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Richard Peace

E-bike News: OL+EM’s Titanium mid-drive, Orbea, SERIAL 1, Gates and Much More!

There are always many e-bike crowdfunding campaigns looking for backers, not a few of which, it has to be said, sound too good to be true – ‘hubless’ and ‘fully self-charging’ e-bikes being just a couple of examples.

However OL+EM’s campaign for a titanium mid-drive uses established tech to produce a unique and very exciting-sounding e-bike – a 28.5lb / 13kg mid-drive with hub gears, lights and a titanium frame. So enticing is the prospect you wonder why it’s taken a lone designer to come up with the idea rather than an established e-bike firm. Yes, titanium welding and 3D printed materials are still exotic – but they are well within the remit of bike firms who want to try their hand at limited editions. Yes, the price tag is high, but even non-titanium e-bikes regularly appear costing many thousands of dollars. It will be fascinating to see how popular OL+EM e-bikes prove to be…

In this week’s e-bike news:

OL+EM titanium mid-drive crowdfunding
Gates belt drives new products aim at e-bike market
SERIAL 1 BASH/MTB is a limited edition single speed emtb
Orbea launches Keram high quality trekking e-bikes
Smart lighting pedals from Redshift
Ride Colorado’s Iron Horse electric style

Ebike News: Bafang’s Lighter M410 Mid-drive, New Models from eXXite and Unno and Much More!

There’s a definite southern European vibe to the e-bike new this week; both Rayvolt and Unno are based in Catalonian capital Barcelona and have taken differing approaches to their e-bike launches. Rayvolt are branching out into rather less exclusive and more reasonably priced e-bikes with the launch of the eXXite brand, whilst Unno are remaining resolutely exclusive with a unique, high performance e-mtb. Not to mention Italian motorbike manufacturer Ducati getting in on the act, bringing it’s Ducati branded e-bikes and e-scooters to the UK.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Bafang loses weight on its M400, making it the M410
Stylish Catalan brand Rayvolt launches eXXite sub-brand
Meet the Unno Boös, one of the most distinctive e-mtbs out there
Ducati e-bikes and e-scooters come to the UK
Serial 1 integrate Google features into models
Win a Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon and help sustainable food production in Tanzania

Ebike News: Gemini X Speed Pedelec, Raleigh Centros Revamped and Much More!

New designs of e-bike tend to juggle the same ingredients, with few truly groundbreaking e-bikes coming along – the latter tend to be a product of new technology reaching the point where it’s both effective in the real world and economic to produce – and that tends to happen only every few years at best.

The news that Samsung are said to be producing a solid state battery next year could be a quantum leap forward for e-bikes in the same way that the first pedelec was in the 1990s or the adoption of lithium ion batteries was in the 2000s. Of course it could be yet another ‘new revolutionary battery technology’ story that comes and goes with all the others….only time will tell.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Fucare Gemini X promises a lot of bang for your buck and 28mph assistance
Raleigh UK relaunches Centros range with 625Wh batteries
Fernando Alonso announces 3D-printed e-bike line
Stromer ST3 Pinion
Samsung announce plans for solid state battery production in 2023
Cycling UK announces free e-bike loans plan
Bire and Lime’s new e-scooter parking tech
UK’s first electric airport

E-bike News: Canyon Goes with New Fazua Drive, New Metz Cargo System Much More!

Motor power and e-scooter legality and safety are the hot topics this week. Certainly Fazua’s new most-powerful-yet Ride 60 mid-drive system looks to have hit a sweet spot between its original less powerful design and more powerful – and significantly heavier – from the likes of Bosch and Shimano. The fact that premium brand Canyon have now picked up the Ride 60, in addition to Riese and Muller, means when the first e-bikes get on the shopfloors over the summer they will be very eagerly anticipated.

The safety of e-scooters has also been much in the news of late and we focus on the official and media reaction to a spare of recent battery fires (often bearing the misnomer e-bike fires) as well as exploring just when and how the UK might legalise and regulate the use of private e-scooters on public roads.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Canyon plumps for powerful yet lightweight Fazua Ride 60 system
Metz G8 Cargotec promises huge torque
When is an ‘e-bike fire’ not an e-bike fire
Massachusetts plans for e-bike incentives
UK government proposes legislation on e-scooters

Ebike News: Lectric’s New Mid-Drive, Plus Scott and R&M Launches and Much More!

