Riding an e-bike can boost your health

SALT LAKE CITY — We know cycling is a healthy form of exercise, but what about riding an e-bike? E-bikes are growing in popularity because they are fun and cost-effective. However, there are plenty of health benefits that come with them as well.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with Dr. Daniel Cushman, sports medicine physician with the University Orthopedic Center at the University of Utah, to learn how riding e-bikes can really boost our health.

 

When e-bikes first came out, a lot of people viewed them as motorcycles. Now, more people think of them as a means of getting exercise in a less challenging way, Dr. Cushman said.

“In my opinion, any kind of activity is good activity. Even if it’s not quite as strenuous or anything like that,” Dr. Cushman said. “I still think it’s only positive that people are out and doing things—not to mention just being outdoors.”

One thing to be mindful of when riding e-bikes is the speed. Most modern e-bikes are a lot heavier and can go up to 20 to 25 miles per hour.

“I find that the majority of injuries—at least that I have seen—have mostly been revolving around people who just aren’t used to that type of speed. So, it is something that should be used with caution,” Dr. Cushman said.

In terms of the amount of exercise you get from riding an e-bike, it will depend on how you adjust your pedal assist settings.

“You have the ability to kind of tailor how much energy you use,” Dr. Cushman said. “So, you can make it very easy where you’re not pedaling at all, or you can make it very hard where you have to pedal a very heavy bike.”

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