Study Suggests eMTBs Provide a Similar Workout to Regular Mountain Bikes Even Though They Feel Easier

Nov 21, 2019
by James Smurthwaite  
Vitus E-Sommet Review
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."

Giant Reign E
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.

Posted In:
eMTB Industry News Specialized


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312 Comments

  • 172 14
 A conclusion i couldve told you without the test. Its simple really. What happens is this, You give both bikes everything you have. so youre putting in your own watts so to speak. The Ebike gives its watts on top of that so youre faster. However if both bikes did similar lap times the rider would use far less energy because the Ebike gives most of it.
  • 11 49
flag sewer-rat (Nov 22, 2019 at 0:11) (Below Threshold)
 unless it was on low assist
  • 55 4
 ^Yup this, it’s not that you work any less hard you just go farther in less time
  • 54 4
 Precisely. I can ride an xc bike, a dh bike, a bmx and an ebike at 100% and be gassed afterwards. You just won't ride them the same. The hardest rides I've had on two wheels, period, have been with a 250cc engine under me.
  • 91 5
 Science is not rendered pointless just because the conclusions don't surprise you.
  • 21 1
 Of corse thats true but i think this is not the key point here. The suprising thing is that the riders felt like they got "significantly less of a workout " und believed they had a much lower heart rate during the ride, but actually had a pretty similar workout (only shorter) with a similar heart rate.
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.
  • 32 1
 @RecklessJack: I think it's well understood, particularly after this, that eMTBs still get you working hard.

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
  • 9 8
 Precisely. If you go on a group ride with eBike riders and the eBikers stay at the able bodied riders pace, who will be working harder?
  • 24 4
 I would also consider the source of this article. Who is sponsoring it? Also, exactly no serious peer-reviewed scientific articles in my field get published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. We are shooting for Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Immunology, etc. Pretty sure if I suggested the JMIR, I'd get laughed out of the building.
  • 4 0
 I think I can feel that the ebike doesn't put as much stress to my legs. When I ride my normal bike on a big mountain usually my legs are pretty sore and weak in the evening. With the ebike I'm also exhausted but not really drained. It's also noticeable on a road trip where you normally are drained of energy by the end of the first week when you ride every day. But with the ebike you just can go on.
  • 2 0
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKIryzmF-VM

Top gear analogy that conveys the same point you're making
  • 11 2
 @RecklessJack Sounds like Phillip Morris cigarette marketing
  • 19 0
 I’d contend that that’s actually a pretty big difference in heart rate. +/- 10 BPM is a bigger deal the higher you go; 90 vs 100 bpm you don’t notice, but 144 vs. 154 would be a substantial difference. Time in zones would also be big, I.e. if the higher HR on the normal bike is because of 5 minutes spent at 170 that’d definitely be something you can feel.
  • 13 0
 @Drew-O: This. For me, the difference between riding at 145 vs 155 bpm is quite substantial. Adding an extra 12+ minutes to the overall workout changes it significantly as well.
  • 1 0
 @trialsracer: Your input suggests what I've wondered, in that, ebikes are work because of the weight. Just a guess though because I won't be riding one for a few more years at least.
  • 2 0
 @trialsracer: Squats all day.
  • 3 0
 @SlodownU: I've not heard of the journal before but it appears to be 1st in medical informatics, 6th in health care sciences & services, with an impact factor of 4.9, so actually pretty decent. Sure Nature is more popular but I gather there's plenty of shite published in Nature just because it sounds trendy (it actually ends up with more retractions than most journals. and this matches my sample-size-of-one experience that the one Nature paper I have truly studied in depth I think was full of it).
  • 1 0
 A conclusion you would have told me without a test would be a Just So fallacy.
  • 5 1
 @Drew-O: Exactly. It's exponential, like most things in nature. Going at a 154 average is considerably harder than going 144, much more so than the 10bpm difference would lead you to believe. Anyone who races and trains, and spends a considerable amount of time in these different zones could also verify this.
  • 9 2
 @TucsonDon: They're ignoring the fact that MTB rides are not measured in "active time", they're measured in "trail loops". A quick calorie calculator online shows the difference between calories burned by their participants being 600 for the MTB, 350 for the eMTB. A massive difference in exertion. I don't care about the eMTB's I see on trails, this study depends on weakly defined "zones". The paper itself is weak.

Their bias shows throughout their article. It's supposedly funded internally by BYU, but private universities are not obligated to disclose their donations. Hmmmm.
  • 2 0
 My rides are measured in descents. If I've got more energy and time left I'll always pedal up for another. Not getting an ebike until the tech is a few years more mature and cheap enough I can afford to regularly break it though.
  • 10 1
 Reminds me of that great Lemond quote "It never stops hurting, you just go faster"
  • 2 0
 @dirtenistderwahnsinn: So we're reaching a conclusive outcome based on our "feelings"
  • 6 0
 Try riding your regular bike on the same trail after riding an e-bike on it for a while. It will be extremely difficult. Just like riding a light bike for a while then riding a heavier bike. Big difference. Not against e-bikes, but won't get one until I absolutely need one.
  • 3 0
 @dirtenistderwahnsinn: Thats what they felt. and that might even be right actually. Thing is this stuff is measured in watts. so they say look at those two riders spending the same watts.

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.
  • 2 0
 @sideshowb: I don't know what field you're in, but JMIR doesn't have much cred with the more rigorous scientific disciplines. And every journal has its share of redactions. No one is burning the midnight oil, spending thousands of hours in the lab dreaming of publishing in JMIR.
  • 2 0
 @dirtenistderwahnsinn: Genau! This increases the chance of squeezing in a ride after getting "throttled" at work all day. With less perceived output you tend to ride more often, thereby adding even more health benefit.
  • 1 0
 @Drew-O: exactly what I wanted to comment. Average heart rate is a quite poor metric. What makes riding a MTB really hard are those technical, steep pitches where you need to go really deep to get through them. This is exactly where ebikes make the biggest difference.
  • 2 0
 @SlodownU: yay for inter discipline snobbery! Agree nobody is going to see that journal as the pinnacle of scientific recognition but most science is not ground breaking, it's just people getting on with their jobs and publishing results. The drive to preset every minor result as revolutionary for career advancement is detrimental to science.
  • 2 1
 Only 258 comments by far, Pinkbike comment club is losing the edge...
  • 3 0
 I don’t know about you, but for me as a slightly older rider I can ride HR 140s with low perceived effort. HR 150s is a very stiff perceived effort. The reason the riders felt like they were working less hard on the ebikes is because they were. Their conclusions are not supported by their data as presented in this article.

