E-biking to work, part 3: how «Tarzan» motivates me to exercise
1.6.2022
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Valentina Sproge-Werndli
I’m determined to become an e-bike commuter. For a few weeks now, I’ve been covering almost 30 kilometres on my way to and from work. Is it improving my fitness, too?
Since deciding to switch to an e-bike, choosing the most suitable model and making the first rookie errors of e-biking I’ve really got into my stride. Ego Movement gave me a «Tarzan» bike to try out, and over the 400 kilometres we’ve travelled since then, we’ve become quite the dynamic duo. It helps me reach a speed of up to 25 km/h, although I still need to pedal to keep the electric engine going. No pain, no gain, right? This places my e-bike squarely in the class of so-called pedelecs. The faster, more powerful models in this category are the S-pedelecs, which can be recognised by their yellow licence plates.
For a long time, I was sceptical about whether getting around on a drive-assisted bike would be any good for my body or mind. The decidedly unathletic image of a retired couple with His ‘n’ Hers bikes was too clearly imprinted on my brain.
Now, I can answer the question definitively: yes, the switch to an e-bike has paid off in a lot of ways. Thanks to my employer’s generous working-from-home policy, I don’t commute by e-bike every day. And yet, I feel fitter, feel good when I’m on the bike and come home more relaxed. My partner can testify to that. My subjective, positive experience of being an e-biker can be backed up with facts and studies.
Studies: people do more exercise when they have a pedelec
During a study with 101 participants, a medical school in Hamburg studied the health benefits of using a pedelec in comparison to a regular bicycle. I personally think this is a pretty interesting question. I mean, I could obviously tackle the circa 14-kilometre route with a bog-standard, 2009-series city trekking bike instead of the fancy «Tarzan». As the researchers discovered, however, people who had a pedelec at the ready used it more often than their conventional bike. In the process, their health benefitted. Let’s face it, as the World Health Organisation says, any kind of exercise is effective at preventing circulatory diseases.
Another study, this time in Norway, demonstrated a similar impact. People with pedelecs even rode their bikes more frequently and over longer distances than regular cyclists, which had an even greater impact on their health. Women in particular were encouraged to exercise more as a result of having an e-bike.
Researchers at the University of Basel wanted to discover what impact riding an e-bike could have on training effect. Researchers specially selected overweight participants. Over the course of four weeks, the test subjects’ blood was tested to determine the maximum oxygen uptake capacity. That’s the same data displayed as «VO2 max» on your fitness tracker watch, by the way. The study’s conclusion reads like an e-bike manufacturer’s sales brochure.
In both the e-bike group and the conventional bike group, the participants showed the same improvement in maximum oxygen uptake capacity. Comparatively, the e-bike riders covered more kilometres in distance and bested more hills. The electrical assistance seems to encourage an increase in physical activity.
My e-bike is a fitness machine, too
I can confirm that thanks to the pedelec, I’m doing considerably more exercise each week than before I had an e-bike. My Garmin app is pleased about that. I take around 38 minutes to cycle to the office. Including the return leg, that’s 76 minutes of healthy exercise every day. My average heart rate hovers around 100, and is slightly lower on the way to office than on the way back. At the end of the working day, I like to pedal harder and give the electric assistance a rest. That way, I’m pushing the 25-kilogramme bike and about 80 kilogrammes worth of body weight with sheer muscle power. The e-bike turns into a rolling fitness machine.
The stats I collect with the Garmin Venu 2 after about 6 weeks and 400 kilometres reveal a little bit of an impact. When gradually increasing my speed, my pulse is now slightly lower than it was when I first started.
I’ve found that pedalling «sweet spot» which Ego Movement CEO Daniel Meyer told me about in April when he first handed over the «Tarzan». With the right gear, at the right speed, I get just the right amount of pedalling assistance. That way, I don’t have to work any harder than I would on a brisk walk. I can even enjoy the great outdoors on my way to work, breathing in fresh, forest air instead of the scent of heavily perfumed teenagers on the train.
I’ll be dedicating the next instalment of my e-bike series to the issue of clothing and accessories. Soon, I’ll also be popping into the Ego Movement garage to have my bike serviced. If you have specific questions you’d like me to answer or tips for the Community about commuting by e-bike, drop them in the comments. If you don’t want to miss out on any of my e-bike experiences and tips, follow my author profile. The instalments that have already been published are linked below.*
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
