Everyone calls it lazy. You’ve seen the looks. Cyclists in skin-tight outfits glance sideways as an e-biker hums past. “That’s not real exercise,” they mutter. “That’s cheating.” But the joke, it turns out, may be on them.
A large-scale medical study now shows that e-biking is far from lazy. In fact, doctors say it delivers health benefits that are almost as powerful as medication. In some cases, it could even save lives.
Sports physicians from Hannover University of Applied Sciences followed thousands of cyclists and e-bikers over a three-year period. They analyzed data from 58,000 rides, tracking heart rates and physical strain. The expectation was clear: electric assistance would mean minimal effort.
The results, however, told a different story. The average heart rate of e-bikers was barely lower than that of traditional cyclists. According to Professor Uwe Tegtbur, the impact on the heart and blood vessels was nearly identical. You burn calories, the heart works hard, and overall fitness improves. The idea that e-bikers “do nothing” simply doesn’t hold up.
Even more striking, e-bikes proved especially effective for people who are older, overweight, or dealing with high blood pressure. These riders, who often struggle to maintain regular exercise, were far more likely to get on a bike when electric assistance was available. On average, they spent 135 minutes per week riding—enough to reduce the risk of heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes by 20 to 40 percent. Professor Tegtbur calls the effect “almost as good as medication.”
So let them laugh. E-biking isn’t cheating—it’s smart exercise. You protect your health, lower disease risk, and stay active without pushing your body past its limits. And best of all, you arrive at your destination energized, not gasping for air like a panting horse.