Electric bikes..... can get one through work on 0%
Discussion
So in an attempt to get fitter and lose some weight Im contemplating getting an electric bike, Any ideas on where to go with this one. Would appreciate some guidance and advice. been told that an electric bike would make things much easier and could get a longer workout on one than an unassisted one.
ruggedscotty said:
So in an attempt to get fitter and lose some weight Im contemplating getting an electric bike, Any ideas on where to go with this one. Would appreciate some guidance and advice. been told that an electric bike would make things much easier and could get a longer workout on one than an unassisted one.
A bike will definitely help you get fitter. As for losing weight then I'm not so sure. You have to cycle 3 to 4 miles to burn off 1 jelly baby depending on the bike and the terrain. I'm sorry but diet is the answer to weight loss.
As for electric that's depends on just how fit you are. You could do 3 miles round the block on a peddle power or 10 or 12 on the electric to expend the
same energy. An off roader versus a road bike has the same effect.
I prefer a road bike as they free wheel so well. Push on the uphill bits, get speed up on the flat, and rest and get your breath back on the easier stretches.
As for "ride to work schemes" don't get me going.
I bought a s/h Cannondale Synapse. I'm self employed and couldn't stretch to a new one. Bloke down the road bought a new one, same colour, model, everything, through the ride to work scheme. He works nights laying tarmac on the roads, all over the South East. It's never been to work once, and never will. Doesn't even go out in daylight.
Buy a cheap bike and join Slimmers World. Even better, bike to Slimmers World.
Start with a short ride round the block, then a bigger block, then further still. Move on to a better bike as you get fitter.
My cycling was prompted by a heart attack in 2013. I'm far from fit but I enjoy my bikes.
HTH
Paul G
It does seem a bit strange getting an electric bike for fitness, i generally see them for folk who have either no interest in exercise and want cheap transport or for those who cant manage to ride a bike fully and need the assist.
I am not talking road warrior, king of the mountains or anything but riding a bike at moderate pace when the going is relatively flat is no harder than walking, its as hard or easy as you want to make it, not been on mine for over a year until recently but got on it and did 20 odd miles with only a moderately sore bum as evidence.
I am not talking road warrior, king of the mountains or anything but riding a bike at moderate pace when the going is relatively flat is no harder than walking, its as hard or easy as you want to make it, not been on mine for over a year until recently but got on it and did 20 odd miles with only a moderately sore bum as evidence.
J4CKO said:
It does seem a bit strange getting an electric bike for fitness, i generally see them for folk who have either no interest in exercise and want cheap transport or for those who cant manage to ride a bike fully and need the assist.
I am not talking road warrior, king of the mountains or anything but riding a bike at moderate pace when the going is relatively flat is no harder than walking, its as hard or easy as you want to make it, not been on mine for over a year until recently but got on it and did 20 odd miles with only a moderately sore bum as evidence.
Agreed. I am not talking road warrior, king of the mountains or anything but riding a bike at moderate pace when the going is relatively flat is no harder than walking, its as hard or easy as you want to make it, not been on mine for over a year until recently but got on it and did 20 odd miles with only a moderately sore bum as evidence.
I like the idea of an e-bike to get around - I figure you could go further and end up less sweaty. So, commuting into the office for instance, or using it to go see clients.
But in terms of fitness, surely a non-assisted bike is the best thing? I'm 2 stone overweight but working on it, so now the school run's finished for a few weeks I've cycled in the last couple of days on the MTB and on the last few weekends I've cycled 15 miles or so on the road bike. Some of the hillier sections were hard work, but I figure that's the bit that's burning the calories!
Personally I'd use a Cycle to Work scheme to get a nice non-assisted bike.
J4CKO said:
It does seem a bit strange getting an electric bike for fitness, i generally see them for folk who have either no interest in exercise and want cheap transport or for those who cant manage to ride a bike fully and need the assist.
This is a little mis-guided, an electric bike is perfect for fitness for a lot of people - especially those not used to exercise be it from laziness or medical reasons or lack of time etc, etc.The fact you can go further means that cycling retains interest as you can do more varied routes. For people who find exercise boring (I cannot ever face going to the gym) it makes cycling fun.
At the end of the day it is still exercise and everyone knows how much additional benefit we all get from being outdoors in the fresh air and even more so if you go off-road.
Don't be put off by the fitness police here on PH - get one and you will not regret it.
x5x3 said:
This is a little mis-guided, an electric bike is perfect for fitness for a lot of people - especially those not used to exercise be it from laziness or medical reasons or lack of time etc, etc.
The fact you can go further means that cycling retains interest as you can do more varied routes. For people who find exercise boring (I cannot ever face going to the gym) it makes cycling fun.
