Riding an electric bicycle is a popular aerobic exercise with many health benefits. Apart from being a low-impact mode of transportation, you can ride a bike to keep fit, lower your body fat, or increase your heart rate. All of which are essential factors for weight loss.
But then again, the level of assistance is crucial in determining how many calories you will burn while riding the electric bike.
For a start, electric bikes provide different assistance levels with pedaling. This means the rider might not work as hard as they would on a traditional bike, resulting in fewer calories burned during the same time and distance. Also, some riders might spend less time riding as they would on an ordinary bike because electric bikes are faster and require less effort.
This article looks at how riding an electric bike can help you lose weight. Continue reading to find out more.
Is Riding an Electric Bike Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, riding an electric bike is good for weight loss. In addition, you can ride longer and climb steep inclines with low or medium-level assistance, burning sufficient calories and improving your endurance and metabolism rate.
General Rule for Weight Loss
A general rule for weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. Combining cardiovascular exercises (like riding a bicycle or strength training) can be effective for losing weight.
Is It Better to Exercise On an E-Bike or a Regular Bike?
Riding on a regular bike habitually can significantly improve lower body functions. For example, you can strengthen the hamstring, quads, glutes, calves, and other leg muscles by cycling regularly.
Also, it can boost mental strength and brain power by reducing stress, depression, or anxiety. While concentrating on the road, you will develop acute awareness.
So, which is better? An electric or a regular bike?
A regular bicycle will be the best option if you want a more physically demanding ride where you want to exert physical strength. Moreover, traditional cycling can be an ideal cardiovascular workout to improve stamina, strength, and endurance.
On the other hand, an electric bike ride is the best option if you want assisted workouts and to experience the health benefits of exercise altogether. E-bikes are best for riders with physical limitations or health issues like arthritis.
Note: Both e-bikes and regular bikes offer many health benefits. So, the choice you make will depend on your needs or preferences.
How Many Calories Are Burned When Riding an E-Bike?
The amount of calories burned when riding an e-bike varies depending on the rider’s weight, age, e-bike’s assistance level, terrain, and ride intensity.
But on average, a 150-pound (70 kilograms) person can burn about 250-400 calories per hour riding an electric bike on flat terrain with low to medium assist levels.
Compared to a traditional bike, the same person can burn 300-500 calories at a moderate pace.
How Can I Calculate Calorie Use On an E-Bike?
You can use an online calorie calculator or a fitness app to calculate the number of calories burned when riding an e-bike. But here is a simple formula that can also help.
Total calories burned = (MET Value x 3.5 x Body Weight in kg) ÷ 200
Where:
- MET Value: The MET value (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). Typically, riding an e-bike with pedal assistance can range between 2.5 and 5.5, depending on the assistance level and the ride’s intensity. But you can find the MET value chart for cycling on the Compendium of Physical Activities website.
- 3.5: This is a constant representing the oxygen uptake in milliliters per kilogram per minute at rest.
- Body Weight: Your weight in kilograms.
- 200: This constant represents the minutes in a 3.33-hour cycling session.
Example Scenario:
If you weigh 80 kg and ride an e-bike with pedal assistance at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, your estimated calorie burn would be:
Calories Burned = (3.0 x 3.5 x 80) ÷ 200
Other Health Benefits of Riding an E-Bike
Traditional high-intensity riding on a regular bike can help strengthen your legs, reduce stress, and boost brain power. But riding an e-bike also has its health benefits. Here are the three most common ones.
Improves Your Cardiovascular System
Riding an electric bike regularly may help improve cardiovascular/circulatory system health by improving blood circulation and heart rate.
Riding with your bike provides a low-impact workout that is easier on your joints than running or other high-impact activities. The act of pedaling, even with electric assistance, increases your heart rate and improves blood flow to your muscles. This, in turn, strengthens your heart and lungs, making them more efficient at delivering oxygen to your body.
Additionally, electric bikes allow you to adjust the level of assistance, giving you control over the intensity of your workout.
Building Strength and Endurance
An electric bike’s assistance can help you cover longer distances or manage challenging terrain. Also, riding the bike uphill with a low pedal assist can increase your endurance by providing a low-impact aerobic workout, improving lung capacity.
As you ride regularly, you’ll notice that your endurance improves, and you’re able to go further and faster without getting winded.
Reduces Stress
Exercising routinely has a positive impact on mental health. For example, outdoor cycling in natural surroundings can create a mood-boosting, calming, and relaxing effect by exposing riders to fresh air.
E-biking, in particular, can be an ideal stress-relieving and enjoyable workout because the endorphin hormone will be released by your body and gradually reduce stress. The pedal assist also decreases the physical exertion required to propel the bike forward.
Factors to Consider When Using Electric Bikes for Weight Loss
Electric bikes can be practical accessories for weight loss and overall fitness. But then, you must consider several essential factors before using an electric bike for weight loss. Here are three of the most crucial factors to consider.
Riding Frequency and Duration
Riding an e-bike at least three to four times weekly can help you lose weight consistently. However, it is necessary to understand your fitness level and schedule to devise an effective riding plan.
For the duration, aim for at least 30 minutes per session for effective weight loss. But longer rides can have significant effects, particularly if you use a moderate to high-intensity assistance level.
Appropriate Resistance Level
Aim to ride your e-bike at a medium to high-intensity level for effective weight loss. Also, choose an assistance level that requires you to pedal with some effort and challenges your endurance. If you ride your e-bike without pedaling, it doesn’t help you much with weight loss.
But then, factors like your fitness level, age, weight, and health status also play a crucial role in determining the exact level of assistance to set in your electric bicycle.
Diet and Nutrition
Alongside using an electric bike for weight loss, it is important to maintain a healthy/proper diet. Remember that nutrition plays a vital role in providing enough energy when cycling.
For effective results, you must consume fewer calories than you burn and incorporate nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats into your diet to provide the essential vitamins and minerals.
Conclusion
Regular cycling can help burn calories and aid in weight loss. But you should remember that weight loss is a gradual process that requires consistency, dedication, and patience. Riding an electric bike, exercising regularly, and maintaining a proper diet can help you achieve your weight loss goals in a sustainable way.
The electric assistance in an electric bike makes it easy to manage steep inclines. Also, you can cover longer distances, increasing the time spent exercising. Therefore, it would be best to understand how to calculate the number of calories you will lose under a low or medium assistance level before you begin riding an electric bike.
