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E-Bike myths debunked: 6 common misconceptions about electric assistance

We look at some frequent fallacies about e-bikes and put forward the facts

E-bikes are here to stay, and are playing an increasingly important role when it comes to getting people on bikes. While a bit of electric assistance is an obvious benefit to some riders, among UK cyclists there are still some misconceptions about what e-bikes offer, and the potential benefits they provide. So, let’s look at the facts behind half a dozen e-bike myths.

> Want more about all things e-bikes? Check out our sister site eBikeTips

Myth #1: You don’t get fit riding an e-bike

Here’s the first thing you often hear: you’ll never get fit/lose weight/improve your cardio on an e-bike. However, modern e-bikes are actually termed ‘electric assist’, so you’ve still got to spin your legs, with the electric power simply helping to maintain a higher speed. Of course, your workout isn’t quite as exhausting as on a non-electric bike, but the actual differences in health outcomes are less significant than you might think. 

> 17 of the best electric road bikes

An extensive systematic review of existing studies of the effects of e-bike riding found there was good evidence that e-bike use provides definite health benefits and increased fitness, such as improved oxygen intake and increased maximal power output. One caveat was that e-bike riders have to ride for longer than walkers or conventional cyclists to achieve the same energy expenditure – although, helpfully, the review also said: “e-cycling is associated with lower ratings of perceived exertion than conventional cycling, potentially enabling people to ride more frequently or for a longer duration.”

So how much energy can you burn on an e-bike? The figures often quoted are around 300-400 calories an hour, or about 75% of the amount you’d burn riding a non-assisted bike over the same distance. However, in a direct study on the Electric Bike Blog website, engineer Ron Wensel recorded the calorie consumption he experienced when riding his e-bike. He found that he burned 440 calories in an hour, which was around 80% of his calorie expenditure when riding non-assisted.

Of course, these figures depend on a number of factors, not least how much electric assistance you choose to use. But the beauty of most e-bikes is that, as your fitness improves, you can simply reduce the level of help you require. Meaning that e-bikes also offer a very clear way to judge and develop your fitness, too.

e-bike battery indicator.jpg

Myth #2: E-bikes run out of power quickly, and then you’re just left with a heavy bike

Not only does selecting the level of electric power you require have a bearing your long-term fitness goals, it also affects individual rides in an immediate way by limiting how far you can ride with assistance. The more power you use, the shorter the distance (range) you can cover with the electric motor contributing. On minimal power settings, though, many e-bikes are quite capable of an assisted range of 100 miles or more.

However, judging range is not some dark art built on hope, good luck and guesswork. Most modern e-bikes have accurate battery level displays and even expected range indications, so you can work out exactly which settings are best employed to get you home. Going one step further, systems like the Bosch Nyon on-board computer even include GPS sat-nav and can offer different routes – fastest, most eco, etc – to get you home before the power runs out.

If something goes wrong and you do find yourself completely depleted of electrical energy, that doesn’t mean you’re left having to hoik some behemoth up the hills. Yes, most e-bike are a little heavier than their non-assisted counterparts – they’re bound to be, with added motors and batteries – but the tide is turning. Top-end road e-bikes are ultralight and even in the urban e-bike market, Islabikes recently sent us one of their eJanis models, which is impressively light at less than 14kg and would be a decent weight even for a conventional bike in this category. 

Myth #3: E-bikes are complicated

Certainly there are a few extra bits and pieces to an e-bike but, underneath it all, it is still a bike with established components and technology that hasn’t changed for decades. If you can cope with fixing punctures, setting up gears or adjusting brakes on a conventional bike, you’ll still be able to enjoy doing all the same on a e-bike.

Even with the newer bits of tech involved, e-bikes are very much a product of the modern age with all the holistic and intuitive design that modern life prioritises. Recharging processes are becoming ever more simple and convenient. And the operating systems, such as Bosch Nyon, Shimano STEPs and or Mahle ebikemotion, can be as easy or as complicated as you want, with smart device compatibility or more advanced optional functionality such as integrating heart rate monitor readings. 

