Study Suggests eMTBs Provide a Similar Workout to Regular Mountain Bikes Even Though They Feel Easier
Aston climbing the Vitus E-Sommet VR in Finale Ligure.
EMTBs may not be for the lazy after all, a study from the Brigham Young University published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (yes that's a real thing) suggests.
The study showed that despite riders on eMTBs believing they got significantly less of a workout on bikes with motors, their average heart rates were at 94% of those who used conventional bikes.
The limited study recruited 33 mountain bikers aged 18-65, with a median age of 37.8 years. There had varying degrees of experience, from less than one year of cycling to over 11. The participants completed two laps of a 5.5 mile circuit with 700 metres of elevation gain - one lap was on a Class 1 pedal-assist 2017 Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie models with a maximum assistance speed of 20 mph (32 kph), and the other on the 2017 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6Fattie model. The idea was to have two bikes that were as similar as possible except for the motor. Apple watches and Polar H10 heart rate monitors were used to monitor heart rates, and Strava was used to record ride speed, distance, and time.
The study used a Specialized Turbo Levo eMTB (above) and a very similar non-eMTB Stumpjumper FSR.
Riders completed the loop on average 12 minutes 40 seconds faster on the eMTBs but their average heart rates were roughly similar over the loop - 154.8 bpm on the regular bike and 144.9 bpm on the eMTB. This placed the participants in the same 'vigorous intensity' exercise zone on both bikes. Despite these similarities, when asked about the experience afterwards, most of the riders agreed with the statement, "heart rate is considerably lower while riding an eMTB as compared with a conventional mountain bike."
In short, the study is suggesting that eMTBs offer a good form of workout without the rider feeling like they are exercising as much. It goes on to suggest they may be a benefit for "more sedentary individuals" to use eMTBs "to engage in regular physical activity and meet physical activity guidelines."
Aboard Giant's Reign E+. Photo by David Schultheiss.
The new study also supports previous research by much of the same team, which includes students Taylor Hoj and Clark Julian, that found e-bikes (not e-mountain bikes) are capable of providing much of the cardiovascular health benefits that conventional bikes provide.
"Those who used e-bikes still had elevated heart rates and enjoyed their experience," said Dr. Ben Crookston, one of the study's authors and a professor in BYU's College of Life Sciences. "I think this is a game changer for those who have found biking too difficult. It makes this important form of exercise accessible to a broader community. We are at least encouraged from a health promotion standpoint that we now have another tool to promote an active lifestyle.”
Of course, we should take these results with a heaping tablespoon of salt. This study used a small sample size so we should be careful to not extrapolate these results too far. Furthermore, the participants were not regular eMTB riders so may have been exerting themselves more than a long-time eMTB rider who is more used to the equipment. Additionally heart rate is only one measurement of exertion, the study itself suggests that "more sophisticated measures, such as maximal oxygen uptake, metabolic equivalents, and watts" would provide a stronger conclusion.
The full study can be read here.
313 Comments
So even though they give boths bikes everything you have, like you say, und have a similar workout, the ride on the ebike feels easier.
It then comes down to whether they make you ride more, or not. Because if you only complete the same rides you did before but with battery assist, even if your heart rate is similar, you are simply doing less work than before. Whereas, if you decide to do a 2nd lap, or add new sections on to your loop because of the assist, then you are likely doing more work.
Also when the conditions are shitty outside, will the e-bike make you decide to go out? When you are tired after work will the e-bike make you more likely to ride anyway?
Will you decide to go to the bikepark and pedal up rather than use the uplift? Will you pedal up rather than push at a local place? Will that result in more laps? Lots of important questions and your answers to those probably decide whether an e-bike will be of benefit to you or not
Top gear analogy that conveys the same point you're making
Their bias shows throughout their article. It's supposedly funded internally by BYU, but private universities are not obligated to disclose their donations. Hmmmm.
But 1 watt is 1 joule per second. So divide the watts by the time it took to complete the lap and there is the actual energy you spent. And thats is where that difference comes from. They complete the lap quicker and it felt like less of a workout. Because they spent less energy in total.
I’m actually a huge fan of ebikes. But this study does not support the conclusion.
Lazy prick will be a lazy prick. I see no hate for using lifts in Whistler bike park.
Your experience is not the same as the experience of this study either. You’re saying you’re worked after an eMTB ride. These guys felt like they didn’t work as hard on the ebike vs the regular bike. And their HR was significantly lower on the ebike vs the regular bike. There is no effing was to say a HR 140 effort is the same or even similar as a HR 150 effort.
My experience is more like yours. I’m just saying that this study conclusions are not supported by the experiment. It’s a comment on the study. Not on ebikes.
@sideshowb: Impact factor is such a noisy measure. For example, Journal of Tourism Management has a higher Impact Factor than Nature, NEJM, Econometrica, JF, etc. — journals where Nobel Laureates are publishing. Yes, Nature has probably published research that ultimately couldn’t be replicated, but that doesn’t mean that the Journal of Medical Internet Research is a good journal.
Also, Brigham Young University (where this study came out of) is a good university, don’t get me wrong, but not a Tier 1 research institution. They only offer a handful of graduate-level degrees and no doctoral-level degrees. It’s a university focused on teaching rather than research.
That’s not to say that good research doesn’t come out of non-research universities or get published in B-grade journals, but it seems unlikely that this is a really rigorous study. The controls alone would be a nightmare.
It doesn’t mean that the e-bikes don’t require similar cardiovascular efforts as bikes — logic would indicate that they can — but I wouldn’t treat the research finding as conclusive, whether it is correct or not.