I’m actually a huge fan of ebikes. But this study does not support the conclusion.
  • 9 1
 @MonsterTruck: I have never owned an bike, but everytime I rode one I was battered afterwards. I cannot imagine anyone who is into speed, who is giving their all when they are riding, no matter if climbing or descending, getting at least as tired on ebike as on normal bike. It is an awkward idea to insinuate that tool has any bigger meaning here. People who give their all, simply do 3 runs on ebike per 1 run on regular bike. And when they do a longer ride in undulating terrain they give more because they are high on speed and this bike allows them to pin it on ups, flats as well as downs.

Lazy prick will be a lazy prick. I see no hate for using lifts in Whistler bike park.
  • 4 0
 @WAKIdesigns: that is cool. I’m just saying that their conclusions are not supported by this study.

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.
  • 1 1
 @MonsterTruck: yes I agree with you on that... actually I kind of tried to criticize this study by my post...in a weird way...
  • 2 0
 @SlodownU: this is not my field (and probably not yours) but I’m with you. There are enough researchers on this site who are familiar enough with the academic publication process to realize that this journal is highly suspect.

@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.
  • 1 0
 @Hayek: I certainly concede that impact factors don't mean a lot! Moreover, journal reputation doesn't predict much about quality of an individual paper anyway. But it wasn't me who brought Nature into this discussion ;-)
  • 1 0
 @SlodownU: BYU, Salt Lake city, by chance specialized home town....
  • 2 0
 The difference between the perception that ebike is easier and the finding of similar heart rate is easily explained by the fact that much of the sensation of "harder" comes from the accumulation of fatigue from high output bursts on hills and technical trail features. Those are the parts that the ebike makes much easier. Its probably true that the ebike rider still gets about the same amount of "exercise" (calories burned?), but its also true that the high intensity bits are what most effectively increase the rider's strength and fitness.
  • 155 49
 Maybe their heart rates went up because they were embarrassed about being seen on an ebike...
  • 25 50
flag HuckersNeck (Nov 22, 2019 at 2:39) (Below Threshold)
 Why would you be embarrassed about being on an Ebike?
  • 41 23
 @HuckersNeck: what does a fat chick and a moped have in common?
  • 35 16
 @bill-curran: both great fun to ride till your mates see ya! Same as the eeb
  • 2 4
 Yup.
  • 9 12
 @bill-curran: Both fun to ride, but you don't want your buddies to catch you on one. Wink
  • 14 22
flag nickfranko (Nov 22, 2019 at 8:22) (Below Threshold)
 @bill-curran:

Both suck and the world would be better without them?
  • 17 7
 the only people ashamed of riding an e bike are the ones who are shaming others into not riding one. grow a pair, people
  • 5 2
 @bill-curran: I will proudly ride all three. If you pass on the fat chick and moped your missing out on the ebike. Because let me tell you, their all fun!
  • 6 0
 @stayinyourbike - please, tell us what makes you embarrassed while you ride Smile
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I’m embarrassed by my general lack of cycling skills.
  • 2 0
 @cuban-b: not good, it is holding you back. Literally
  • 4 0
 @bill-curran: cut down the frat boy jokes buddy.
  • 3 1
 @bill-curran: Poor grammar?
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: you’re probably right.

Not something you often hear from other pinkbikers right Waki? Wink
  • 55 6
 If you're going as hard as you can on an ebike, it never feels easier. You're going as hard as you can. Thanks to the extra 250 watts from the motor, it's just faster.
  • 38 3
 It's like Greg Lemond said: "It doesn't get easier, you just get faster"
  • 6 1
 Yup. Been riding and commuting on my Fathom emtb hardtail. I'm 20mins quicker getting home, but I'm still pretty cooked. Especially into 40kmh headwinds and 37C temps lol. It's nice to be able to provide a draft for roadies on the way home too!
  • 17 2
 I think the "faster" is one thing that the study misses here. Not only are the riders' heartrates lower, they're maintaining that heartrate for less time.

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.
  • 10 4
 @MarcusBrody: Exactly, you're getting 12min. 40sec less of a workout actually, as per the study. 12min. less of a cardio and muscle workout. Most real workouts designed to build cardio are based on being in a target heart rate zone for a certain amount of time. The dirty little secret is most MTB racers do those types of workouts on a road bike, no one is doing this on an e-bike. One can argue that you can use an e-bike to get more laps and build your descending/technical skills, but I'm also willing to guess that most of the pros are doing this on the bike that they'll race to build familiarity and dial-in the bike that they'll actually be riding.
  • 12 0
 @SlodownU: I just clicked through to the actual study. They averaged 38 min (40 seconds?) on the regular mountain bike. So they were roughly 30% faster on the ebikes. Riding for 30% less time with a 6% less heart rate isn't a similar workout to me.

As I said before, this is obviously nullified if you use the ebike to ride a longer distance in the same time.
  • 4 1
 @SlodownU: Of course, most road pros do their workouts on turbo trainers, not even on tarmac - if you're really serious about your training you need the session to have as few variables as possible. The thing ebikes are best for in a rigorous training programme is the easy days - if you are supposed to be doing an i1/i2 day you can use the ebike to spin up to trails (in turbo I can climb below i1, if I want to), where in the past you'd probably have been restricted to boring spins on the roadbike/turbo. And I reckon that would make a difference as you'd be riding technical terrain on more days than before.
  • 3 1
 @seb-stott: Yeah, it is a true statement, but in this case it does get easier. However, the bike is faster because it has a thing called a motor. Lol. Not against e-bikes, but to say they have a similar amount of effort is way off.
  • 46 1
 Ebikes are fun and you can get loads more dh practice when riding and my knees are bad so it makes sense (not that I can afford one). However, my enthusiasm has reduced recently having read about the 250million tonnes of battery waste from e-cars we will have in Britain in 5years time. Are we creating another environment issue that is possibly avoidable?
  • 16 4
 How is that possible? I thought batteries were green! Razz
  • 24 0
 @jacobite321 : That`s precisely why I stopped working in a bike shop: everybody wants an e-bike - even kids, sad but true - and everybody thinks that it`s ecological. People have a very short sight, and often they just don`t want to see the real truth. Batteries recycling is just at its beginning but it goes wrong because most people prefer to throw and buy something new.
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...
  • 3 0
 @softsteel: excellent post. perfect example where even if (and that's giving a very large benefit of doubt) the policies were implemented with good intentions, not political ones, the unintended consequences of government intervention distorts markets with bad information, causing bad decisions.
  • 5 0
 Excellent point. It would be good to understand how much ebike battery waste will contribute on top of that number. Or even the impact of the waste from the lithium-ion batteries in the phones/laptops/tablets that we're all using to peruse this comments section...
  • 1 1
 (double post)
  • 3 1
 @DDoc: that's what the government's are telling the sheeple
  • 1 1
 Lead acid batteries are currently 98% recycled.