Essentially: if you can work a normal bike and a mobile phone, you can get your head around an e-bike. 

e-bike riding in city - via shimano.PNG

Myth 41: E-bikes are only for old people

Last year, a YouGov survey commissioned by Shimano asked 13,412 people across Europe about their cycling intentions and views about e-bikes. It revealed that 8% of Europeans already owned an e-bike; 17% said they were more likely to purchase or use an e-bike than during the previous year; and 11% revealed that they no longer ride pedal-powered cycles alone.

In country-by-country results, 30% of respondents in Italy were keen to ride an e-bike; 26% in Switzerland, Poland and The Netherlands; 21% in Spain; and 19% France. Numbers this high means these are not ‘just’ old people. As Cycling Industry News reported: “Across the board, the younger demographic had stronger enthusiasm for [an e-bike] demo, running completely contrary to how sales initially tended to go to an older generation seeking new mobility.”

However, if you are a UK cyclist, it’s understandable why your opinion of e-bikes might be skewed towards believing they’re only suited to a select group of riders. In the YouGov survey, the UK lagged at the bottom, with only 7% of those surveyed saying they’d try an assisted cycle. It’s time to change that outdated idea. 

Myth #5: Riding an e-bike is cheating

If you are planning to use an e-bike to compete at the Tour de France then, yes, that would be cheating. But that doesn’t apply to the vast majority of people thinking about riding one.

> Are electric bikes cheating?

That systematic review of e-bike studies we mentioned earlier highlighted the fact that e-bikes offer a more accessible way to achieving active travel. And active travel offers all kinds of personal benefits.

“Engagement in active travel, specifically commuting, has been shown to be predictive of a lower BMI and reduced risk of diabetes diagnosis… active commuting, involving cycling, was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cancer incidence and mortality… [and] commuting by bicycle or on foot was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. The greatest gains in health outcomes from active commuting are reported in the least active individuals,” it said.

If the alternative is to be stuck on a bus or train, or vegetating on the sofa rather than enjoying yourself and getting a bit fitter – even if it’s not quite as fit as you’d get on a non-assisted bike - then you’re only cheating yourself. 

Islabikes eJanis

Myth #6: E-bikes are big and clunky

We’ve already said that e-bikes don’t have to be much heavier than non-assisted bikes, and among many manufacturers, the integration of technology in terms of e-bike user interfaces has been impressively intuitive. But that level of design has also extended to frame construction, and battery and motor integration.

E-bikes of old might have been a bit unwieldy and – to be honest – not always particularly aesthetically sophisticated. But when you have major global bike brands focusing all of their talents on e-bikes ranges – for good financial and market reasons, as the YouGov/Shimano survey highlights – the results in terms of product development is astounding. 

There are now many mass market e-bikes – such as the Focus range of road bikes at the top of this page, or Specialized’s cross-discipline Turbo range, or the Islabike eJanis (above) mentioned earlier - that are all-but indistinguishable to their non-assisted equivalents.

It's no myth - e-bikes are fun!

Tern GSD S10 2021 riding 2

One final myth that's worth mentioning is that e-bikes are not, contrary to popular belief, a modern invention – they’ve actually been around since the late 19th Century. But with the kinds of public health and environmental concerns that are taking precedence in the 21st Century, e-bikes might finally become a truly crucial transport solution. 

Of course, if you already cycle - unassisted - why would you need an e-bike? Well here’s one thing that isn’t a myth: they’re also fantastic fun.

Try one – it might be better than you think! 

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52 comments

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JimM777 | 2 years ago
1 like

Using a conventional bike for exercise in hilly country is like going to the gym and choosing random resistances on the machines. An ebike helps to regulate the resistance to your required level. Of course, for a masochist who prefers self-flagellation, a conventional bike is de rigueur.

