popatop75

In a recent study, it was proven that riding an electric bike that has the pedal assist mode engaged helped the rider burn 444 calories per hour versus pedaling a traditional bike, which burned 552 calories per hour. ... So the bottom line is, you'll burn calories when riding an electric bike.

prathmann

I'd want to see the actual study, but an extremely skeptical of any claim to "prove" kcal/hr levels. Certainly riding my regular bikes doesn't usually result in my using 552 kcal/hr unless I'm climbing a long grade or trying to keep up with a fast group. And I've ridden with others who were on electric bikes. Some of them were working about as hard as they had been on regular bikes but using the electric to go faster and keep up with the group. Others put the bike in a high gear and were just exerting barely enough pedal pressure to keep the motor engaged. I.e. there's a wide range of possible energy exertion depending on how the individual chooses to ride the bike.

caloso

I don't think there's any argument that you don't burn calories on an electric bike, but I too am extremely skeptical of the figures cited here. Caloric burn is highly variable: I've got PM data showing I burned 959 kcal during a 1 hr TT versus 460kcal on a recovery ride with my son. A study that purports to prove that any one hour ride is going to burn a very specific 552kcal is ..... suspect.

Doc_Wui

I take it to mean that a diligent person who pedals with light assist at 14 mph can use about (444/552) 80% of the effort of a unassisted rider at 12 mph.

I recall seeing a link to that study in Europe where the subjects were all overweight, and given bikes ... half electric, half regular. Both groups must have been motivated to improve their health, hence the relatively high caloric burn rates.