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
  • 7 0
 @sideshowb: Recycling of lithium ion would be great, and the world is gubbed if its not upscaled in the near future, however Lithium (and the other minerals required) extraction is big time shite in itself to the enviroment. Recycling is also not exactly a clean process either. Theres plenty uses for e-bikes that are justifiable, especially if it involves taking another car out of a city, but getting more laps in on your mtb is a piss poor reason to justify additional hammering to the environment.
  • 1 2
 you can get thousands of charges off a ebike battery. thats a lifetime for most people. batteries need to be recycled and reused though. i think its possible to do that.
  • 2 1
 You could be right for sure! But for example, how could ebiking be less green than riding in lift assisted bikeparks, as they are popping out everywhere?
  • 2 0
 @DDoc: you are joking, yet this is a common misunderstanding.
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.
  • 2 0
 @slayerdegnar: That might well be the case but the issue is they will still degrade completely at some point, and if e-mtbs are to become increasingly more popular then theres going to come a point where theres a constant stream of dud batteries that need recycled or disposed of. Would be great if the big dog companies developing the systems stepped up with some sort of official process for said dud batteries.
  • 2 1
 This is why I think e-bikes are totally valid. When you get older and body has some issues, to be able to ride is where e-bikes show their value. However, I won't get one until I need one.
  • 48 6
 joseph smith rode e-bikes
  • 18 4
 In fact he had ten of them
  • 4 2
 Maybe but modern revelation says it’s not to be done anymore
  • 7 2
 He actually found them, buried, on a hill in upstate NY. Then used them to get to the top of Promontory hill in SLC.
  • 7 1
 Of course in those days he rode the Turbo Lehi
  • 2 3
 Of course this study came from Utah, exploit and commercialize.
  • 1 2
 study participants were not allowed to drink, fornicate, or spank it. no wonder their heart rates were thru the roof.
  • 1 0
 @gticket: what does that even mean?
  • 1 0
 @gticket: what does that even mean?
  • 26 3
 I love riding uphill. I love turning the pedals. I dont want it to feel easier, I want to suffer & feel like its my sole effort that endured to the top. yes I appreciate i'm a rare masochist & ready to be down voted to oblivion..
  • 3 1
 There’s actually nothing wrong with liking the pain. We all ride for different reasons but as long as we are outside enjoying nature and breathing the fresh air it shouldn’t matter what bike you choose to do that on. Also, a hammer peddler’s best friend should be a guy on an ebike! You’ll love chasing it up the mountain!
  • 11 5
 You need to pay the trail gods with the sacrifice of grinding uphill. E-bikes alter the relationship between man and trail god, it won't end well.
  • 5 3
 Ok cool, the existence of ebikes does not prevent you from doing any of these things.
  • 2 2
 @brodoyouevenbike: Yeah - take that gondola or chair instead. Pay them trail gods folks. LOL
  • 23 5
 E-biking is like a "steady state" workout where doing the same ride on a regular bike is more like interval training. At the end of the day the HR readings may be close but the intensity of the workouts is so much different.
  • 18 4
 They were being timed on a lap (in a quasi race situation) therefore were probably going for it.
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.
  • 6 2
 @fartymarty: I agree. My personal experience of one day and 54km on an ebike was that I was always approx one heart rate zone lower on the ebike. Up steep techs I end up maxed out on a normal bike just to keep the wheels turning and not fall over. On an ebike that just isn’t the case. Fast enough to not fall over had me in zone 4 or even 3. The only time you get a better workout on an ebike is when the battery dies and you’re pushing 23kg and a ton of friction.
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.
  • 26 8
 C'mon Pinkbike, don't disappoint me.
  • 32 1
 Acoustic bike jihad. Let's have at it
  • 26 17
 @leelau: I have long proposed steel 26” hardtails with 89 seat angles, 61 head angles and EMP shockwave generators. #rideunassisted #drinkwater #halfsendsonly
  • 6 1
 @WAKIdesigns: don't forget at least 6 bottle mounts
  • 2 0
 @f00bar: #legstixaintdead
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: heck ya!
  • 18 2
 "EMTBs may not be for the lazy after all"