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essexian | 2 years ago
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I purchased an ebike (a Dolan) at the end of last year for my 60th and... its okay. 

I got it as after a back injury in 2019, I put on a considerable amount of weight and lost the fitness I had built up over the previous few years. Cycling up hill was painful while walking more than a few hundred yards, impossible. So, the plan was to use the motor as a "get out of jail" device if my legs and more likely my back gave out.

And for that purpose, its usful meaning I can climb the last hill into town (its a main road, narrow and while its 30mph and protected by double white lines, you would never know it from the way people drive) in around a minute rather than the two minutes my unassisted bike takes with me on it. 

However, the rest of the time I hardly use the motor as... well it doesn't feel right to have support when I know if I simply lose a bit more weight (down 2 stone, with a further two to go to my pre 2019 weight) and get some more miles in, I can get back to close to my previous fitness. Yes, the back might hurt a bit more than it did, but its just nerve damage so there is nothing wrong with the muscles. 

Got my first Sportive of the season (and only my second since my back went) on Saturday. However, with only 1 100 foot of climbing, I doubt I'll turn it on but just in case "they" suddenly build a mountain in the flat lands between Newport and Shrewsbury I'll use the ebike. 

 

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IanMSpencer replied to essexian | 2 years ago
3 likes

Our club members who use e-bikes on long rides are masters of eeking out battery range and basically switch assistance on for hills and leave it off for anything else. They only use the lowest setting. They still huff and puff up hills, it's just they are with you rather than ending up half a mile behind.

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Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

My tuppence-worth on #1, "You don't get fit riding an ebike": if you have a reasonably light machine (I have an Orbea Gain, about 14kgs) it's easy to ride above the 25km/h power cut off for lengthy periods and so you certainly do get fitness benefits. I use mine for commuting, so you get a push off the lights up to 25 km/h and from then on, you're into normal riding. I usually spin up to around 30 km/h and hold it there on the flat, not as fast as I would go on my road bike (35 km/h) but the amount of effort needed is fairly similar because the ebike is almost exactly twice the weight. The one thing you won't get so much from an ebike is the capacity to build up power, because you're not doing those sharp efforts when pulling away that enhance muscle, however the plus side of this is that you don't get sore legs, which is precisely why I bought it, 56 km per day commuting on the road bike is just too much for me these days, I can do it but it makes me stiff and tired, with the ebike I can cope with the commute easily, still get plenty of aerobic exercise and have plenty left in the legs for my weekend unpowered rides. Plenty of exercise is available on hills as well, I've probably mentioned on here before somewhere that I did some tests on Canonbie Road in Forest Hill, 10% average 14% max, on my standard road bike my heartrate maxxed out around 165 (at 53 as hard as I should push it) and on the ebike at 148 (resting heartrate 67), so definitely still getting exercise!

 

 

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Sriracha replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
2 likes

You've made a good case for how you can get fit using an ebike. My observation would be that those I ride with who use ebikes tend to lean on the assistance whenever the going gets tough. The result is that their ride is downhill all the way. So I think it probably takes more self-discipline to improve your fitness much on an ebike, the temptation is always there to push the switch up a notch and enjoy the ride.

Of course if the baseline is not to ride at all, then I can see that an ebike makes a positive difference.

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Rendel Harris replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
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If it's a legal ebike they're soon going to have to put some grunt in or get dropped, remember it cuts out at 25 km/h, which is pretty slow, so if they're keeping up with you when it's tough they've got to be making an effort. Even on hills and at top assistance levels any remotely fit rider can easily drop an ebike rider relying solely on the motor - every one of my KOM PBs on my road bike is much faster than I would get just spinning the pedals and relying on the motor on the ebike. Of course if they're "tweaked" (aka illegal) that's another matter.