At the end of the day it is still exercise and everyone knows how much additional benefit we all get from being outdoors in the fresh air and even more so if you go off-road.
Don't be put off by the fitness police here on PH - get one and you will not regret it.
I don’t think it’s the fitness police, I think it’s being realistic.The fact you can go further means that cycling retains interest as you can do more varied routes. For people who find exercise boring (I cannot ever face going to the gym) it makes cycling fun.
At the end of the day it is still exercise and everyone knows how much additional benefit we all get from being outdoors in the fresh air and even more so if you go off-road.
Don't be put off by the fitness police here on PH - get one and you will not regret it.
It’s like those “investment” apps which allow you to round up your spend to the nearest pound/dollar/euro. While it’s better than not investing (or in this case not exercising), people mentally check the box of having invested (exercised) when in reality they’ve worked off 1/4 of a cookie.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than nothing to get a person out in the fresh air etc, but it won’t have much of an impact in the short or long term.
x5x3 said:
This is a little mis-guided, an electric bike is perfect for fitness for a lot of people - especially those not used to exercise be it from laziness or medical reasons or lack of time etc, etc.
The fact you can go further means that cycling retains interest as you can do more varied routes. For people who find exercise boring (I cannot ever face going to the gym) it makes cycling fun.
At the end of the day it is still exercise and everyone knows how much additional benefit we all get from being outdoors in the fresh air and even more so if you go off-road.
Don't be put off by the fitness police here on PH - get one and you will not regret it.
Cycling can be many times easier than walking, you can gear it down to almost nothing.The fact you can go further means that cycling retains interest as you can do more varied routes. For people who find exercise boring (I cannot ever face going to the gym) it makes cycling fun.
At the end of the day it is still exercise and everyone knows how much additional benefit we all get from being outdoors in the fresh air and even more so if you go off-road.
Don't be put off by the fitness police here on PH - get one and you will not regret it.
More varied routes is debatable unless you already have an interest in cycling, and if you do, your CV fitness should improve quickly enough be able to allow you to do a decent distance. If you're not really interested in cycling or don't particularly enjoy it then I am not sure it matters.
It is not really exercise if the bike is doing all the work.
I think they have their place, I currently have a short cycle commute but if it was longer having something electrically assisted meaning I could maintain a good pace without getting too sweaty would be great.
As a tool for fitness I am not convinced. It sounds to me like a classic case of hoping an expensive purchase will get you into a hobby or activity rather than your enjoyment of something making the expensive purchase worthwhile.
That is why I asked if the OP enjoyed cycling.
gregs656 said:
Do you take everything you read literally? I imagine that makes English quite hard work.
no it makes everything very easy - it is just those trying to mislead others (and gate-keep fitness) who seem to have an issue with how the English language works.For those who do not know an e-bike assists the rider, if they do not pedal then the bike does not move. If the rider does pedal then it assist the pedal action using the electric motor. How much depends from bike to bike and which power setting it is on.
The only bike I have ever found which "does all the work" is a motor bike.
You didn't ride one of the old school ebikes from before the law changed, I take it?
This is a complete diversion anyway as there is still no case to be made from a fitness POV and unless the OP enjoys cycling and has a use profile that fits the benefit then they would still be better off buying a normal bike, ideally for not much money, and getting some use out of it
This is a complete diversion anyway as there is still no case to be made from a fitness POV and unless the OP enjoys cycling and has a use profile that fits the benefit then they would still be better off buying a normal bike, ideally for not much money, and getting some use out of it
When i wanted to get some exercise and hated the idea of jogging, i went and bought a cheap, heavy mountain bike with knobbly tyres.
My brother in law is a keen tri-athlete and mocked my choice and showed me how he can lift his £4,000 road bike with his little finger and how could ride his bike for hours and go many more miles than i would be able too.
He just didnt understand that was exactly why i bought a bloody tank. I didnt want to have to ride 100 miles, I could burn off the same energy by doing 10
My brother in law is a keen tri-athlete and mocked my choice and showed me how he can lift his £4,000 road bike with his little finger and how could ride his bike for hours and go many more miles than i would be able too.
He just didnt understand that was exactly why i bought a bloody tank. I didnt want to have to ride 100 miles, I could burn off the same energy by doing 10
My thought line was an ebike I could get through the work, it has configurable assistance that I could use to build up my fitness, and use the assistance less and less. the scheme being able to get me a decent bike and one that I would use for commuting eventually.
I am aware of the calorie in and exercise out etc.... working on that aswell. not overtly sporty person but a bike would be good way to work on increasing fitness.... I hope
I am aware of the calorie in and exercise out etc.... working on that aswell. not overtly sporty person but a bike would be good way to work on increasing fitness.... I hope
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