Biking has long been one of the best hobbies and exercises you can do as this activity not only allows you to travel fast but also helps in regulating your weight because you are burning calories along the way. In that regard, we now live at a more tech-heavy age wherein we actually have electric bikes. But do electric bikes also help you lose weight just like bikes do?
Yes, electric bikes can help you lose weight because you are still going to burn calories on an electric bike. However, it actually burns 25% fewer calories compared to the conventional pedal bike. In most cases, you burn 300 to 400 calories an hour when you are on an electric bike.
Electric bikes often get a ton of criticisms for being the “lazy man’s bike” specifically because these bikes also make use of electricity to run. However, riding an e-bike still involves pedaling, to an extent. As such, while e-bikes are not as effort-intensive as conventional bikes are, you can still very much lose weight while you are riding one.
Do you burn calories on an electric bike?
Cycling or riding a bike has always been one of the favorite pastimes and modes of transportations for a lot of people on the planet. After all, it helps you get from one place to another while also burning calories without the need for you to put a lot of stress on your joints. This is why cycling will always be a part of our culture even as we dive into a world that is more tech-heavy.
In line with how we are now living in a world that uses technology and electricity in almost everything, we actually have electric bikes or e-bikes. These are bikes that run on electricity whenever you are not pedaling. So, in other words, whenever you need to take a break, the motor will kick in and run the bike instead of relying it on your feet to do the pedaling.
But people often do give e-bikes a negative connotation that they are for lazy people considering that they actually run on electricity. Still, does that mean that you can’t lose any calories while you are on an e-bike?
The good news is that you still are going to burn calories while you are on an e-bike. That’s because e-bikes will still actually need to rely on your pedaling to run. So, in a sense, e-bikes are still very much like conventional bikes but are not as effort-intensive because they will allow you to rest even as the bikes are running thanks to the electric motor running them. This isn’t the case with conventional bikes, which will stop moving when you are no longer pedaling.
How many calories does riding an e-bike burn?
That said, now that you know that riding an e-bike does indeed help you burn calories and may even aid you if you want to lose weight, how many calories does it actually burn?
After all, when you look at it, it shouldn’t be burning as many calories as a conventional bike due to the very fact that you can rely more on the motor than on the pedals.
So, on a regular basis, e-bikes usually burn 25% fewer calories than regular bikes because of how there are some people who would rather allow the motor to run the bike during certain stretches.
E-bikes are also easier on your joints and won’t require a ton of effort when it comes to pedaling because the motor also assists you in pedaling especially when you are riding uphill or on rough terrain.
So, That said, on an hourly basis, e-bikes can potentially help you burn 300 to 400 calories an hour. In comparison, a conventional bike can help burn up to 500 calories an hour. Depending on how you ride your e-bike, there could be as much as a 200-calorie difference between the two bikes.
So, as you can see, e-bikes do indeed burn fewer calories compared to conventional bikes but they still are capable of burning quite a bit of calories.
After all, the goal of weight loss is to burn more calories than what you are taking in. And the truth is that burning 300 calories while riding an e-bike can go a long way in helping you keep your calorie intake within your daily limits.
5 ways electric bikes help you lose weight
If you are looking for tips that can help you lose weight while riding an e-bike, here are some of the best that you should keep in mind:
- Always eat at a calorie deficit while taking into account the calories you are burning on an e-bike. So, if you are expecting to burn 300 calories a day when you are on your e-bike, make sure that you are accounting for your calorie intake minus the 300 calories that you will be burning.
- Rely more on your pedaling than on the bike’s motor. The more you pedal, the more calories you will be burning. Even though e-bikes have motors that will indeed help you travel to places without the same effort as conventional bikes, do use the pedals more than the motor so that you will actually burn more calories. Only rely on the motor when you actually need to rest and not only when you feel lazy.
- Use the e-bike on a regular basis instead of relying on your car. While cars are indeed better when it comes to traveling long distances, you should probably use your e-bike if you are only going to run a few errands such as buying a few groceries in a nearby store. Only use your car if the place you want to go to is actually too far for your e-bike.
- Ride longer compared to when you are on a normal bike. E-bikes are easier on your joints because of how pedaling on these bikes is easier. As such, if you can ride longer, do so because you will be able to burn more calories that way. Of course, the longer you ride, the more likely you will be able to bridge the gap between an e-bike on a regular bike in terms of the calories they burn.
- Have fun while riding your e-bike. Don’t think of it as a chore or as a way for you to travel from one place to another. Instead, think of it as a fun activity that you actually love doing. The more you love riding your e-bike, the more calories you will be burning because you will always find a reason to get on your e-bike and ride around your city or town.