No need for a study to understand this, just need to try and push hard on the pedals as usual.
  • 4 0
 Then goes on to say that ebikes are more suited for sedentary individuals...
  • 25 10
 it seems there are many uneducated comments from young people that are still to discover the beauty of knee pain and hernia. Then their song will change.....
  • 27 9
 Or maybe some people just don't like skewed conclusions, clickbait title, and know some people still riding unassisted mtb at 80 ?
  • 7 7
 Got a hernia? Get it fixed.
  • 19 5
 Had knee pain starting at 18 (car accident). Has never kept me from ridding my bike. Don't make excuses. Strengthen that knee and go ride.
  • 13 5
 My dad is 71 and pedals up like the rest of us. Would I hate if he had an emtb? Nah. But is it insanely more respectable that he doesn’t? Yes.
  • 3 2
 @brncr6: that costs a hell of alot more than an ebike!
  • 2 0
 @slayerdegnar: well uh yeh, it's a medical condition that will get worse with time. Got a hernia get it fixed!!!
Just like if you have a stroke get it fixed.
  • 15 0
 Some of the best workouts I get are on the pump track without a single peddle stroke....
  • 4 0
 Yea. I want a pump track for Christmas.
  • 1 0
 Would kill for one
  • 1 0
 @nvranka: That's going all out for a pump track. Maybe there is another way?
  • 2 0
 @jorukfundan: I would kill too. Many hours of my time with a machine and shovel.
  • 3 0
 Next there will be e-pumptrack bikes that generate more speed with every pump. And someone will do a study on them and find that they are "more suited for sedentary individuals" and nobody in pinkbike will give a damn
  • 1 0
 @JakinM: Pinkbike itself is more suited to sedentary individuals.
  • 1 0
 @brodoyouevenbike: you aren't wrong mate
  • 16 3
 Why don't you take your science, actual data, rational thinking and results and shove it, we don't want to hear it here!! Leave us alone with our bigoted minds
  • 6 2
 You think "if athletes used to push themselves to the limit can do physical exercise on an ebike, then the random fat joey that has never riden before can too " is rational thinking ?
  • 12 3
 Going uphill on a normal Mtb you are propelling the 30 odd lbs of weight up just by yourself. On an ebike you are NEVER doing this . It’s a slog going uphill and it hurts but that’s why it’s good for you
  • 9 0
 Says the e-bike was 12 minutes 40 seconds faster on the loop. But doesn't give the full lap time for either bike. I'd be interested to know the what the percentage difference was.
  • 2 0
 It doesn`t really count with a sample of riders who are not regular riders like they say. So this is not a Hot Lap circumstance if you see what I mean. Nevertheless, it would have been interesting to do that test with ``competition dinosaurs``such as Nicolas Vouilloz, Fabien Barel, Steve Peat, Anne-Caroline Chausson, etc... and to have their feelings about it. That would be a pretty exciting test ;-)
  • 4 2
 My experience:
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.
  • 1 1
 @bradwalton: probably because you're leaking life force out of your arse.
  • 8 1
 Don’t care. I ride my mountain bike and pedal uphill to earn the downs. And to get away from technology for a bit. To me, eBikes are missing the whole point. Your views may vary.
  • 14 5
 If riding an e-bike feels easier, you're not riding fast enough..
  • 11 1
 Or maybe you're riding the e-bike just as fast as the regular bike but the trail is limiting your speed. If your speed is already "trail limited" an e-bike isn't really going to help you go faster, you just go fast for less work.. . .and yes, I'm speaking from personal experience.
  • 2 3
 @scatterbrained: I agree although I think you need to learn new skills to ride some trails faster on the ebike, I don't think I'm there yet, I split my time between both assisted and non assisted. But most descents and plenty of sections of limited altitude gain, it's not either bike that is holding me back just skill!
  • 8 2
 Nothing new here - The Electric Razor and Toothbrush Association (ERTA) found similar results back in the 80s Electric assist helps people not look and smell like shit. I for one am grateful.
  • 12 5
 90 % of the ebikers i see on the trails are either fat or old -or both -science bru
  • 7 11
flag teamdoa (Nov 22, 2019 at 0:58) (Below Threshold)
 Yeah, and they would probably still kick your ass lol
  • 10 0
 @teamdoa: sure there is no way i can keep up, i am old, semifat and have no engine. But getting an ebike would cement the first two in my mind.
  • 1 0
 @teamdoa: yeah they would....... because they have an engine!
  • 1 1
 @teamdoa: kick your ass? You think being passed by someone with a motor is having your ass kicked? I had coffee today with two 70+ year Olds who were on their way to completing a regular 90km loop. Every week they smash out massive ks. They'd probably kick your ass.
  • 18 14
 I was against these bikes approx 3 years ago. Then one of my buddies imported one of the first haibikes into Aus. I took it for a rip around the streets and thought yeah it’s cool but not for me.

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.
  • 2 0
 What would you say your average increase in laps on a given ride are after the switch?
  • 3 1
 @klondike08: some trails it would be double. The steeper stuff can be up to 5x more riding. We are riding better trails, more secluded trails and travelling to new places all the time.

The biggest limitation now isn’t fatigue, rather battery capacity. 500wh just isn’t enough sometimes. A second battery is a must.
  • 6 0
 Those who have done some "scientific research" know the way to operate the data to get the results they want. And I've done my share, thank you Big Grin
  • 5 1
 Heart rate might be 94% of normal but I bet actual leg power output is more like 85% or less, and thats in eco mode.

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.
  • 3 1
 I'd agree with this, my trail bike is definitely more leg exertion than the ebike but upper body is the otherway around. I almost always feel more worn out after a proper ebike ride than on my trail bike, even though it is 160/150 versus 150/140 on the trail bike. I think that's due to two things, no "rest" and grind up the hill, it's a more focused effort although I almost always ride eco or trail I find you have to pay more attention on the emtb as everything in my case is coming at me at circa 15km/h instead of less than 10 for most of the hills I ride. The second is that even on my trail bike my highest heart rates are on the descent. I climb to descend and it's a significantly greater workout and for me generally faster descending on the emtb.
  • 1 1
 @Dallasdownunder: yes, no reason to stop and rest when riding ebike. hammer up and down non stop.
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.
  • 4 6
 That's a huge problem when some out of shape dude decides to go back country and gets stranded because he doesn't have the leg power to get back when the battery goes poof. That's a long sentence...
  • 4 0
 Just done a weeks riding in Gran Canaria where my mrs hired an emtb. I tried it and kinda liked it. Without it she would never have made it up the mountains.
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.
  • 6 1
 What i'm hearing is that theres no point to owning an EMTB so manufactures should stop producing them and then we can just sweep this whole craze back under the rug and pretend like they never existed.
  • 2 3
 Ya...like suspension and disc brakes..
  • 4 0
 99% of these comments are from people who clearly do not monitor their HR on rides regularly. A 10 - 11 bpm average is huge. That is the equivalent of removing all the sustained steep climbs where your HR is nearing max or highly elevated. The riders felt like they output less on the ebike because they did, this isn’t a mystery and this whole test was worthless. Is an ebike excercise? Absolutely, but let’s not pretend it’s nearly the same as non assisted riding.
  • 11 5
 Spend 25% more time on the trail on my ebike
Compared to my Conventional bike.
I am tired when I get home..
  • 6 0
 I turn mine off when going up hill so I can get fitter like the none E-Bike people.
  • 8 5
 I put mine in turbo so I can whizz past them whilst laughing at their obsolete bikes.
  • 6 5
 @mcozzy: do you understand the value of pride in achievement? You got to the top faster, but accomplished nothing.
  • 5 3
 @AllMountin: Ive accomplished doing at least twice as many runs as I would do on a pedalbike. I have no interest in riding a bike for fitness, just maximising downhill enjoyment at the bikeparks.
  • 2 0
 @mcozzy: I usually just pick the quickest gondola on the uplift. Never actually managed to overtake someone but I swear it's been close.
  • 2 1
 I get that. I'm a downhill first rider. But I'd have a hard time accepting the compromise of weight impacting the ride dynamics on the way down. Quantity vs quality. I've never seen any pro rider pull anything close to their best stuff on E. And I can't afford to lose 20 degrees out of my 45 degree whips. ;-)
  • 1 0
 @AllMountin: Get a bike with a front hub mounted motor. It will do your whips nothing but good.
  • 1 2
 @AllMountin: I agree. I would rather ride my DH bike anyday when there is an uplift. But on non uplift days when the choice is between pushing/slowly riding either my dh or trail bike to the top, or ebiking up, the ebike will take precedence every single time.
  • 4 2
 @mcozzy: said no good rider ever.

