E Mtb Exercise v MTB Exercise

[Ben Plenge]

I’m losing weight riding my eBike at a moderate intensity. On my weekend rides, I no longer consume an energy bar and still feel less hungry. To maintain fitness, I’ll push hard once in a while but rarely go anaerobic except on a few very steep hills which is probably why the post-ride hunger isn’t so bad. As a result I’m less likely to overeat after the ride. So even though calories burned is half of that of a normal bike ride I come out ahead.

This might be different for others; I once went into the doctor’s office for an A1C test after not going ever and alarmed them with my low blood sugar (52); they fed me a couple of sugar tabs and still didn’t want me to leave the office until I promised to grab something to eat at the fast food restaurant next door. A1C was in the healthy range, though. Anything I eat apparently instantly turns to fat.

Hey Dave, that is a great example of how we are all different. At the end of the day it is about achieving a consistent calorie deficit over a prolonged period of time that leads to fat loss. For some people that means short, hard efforts, for others, longer, more aerobic efforts. It is about experimenting and finding a way that works for you. Well done mate.

 

[Coolbanana]

I ride both eMTB and MTB - my KTM Macina Kapoho 2972 has 160mm suspension and I ride with soft tyres - so very much a Trail type set up and I like to take it over very technical terrain.

Typically, I ride 40km - 50km per day (25 - 30 miles) and one longer ride each week, circa 80 - 100 km (50 - 60 miles) with various levels of effort.

I usually have the eMTB'off' or on ECO (Bosch) on the flat and less steep hills and eMTB when the terrain is harder to negotiate.

This gives me a pretty good workout and given the Kapoho's near 25kg, Bosch motor with resistance above 25km/h and softer tyres, I find that ECO mode is not too dissimilar to the workout I get on my MTB. But I do ride to get fit, not coasting all the time.

My KTM Scarp Sonic MTB is a race XC, 9.5kg, very nimble and quick, much more so than my eMTB on flats and downhill. But at 50 years old, I'm finding it takes me longer to recover from harder rides - like yesterday's 82km - and so today I hopped onto the eMTB for my ride, where I can adjust the assist to help me recover. I have to be careful with my knee's from my racing years, they are a little dodgy these days, so it is ideal to mix the two bikes to ensure recovery and not lose fitness.

eMTB definitely gets you fit. No question about it. I am more tired from longer MTB rides, sure, but I credit my eMTB with my fitness level this year and I'm happy with it. It has improved my MTB riding a lot, from being technically more confident as well as helping with fitness.

 

[urastus]

I didn't notice a huge change, except for enjoying up hill rides. And clearing stuff on climbs that I couldn't before. As others have said, where I live is perfect for ebike - the climbs are too steep and technical. I don't know that anyone rides them. I did do a 10km circuit here on my accoustic and I was wiped out. Even then I had to choose my climbs. Now I'm enjoying outrageous climbs that are technical for me, and the descents. So long as I can keep working on skills, I'm happy. I haven't lost fitness; I think I'm probably more fit now. I also ride an ancient mtb that has been re purposed for urban duties; 40km on that (some track and always hills) is equivalent to what I'm doing in 20km on the emtb. Well, that's what my body tells me.

 

[Careyj1]

I have two bikes currently Sworks Epic (21 pounds) and Sworks Turbo Levo (47). When I climb on the Epic (non-e), my heart rate is normally 10 to 15 bmp higher . 160 to 165, on the ebike more around 150. I could drop down to no power and my heart rate would be higher!
The weight of the rider comes a big factor in climbing with an non-e bike. Last year I was weighing around 170 pounds, now I am 185, 6 feet, 1 inch. The 15 pounds makes a huge difference in climbing effort and speed. Last year to be at 170 I had to watch what I ate and most people said I looked sick. At 185 I look in shape and not sick. I don't think I am going to push myself that hard to get back down to 170. With the ebike, 170 to 185 means nothing on the climbs.

Before I got the ebike, a good week was 80 to 100 miles with about 8,000ft to 10,000ft of climbing, with the ebike, a good week is 150 miles with 20,000 ft of climbing. I would feel more tired on the non-e bike then the ebike. I am over 50 so I think I can keep good fitness with the ebike and have more control on how much torque I put on my legs with an ebike. Summary, you can get great fitness on a ebike and it might end up being better for your body long term depending on your age and health.

 

[OldGoatMTB]

My ass gets a better workout as I sit down more on the ebike. My quads get a better workout as I do more downhill runs on the ebike. Core strength has improved on the ebike as I commute to and from the trails riding no hands, instead of slumped over the bars.
It’s not what you ride, but how you ride.

Well I ride my ebike differently, so it’s kinda both really.

I also find it my quads are paying the price for getting an e-bike. The rest of my body is getting a rest, but I'm spending much more time out of the saddle working on my bike handling skills around curves and always feel it in my quads and knees. Overall, my body is grateful.

 

[Cyclingwilly]

I used to see a lad at Hamsterley Forest years ago on a very heavy Muddy Fox, it weighed something like 42lbs, on top of that, he lived in Consett, so his ride there and back would be a 30+ mile round trip, before he got into hooning it about. Last time a saw him, he had legs like Chris Hoy and arms like Arnie, with a narrow waist he looked like and egg timer. Fit as a butcher's dog though.

 

[Nichneven]

I mix up my rides between mtb and emtb. I have a steep climb at the base of the Ochil hills which is my baseline I use to stay fit climbing which I try to hit on my enduro bike twice per week. Like a few stages of climbing and descending. I know if I can clear it this sets me up for longer stuff out with friends on big days out.

I use my emtb for for fast rides on the local DH steeps on boost for the climbs getting quick laps and will run the battery flat. When I do not feel like stressing my body too much, Like after a gym workout/weight training. Also it is really fun! Sometimes I will just emtb everyday If I need to recover from the gym. Week 1 heavy weights, Week2: Volume training (10sets of 10 all groups) Week 3: supersets. Week 4: say emtb everyday.

The next few weeks I will try go out on a few long rides with the Sommet.

 

[Cubie]

Out with a couple of mates on acoustics yesterday, interesting comparison of our heart rates.
Was a pretty relaxed ride with some pretty hard going climbs.

 

[Mikerb]

Out with a couple of mates on acoustics yesterday, interesting comparison of our heart rates.
Was a pretty relaxed ride with some pretty hard going climbs.

View attachment 32544 View attachment 32545

The stats do not measure my primary interest...FUN. Personally that is why I ride ...the rest is incidental

 

[Cubie]

The stats do not measure my primary interest...FUN. Personally that is why I ride ...the rest is incidental

Agreed, I only log HR etc as I use my garmin watch to log rides rather than my phone.