The mantra “New Year, New Me” shouldn’t stop at the end of January, it is something you can keep up all year long. Electric bikes can both improve your fitness and health in many ways and they offer one of the best ways to exercise.
But how do electric bikes help? Is it not just a free easy ride with little effort needed? The answer is no! Many professional athletes are using E bikes to train as they are a great way to get high intensity workouts in with limited time. Read on below to find out how you can smash your fitness goals for 2019 on an electric bike.
Electric bikes don’t mean a free ride. With all the systems offering a pedal assist you have to continue to pedal an E bike to work with the bike rather than letting it do all the work for you. But it’s worth it; studies have shown that you can drastically improve your fitness with the assistance of an E Bike. There are specific training programs that are being developed to help riders to get the best use of their electric bike. The best part of all of this is that you are out on your bike and having fun in the process.
Fitness Training Plans for Electric Bikes
- High Intensity E Bike Training
The first type of training you can do is ride at a higher intensity than a normal bike but control how much effort you are putting in. Let us explain: you can ride at a heart rate that is in the range that burns fat and improves cardiovascular performance. How does this work I hear you ask? Well, if you have to ride at a high intensity with no assistance you may well be working at an intensity that you cannot keep up, therefore making your rides shorter and also less effective. With the use of the assistance from an E bike you can sit at a heart rate that is much more effective at burning fat and also increase your aerobic threshold. That means you can effectively improve your rides and your fitness all in one foul swoop.
We have seen many customers improve their overall fitness with the help of electric bikes and the benefits e bikes offer, as well as re-find the love they once had for riding bikes.
- Low Intensity E Bike Training
The second way an E-Bike can increase your fitness is by using the different modes to increase and decrease the level of assistance. On a climb, reduce the assistance down to the ECO mode (found on the Bosch system) to create a training zone that puts your heart rate up and into an anaerobic threshold. This has many benefits for your fitness, including increasing your Vo2 max and the length at which you can sustain your maximum output. This will help when you’re sprinting to the end of a sprint, or simply getting up over that last bit of your climb on the hardest part of your newest challenge. Then you can increase the E bike assistance and drop back down into the aerobic. This is perfect for burning fat in low intensity long rides as you will be using your excess fat as fuel, helping you smash your goals for 2019.
Cycling Can Improve Your Fitness and Your Mental Health
Another benefit of riding an E-Bike is the mental side of things, not just the physical. Cycling is a great way to ease the mind into a sense of security and research has shown that regular exercise helps with depression, anxiety and stress.
During exercise your body releases endorphins and when cycling, you enter a mindfulness state that can truly help. Whilst out on an electric bike you are completely present in the moment, focusing entirely on what you are doing, creating a distraction from the worries that may normally preoccupy your mind. This positively impacts people’s lives and can help them reduce the amount of medication they may have to take. We encourage everyone to get out and ride a bike as the benefits you can see in your everyday life are huge.
These effects on your physical and mental health can be found on any electric bike, not just the high end ones. You can get the benefit of cycling using any E-Bike, and they are a great way to get a full body work out no matter your age, gender or ability.
We have a full range of E-Bikes on show in our two large bike shops in Dorset: visit our stores in Bournemouth and Poole. You can explore the full range we have online and start your E-Bike fitness adventure today. Chat to one of our team on Live Chat for advice tailored to you; we will help you to find the right E bike model for your fitness needs.
We have chosen some electric bikes that are perfect to get your fitness up and set your 2019 goals off in a new direction.
Primera Sports’ Top 3 Electric Bikes for Fitness
- Merida E-OneSixty Electric Mountain Bike
First off, we have an off road electric mountain bike perfect for getting the training in and getting more adventures than ever. The Merida E-OneSixty offers amazing power from the Shimano steps motor and battery, and with the component list leaving nothing to be upgraded, the E bike offers 160mm of travel perfect for any type of terrain you may encounter.
- Orbea Gain Electric Bike
If off road electric mountain bikes are not your cup of tea then take a look at the Orbea Gain. This is an E-Bike that doesn’t look like an E-Bike, offering you all the assistance you need and not a bit more. Featuring the sleek lines and slim profile we are accustom to on a standard bike, the Orbea Gain range really offers the pure road riding experience we all love, but with the assistance when you need to stay out of the red. Take a look at the full Orbea range online to find your next Sunday ride companion.
- The Cube E Bike Touring Range
If cruising around town or having an E bike that can do it all is what appeals then the Cube E bike touring range really does everything. If you want to commute to work and cut out the traffic, or reduce your carbon foot print, use your E-Bike instead of the car for the trips around town. Or you can use your Cube E bike if you just want to get away from the hassle and bustle of it all. You can venture in to the wilderness and explore the thousands of miles of tracks and paths we have on offer in the UK. We can do all of this whilst making ourselves fitter and happier in the process. Explore the full range of Cube E bikes in our online store.
If you would like any more information on how electric bikes can help you, give us a call on 01202 775588 for our bike shop in Bournemouth or 01202 749674 for our Poole branch, or send us an email on info@primera-sports.com. All bikes from Primera Sports are available on our amazing 0% Finance deals spreading the cost of your new electric bike up to 46 Months with Zero Deposit!