Anyone who thinks a 50+LB Ebike is more fun for dh is an absolute goon.
  • 1 3
 @nvranka: You struggle with the English language? Where did I say that? Because I cant see that in any of my posts. My point is, if the choice is between doing less riding or more riding, I choose more riding.
  • 4 2
 @mcozzy: your insult game is weak, 3/10.

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.
  • 6 1
 @nvranka: never ridden one, right?!
  • 2 4
 @nvranka: Of course the more downhill isnt always the ebike option. You have chairlifts or uplift? Then you would know this is generally allows more downhill fun. But where there is no chairlift? Well the choice is obvious. I will ride my ebike at 180mm travel at 52lb compared to my dh bike with 200mm at 38lb & the enjoyment will come from more riding time compared to more time spent pushing a bike up a hill.

Enjoy your slow ride uphill xc boy.
  • 5 1
 I think after a while the ebike riders will have no stamina... Lol couldnt resist. The rest of this study is worse than bro science. I think its a plot to get computer nerds on our trails.
  • 8 1
 If a tree in a forest falls on an Ebike, does anyone care?
  • 3 0
 This argument about being able to ride faster on an ebike seems like marketing BS to me. Yes, I understand in theory you can ride an ebike faster. However, the trails I have access to are multi use. I could always ride faster on my non-assisted bike, but because of blind turns and other users on the trail, I am speed limited. So having an e-bike to go faster is useless. It would only assist in my climbs making my workout less.
  • 2 1
 You are correct... I ride my trail bike with acoustic friends on busy hard packed trails...don’t need a Emtb there..then I go to more remote looser trails and rip it with my Emtb friends..both fun! Depends where you ride..
  • 6 0
 10bpm less for 30% less time is not the same workout. Or even close, really.
  • 3 0
 Who funded the study? The e-Bike manufactures association? This is one where logic supersedes "study". If energy out (aka work output or heart rate) are the same...the battery on the e-Bike would not lose much charge at the end of the ride.
  • 3 0
 I do a lot of heart rate based training, and 154 vs 144 is a major perceptible difference. Also, for intervals my program suggests resting to 140, then working to 155-160, so these relatively small differences are meaningful.
  • 3 0
 Lol this study is a joke. It's been proven all to many times that heart rate is affected by way to many other variables than just power output which is why most professionals train via power not by heart rate. Especially on a mountain bike where the variable terrain itself can cause heart rate spikes. And just for the record, I'm not arguing the consensus that both options will give you a similar workout in terms of the effort put out, it's just that this study is very uncontrolled.
  • 5 1
 Study is very, very flawed indeed. 33 people is insufficient for a start
  • 6 3
 Let’s be honest here, even if it was the most well regarded and respected professionals who had come up with the most conclusive evidence that ebikes give you the same workout, the grunts on here would still call “foul” and raise their pitch forks... Such a funny bunch of little insignificant grunts ????
  • 3 0
 So why bother with them then? More money, more hazardous waste, more weight, more trail deterioration. I mean fine when your knees are done, that's cool, you get a pass.
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.
  • 4 0
 Preach it, ride more, get more laps. Throwing difficult to recycle batteries/motors on a MTB just so you can do a few more laps and not put effort in on ups is a shite excuse for the unnecessary crap being brought into the environment.
  • 3 0
 144 and 155 bpm are not "roughly similar." That is complete nonsense, and anyone who has ever done any sort of interval or endurance training will tell you as such. And I would also imagine there is a huge discrepancy in the power output in relation to HR.
  • 3 0
 10bpm average difference is actually a lot. For example on my Peloton at 165bpm average over an hour session, I can sustain about 250W average output, but 155bpm average is 220W. That is a lot of effort left on the table and inherently feels much easier.
  • 16 14
 Don't know why you all hate on e bikes. There loads of fun, I'd never get ride of the trail bike for one but I'd happily have one aswell. Places we go that you get 5 runs from a full day of long climbs would be awesome. Twice the number of runs, twice the down hill fun. Long as you push yourself on the climbs you still get the cardio too.
  • 16 14
 Pure lies. Every single Ebike rider I've had tell me about the experience has told me their fitness has dropped off from using it.