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roboito replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

I'd agree with everything you say there but I don't think it has to be a particularly light machine. Mine is well over 20kg unladen but I carry one pannier always, sometimes two. Intend to tip along at about 26kph on my mostly flat commute, I keep the bike in the second lowest power setting and its usually giving me a small amount of assist at that speed. I used the ebike commute to keep my bike fitness up over winter rather than the usual procrastinating about indoor training and found that I could go further and faster than usual on returning to weekend spins with the warmer weather.

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diggler | 3 years ago
0 likes

I did an ebike conversion last year.  I have to admit it is an illegal 750W motor and I have set the limit to 35km/h.  I am very pleased with the result.  I go a lot faster than I used to and use less energy.  I also cycle further than I used to.  It is just so much fun to go fast.  I used to look down on them until I got one.  Now I wish I had got one earlier.

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grOg replied to diggler | 3 years ago
1 like

My local plods target illegal e-bikes using trail bikes.. the riders cop heavy fines, including riding an unregistered motorcycle.. mucho $$$.

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diggler replied to grOg | 3 years ago
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In my expreience, cops are pretty lazy.  If they enforce anything, it is something unambiguous like no lights, bell or helmet.  Most cops don't know the law.  Even if they did, how would they identify an illegal ebike anyway?  Just because it is travelling 35km/h?  I've seen faster bikes than that.

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Sriracha replied to diggler | 2 years ago
0 likes

I think the hum of the motor at 35 km/h is the giveaway, plus the fact that you're going uphill. And I'd venture that cops know the law better than most.

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wtjs replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
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 And I'd venture that cops know the law better than most

That's still possible if most people haven't a clue about the Highway Code, even though the Lancashire police can't cope with reading the big words in Highway Code Rule 178

Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cyclists to be positioned ahead of other traffic. Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the first white line reached if the lights are amber or red and should avoid blocking the way or encroaching on the marked area at other times, e.g. if the junction ahead is blocked. If your vehicle has proceeded over the first white line at the time that the signal goes red, you should stop as soon as possible and MUST stop at the second white line

Lancashire Constabulary thinks (obviously this is all academic because here they're crashing through red lights at 50+ mph, and it's undefined which part of the vehicle we're talking about) that once you're over the ASL when the light turns red, you're in the clear and can legally continue free of any fear of consequences because 'the front part is only for bikes as is shown by the bike image painted on the road'. They are, of course, right about the 'no fear of any consequences' bit in Lancashire.

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mike the bike replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

Sriracha wrote:

 ...... And I'd venture that cops know the law better than most.

Dunno about that.  I recently called out to warn two strolling coppers of my presence on the cycle path and they responded by insisting I needed a bell, which, according to them, was compulsory on all bikes.

They were nice enough about it but would hear no contradiction; they were right and that was an end to the matter.

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wtjs replied to mike the bike | 2 years ago
1 like

they responded by insisting I needed a bell, which, according to them, was compulsory on all bikes

It appears that insight and self-knowledge doesn't feature in police training. Neither do Bikes:How You Get Them To Go? or What's It like When a BMW or Audi Comes Past You at 50mph 20 cms Away? or What's The Point of Traffic Lights?

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Tom_77 | 3 years ago
4 likes

I have an e-bike for commuting, it's a wonderfully practical mode of transport. In pre-lockdown days I was cycling 32 miles each way to work, and it just eats up the miles.

For exercise I'm sticking with my unpowered bike, hopefully I've got a few more decades before my knees give up on me.

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joro | 3 years ago
0 likes

I don't have an e-bike [yet], but I *imagine* they might be a bit more dodgy than an unpowered bike when riding on snow and ice. Does anybody have any experience of any differences?

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alansmurphy replied to joro | 3 years ago
1 like

I suppose that in part depends on your alternate bikes. Riding about 4k a year on the road bike for pleasure, my work commute (30 mile hilly round trip) extended and was taking away the fun from my social rides. So I went for a fat tyre, big heavy e-bike that will take all my luggae etc. The additional weight and grip, plus the power when required means I can ride better in the adverse weather than on my 35c road tyres and light frame  1

 

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joro replied to alansmurphy | 3 years ago
0 likes

Thanks Alan. I was thinking of the nightmare of hitting a patch of black ice on a bend ... but as you say tyres might be the most critical element, and if you stop pedalling, hopefully the motor would cut out to prevent an unwanted power slide!