As we noted in last week’s news, it’s that time of year when new e-bike launches appear to be raining from the skies and thus it continues. So this week sees a very eye-catching mid-drive first from budget specialist Lectric, a very well-priced urban e-bike from Luna, two new lightweight motor systems used by two new premium brands and four new ‘all-in-one’ rear hub models from the UK’s Cooper Bikes.

There’s also the usual mixture of interesting tidbits looking at Denver’s best in class e-bike rebate, a Dutch car servicing business moving into e-bike servicing and how people in Belgium are using speed pedelecs.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Lectric XPremium – great value mid-drive with double battery
Luna $1395 full-sus urban e-bike
Mahle X20 used on new Scott Addict eRide 2022 range
Fazua Ride 60 used on new Riese & Muller range
UK’s Cooper Bikes new all-in-one hub range
Denver’s model e-bike rebate explained
Kwikfit Netherlands moves into e-bike servicing
Belgian speed pedelec riders don’t use full speed when cruising

Are Single Speed E-Bikes Any Good?

Single speed bikes (without a motor) have been around for a good long time – in fact Tour de France originator Henri Desgranges was a big fan and bikes with more than one gear were banned from the TdF until 1937! After that, they became somewhat more of a cult, mainly shared by fast, racy, city-style riders. In more recent times the advent of e-bikes and technology such as belt drives has undoubtedly given the single speed genre a new lease of life.

For many modern single speeds electric bikes you can enjoy multiple levels of pedal assistance which helps you dial in the assistance you need – it essentially provides you with a type of faux-gearing system. Thanks to this, it helps it to garner some more main stream appeal.

There is a lot to like in what today’s electric single speed bikes offer. But before we get into the pros and cons of single-speeds, those who haven’t come across them before might appreciate a bit more detail on the basics.

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WHAT DOES SINGLE SPEED MEAN ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE?

As you might have guessed, a single-speed bike is a type of bicycle that has only one gear ratio. That means a single chainring at the pedaling end of the chain and a single sprocket at the rear wheel end of the chain. It also means no shifters, derailleur hangers or hub gears. You just get on the bike and pedal and never change gear – because there is only one gear.

Usually, single speeds are fast road style bikes with skinny tires and a racy riding position, with either drop or flat handlebars and lacking ‘extras’ such as a rack and kickstand. In fact, many different designs of single speed bikes (though not always e-bikes) have appeared over the years, from mountain bikes to BMX bikes.

In discussions about single-speed bikes you might hear the term ‘fixie’; these are very specific types of single-speed that lack a freewheel on the rear hub (a freewheel allows the rear wheel to turn and the pedal cranks to stay still, as happens when you are coasting along without pedalling). In other words as long as the bike is going forwards (or backward for that matter) your legs will be turning). Certainly, fixies take some getting used to riding, as you need to learn to slow your pedaling in time with how quickly you are decelerating.

Arguably fixies are just as much about showing off the rider’s skill in being able to ride them smoothly as they are about any practical advantage, though some fixie proponents say they have the advantage of absolute minimal maintenance requirements. None of this has stopped at least one manufacturer, Watt, producing an electric version of a fixie.

WHAT IS A SINGLE SPEED E-BIKE GOOD FOR?

Single speed speed e-bikes have several advantages:

Low maintenance. With no gear mechanisms or shifters to go wrong and get out of indexing (ie they don’t shift into the right gear when you want them to), single speeds mean less time spent fiddling with gears and more time just riding. No sticking gear cables to clean or replace and no replacing or cleaning that complex derailleur mech which is exposed to damage and dirt.
Easier riding. You don’t have to think about shifting gears as there are none to shift – just get on and ride. No need at traffic lights to worry about being in the right gear for a quick take-off as happens on e-bikes with derailleur gears.
Lighter weight. With less gears you are likely to lose at least a few hundred grams off the weight of an e-bike of the same spec and design but equipped with gears.
Lower price. Some (though not all) single speeds could be classed as budget models. This makes sense as there are fewer components for the manufacturer to buy and fewer labor costs in assembling them, though, in reality, a budget derailleur system will make up a fairly low proportion of the cost of an e-bike.
Ideal for belt drives. Belt drive are low maintenance and ideal for use on low maintenance e-bikes as they don’t need oil and their carbon fiber reinforced construction means they should last a long time. They can only be used on e-bikes that don’t feature derailleurs which means hub geared models or single speeds.

