“In general, participants agreed that they could ride an e-bike on most days, in the cold, when they were tired or dressed in formal attire, while carrying groceries or books, or on hilly terrain,” says Hoj, a health equity epidemiologist at the Utah Department of Health and adjunct faculty member at the BYU College of Life Sciences. Notably absent from the study were e-bikes with throttles, which with a twist of the handle or the push of a button, provide a boost even when the rider isn’t pedaling. These bikes would probably not provide the same level of exercise benefits. In 2019, the same BYU researchers conducted a similar study with experienced mountain bikers, published in the JMIR Formative Research Journal. “Our results in that study supported the idea that using a pedal-assist electric mountain bike (EMTB) retained the cardiovascular benefit and that the participants overwhelmingly perceived the potential of EMTB use to be positive,” Hoj says. “Some of them said an EMTB could help get them out on the trails more or perhaps get them to ride longer and go further, and also would allow older, injured, disabled or less-fit riders to enjoy mountain biking on dirt trails, whereas maybe their age, injuries or fitness levels limited their capability on a conventional mountain bike.” According to Hoj, e-bikes offer a great set of benefits for fitness buffs. “Even if you’re a very serious athlete and in training programs, there are days where maybe you’re recovering from a more intense ride and your muscles are really sore, but you still want to continue to train your heart and that aerobic side of things, and an e-bike could be a great use for a more laid back aerobic day while the legs are recovering,” he says. “And if someone is wanting to get into mountain biking but doesn’t feel like they have the fitness to get there or doesn’t know how to start, that pedal assist could remove that initial barrier.” Ultimately, the decision to buy an e-bike—good ones start at $1,000—may come down to emotional considerations. “They’re a lot of fun to ride,” Hoj says.
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Sandra Yeyati, J.D., a professional writer and editor, can be reached at SandraYeyati@ gmail.com. June 2022
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