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..."
  • 10 6
 your right. I've had mine for two years and unless i'm are using the minimum output at all times its easier on my heart for sure. I have to ride my regular bike at least twice as much as ebike to maintain fitness to ride my regular bike hard without feeling out of shape. We ride the ebikes when we would often take a day off. We ride them because sometimes we just want to ride a bike. We ride them on remote trails that are too raw or steep to be much fun on regular bikes. I lend it to my slow friends and still kick their butt because there is no substitute for basic fitness and skill. Riding a bike is universally fun, pedaling uphill.. not so much...its an acquired taste. ebikes are more about riding than pedaling and when i'm done my whole upper body is sore from throwing it around and my legs are fine and ready to ride my regular bike the next day.
  • 2 2
 @DDoc: Perfectly said
  • 3 2
 @DDoc: "too raw or too steep to be fun in regular bikes". LOL, you need another sport.
  • 2 0
 I think to get a similar leg workout, an ebiker has to ride about twice as long if they are using the power generously.
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.
  • 7 1
 Pick a wheel size and be a dick about it, chapter eight.
  • 3 0
 Had a road bike and an Ebike. After a summer of riding the ebike on eco for long rides I found when getting back on my road bike I found I lacked pace, not so much the ability to ride distances, but more explosive power.
  • 4 2
 There is a thread on this topic on mtbr.com and many experienced MTBers acknowledge that their fitness has fallen off when they utilize their e-MTBs. They still speak highly of the e-MTB experience. A motorized dirt bike can be really exhausting actually, it's just on most trails it's hard to go fast enough with assist for that to happen.
  • 4 0
 If you express it as a percentage, it doesn't sound like much. But in the real world, the difference between 155 bpm and 145 bpm feels pretty significant.
  • 1 0
 Exactly what I was thinking. 94% HR to me is a normal ride and good workout but going for 100% and trying to get PRs is significantly more mentally/physically challenging.
  • 2 0
 You can make any study say anything these days. Including a car gives you as much workout as running in the track. If you run 5min and your racing the car around a circuit for 25min. Same with emtb. I use them. It's more of a workout than sitting in a chair. Same trail, it's way less of a workout than the regular mtb. Lower hr, less tired, faster lap. Who would have thought!
  • 3 0
 Is this kind of like running a 10k or riding 40k on a roadie in the same time period are the same? One you go way faster...but one requires more physical demand per KM...what a stupid conclusion
  • 2 0
 Having used an Ebike on a back country trail that I regularly ride analog I can tell you this is total bullshit. The ride is normally strenuous and difficult to clean, with the Ebike my heart rate never elevated, normally you go aerobic 3-4 times on this ride.... This was all on the lowest amount of assist. It was more physical on the descent as I was muscling a heavy bike a normal trail speeds though.
  • 2 0
 Similar HR does not necessarily mean similar workout. E-bikes could very well provide a similar cardiovascular workout, but may not provide as much of a lower body workout to your muscles do that the lower tension being put through your legs (e.g. you can spin a higher cadence up a steep, technical climb than with a motor-free bike, so you get less torque through your muscles). Would be interesting to see the difference there.
  • 4 2
 Here's what I've found riding my Levo for a year. On most rides my max heart rate is on the descents. On climbs HR is steadier with fewer spikes than on non-ebike. More endurance training than interval training on the climbs. Since the Levo has a power meter built in it's easy to compare to non-ebike rides. On most rides my power output (not the added power of the motor) is roughly the same. The beauty of the ebike is you set it up to get whatever you want out of the ride. On most rides (2 to 4 hours) I don't want to spike my heart rate too often so I use the power of the motor to avoid it. On days when I really want to get a good interval workout I tune back the assist level and let my HR spike ( usually these are short rides).
  • 2 0
 I commute on an ebike and it's rad! My commute is 11 miles one way, with a big climb on the way back. It was a huge pain in the ass on a regular pedal bike, in the summer I'd show up in the office gross and sweaty and come home even grosser and completely spent. I barely ever did it, just wasn't worth it for me. On an ebike, I'm commuting 3-5 days a week. Am I getting the same amount of exercise if I was doing it on a regular pedal bike? Nope. But am I getting more than I would otherwise? YUP! And I'm a relatively fit guy in my 30s. Go ahead and call me a lazy ass, it's true! But most people aren't racers or fitness freaks. They just want to get from point a to point b, or have some fun on the trails. If ebikes end up getting more people on two wheels and off their ass. This is a good thing.
  • 2 0
 From my experience shifting between my e-commuter bike and my non e-commuter bike, the battery assist is easier, way, way, easier. The bike is the same, I just take off the battery pack and rear hub with motor and replace with a regular hub. I eat about 3X as much food during weeks I don't have e-assist and fall asleep by 8:30.
  • 4 0
 It’s annoying me that EVERY ebike owner I know tells himself and me that you get just the same amount of work. It’s a load of ball sacks.
  • 2 0
 I'm totally fine with e-bikes, but the main issue I have with them is that once you start riding an e-bike regularly, it will be very difficult to ride a regular bike afterwards. Your legs automatically revert back to the easiest resistance. Just like lifting weights. If you push 200lbs regularly then move to 100lbs regularly then you won't be able to push that 200lbs unless you build back to it.
  • 2 0
 With a history in biomechanics of course your heart rate will be the same. You are executing the same amount of work with an e-bike as you are a regular bike. However the amount of power is vastly different. It's the same argument as takes 5 trips to haul 5 rocks to a pile (one rock each trip) versus one trip (carrying all five rocks). The heart rate will be the same due to the amount of work being done, however the power required is vastly different. Doing a long term controlled test would prove physical differences between e-bike or "regular" bike. I understand that the test proves cardiovascular equivalents but greatly overlooks physique/ strength output which is what the majority of riders "care" about.
  • 4 0
 The participants were given Specialized Levo ebikes to ride. I wonder if it was the big S that commissioned this report?
  • 1 0
 You're right, they certainly did as studies have to be financed by someone. But I don't see it as a pure advert for Specialized, the end result would work for any e-brand.
  • 2 0
 I don't know. It says they were using Apple watches but using Polar for heart rate monitoring. It is not clear to me what the Apple stuff was for other than being able to say they use Apple gear for science. But Apple has no business in bicycle riding so this wasn't sponsored by them. In related news, the Crankbrothers developers mentioned being Apple fan. Pretty sure this research was triggered by Crankbrothers to improve the image of bicycles with pedal assist before they release their e-bike specific line up. Most notably the dropper seatpost attached by a crank to the bb mounted motor. The dropper lever now becomes the clutch that links the dropper crank to the motor. Release the lever when the saddle is at your preferred height (or when you've been bucked OTB). This is the fully automatic dropper everyone has been calling for, where you don't (or shouldn't even try to) push the saddle down with your butt. So the first generation will sell like hotcakes to all the early adopters. Crankbrothers promises that they will invest part of the money in the development of a system that should smooth out the dropper motion. By that time, the dentists who actually paid for this study and article hope to have made enough money fixing the teeth of the early adopters that they can buy their favorite British steel hardtail to go shredding, have a laugh and get their teeth muddy in the process.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: Good luck to anyone who wants to be an early adopter when it comes to Crankbrothers droppers. I still remember the Joplin.
  • 1 0
 The test needs to be repeated with 50 beginners with above average obesity level on Ebikes and then on conventional mountain bikes, on a loop with a decent climb off road to see how heart rates compare? I can imagine that a fit experienced rider might just pedal more at the same heat rate giving either more distance or a shorter session.
  • 4 0
 to put it in numbers, working at 60% intensity for 20 minutes is much easier than 70% for 32 minutes
  • 1 0
 I could see the psychological benefits of an ebike. I bet the same could be shown if you gave someone who normally rides a heavier enduro bike uphills an XC bike for the job they would respond similarly. They'd probably rip up the hill faster than normal, being blown away by how easy it felt, all the while still busting their ass up the hill, just faster. It's often more fun if it hurts less. I still think it's lame to get an E-bike if you're able bodied and your not climbing mountains, but I'm open to the idea e-bikes for big alpine rides. You can just do more riding, which I can't really frown upon. I do frown upon all the new tech that has to produced and inevitibly thrown out, though. E-waste is still garbage.
  • 2 1
 Regular mtn bike, less crap to make, less crap to throw out. I question my own decision to go carbon and maybe should have gone Al. I know I would never get an emtn bike. I do however think ecargo bikes like the Supermarche make sense.
  • 2 1
 Only anecdotal and not science, but over Crankworks I recently rode with a long-time industry rep from Europe. He was keen to ride a non-ebike as he had not been on one yet in 2019. However, he tracks everything with Strava and his HRM and was noting that his baseline fitness was the best it had ever been and his overall mileage was way up. We did a trail called Howler that has a reasonably sustained climb that pitches increasingly as you get to the top with a significant climb right near the trailhead. He was blown away by how gassed he was as soon as he pushed above a 150bpm cadence pace to full anaerobic and dropped off quickly. He realized that the e-bike certainly retained his baseline fitness, but his max output and ability to sustain hard anaerobic efforts was way off. Once we pointed it down, he was reminded how fun and playful a 30 pound bike was... he felt he was skimming versus plowing. Eye opening ride for both of us from a high level European rider.
  • 2 1
 My best experience with e-bikes was when I wasn't riding one... I rented e-bikes for my teenage sons and a bronson for myself. We all had a blast. The boys could outpace me on the tough climbs. We all enjoyed the down hills. Everyone was tired before the batteries went dead. Wish I could afford to buy a couple e-bikes.
  • 5 4
 Studies also suggest that putting my member in my hand and self-pleasuring is similar to sharing that experience with a woman. If people want to refer to eMTB as mountain biking, then please come up with a new term for what I'm doing by getting myself up and down the trail entirely under my own power.
  • 2 0
 You're calling her ... a "trail"? Never heard that one before.
  • 1 0
 I'm no scientist, but doesn't similar heart rate + less time = less calories burned? I guess it depends on your scenarios for riding. If you are sitting at intersections for 10 mins waiting for your friends on regular MTBs then you'll get less of a workout. If you are all on EMTBs hammering through, then..all good.
  • 5 0
 I'm calling BS on this one.
  • 4 0
 Cool story. As long as my legs work as they should I'll be riding my "regular" bike.
  • 3 1
 The reason the study showed the average heart rate was 94% of those on normal bikes, is that most people who ride ebikes are generally unfit and have a heart rate of 120bpm just walking up the stairs...
  • 1 0
 I've a lot of data-driven workouts in my life, and I'm very sorry to break it to you Specialized, 144 bpm workout and a 154 bpm workout is definitely not the same thing. Sorry. The 10 bpm average spread is a significant difference in perceived effort and in my opinion in output by the legs and caloric consumption, muscle fatigue, etc. I think the e-mtb trend is good for the industry and for whoever decides that it triggers their desire to train but this is a pretty big difference in intensity in my opinion.
  • 4 0
 Comment section will be lit . .. . . .. ...
  • 2 0
 Seems pretty measured?
  • 7 7
 For those too lazy to read the paper.