CAN A SINGLE SPEED E-BIKE GO UP HILLS?

Yes! This is one reason that single speed bikes are ideal candidates for electrification. All but the strongest of riders would struggle physically to ride a typical non-electrified single speed up a steep hill. Add a motor and many more riders will be able to do that.

It should be noted that two factors are important in determining how easily a single speed e-bike will conquer a challenging gradient – the gear ratio the manufacturer has chosen (low being better for hills but lacking top speed) and the torque available to the motor – torque being the turning force available to the motor at the relatively low speeds you are likely to be climbing steep hills at.

Most single speeds have gear ratios that let you pedal along at 15-20mph with the pedals turning at a comfortable rate. Hit a hill on a non-electric single speed and your speed drops and with no lower gears available you are likely to run out of comfortable pedalling ability quite quickly, having to resort to standing up and working really hard to get sufficient force on the pedals to keep going.

A suitably high torque motor perfectly complements many single speeds as it takes the strain out of pedaling just at the point you need it; setting off from a standing start and climbing up steep hills. Once you are up to speed the gearing ratio of the bike means it is much easier to use good old pedal power yourself.

Having said all this you may find single speed e-bikes require a little more human input than geared e-bikes up the hills, as you lack the ability to spin the pedals at their most efficient and easiest rate for your body over the whole range of speeds. You may also find the single speed e-bikes give less range than geared models of similar spec as the motor is likely to be working harder outside it’s usual most efficient RPM range. And if covering very hilly terrain very regularly they may not be as suitable for you as an e-bike with gears.

But still, electric power, when applied correctly, really is tailor-made to take single speeds to the next level of performance and riding enjoyability. If you had dismissed an e-bike with only one gear as being impractical at the very least you should try test riding one. You might be surprised at just how capable they are.

WHAT IS THE BEST SINGLE SPEED E-BIKE?

There are a growing number of electric single speeds and the best choice for you depends on how you prioritize such factors as low price, ride quality, low weight and the provision of ‘extras’ such as hardwired lights and fenders. Let’s take a look at some of the leading contenders from e-bikes that Electric Bike Report has reviewed and knows well.

US Market

Ride1UP Roadster V2

Affordable single speed with a low-maintenance belt drive and minimalist styling. Our reviewer liked the smooth yet punchy power delivery, light weight (33lbs / 15kg) and the modest price tag (currently US$1045). The frame also has eyelets for fenders and rack if you want to go more fully equipped.

Aventon Soltera

One of the fresher releases on this list, the Aventon Soltera is a sleek-looking e-bike that handles well and keeps the weight fairly low at 41 lbs / 18.6kg. Snappy motor performance makes for enjoyable riding at class 2 speeds and the Soltera can be had for $1,199.

Rad Power Bikes RadMission 1

We loved the RadMission’s efficiency, with it returning what is a very impressive range for a single speed of 37 miles from a 504Wh battery. You also get the option of throttle control.
It’s still reasonably light at 47.8lbs / 21.7kg despite the sizable battery and beefy motor. At $1,199 it clearly gives plenty of performance for a great price.

KBO Hurricane

A lightweight and functional model with ‘stealth’ this-is-not-an-ebike looks and a belt drive and lighting to boot. Weight is a very respectable 36lbs / 16kg.

UK Market

Volt London

Volt are based in London, UK and this is a new model and definitely a superior quality e-bike with a rear hub motor and torque sensor setup that is not usually found on single speeds. It works well in terms of both range from the 504Wh battery, hill climbing ability and speed on the flat. Premium features include an electronic key system and the highly rated Schwalbe G-One gravel tyres. It’s not particularly light for a single speed at 48lb / 21.8kg but that includes a good sized battery, decent sized motor, wheel lock, metal fenders, powerful hardwired lights and kickstand. RRP is £2199.

