Getting a good workout on an ebike

By Stan Purdum

In my recent article, “The ‘e’ in ebike stands for ‘equalizer’,” I told about a ride I had on my ebike with a stronger cyclist who was also pedaling an ebike, and at one point, I mentioned how fast — 18.5 mph — we had ridden over a particular section of our route.

In the reader comments below that article, one reader, “Funhogs2,” said, “Not to be rude but why do people riding e-bikes bother to say what their average speed was? Is it really relevant when you are using more than human power? If you rode a motorcycle, you could average even greater speeds, or even faster in your car. I believe e-bikes are great as is anything that gets Americans off their couches and outside but who really cares what your average speed was on a motorized vehicle? I simply don’t get it.”

In my response to Funhogs2, I said, “I basically agree with you about recording the speed. But in this case, one point of the article was that both Dave and I enjoyed the faster pace, and our speed meant we used up our batteries faster — in Dave’s case, before we reached our destination. And pedaling vigorously on the ebikes meant we both got a good workout. Unlike a motorcycle or a car, an ebike only assists when the rider pedals. (At least, that’s the case for ebikes without throttles, and neither Dave nor I have a throttle, nor do we want one.)”

Here, I intend to say more about the workout an ebike can provide.

To start with, my statement to Funhogs2 that “an ebike only assists when the rider pedals,” is a critical distinction. It’s possible to buy ebikes that also have a throttle, with which the rider can hold the throttle lever in the “on” position and let the ebike do all the work. Admittedly, a throttle can be a good addition for some riders, especially those with physical limitations. Even some non-handicapped riders like a throttle because it provides on-demand max power to get moving quickly from a standstill, which can be an advantage in high-traffic areas. And because continuous use of the throttle exclusively drains the battery faster than using pedal assist, many riders who like a throttle still use it sparingly.

Nonetheless, without a throttle (or without the throttle engaged), an ebike operates in principle like a regular bike: It only moves when the rider pedals, and then only with the amount of assist the rider has selected from the control panel — including the “no assist at all” option.

Frankly, if you ride your ebike and keep up with other cyclists who are strong riders on analog bikes, you will get plenty of exercise. I just turned 80, and on a regular bike, I’d have to limit myself to shorter rides on mostly flat terrain on low-wind days. But most Thursdays, I ride my ebike with one or two friends — strong riders 10-years younger than I on regular bikes — on a hilly 65-mile route averaging 14.5 mph. To stay with them, I mostly use my second assist level. When we finish each ride, I feel as thrilled and as depleted and as satisfied as I use to be when I did similar rides on a non-electric bike. Nobody can tell me I haven’t had a good workout. And my periodic medical checkups verify that my overall health and strength are benefiting from the activity.

I also have a local route I ride often where I record the average speed simply to see if I can improve my personal best.

Perhaps Funhogs2 will never need an ebike. I know a few riders my age who haven’t needed to make the switch and are still pedaling their analog bikes vigorously. But if that doesn’t prove to be the case for Funhogs2, may he (or she) be glad that an ebike provides a means to still challenge him- or herself and not quietly become a couch-sitter, a posture most riders clearly abhor.

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Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.