6 Must-Know Tips for Staying Fit with an Electric Bike

Despite what some naysayers might, erm . . . say, riding an electric bike can have a marked improvement on your cardiovascular health and fitness level. Just because the motor is there to help you doesn’t in any way play down the fact that you’re moving body parts and breathing fresh air by the lungful. If you’ve just purchased an eBike or are looking for new fitness strategies incorporating your old electric bicycle, check out these six recommendations.

1. Use an eBike as Part of Your Daily Commute

If you usually travel to work by car, choosing to ride a commuter electric bike instead not only helps the environment, it helps you stay fit. Unless you’re working from home, in which case an eBike down the stairs is less convenient. 

Still, for all other purposes, eBikes are a great transportation option that lets you keep active while the attached motor gives a bit of help when needed. Riding an eBike also means not working as hard you would a regular bike, so there’s a lot less sweat. (Even better, no head-to-toe Lycra.) Trust us: your colleagues will thank you. 

The EB7 Plus eBike is the perfect option for commuters. With its 7-speed Shimano^® gear system, it delivers a solid riding experience that matches what you’d get with a traditional bike—only with an electric boost when you want it or need it.

2. Replace Your Regular Bike With an eBike

If you use a regular bike as part of your exercise routine, you can immediately switch it with an eBike and still gain the benefits of cycling. You don’t need to use the motor all the time. You can use an eBike to ride along cycle paths (check local laws, though), around the yard or along the street. If you are into street riding, the motor definitely comes in handy while going up steep hills, especially if you are just starting your fitness journey. SWAGTRON’s® EB11 electric cruiser comes with a Shimano^® 7-speed gear system and 26-inch wheels, just the perfect new toy to take Old Faithful’s spot in the garage.

3. Take a Ride With Your Kids

Keeping up with your kids while bike riding is much easier on an eBike. Take it from us — when you hit 35, it’s easy to strain your neck just by getting out of bed. When you have high-speed children, it gets harder to stay ahead of them. Using an eBike, like the SWAGTRON EB9 Step-Through, means you can rely a little more on the motor and not on your own quads to keep moving — and it’s easy to mount! 

4. Track Your Activity

When trying to stay fit, it’s important to track your calorie intake and your physical activity. If you’re at the stage of weighing your food and writing it down, you know how much of a pain it is. Six almonds, anyone?

Components of your physical activity, like your calorie expenditure, your heart rate, oxygen level and effort used, are much, much harder to track. But they’re essential because they can show you the areas you need to focus on, such as improving your breathing or going faster, so you burn more calories. No matter what you need to track, there’s an accessory or app that can do the job. So, strap on your watch or mobile phone, hop on your eBike and start watching those numbers.

SWAG TIP: Most eBikes will have some means of tracking your distance, either through an on-bike display, an app, or both. All of our electric bikes have an on-bike display.

5. Take a Trip to the Grocery Store

More often than not, we simply jump in the car and head to the local store when we need a gallon of milk. You see the chips that are on sale and a few other things, and before you know it, there are a dozen other things in the cart — most of them high caloric; after all, no one suddenly succumbs to a sale on Brussels sprouts.

An eBike makes you really think about whether you need that extra packet of cheese, remember you’re carrying it home. Put your helmet on, grab a backpack and ride to the store. You’ll find that not only will you have gotten in a bit of exercise for the day, but you’ve also enjoyed some fresh air and sun. Fewer groceries = less money spent = healthier choices.

6. Plan a Cycling Tour

Cycling tours are not only a great form of exercise, but they also allow you to see landmarks and nature while traveling unconventionally. Small back-country roads hold no fear when you’re using an eBike instead of a regular bike. You don’t have to dread those slight undulations called hills by all but the most zealous bikers. You can get a lot of help climbing from your battery, although you’re going to need to put forth some effort yourself. And if you’re on flat roads … well … you can simply go further and a little faster. Add a cargo rack, and your eBike can even handle extra luggage. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t Rely on E-Power Alone!

You want to get the most out of any exercise routine. And, when it comes to an eRideable like an eBike or electric scooter, you also want to get the most out of your rideable’s battery. While it’s very tempting to go all-electric and rely solely on the electric throttle, that’s a surefire way to quickly drain the eBike’s battery and burn the absolute minimum calories. Instead, make sure you have an electric bike with pedal assist or some form of pedal-to-go function. That way, you’re putting in some work, reaping the benefits and taking it easy on the battery.

eBikes are fantastic for those wanting to stay fit or those just starting on their fitness journey. If you add the tips above into your daily behavior, you can start getting healthier and have fun doing it.