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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A worker carries out maintenance tasks at the Eustream gas facility on February 25, 2025 in Velke Kapusany, Slovakia.
Robert Nemeti | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The European Union on Thursday launched a fresh round of sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine, joining the U.S. by targeting Moscow’s energy infrastructure.
The package of measures, which member states approved on Wednesday evening, includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
It comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump, in a major policy shift, announced new sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, two of Russia’s largest oil companies.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he felt it was the appropriate time to impose the measures, describing the sanctions as “tremendous” before adding that he hoped they wouldn’t be in place for long.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, welcomed the Trump administration’s sanctions on Russian oil companies, describing the policy as a “signal of strength.”
Speaking to CNBC’s “Europe Early Edition” on Thursday, Kallas said: “It is really depriving Russia of the means to fund this war and this is necessary to end this war.”
In a social media post, Kallas added that the EU’s latest sanctions package would target Russian banks, crypto exchanges and entities in India and China, among others.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, said the bloc’s 19th package of sanctions, which were formally adopted on Thursday, would keep “the pressure high on the aggressor” of the Russia-Ukraine war.
“For the first time we are hitting Russia’s gas sector — the heart of its war economy. We will not relent until the people of Ukraine have a just and lasting peace,” von der Leyen said on Thursday.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the EU’s latest sanctions were a “decisive step” toward stopping Russia’s biggest revenue source of oil and gas, adding that U.S. sanctions on top will have a “severe impact” on the Russian economy.
The EU’s sanctions agreement, which took weeks to conclude, comes just hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joins his European counterparts for a one-day summit in Brussels, Belgium.
Oil prices pop
Oil prices jumped more than 3% on Thursday morning, extending gains from the previous session.
International benchmark Brent crude futures with December expiry traded 3.3% higher at $64.66 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with December expiry stood at $60.46, also up around 3.3%.
Tamas Varga, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates, described Trump’s move to sanction Rosneft and Lukoil as “significant,” saying it is the first time Trump has sanctioned the Russian oil industry.
“The market reaction was understandably bullish. It must be noted, nonetheless, that whenever Russian producers were targeted in the past by the EU or by the G7, there have always been willing offtakers of Russian oil,” Varga told CNBC by email.
“Sanctions on oil suppliers are most effective when coupled with pressure on consumers. For this reason, India’s decision to significantly reduce its purchases of Russian oil is almost as significant as the US-imposed measures on Russian oil companies,” he added.
Rivian’s micromobility spinoff ALSO is attempting to make big moves in the small EV world, unveiling a new line of four-wheeled, pedal-assist electric quads aimed at both commercial and consumer markets. And in true Rivian fashion, these go beyond average cargo bikes, showing off sleek, tech-forward solutions ready to hit bike lanes instead of clogging up the streets.
The new platform is called the TM-Q, and it comes in two flavors: a commercial model and a consumer version. The commercial TM-Q is designed with delivery fleets in mind – think dense urban environments where full-size vans don’t make much sense anymore. ALSO says the quad is optimized for throughput, total cost of operations, and nimble handling in tight city spaces.
The consumer TM-Q, on the other hand, is pitched as a family-friendly alternative to a second car. It’s got space for errands, groceries, or even weekend fun, and it’s built with the same technology backbone as the delivery version. In other words, don’t think of this as a toy – it’s meant to be a seriously capable four-wheeled e-bike designed for real-world utility.
Perhaps the biggest news, though, is a multi-year partnership between ALSO and Amazon. The retail giant will deploy thousands of pedal-assist e-cargo quads across its 70+ micromobility hubs in the U.S. and Europe. The goals are lower emissions, reduced congestion, and quieter cities – all while maintaining fast, flexible delivery speeds.
“Amazon already operates more than 70 micromobility hubs in cities across the U.S. and Europe. Micromobility solutions like pedal-assist e-cargo quads allow us to quickly deliver to customers in dense, urban cities, while helping reduce traffic and noise,” said Emily Barber, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet. “Similar to our Rivian EDV partnership, working with ALSO provides an opportunity to continue to innovate in this space, building on our delivery logistics experience, paired with their advanced technology, safety, and performance features.”
If the Rivian electric van was Amazon’s big bet on sustainable delivery vans, this is their small bet – though with potentially big impacts. With ALSO’s TM-Q platform now rolling into view to join industry leaders like EAV, the era of four-wheeled, bike-lane-legal electric microvans could be accelerating faster than we think.
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