Can you get in Shape riding an eBike? || Electric Bikes and Fitness
Here are two things that we know are good for us: exercise and being outdoors. These activities are good for our bodies and, maybe even more importantly, our minds. In this post we will talk about the benefits of exercise in our life. We will also discuss the importance of spending time outside. And how with an electric bike it is both easy and fun to pull off both of these things.
Exercise is one of those things that we all know we should be doing. And we really should. Exercise can improve cognitive function and well-being. It has even been shown to reduce the chance of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (PubMed Article).
A d really we don’t need any studies to tell us that exercise is good for us, do we? When we do it, we feel better. After getting our sweat on, there is that feeling often called a runner’s high immediately afterwards. And even when the initial high has worn off, the decreased level of stress remains for long after. I (along with many others) even sleep better after a good workout.
The benefits of exercise are magnified when we do our workouts outside. “Cognitive function and well-being have also been shown to increase from simply being outside in the environment. This could be related to the outdoor environment having the potential to promote attention restoration, stress reduction, and the evocation of positive emotions” (Leyland et al.)
Alright so being outside is good and exercise is good. So… should I be pumping weights in the woods behind my house? Well you could do that but I have a better way: BIKES! And more specifically, ELECTRIC BIKES!
Credit: itstactical.com
Both traditional and eBikes are a great way to get a workout outside. Aerobic exercise, any type of cardiovascular training, gives the health benefits stated and is easily attained by pedaling. Many people assume that you don’t get a workout when riding an Electric bike but that is just not the case. Sure on a bike like ours you can use the throttle and not pedal at all but that's not how most people use the bike. In reality many people feel that they get better and more consistent exercise when using an eBike compared to a traditional bike.
We hear it all the time here at Bakcou, “My old bike always just sits in the garage. I only take it out once or twice a year. But with my eBike I go out almost every day because it’s so fun.” There are many reasons that people reach for their eBike and leave the traditional bike to gather dust.
For one, people say that they feel more confident on an eBike. With the ability to use a pedal assist and throttle as needed there is no hill too steep. Not only that but they feel confident going longer distances because they know that they will be able to get back.
This leads people to spending way more time on the bike. So even if you do output less energy because of the pedal assist this is completely out weighed because eBike riders reach for their bikes more often. And when they get riding they tend to ride longer distances and for longer amounts of time.
Pro-bikers are also hailing eBikes for the fun factor. Danny MacAskill, a prolific pro mountain biker has nothing but good things to say about the eBike he is riding; from “that was fun! This thing is a total beast” to “we are only getting started on what is possible”. I couldn’t agree more. EBikes will inspire you to want to ride.
And for most people that tends to be the hardest part of fitness. Staying consistent when you are staring down a treadmill can be hard and demoralizing. But when your workout includes cruising around town and into beautiful landscapes on an electric bicycle you won’t even think of your ride as a work out.
Conclusion:
We all know that we should be exercising and getting outside. It is good for both our physical and mental health. EBikes are a great way to do just that. With an eBike you can get a solid anaerobic workout. People who workout with eBikes tend to ride more consistently and often, because it's a super fun and rewarding exercise. So question for the eBikers, When you ride do you even think of it as exercise?