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
  • 3 3
 The funny part is how they suggest " because trained, experienced, fit mtbers were able to do physical activity while riding ebikes, it should also work with unfit people if they start ebiking".

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"
  • 1 0
 if they rode in eco mode the whole time then I can see it being relatively legit, but any more assistance than that is definitely easier.
  • 5 0
 @DDoc: but that's what makes the study so insignificant. Like everyone said, it is obvious that you can do physical exercise on an Ebike, no matter how much assistance the bike gives.

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.
  • 10 7
 In other news: Tobacco industry claims cigarettes are healthy, suggests that people should smoke more.
  • 2 1
 funny. My guess is the tobacco industry is behind all the negative press on vaping. They don't like losing market share.
  • 4 0
 survey the average weight/height ratio of the eMTB rider vs MTB. ;-)
  • 1 0
 If a ride consists of climbs ranging from 1-30 seconds this would be true, depending on the person. You would have to go 100% every single time but how many does that in the real world?
  • 4 0
 Nice try bike industry!!!!but no thanks.....
  • 3 0
 Bit of a stretch to say it's a similar workout... They had a lower intensity work rate over less time.
  • 5 1
 This is a weak pseudo scientific study.
  • 2 0
 BYU, Internet Research? Yeah, there wasn’t any actual riding done, just keyboard research as usual! Let’s just call this BS!
  • 3 0
 Apple watches, heart rate and Strava. Everything to give a sport specific study some credibility!
  • 3 0
 This is bs.. we don't need science to tell as. lol They want to sale ebike that's it.lmao. Get the F out of here.Smile
  • 2 0
 Great!! Now all I can think of is that club song “I weerrrkkk out!!” Playing to some guy riding an e-bike on the Venice boardwalk. Haha
  • 1 1
 Using heart rate is one way but perhaps not the best way to measure 'the work out' from riding a certain type of off roader. There are way too many variables to consider when riding off-road that can affect heart rate (that ring twitching scary moment when the front wheel washes out will boost your stats and sway your average results).
  • 4 1
 If eMTBs are similar/same as analog, i mean REAL bikes, why they exist in first place?
  • 1 1
 Because they are green and you help save the planet by riding one.
  • 1 1
 @brncr6: are they green? You mean if the owner rides an e-bike instead of driving a car? What if the choice is that the owner rides/buys a bike without a motor versus riding an e-bike. How can that possibly be better for the planet when you consider the additional resources, mining, manufacturing and disposal of the battery in that equation compared with a normal bike? This idea that cycling will be brought to the masses by motorised battery technology is ridiculous. Fat kids will still play Xbox.
  • 1 0
 @danlovesbikes: sarcasm dude
  • 1 0
 @brncr6: ah. I see.
  • 1 0
 @danlovesbikes: only fat kids play Xbox? If the kids are only playing Xbox that's the parents fault, not the kids or Xbox.
  • 1 0
 @brncr6: didn't say only. Read the words
  • 1 0
 @danlovesbikes: quote, fat kids will still play Xbox. Read your words.
  • 1 0
 @brncr6: I didn't say ONLY fat kids play Xbox you total twat. Stop being an annoyed bell end and cancel your internet subscription.
  • 1 0
 @danlovesbikes: it is called implying. Fat shaming kids and now you resort to name calling. Leave the kids out of it. It's a mountain bike article.
  • 1 0
 @brncr6: I apologise. I think that I shouldn't be involved with forums, so many stupid people.
  • 3 0
 Study suggests eMTBs provide similar experience to actual mountain biking even though they feel dumber.
  • 4 1
 E-Bikes are like mountain biker repellent. If you want to ride with people don’t ride an E-bike.
  • 3 0
 I’d like to know who funded this study.
  • 1 0
 If the test riders were no regular eMTBrs, it could be that their heart rate was affected by excitment or adrenaline (i.e., blasting up a hill would be a new sensation).
  • 3 0
 Is this what they call “Research” at that university?
  • 4 0
 It's what they call research at this "University". It's BYU, the Mormon school for future multi level marketers, housewives, dentists and shady politicians.
  • 1 0
 @matttauszik:

