Is electric cycling healthy?

Electric bicycles require less effort than people who rotate the pedals without the help of a motor. For some people, the e-bike also has the image of a bicycle for older or lazy people. Moreover, cycling with pedal assistance is said to be bad for your health. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Electric cycling is healthy

The Health Council recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise over several days per week. Cycling on an e-bike falls under moderately intensive exercise: an activity that you perform at approximately 65% ​​of your maximum heart rate. So you are doing well if you ride your electric bike for 150 minutes per week spread over different days. This means that exercise is good and that more exercise is even better.

In addition, it appears research that cycling with pedal assistance works better than training hard to burn fat. So get on your electric bike a lot if you want to lose weight.

Electric cycling versus normal cycling

We have previously shown how many calories you can burn with electric cycling. In this blog we also compared the calorie consumption between electric and regular cycling. Based on these figures, it is obvious to conclude that it is healthier to cycle without pedal assistance. Yet this is slightly more nuanced. From one major European research it turns out that people on an e-bike cycle more often and cover longer distances on average per cycle than regular cyclists: 9.4 kilometers compared to 4.8 kilometers. In this way, e-bikers not only compensated for their electrical assistance, but at the end of the ride they turned out to have used slightly more energy on average than regular cyclists. Of course, you still burn more calories without pedal assistance if you cover the same number of kilometers at the same speed as someone on an e-bike. In our blog post about how many calories you burn cycling we list how many calories regular cyclists, cyclists and mountain bikers consume. 

Electric cycling is healthy for more reasons

An e-bike is not only healthier when you cover long distances. Electric cycling also offers you clear advantages in the following situations. 

1. If you have the choice to ride an e-bike or car to work, an electric bicycle is not only healthier, but also better for the environment. You burn more calories on a regular bike, but you arrive at the office sweaty when there's a lot of headwind.
2. An e-bike is a solution for people who cannot cycle properly due to their health. This way they can enjoy the fresh air and the surroundings with minimal effort. This promotes their well-being, both physically and mentally.
3. Do you live in a hilly region? Then an electric bicycle is a healthy alternative to the car.
4. Do you take one or two children to school by bike? Then an electric bicycle can give you that little bit of extra speed, such as when accelerating at a green traffic light.

Even more cycling facts!

On our blog page you will find more articles related to cycling. For example, we have mapped out the most beautiful blossom routes for you. We also pay attention to the question of when a bicycle helmet is mandatory.