Are there any health benefits to riding an e-bike or electric bike, instead of a standard bicycle?
I’m setting out to find out for myself.
I’m making a summer commitment for 2024: 90 days of consistent riding. I’ll document the journey and post updates here on Freshbikes.com as well as on social media. I’m going to shoot for a minimum of five miles per day,
Part of this is about creating some accountability for myself. Part of it is to encourage others to utilize e-bikes as a gateway to a more active lifestyle. And part of it is, me wanting to get this site more active, having had only three posts since I launched it years ago.
“I’m not touching that knee til you lose some weight.”
Some of this begins with an appointment I had with an orthopedist about arthritis in my knee.
I’m a 60-year-old guy with severe arthritis in my knee. It’s bone on bone. Fortunately, there’s not a lot of pain, unless I’ve walked awhile or stood on it a long time. And even then it’s not always so much about pain as it stiffening up on me.
Ultimately, I’ll need knee replacement surgery. And frankly, I’d really like to get it done and over with. But there’s a catch: At my appointment, the doctor agreed it needs to be done. However, he said “I’m not touching that knee til you lose some weight.”
I weighed in at 353 pounds that morning. Okay, I tell myself, but that was fully dressed and all that, but still… even though I stand about 6’5″ that’s still a lot. I’m sure the weight has at the very least contributed significantly to the arthritis in the first place.
Since then, I’ve dropped 11 pounds. So that’s a good start. That said, more activity would help, and that’s harder to do when you can’t walk very far.
But here ol’ Franky (my bike) has been spending way more time in the garage than he should be, and far less time on the road. Which brings me to this day and this commitment.
Introducing Franky the converted e-Bike.
Franky is my Surly Disc Trucker that I’ve had converted to an e-bike.
Franky is short for Frankenbike. I built the bike up from scratch several years ago. I bought the frame several years ago, and then bought components one at a time over a few weeks and put it all together. Then I rode Franky several years ago for Pedal the Plains, a three day bike tour in Eastern Colorado that totaled about 150 miles.
A few years ago, I had Franky converted to an e-bike. Electric Bike Outfitters added a mid-drive motor (one that provides the pedal assist at the pedals instead of on the rear wheel like most e-bikes). I’m pretty sure there’s not another e-bike quite like Franky.
Why not a “normal” bike instead?
Wouldn’t I get a better workout with a standard, non-motorized bike?
Yes and no.
I’ve got a 1978 Motobecane touring bike that I reconditioned a few years ago. It’s actually a pretty good bike to ride. And honestly, I could go get something new as well.
The reality is that it would be a better workout to ride that than to be on a pedal-assisted bike where the motor kicks in from time to time.
But, would it be the best option for me?
One issue is the state of my knee. I know that riding my e-bike works. The pedal assist aspect takes some (but not all) of the stress off. That allows me to get out and pedal.
If you don’t have an e-bike, you’d be surprised by how much riding one can still get the heart racing. In fact, several studies show that riding an e-bike doesn’t have that much less impact than riding a non-motorized bike. Heart rates and other measures indicate there’s still a healthy level of exercise happening. You can read more about the studies here.
Provided, of course, you’re still doing the pedaling. If you’re just hitting the throttle (if available) or the design of the e-bike causes the motor to kick in without any effort from yourself, the impact isn’t quite as good.
But here’s the interesting thing that’s popping up in studies: e-bike riders are staying on their bikes longer than those on pedal-only bikes. While their heartrate might be about 5% lower than their pedaling counterparts, e-bikers are prolonging their riding time.
And that’s what it’s really about. Let’s be honest: I’m far more likely to ride, and to ride for longer, if the bike is kicking in from time to time.
Renewing the bike love
You can probably tell that this bike thing isn’t totally new to me. If I’m building them up or reconditioning them, you can tell I’ve always had a bit of a love for bikes. I started this site to focus on something I’ve always enjoyed.
I’ve just kind of neglected it lately.
And if I put it out there that I’m about to do all this, that’s a good way to create some accountability going forward.
Not sure what else there is to say at this moment, just time to get started, eh?