Are you saying it’s a Mormon thing? Or a chintzy college thing?
  • 3 0
 Then why are my e-bike riding friends so fat?
  • 4 1
 Sounds like the bike industry hired big tobacco's PR firm.
  • 4 1
 Remember, Pinkbike is a paid advertisement site.
  • 2 0
 Cool press strategy posting this while north’s America sleeps and Europe is sat at their keyboards... touché
  • 2 3
 I’m really glad to see this and it will help foster a more inclusive atmosphere for eBikes. I’m sick of mountain bikers calling me lazy. I am suffering from stage 6 Morgellons and until I got my Levo I could barley walk from my couch to my fridge. Now I am regularly setting KOM’s and am able to do what I love with my friends. I’m so sick of people on acoustics bikes discriminating against me.
  • 2 0
 this study fails to mention the test riders were elders riding on sidewalks wearing white dress shirts and ties
  • 4 1
 It never ceases to amaze me the utter BS that gets spewed to sell shit.
  • 4 1
 The pro E-bike lobby in full force?
  • 4 1
 I can't wait for an electric assist squat rack
  • 2 3
 This mirrors what I found too. Essentially, 'x' number of minutes on an eMTb at 'y' percent heart rate is just the same amount of effort as 'x' number of minutes at 'y' percent heart rate on a bike without pedal assist. The only thing that cahnges is the speed at which you travel and the distance you go in that number of minutes.

How hard you work is alway determined by you, not the trail you're riding :-)
  • 3 2
 Well I guess people were dumb enough to vote for captain douche as president, makes sense they would support this kinda of crap too- MURICA (fail face)
  • 4 1
 Sponsored by e-bike manufacturers.. Total horseshit.
  • 3 1
 The only twat I saw out on the trails today was on an e-bike. Therefore science tells me that all e-bikers are twats.
  • 3 0
 Pop corn
  • 2 0
 OH COOL I GUESS I’M GOING TO BUY ONE NOW
  • 2 0
 155 average heart rate with 37.8 median age seems extremely high
  • 1 0
 Is it? If I ride for 2 hrs at my local trails solo my average is 155 or so. I am 44 years old. Feels like a pretty solid work out.
  • 2 0
 @jeremeybyrne: I'm 46 and I once had a ride a few years ago I admit I was 43 with average of 172 bpm, max 198 but I seem to have a higher than ave rate
  • 3 0
 lots of variability in heart rate (particularly in a small sample size). I'm 36, and consistently average ~160bpm during my rides, typically peaking close to 180. Some people's hearts just beat a little faster
  • 1 1
 Wow okay. I'm 38 and I rarely hit 160 as a max.
  • 2 0
 this article is proudly sponsored by...
  • 2 0
 It's hard work lifting them over gates and stiles ????
  • 2 0
 yeah, but, this one goes to 11 man.
  • 1 0
 As a function of time this is obvious, as a function of distance this is almost certainly not true.
  • 2 0
 No mention of ride power output though. ????
  • 1 0
 When one can’t sleep: find eMTB article and scroll to comments section...zzz. Trust me. It works.
  • 4 1
 Study funded by???
  • 2 0
 10bpm average heart rate difference is actually quite significant...
  • 2 0
 Man, it figures this shit came out of BYU.....
  • 2 1
 This ebike stuff sure does get tiresome. I wish PB would give it a rest. Does Vital MTB post less of this crapola?
  • 5 4
 Probably should save the extra $5000 and get a regular bike then.
  • 3 2
 ????‍♂️ Emtb’s and acoustic Mtb’s are literally the same price.
  • 1 0
 Bingo
  • 2 1
 Yer but surely their work out period is shorter?
  • 2 1
 Not surprised. I just wanna go fast(er)!
  • 3 1
 By a dirt bike
  • 4 2
 M-O-P-E-D
  • 2 0
 Triggered.
  • 2 0
 Stop it.
  • 2 1
 I think we are finally coming around to understand eMTBs!
  • 2 1
 Fake news are everywhere these days
  • 1 0
 I don't own an E-Bike, but if I did...it would be the KTM EX-C FREERIDE!!
  • 6 6
 Bicycle with a motor. WAAAT, WAT IS THIS NEW THING!?
  • 3 6
 I bought a 2018 Turbo Levo and I must say it is a blast. My other bike is the Specialized Enduro. All I can is don't knock it until you try it. Everyone who has ridden my bike wants one.
  • 2 4
 I have both and i'm more knackered on the e-bike than over my standard bike. Thing is with the e-bike i end up riding further and with the added weight.
  • 1 0
 Pink bike trolling users
  • 1 0
 title says suggests
  • 2 2
 Happy to see the grunts losing their shit over this
  • 2 1
 BYU study lolololol
  • 5 7
 If eMTBs are similar/same as analog, i mean REAL bikes, why they exist in first place?
  • 1 1
 fake news
  • 6 9
 In other news they also proved the biggest killer of humans was death. What a load of shite.
  • 6 9
 As seen on TV! Financing available with deposit of your soul!
  • 5 6
 Sounds like a go-fund-me for hemp based condoms
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