MiRider

This UK company make just one model of e-bike but it stands out as it’s an unusual magnesium-framed single speed folder. It’s a dinky yet funky looking machine that really packs a surprising amount of climbing ability into a small but high torque rear Bafang motor. The throttle can be used whilst pedalling and gives instant full power – great for nipping in an out of traffic or for particularly steep climbs. Both weight and price are reasonable at 39lbs / 17.65kg and £1450 respectively.

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Ebike News: Innovative E-bikes from OKAI and Mokumono and Much More!

E-bike designs tend to conform to certain conventions as certain firms like Bosch and Bafang have become highly skilled at what they do and produce excellent products that have become very widely used throughout the industry. Add to this the fact that most e-bike frames are built in Taiwan and you begin to see why the e-bike industry could be accused of not being daring enough in terms of new tech and new business models. After all, many of today’s e-bikes are superb products, and as the saying goes ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.’

So it’s refreshing to see the likes of OKAI and Mokumono aiming to break the mould of what’s expected from an e-bike in the wider sense. OKAI are experts at producing very simple, rugged e-bikes for large micro-mobility clients but now have their own model. Details released so far suggest it will be as similarly rugged as its fleet e-bikes, if a little more elegant looking and will have a level of connectivity not found on may e-bikes at its $1599 price point. Even more radical is Dutch Mokumono, relying to a very large degree on domestic suppliers and offering unsurpassed back up over time in terms of spares availability – e-bikes have pretty good green credentials but Mokumono is clearly aiming for an impeccable reputation on sustainability.

In this week’s e-bike news:

OKAI Stride – a 28mph connected e-bike for $1599
Decathlon launches keenly-priced e-cargo longtail
Mokumono Polder – a totally different approach to manufacture and aftercare
Lightweight e-bikes come to the fore
Fiido X recall
UK court prosecutes seller of 70mph capable e-bikes
Bosch’s first update for its Smart system
Rad Power Bikes looking to shift from mobile service to bricks and mortar

Ebike News: Van Moof New 5-series, Swytch Pocket Battery and Much More!

As a website with mainly US readers and also a good proportion of European ones, EBR tends not to report so much on what is happening directly in Asia. But a couple of smaller news stories this week demonstrate just how things change – and also perhaps how they stay the same.

Firstly we report on a couple of motor systems on display at the 2022 Taipei Cycle Show that show how more advanced and more reasonably priced motors might be making their way to western markets soon. For years the east was known for making basic – but often very effective – budget hub motors typified by the likes of Bafang. But good quality Bafang mid-drives are now appearing on more and more e-bikes in western markets.

And now Hyena looks to be developing lightweight hub motor systems with frame integrated batteries – perhaps similar to Mahle – and KHGears are looking to produce a downtube motor system – perhaps similar to Fazua – for western e-bike markets. No doubt these new systems would look to undercut their western developed counterparts on price. Yet at the same time as eastern companies increasingly target the west with evermore sophisticated motor systems, the Deloitte report we look at shows, ironically, how China’s own e-bike market still dwarfs that of the US and Europe combined as it has done for many years.

In this week’s e-bike news:

Van Moof’s all-new 5-series e-bikes
Swytch’s new pocket sized battery
Canyon to use bigger battery and all-carbon frame in 2002 Spectral:ON
Himiway Pro Escape battery capacity increase
New motor systems shown by Hyena and KHGears at Taipei
Japanese electric flying machine makes a public appearance
Market overview from the US, Europe and China

How Much Does it Cost to Charge Your Electric Bike?

How much electricity does an e-bike use?

The best way to answer this question is to look at the amount of energy e-bikes typically use and to compare that to other means of transport to show just how economical they are in power consumption terms – very little by most measures!

Comparing watts is the best way of measuring and comparing when answering the question; it’s really handy as not only is it a measure of electrical energy but it’s also a measure of energy consumed by any type of movement, from walking to flying and everything in between. As watts is a measure of instantaneous power, watt-hours are an even more useful measure – they are simply the number of watts an e-bike (or anything else) consumes in an hour – hence watt hours (Wh).

