Electric bikes health benefits question
 

I see people dressed in bicycle attire like Lance Armstrong would have on riding electric bikes. Some of these things go over 15 mph and the people riding them are slowly pedaling. I don’t see the heath benefits to them, am I missing something?

Yes.

Assuming a pedal assist electric, with wind resistant, 15+ mph can take as much effort as non-assist.

You can adjust the level of assist to meet your needs. Especially when first starting biking or when recovering from an injury. Nice to be able to add assist to get out of the MMP tunnel ramps.

Some people simply enjoy riding a bike. Do all golfers play for health benefits ? Plus TV golfers are required to adhere to a minimum attire code.

It is better to get out and exercise than turning into couch potato, I could care less how they dress. Some people should not wear spandex.

Love my Rad Rover ebike. Has 4” tires and shocks. I replaced the stock parts and now the torque is incredible, especially off road. A friend and I ride the single tracks on any of a number of mountain bike trails within 40 minutes of TV. I never stop pedaling.

I have read studies that suggest the workout on a ebike is about 75% of a non ebike. Main reason is ebike riders typically ride further.
Obviously, you can just twist the throttle and ride it like a motorcycle. You get as much or as little exercise as you desire.

Disclaimer: I rode the single tracks over rocks and roots long before ebikes were available. We even rode at night with helmet and bike lights. My mind still says go for it but body says I’ll regret it.

I mostly mountain bike offroad, but my wife and I do ride our Mountain bikes around TV. As you say, e bikes can be no workout and basically your just moving your legs, or a great wourkout if you just use as an assist.

Most people I see in TV on them are barely pedaling. But at least they're out doing something.

I've been looking at a new Specialized Stumpjumper EVO to replace my Stumpjumper FSR, but I just can't jusify the price.

The guys I know that have them didn't buy them because they're easy, they bought them to ride faster longer. And they love them.

Yup, missing the fact that they are getting exercise. As far as what they are wearing, what difference does it make?? I think it's great that they are enjoying it.

Yes, you are. There are different types of electric bikes. Some have just pedal assist, which can be adjusted to the desired level of assistance. Without this feature, I for one, would probably not be able to ride the incline out of the tunnels or up and over the bridges. While I am not going 15 mph, I would probably be walking without the pedal assist. It also allows me to ride 15 plus miles per outing, way more than I could do without pedal assist.

The other type of e-bikes have a throttle, more like a mini-bike or motorcycle, the also go faster and require less actual physical exertion, but somebody with one of those can explain them better. At my age, one without a throttle was the safer way to go!

E-Biles allow a person to control their heart rate. They make it easier to keep the heart from going too high or low. Another advantage is that they don’t put as much strain on the lower back. But the biggest reason is that they are fun to ride. Much more fun than riding a motorcycle, or driving a golf cart or car.

I have a Trex electric mountain bike. I also have a non-e mountain bike. My attire: Clip in bike shoes, bike shorts, athletic wicking shirt, no gloves and of course a good helmet. Functionally, I dress like Lance A, but without the logo shirt. Many years ago, I raced Supercross in stadiums and Motocross outdoors. I was a very skilled rider. I learned to dress properly. Dress for the crash, and not the ride.

I can ride my non-e-bike at 15 MPH. If I ride my e-bike at the same level of expending energy, I get to 20 MPH. My usual ride is 1 hour, pushing hard and trying to stay at a constant 20 MPH. I get a very good cardio workout.

I ride in cart lanes and multimodal paths. I fit in nicely with golf carts. I am not a hinderance to them.

The value of the e-bike is that I get an assist for speed, but only to 20. It will not assist past that. It is a Class 1 bike. By definition, they only assist to 20 MPH, and there is no throttle. If I want 21 MPH, I have to pedal much harder than I am capable.

I think e-bikes in general are becoming a problem. There are other classes of bikes that allow throttle-controlled propulsion. I have been passed a few times by these. I am guessing their speeds were 30+. In some cases, they were hardly pedaling. These bikes are essentially an electric motorcycle, providing very little cardio value. In some cases riders were not wearing helmets. Generally speaking, they did not look very skilled at riding.

When you saw them, were you walking or in a golf cart or car?

I really don’t understand why wearing appropriate clothing for riding a bike makes people think that they are trying to dress like Lance. People wear cycling clothing because it is safer and more comfortable. Cyclists want to be easily seen and they need clothes that fit snugly so they don’t flap in the wind.

yes absolutely. Even if they don't have the strength to pedal up hills one gets the benefit of the great outdoors. The Villages is a beautiful place, so get out amongst it breathe the fresh air smell the flowers fill your mind with joy. Be careful and mindful of others. It beats staying at home doing nothing. You stop moving ...you die.

Getting any amount of exercise is better than no exercise, and e-bikes certainly help a lot of folks do that. Even if there were no exercise benefit at all, many people ride for the sheer pleasure of it. What someone chooses to wear while engaging in any type of activity is their business. So yes...I think you are missing the picture.