Associations between e-bike travel distance and changes in health

Introduction: Electrically assisted bikes (E-bikes) have the potential to assist with the accumulation of moderate intensity physical activity but the relationship between volume of e-cycling and health has not been fully examined. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between distance travelled during a 4-week e-bike intervention and measures of health. A second aim was to explore individual responses to using e-bikes and the potential effects of weather on the volume of e-cycling.

Methods: Twenty-six sedentary adults were assessed before and after 4-weeks using a motion activated e-bike. Health (i.e., blood glucose and blood pressure), cardiorespiratory fitness and musculoskeletal fitness (i.e., lower body strength, power and flexibility) outcomes were obtained before and after the 4-weeks. Travel distance, total monthly rainfall, max and min temperatures (monthly averages) data were collected. Correlations between travel distance and health (body mass, blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure), cardiorespiratory fitness (power output and heart rate (HR) during the Astrand Rhyming test, and predicted VO2max) and musculoskeletal fitness (sit and reach distance, vertical jump height, wall squat time) were analysed. Magnitude of changes relative to baseline values were explored to identify individuals that could potentially benefit more from the intervention.

Results: An inverse relationship between travel distance was observed with changes in body mass (p = 0.02 and ρ = −0.46) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.02 and ρ = −0.44). Individuals with higher blood glucose and poorer vertical jump performance at baseline had better magnitude of change results after the 4-weeks e-cycling.

Conclusions: Associations between more travel with an e-bike and greater reductions in body mass and diastolic blood pressure were observed. E-cycling has the potential to assist those with poorer health outcomes, but it may need to be supplemented by additional forms of exercise to ensure adherence to the guidelines for physical activity.