Watt hours are also commonly used to measure how much electrical energy is in an e-bike battery. 1000 Wh batteries are large for an e-bike but not uncommon. For ease of comparison let’s assume a 1000Wh (or 1 kilowatt hour – kWh) e-bike battery can take a single rider 100km (around 60 miles) – that’s quite feasible based on the many real-world tests EBR has done with our electric bike reviews.

Now let’s compare that measure of traveling 100km on 1kWh of electricity to other ways of getting around in the following graphic, all based on figures found at the Without Hot Air website.

Of course, many of the other means of transport here don’t use electricity but they all use energy extracted from various fuels at rates that can be equated to kWh. So an e-bike uses around one twenty fifth of the electrical energy used by an electric car to move and one fiftieth of the energy used by a plane. These are of course very rough figures based on averages and assumptions; but the point remains, e-bikes use very, very little electrical energy when compared to alternatives.

Now let’s look at just how much that electricity needed to recharge your e-bike will cost.

E-Bike Fitness: How to Burn Calories and Lose Weight

Let’s get one myth cleared up straight away (which you probably know already if you are reading this article); using an e-bike is not ‘cheating’ nor is it ‘lazy’ as some detractors have claimed.

If you are an extremely fit non-e-bike rider and suddenly swap to riding an e-bike that you ride on full power all the time there may indeed be some fitness loss – but who does that? Very few, I would hazard a guess.

Whatever your circumstances, e-biking gives you exercise. And exercise, in whatever form, means burning calories.

There is much evidence pointing to the fact that e-bikes promote more active lifestyles than riders previously had, perhaps replacing a car, train or bus journey or simply encouraging riders to get out and about more often.

It all comes down to the fact that riding an e-bike is easy, convenient, and fun and so one of the easiest ways to get and stay active and burn calories. In other words, at the most basic level simply getting out on a bike or an e-bike as much as you can simply has to be a good thing.

But what if you want to maximize the number of calories you burn on an e-bike? A bit of background knowledge and some riding tips will go a long way to helping you burn the most calories possible whilst out on your e-bike.

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How many calories can you burn riding an e-bike?

First off don’t get confused by terminology; calories refers to food calories in fitness and health-based articles such as this one. They are also abbreviated as cals and kcals. You may occasionally see reference to large calories which is also what food calories are.

These distinctions have been made because early scientific reference was to small calories, a much smaller unit of measurement and one that started to be used in early scientific experiments that sought to more accurately quantify energy.

You may get more exercise (especially on a very hilly ride) with a ‘regular’ bike than with an e-bike. This article from Average Joe Cyclist compares the same hilly ride done on a regular bike then done on an e-bike. It found that 444 calories were burned with the e-bike over the course of a one-hour ride and 552 calories on the same route with the same e-bike but with electric assistance turned off.

Yes – the regular bike gave more exercise on an hour per hour basis, but there are a couple of important points to add.

Firstly, riding with electrical assistance resulted in burning only 20% fewer calories and as the article notes ‘burning 440 calories in an hour is a big deal – done regularly, this kind of calorie burn could result in significant weight loss.’

Secondly, this is comparing riding the two bikes for the same amount of time; all the evidence suggests that e-bikers ride longer and more often than regular bikers – so, in the long run, may well burn more calories.

That figure of 440 calories per hour of course relates to a particular individual on a particular e-bike over a particular course. The figure will vary wildly depending on the above factors and several others including the individual’s weight and fitness, how much pedal effort they are capable of, or choose to put in, the power settings used and weather conditions and so on.

However, there does seem to be a broadly accepted range of how many calories you can burn e-biking. This helpful Canyon article comes up with figures for riding a non-electric bike at between 200 and 600 calories per hour, adding ‘Using an electrical motor for support results in a lower training effort and reduces calorie consumption proportionally. Sports medicine specialists assume 300 calories per hour for an average level of effort’. The article puts the e-bike range of calorie burning at between 100 and 600 calories.

