Electric bikes attract all sorts of people with different backgrounds, from fitness fanatics to older people and anyone who wants to get out in the open air more. So, let's explore the benefits of riding an eBike for your health and fitness to see how it can help you reach your fitness goals and lead a more active lifestyle.
Improving Cardiovascular Health With An eBike
We all know that moving our bodies gets our hearts pumping and improves our cardiovascular health, including riding an ebike. Unlike riding a regular bike, an eBike helps the rider exercise at various intensity levels without worrying about burning out. An electric bike requires you to pedal, and the motor amplifies your efforts depending on which assistance level you select.
The battery and motor system allows you to choose the intensity of your workout at any given time. For example, you can ride at a low intensity with a high assistance level when you're tired or feel like taking it easy. On the other hand, when you need to work off last night's dessert, drop to a lower assistance level for a more challenging workout. This versatility means you can use an eBike to customize your workouts according to your goals and training plans.
The fitness element of riding an eBike was investigated by Brigham Young University in Utah. The university experimented by monitoring a group of experienced mountain bikers completing a 7-mile route. The riders first completed the loop on regular mountain bikes and then on electric mountain bikes.
When riding the eBikes, they reached 94% of the average heart rate they hit on standard mountain bikes. They also completed the circuit more quickly. This proves that even with pedal assist, you can still get a great cardiovascular workout on an eBike.
Riding An Ebike Is Kind To Your Joints
Traditional forms of exercise, while beneficial, can pose challenges to joint health. For example, running stresses your knees with the constant pavement pounding. This is where riding an eBike comes in.
Cycling is a low-impact activity, so there's not much stress on joints; therefore, it is ideal for people with diverse fitness needs while taking care of their joints.
Pedaling a bike is a smooth and controlled movement. While preventing joint strain, it is also a good exercise for people recovering from injuries or with pre-existing joint conditions. For example, if you have injured your knee, you can ride an eBike to rehabilitate it without overdoing it.
Ebikes Improve Your Mental Health
Exercise is proven to improve mental health by reducing stress. When combined with fresh air, our moods improve significantly. This is why eBike commuters are much happier than people who commute by car or public transport. They start and finish their working days in a good mood, which makes their working and private lives much better.
Exercising outdoors causes the body to release endorphins, the body's natural mood enhancers. This was confirmed by researchers at the University of Oxford. They studied eBike riders' brains after being for a ride. They found their Alpha wave levels increased, which are related to how relaxed and focused you are. Therefore, riding an e-bike should improve focus, memory, and mood.
On top of this, you can play with your eBike's assistance levels to make your ride more fun. When you want an entertaining extra burst of speed, select a higher assistance level. But be careful, it becomes addictive.
But another thing you'll notice after riding an electric bike for a while is that your fitness and performance improve. In turn, your self-esteem will go through the roof, which is a fantastic feeling.
On top of this, eBikes are also great for our social lives. Riding with family and friends is fun and makes us feel good. The independence eBikes give us, especially older people, makes visiting and meeting people easy.
Riding An EBike Builds Muscle
The motor assist of an eBike makes your rides much easier, especially when it comes to riding uphill. However, the fact that you still need to pedal builds muscle. In addition, the pedal assist makes it possible for ebike riders to ride longer and further, which means you have more opportunity to build strong legs. These longer rides also give you more stamina and endurance, which can be used in other parts of your daily life.
Even though your legs do most of the work, riding an electric bike exercises other parts of your body. For example, pushing on the pedals engages your core, strengthening it over time. Eventually, this will help your pedaling efficiency and provide a robust platform from which to push the pedals.
EBikes Promote Weight Loss
Keeping active is one of the best ways to lose weight, and eBikes make daily exercise much more manageable. Riding an eBike is similar to a regular bike, but selecting different assistance levels means you can tailor your rides to suit your fitness and energy. Riding an eBike is the perfect start to your weightloss journey, as you can gradually build intensity as you get fitter, melting that belly fat even quicker.
EBikes Benefit The Health And Fitness Of People Of All Ages and Abilities
Some people have a mental picture of a typical eBike rider. But the truth is that there is no specific type of person who rides an eBike, as their versatility suits people from all walks of life; here are some examples of how they benefit different people:
1. Older EBike Riders
EBikes create an active and more fulfilling lifestyle for older people. Motor-assisted pedaling ensures that older, less mobile people can get out and about. This means they improve their cardiovascular health and gain independence.
As we age, our immune systems become weaker. However, riding an eBike regularly can strengthen your immune system, protecting you from viruses, colds, and touches of flu.
Riding an eBike also helps to regulate your blood pressure. In turn, this reduces the stress on your heart and blood pressure. So, if you have high blood pressure, riding a bike could be just what the doctor ordered.
2. Aiding Recovery
EBikes are also commonly used for injury rehabilitation. The pedal assist lessens strain on recovering muscles and joints, offering a safe yet effective means of rebuilding strength and mobility. Additionally, those riding with eBikes a throttle can get home without pedaling if they have over-stressed their injury.
3. EBikes Benefit Fitness Enthusiasts
Ebikes are not just for the unfit and people with mobility problems; fitness fanatics use them, too. You'll often see pro mountain bikers and road cyclists cross training on eBikes. They do this because the customizable nature of pedal assistance adds a layer of challenge, enhancing their workouts. Athletes' trainers incorporate ebike riding into their high-intensity interval training routine or active recovery sessions. If it's good enough for high-end athletes, it's certainly good enough for the rest of us.
The Environmental Side Of Riding An eBike
On a much larger scale, one of the most considerable benefits of riding bikes is that they make our environment much better. A healthier planet means healthier people. Here's how our planet would benefit if more of us replaced our cars with eBikes:
1. Zero Emissions
Unlike traditional vehicles, eBikes produce zero emissions while you're using them. Of course, there's still a carbon cost when charging, but it is minimal compared to running a car, contributing to cleaner air and a reduced carbon footprint.
2. Energy Efficiency in Motion
EBikes are renowned for their energy efficiency, and battery manufacturers are constantly improving their products. The efficiency of eBikes means we can now ride further while minimizing our environmental impact.
3. Reducing Traffic
As eBikes gain popularity, they reduce traffic congestion, allowing us to move freely through the city. On top of this, we use our cars less, and the cities become nicer places to be, as the almost silent hum of electric motors replaces the noise and pollution.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many benefits of riding an eBike for your health and fitness. By leading an active lifestyle, we can prevent or delay many health issues people encounter as they age. Being healthy and happy is incredibly important to ensure a fulfilling life. This also translates to future generations, who would benefit from us cutting our carbon emissions right now.
If you like the idea of enhancing your health and fitness with an eBike, check out the Fiido online store. We provide a range of eBikes to suit everyone's needs and circumstances.