Why electric bikes actually give more exercise than pedal bikes
Believe it or not, electric bikes offer more exercise than pedal bikes on average. That fact might sound strange (and has been known to let the steam out of some fitness riders’ lycra outfits), but the science is clear. Now let’s talk about the “how” and “why”.
Study after study have shown that people who ride e-bikes get more exercise than those who ride pedal bikes.
That finding grinds the gears of traditional cyclists who seem to hold an “us vs them” attitude in cycling, but it’s a result that has been repeatedly demonstrated across many different countries and cultures.
When you actually break down the reasons for that surprising finding though, it actually makes a lot of sense.
E-bike riders generally ride longer
Electric bikes, which include a motor and battery to assist the rider, tend to rack up more miles.
On average, studies have found that e-bike riders typically ride for longer periods of time than pedal bike riders. Not only do they log more hours, but they log a lot more miles, too. Even though they’re getting some pedal assist, they’re still doing a lot of pedaling – and in fact a lot more.
A major contributing factor comes down to the fact that the electric motor takes some of the pain out of the harder parts of cycling, namely hill climbs and tough starts.
Researchers have discovered that when riders find it less grueling, they tend to go on longer rides. A 2019 study of over 10,000 adults across seven countries found that the Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes per week was measurably higher for electric bike riders than for pedal bike riders.
Another reason for those longer rides comes down to the perceived enjoyment of e-bikes over pedal bikes.
Researchers have consistently found that e-bike riders tend to report that riding an electric bike is more enjoyable. When the activity is more fun, it leads to more time spent participating in the activity. In the case of riding a pedal assist e-bike, that means more time spent pedaling and exercising.
As a 2021 study found:
“Positive perceptions toward e-bike riding occurred in most participants, and qualitative analyses included perceptions of commuting with an e-bike as “easier” and “fun,” among other positive terms.”
Of course, riders who use a throttle-enabled electric bike won’t reap the same level of benefits as pedal assist e-bikes that still require pedaling, though the outdoor benefits are still measurable even when using a throttle.
E-bike riders tend to use their bikes more often
Studies have also found that electric bike riders tend to ride more consistently. For many riders, their e-bike has become a daily driver type of vehicle, replacing a car for a main commute or for daily errands.
For others, e-bikes are purely recreational devices but their increased enjoyment means that riders take them out of the garage more often than pedal bikes.
Tough terrain is easier on an electric bike
Electric bike riders who take to trails will often attempt more arduous climbs than they would on a pedal bike.
Many pedal bike riders opt to take a chair lift to the top of mountain bike trails, while e-bike riders often use their motors to help them make the challenging climb back up on their own two wheels.
The motor in an electric bike certainly handles some of the power required to climb back up to the top of mountain bike trails, and it means that e-bike riders aren’t getting the full benefit of climbing purely on muscle power, but they are receiving much more exercise than those riders sitting on the chair lifts.
Even on fairly relaxed networks of nature trails, e-bike riders will often seek out more technical terrain with more inclines than they would have on a pedal bike, further increasing their exercise in comparison.
All of this is to say that the misconception that electric bikes don’t offer exercise is long outdated. Not only do scientific studies show how much more exercise electric bike riders receive, but anyone who has ever ridden an e-bike can attest to how engaging they are.
Riders regularly stay out longer and spend more time on their e-bikes before rolling back in due to the fun of cruising around on an electric bike.
If that sounds like something you’d love to try, we’ve got a complete list of the best electric bikes out there. But whatever e-bike you ride, or even a pedal bike, you can’t go wrong on two wheels! It’s one of the best ways to have fun and get exercise at the same time!
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Lucid Motors (LCID) is recruiting more high-profile stars to spotlight its new luxury electric SUV, the Gravity.
The luxury EV maker is teaming up with some of the NBA’s biggest stars, Jalen Brunsen and Josh Hart, in its latest collaboration.
Lucid enlisted Jalen and Josh, teammates on the New York Knicks, for a new market campaign designed to celebrate “those who refuse to settle for the status quo.”
Keep a lookout this Wednesday, October 22, during the New York Knicks home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers to see Jalen and Josh hype the Lucid Gravity electric SUV.
Lucid, Hart, and Brunson plan to showcase “how precise performance, cultural influence, and athletic excellence come together — on the court, on the road, and in the moments that move individuals.” The partnership is the latest as Lucid builds a roster of high-profile celebrities and athletes to promote the brand.
“To be one of the best, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes,” Brunson said, adding “It’s a commitment to improving every day, and never accepting that you can’t reach that next level. I see that same passion for excellence in Lucid.”
Lucid said the collaboration “underscores the brand’s mission to compromise nothing” as it builds a roster of high-profile celebs and athletes to promote the new Gravity electric SUV.
In August, Lucid teamed up with Timothée Chalamet, its first global brand ambassador, for an ad campaign called “Driven.”
Lucid also attended NFL star Travis Kelce’s, Kelce Car Jam last month. For every test drive, Lucid donated $87 to Kelce’s Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation. Kelce founded Eighty-Seven & Running in 2015 to mentor disadvantaged youth, help develop their skills, and motivate them to get out and do their best.
As it ramps up output, the EV maker has been actively promoting the Gravity. Last week, Lucid trolled Tesla on social media in a video asking Elon Musk’s Grok, “What’s the best luxury EV?”
Grok’s answer: The 2025 Lucid Air. Do you agree? ChatGPT and CoPilot said the same.
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Elon Musk has openly threatened to leave Tesla, or at least his role as CEO, if he doesn’t get his ridiculous compensation.
He is now saying the quiet part out loud.
Tesla shareholders are about to vote on a new, controversial compensation package for Elon Musk.
While many are focused on the ridiculous size of the stock options, which could be worth up to $1 trillion, many analysts have highlighted other problems with the package.
A Reuters report last week noted that, with business as usual and a market capitalization growth below the S&P average, Musk could still receive one or even two tranches of his compensation package, worth between $20 billion and $40 billion.
In short, under the rules of the package, Musk could receive the biggest payday in history for returning below average returns.
That’s on top of the CEO already having received more compensation from Tesla than the company has earned in profits since its existence.
One commentator on X pointed out the concern about the first tranche of the compensation plan. Instead of addressing the genuine concern, Musk responded by boasting about Tesla’s market capitalization and suggesting that he won’t be Tesla’s CEO if he doesn’t get the pay:
Tesla is worth more than all other automotive companies combined. Which of those CEOs would you like to run Tesla? It won’t be me.
The CEO then shared posts encouraging Tesla shareholders to vote for the shareholders meeting, which is happening on November 6th.
Electrek’s Take
There are many issues with this comment. First off, it completely ignores a real problem with the comp package. Even if you believe that Musk would deserve $1 trillion in compensation for bringing Tesla’s valuation to $20 trillion, the package shouldn’t allow for Musk to make tens of billions from below average return.
It looks like the package is being used as a trojan horse to dazzle shareholders with the promise of unlikely crazy returns when the more likely outcome is to give Musk what would still be a record compensation for Tesla delivering a below average return on investment.
The fact that Musk doesn’t want to address this clear issue is a red flag.
Furthermore, Musk is using a dirty card: you play by my rules or I’m gone.
This is what I previously called the ‘Tesla Dilemma’: Elon Musk is destroying Tesla’s profitable car business, but at the current valuation, his lies about self-driving and robots is what is keeping the stock alive.
Therefore, Tesla shareholders are disincentivized to vote against Musk if he threatens to leave because he would leave with his stock pumping lies – leading in the stock crashing.
He has a complete hold on Tesla and he is going to force shareholders to give him another ridiculous stock compensation package.
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