How can I maximize the number of calories burned on an e-bike?

Given that it is extremely difficult to measure very accurately the number of calories you are burning on an e-bike it’s probably best not to get too hung up on trying to quantify the actual figure but to adopt riding habits that mean you are going to burn more rather than fewer calories, as set out below:

Adjust your power setting. Turning your power level down a notch has to be one of the easiest and most sure fire ways to burn a few extra calories. And if you have a throttle on your e-bike try and use it as sparingly as possible, if at all. This tip works best on torque sensing systems or on the more sophisticated motion sensing systems; on very basic motion sensing systems turning the power level down may just serve to act as a speed limiter as on these systems with primitive control electronics, especially if it’s a big heavy e-bike.
How hard are you pressing on the pedals and how quickly are you turning them (cadence)? The harder you press on the pedals and the quicker you turn them the more calories you will burn.
Pace is key. Try and cycle at a good fast pace. Getting up to speed and maintaining it takes more energy than just tootling along at a slightly lower speed.

Try and adopt a sporty, active riding style and in particular try and stand out of the seat and pull on the bars. Some e-bikes’ geometry is better suited to this than others but even if you only do it a few times on your ride you will be working more groups of muscles and burning more calories than if you were just sat down. It also really helps to get up those hills quickly.
Weight. Whilst the fittest riders look lean and may ride very lightweight electric bikes this isn’t really the quickest way to burn calories. If you are carrying a few extra pounds yourself you will find it quite easy to get out of breath and burn extra calories! Just putting a few extra kilos in your panniers will help but why not put that extra weight and effort to practical use and use a trailer to do the shopping by e-bike? If you follow the other tips in this article and carry a bit of extra weight (and don’t just dial up the power to help move the weight) you’ll certainly be burning extra calories.
The more hills the better! The bigger and steeper the better! As long as you leave enough battery capacity to get back home you can’t really have too much climbing when it comes to burning calories.
Route surface. Just like climbing, going off-road will mean more effort. And going off-road and climbing is even better.

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Just how hard should I push myself?

Long-term exercise is always better than irregular but very intense. If you can feel yourself breathing harder and your muscles straining and eventually getting even a little tired then you know you have probably been burning calories. If really out of breath and your muscles start to feel a mild burning then you are probably burning as many calories as you can without going to excess.

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What other e-bike technology could be useful in burning calories?

If you want to take things a step further and get feedback from your e-bike, then there is plenty of technology out there to help you. Whilst such ‘extra’ tech certainly isn’t necessary to allow you to burn calories it can be a nice aid and perhaps most of all it’s a way of motivating yourself by the constant feedback of your input it gives you; real-world data in real-time doesn’t lie…

Quite a few e-bikes have some kind of basic ‘power meter’ display that shows you how hard the motor is working – a good reminder for you to keep the motor power to the minimum necessary.

Far more advanced are Bosch’s Kiox and Nyon handlebar display systems that can show both human and motor power input in graphic form and also have the ability to connect to some heart rate devices like Fitbit or Wahoo.

The video below is a very long walk-through of the functions of probably the most advanced riding analytical tool out there, the Nyon. For detail on features useful to motivate to ride for fitness and burn calories check out the following segments:

10.34-12.05 The ‘Usage’ screen shows a % breakdown of how much you use different power modes. Try and decrease your % of the higher assist modes over time as you get fitter and use more calories. Clearly a good motivational tool.

46.50-48.11 Info on heart rate devices that will (or won’t) connect to the Nyon system.

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Can you lose weight riding an e-bike?

Of course! Follow the tips above, go out riding as often as you can and you’ll be burning a good amount of calories and that’s certainly one part of the equation in losing weight.

The other equally important part of the equation is of course the calories you consume. This isn’t a dietary weight loss tips article, but if you can keep in mind a few figures it might help you keep your calorie input under control and align your e-bike exercise with it.

An average male needs around 2,500 calories a day to maintain the same weight, the average woman around 2,000. Assuming you are maintaining this calorie intake, it has long been held that 3,500 calories burned (for example through e-biking) equals one pound of weight loss.