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Podc | 3 years ago
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One query I have regarding e-bikes: are 'standard' cycle components resilient enough to last a reasonable amount of time/distance on them?

I've ridden with a few e-bike riders off road and they seemed to put the bike in a high gear and let the motor do its work which I would have thought would be putting excess strain on the drivetrain.

I've also worked on a handful of hybrid e-bikes and they showed excessive wear on consumables compared to a similar aged bike - or do they just get used more because they require a little less effort 

Any owners have any experiences they can share?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Podc | 3 years ago
2 likes

Can't state experience myself but don't forget most ebikes are heavy and to save relative costs, might have cheaper parts which might mean more wear then other bikes. 

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alansmurphy replied to Podc | 3 years ago
1 like

I took mine for its first service about 18mo in and the dude with the tattoos and baseball cap was less than happy with me. Yep, there's torque to consider and with pedal assist you don't tend to spin the gears but go for higher resistence.

 

He added a stronger chain that's probably heavier etc. but meant to wear better - having said that the job cost me a small fortune!

 

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Ferdaid replied to Podc | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think it's easy to fall into the trap of not changing to an easier gear but instead just increasing the pedal assistance. Certainly it's something I have to be mindful of when out on my bike.

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grOg replied to Podc | 3 years ago
0 likes

If the motor is in the front or rear hub, then the chain isn't copping the torque like it does from a mid drive; tyres, brakes and bearings will wear considerably more than a pedal cycle.

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Ferdaid | 3 years ago
5 likes

So I have one - and they're bloody terrific fun!

There's some excellent rides that are out in the countryside near me. Trouble is....there's a massive hill to deal with right at the start. Over 1 mile there's a near 700ft climb. It terrifies me coming down that hill - it's that steep. On an e-bike its child's play; I can keep up with cyclists who are clearly way fitter than me. They're out of the saddle working their ass off. I'm humming a tune as I gain on them. 

Head wind coming home from work? No biggie, just add extra assist and it's a blast.

Theres no excuse not to cycle 5-10 miles with one, it's that easy.

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roboito | 3 years ago
4 likes

I bought an e-bike in December, just got confirmation that the bike to work scheme is about to pay the balance so will hopefully have it soon. It's purely for commuting, eight miles each way, no sweat no need for a change. It means I don't have to drive a 1500kg diesel car for the same journey so will hopefully be saving a few polar bears and getting some fresh air. I can't see it making a massive differenceto my fitness but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. I see it as a genuine car alternative for my distance.

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Kapelmuur | 3 years ago
7 likes

Re E bike is cheating, I was riding alongside someone I met on a ride last summer, doing about 20mph on a flat road.   I mentioned that I had electric assistance to help me up some of the earlier climbs and he said that I wouldn't be able to keep up with him without help.

I had to point out that my motor cut out at 15 mph and I was keeping pace with him despite hauling 4.5 kgs of dead weight.

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Fluffed replied to Kapelmuur | 3 years ago
1 like

Weight makes not much difference on the flat of course, maybe he meant up the earlier climbs?
Currently looking for a folding e-bike for work, I wish I knew why the Brompton version was so expensive, it's crazy you can do a similar DIY conversion and have about £ 800 left over compared to the official build.

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Kapelmuur replied to Fluffed | 3 years ago
0 likes

No, he thought the only reason I could keep up with him on the flat was that I was motorised.

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Sriracha replied to Kapelmuur | 3 years ago
2 likes

Maybe true, because you were not knackered after the climbs!

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alansmurphy replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
5 likes

But everyone will meet a better cyclist than them so it's a bit of a dick comment from the cyclist. Anyhting that gets more people enjoying cycling works for me!

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