Both suck and the world would be better without them?
Not something you often hear from other pinkbikers right Waki?
Now, obviously if you ride for a set time rather than distance that concern goes away, but as is you're just getting less overall exercise.
As I said before, this is obviously nullified if you use the ebike to ride a longer distance in the same time.
I`m not against e-bikes because they can help in so many cases, especially for unsporty people and the ones who have health problems, as well as carrying kids to school and avoiding trafic jams, etc...
The most irritating thing for me is the State`s help: here the Government and/or cities give between 200 and 450€ subvention fee to anyone buys an e-bike. Normal bikes purchases are absolutely not supported. It results what I saw:
Many retired buy an e-bike with that State Fee for their leisures and going to the bakery, 58% actually, whereas many persons who still work and can`t even afford an e-bike - or don`t want an e-bike - have 0 help, whereas they make the effort to abandon their car for something smarter. Find the error...
I suspect as soon as there are enough tonnes of electric car batteries around to make a viable business out of recycling them, the industry will be all over it, and other lithiums will follow
For many people, eBikes appear more sustainable then regular bicycles. They imply electrified energy, which is green in a common sense.
Also: non motorized cyclists are oftentimes seen as radicals, whereas eBiking is kind of a normal thing for everyone.
Where as on a regular ride ebikers are more likely to take it easy uphill which you can't do on a regular bike.
I call BS science on this one. It needs a longer term study.
I’m not bagging them out though. There is a place for ebikes. I might even get one myself one day. Probably a day when a new ebike isn’t going to cost me the same as a two year old R6 with 4000 miles on the clock.
Just like if you have a stroke get it fixed.
No need for a study to understand this, just need to try and push hard on the pedals as usual.
5k’ vertical, 21.3 miles, same tires on both bikes
Slayer with coil 180f/165r, ~35 lbs, 5 hours
Norco Range VLT 180/170, 54 lbs, 2:15
Definitely feel more worked after 2 hours on the ebike vs 2 hours on non-E.
Fast forward 2 years and a riding friend of mine got a “new gen” Ebike and I borrowed it for a weekend. I was all but convinced.
I bought my own one now. I’ve never done so much descending. My skill have increased at a much faster rate thanks to simply more laps. I’m enjoying riding more and Without preaching, have the majority of my riding group make the jump to e-mtb.
The biggest detractors are the ones who have never tried it properly. I was one of you. The future is now old man.
The biggest limitation now isn’t fatigue, rather battery capacity. 500wh just isn’t enough sometimes. A second battery is a must.
I have certainly reached my riding limit on my ebike (big jumps on DH days),
but I never hit my leg power limit pedaling an e-bike (except when my battery dies),
thats the benefit of ebikes and the problem.
I remember one of my first big rides on the ebike when I had to stop on a downhill because I was so tired.
I though wow this is weird.
It certainly levelled the playing field when it came to going up and I don’t see anything wrong with it.
What I don’t like though is the e-bikers dishonesty. It is easier...period. It’s not the same effort or workout, if it was I would still be on the mountain waiting for my mrs.
I’m not against them but please just be honest, and that includes not stealing people’s strava achievements and logging your rides as ebike rides....I see loads of this.
Compared to my Conventional bike.
I am tired when I get home..
Anyone who thinks a 50+LB Ebike is more fun for dh is an absolute goon.
We can agree that emtb = more riding...it’s objectively true.
“...if the choice is between doing less riding or more riding, I choose more riding.”
I would imagine you ride for fun, yes? Well if you are saying that you always choose the “more riding” option, which we know is the emtb option, then it would be pretty safe to assume you think you’re having an equivalent amount of fun on your emtb on the downs...yes? Otherwise, why would you do it?
Oh, I know why, because you’re a goon.
Point stands.
Off to the trails, have wasted enough time responding to this nonsenses. Later goon.
Enjoy your slow ride uphill xc boy.
I don't like climbing that much but I'll do it for fitness. It sucks more having old men whine past telling me they have rediscovered the joy of ascents. At least I think that's what they are talking about. Then when you finally catch up with them at the top of some beautiful viewpoint, you can enjoy the warm conversation about battery life and engine modes.
The last one was hilarious.
"You still work just as hard, you're just going furthe and faster. Mind you I'm not as fit as I was before getting it and I'm putting weight on..."
Like if you normally ride for 1 1/2 hrs then a comparable ebike ride would be more like 3hrs.
Again this is the benefit and the problem.
Too easy and fun to hit turbro mode and blast uphill like your in a mountain bike dream world.
Yes you have guessed, the way this study is presented is skewed and what you read as a title is pretty much clickbait.
The study was done on few people, relatively young, all riders were non ebike riders, and they were experienced and riding quite often.
So Of course, when they give an e-bike to anyone that regularly rides non ebikes, he is gonna adapt and find a way to keep it as tiring as regular
And, oh surprise surprise this is what happened.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and said their study was funded by "an internal grant".
All the rest is stupid stuff about perception of ebikes, physical activity etc
It's pretty much like saying, "this Eli Tomac guy rides mx and is fit so if I buy a mx I will be also fit"
But pretending that people that start biking on an ebike will balance they muscle input/electric assistance like athletes and fit riders is beyond ridiculous.
Are you saying it’s a Mormon thing? Or a chintzy college thing?
How hard you work is alway determined by you, not the trail you're riding :-)
This "study" is just ridiculous. Hard to believe some university was involved.