries, or those with lower back pain, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis.
7. It Makes You Want To Ride More And Go Further
Studies show that people who switch to riding e-bikes from regular cycling are prone to use their electric bikes much more often than they would use their traditional bicycle.
The reason is, of course, the faster speed and the useful motor assistance which allows for faster and easier riding.
Also, with an electric bike, you will find that you can travel much longer distances than you would when riding a regular bike. The more you ride – the more exercise you will get. And the more exercise you get – the fitter you will become!
8. It’s An Excellent Cardio And Low Impact Aerobic Exercise
The pedal assistance of the pedelec will ensure that you do some pedaling every time you hop on your electric bike.
Pedaling is an excellent aerobic and cardio exercise, which is low impact and thus has a lower risk of suffering injuries and health problems due to putting too much impact on your bones and joints.
This is excellent news for those of you with health issues, and those who have injuries or are recovering from surgery.
As you can see, contrary to the claims which many cyclists are making that e-bike riding is cheating, riding an electric bike, in fact, does require some physical effort.
The amount of pedaling you put into your riding depends entirely on you.
If you are out of shape, you can start riding an electric bike with minimal pedaling and more motor assistance. And as you become fitter and gain more confidence, you can choose to start relying more on your human force and use the motor only in particularly difficult conditions and routes.
As a whole, an electric bike can help you get fitter, lose weight, become healthier, and curb the risks of obesity, stroke, type II diabetes, heart disease, and other often fatal health problems which are usually due to leading a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle.
The health and fitness benefits of riding an e-bike are especially prominent among people who are used to driving, or those who do not engage in too much or any physical activity.
Overall, getting on an electric bike can do wonders for your physical and mental health.