In other words, if you e-biked vigorously an hour every day and managed to burn 500 calories an hour then you would lose a pound a week (assuming you kept your food intake within the daily calorie limits above).

Of course, this isn’t an exact science (and the latest research suggests it may be a little optimistic).

Other E-Bike Fitness Metrics

There are numerous other methods of gauging whether you are getting enough exercise on your e-bike, calorie counting aside. One of the easiest is to try and stick to recommended weekly exercise levels set down by the World Health Organization.

For adults in the 18-64 age range this equates to at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Use the info in the Just how hard should I push myself section above to judge how hard your exercise is – or tech-heads might prefer to go down the high tech route below….

If you aren’t the kind of person who likes plenty of data and who just wants to get out on their e-bike and have fun then you might want to skip this section.

On the other hand, if you have the latest Bosch Nyon display (or a system with similar capabilities) then you might just want to read on – it may help you get the most out of the ability of the Nyon (or similar system) to measure your heart rate. This can be yet another useful way of gauging the amount of exercise you are getting.

A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) though it will vary depending on when it is measured and what you were doing immediately before the reading.

For an effective workout, you should aim to maintain your heart rate to the right level while you are exercising. This means firstly working out a safe range of bpm. To do this, you first need to work out your maximum heart rate (MHR) – maximum heart rate depends on your age. One way to work out your MHR is to take your age away from 220. For example, the maximum heart rate for a 42 year old is 220 – 42 = 178 bpm.

To use heart rate data even more precisely you should first know your target heart rate (THR) which is between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. To use the example of a 42-year-old again, THR would be between 178 x 50% = 89 bpm and 178 x 70% = 125 bpm. So a 42-year-old e-biker should aim to exercise with their heart rate between 89 and 125 bpm for 150 minutes weekly of moderate-intensity exercise. For vigorous-intensity exercise aim for 70-85% of your max heart rate calculated in a similar fashion.

150 minutes (or less if you want to be vigorous!) a week isn’t much time if you are out having fun on an e-bike.

Important note: If you have a heart condition or other serious medical condition it is important that you check with your doctor before doing any new exercises, in case they are not suitable for you. A warm-up and cool-down period of moderate exercise is always a good idea if planning vigorous exercise to guard against muscle injury.

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General advice on staying in shape with an e-bike

OK, so you are out and about on your e-bike and it’s keeping you fit and healthy. If you want to take things to the next level and become progressively more in shape and stronger and keep burning calories here’s a few tips to help you get much fitter on your e-bike:

Learn the three basics of riding to get fitter and practice them– overload, progression and recovery. In short, push yourself a little beyond your limits (overload), keep repeating this as you get fitter and can physically push yourself more (progression) and allow recovery time in proportion to the intensity you have been riding at. Don’t be mystified by names of different training regimes such as Fartlek or interval training – they all follow these three basic principles.
Stretch before and after to help avoid injuries. This is important, as e-bike-riding can involve being in a fixed position for quite long periods. Alternatively, look at another sport that involves a wide range of movement, such as swimming to complement your e-bike riding. A correctly set-up bike is also important to avoid potential injury and strains.
Mix it up. This will help keep your e-biking interesting. Combine sociable group riding with your own fitness plan and holiday challenges. Having a suitable plan, however basic, and sticking to it is the key to getting fitter, but can feel like a chore if pursued in isolation. Increasingly traditional biking events such as sportives are open to e-bikes and are popular and fun outings that let you measure yourself competitively if you wish (all riders are timed with results published), but with the focus on a mix of abilities and sociability. And of course there are plenty of e-bike specific races, especially e-mtb ones. Gadget obsessives may enjoy competing with others using a GPS device and something like Strava software (though be sure to mark your rides as e-bike ones to avoid spoiling the system for non-e-bike riders).
Eat a balanced diet to help lose weight and improve performance on your e-bike.

However much you do just remember – e-biking can give you the all-important cardiovascular exercise that the urban, 21st-century lifestyle so often lacks, and can also help build muscle strength and endurance as well as improve all-round physical and mental wellbeing. All the more reason to keep getting out on your e-bike and enjoying the experience.

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Richard Peace

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