Studies also have shown that e-biking can help manage healthy blood sugar levels, positively affect one’s BMI, and be “a terrific low-impact exercise that’s easy on your joints,” says David Bassett, a kinesiologist and professor emeritus of exercise physiology at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He says pedal-assist cycling also has been shown to improve one’s blood pressure by reducing mean arterial pressure.

Indeed, the cardiovascular and respiratory benefits of e-cyclists closely match those of traditional cyclists. Demonstrating this, researchers in the department of public health at Brigham Young University in Utah found that when they compared the heart rates of participants who rode e-bikes with the heart rates of people who rode traditional bikes, both groups ranked in the “vigorous-intensity heart rate zone.” Other studies have reached similar conclusions and additional research shows that maximal oxygen consumption ranges between 51 and 73 percent for e-bikers and 58 percent and 74 percent for traditional cyclists.

“There is a large body of research suggesting that e-cycling can be considered a moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity across a range of physiological markers of fitness including energy expenditure, maximum oxygen update, metabolic equivalents and more,” says Jessica Bourne, co-author of related research and an exercise, nutrition, and health sciences researcher at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

E-bikes may even be superior to traditional bicycles in at least one way: research shows that e-bikers are more likely to ride them more often and for farther distances—even as much as 50 percent further. “Conventional bicycles require higher levels of physical effort to ride, but because of that, people ride them fewer minutes per week,” says Cherry.

Mental health benefits to boot

Beyond being good for the body, a number of qualitative studies show that e-bike riders consistently report improvements in their mental health as well. These benefits include stress reduction, improved sleep, and increased levels of happiness. Riiser says the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin that are associated with cardiovascular exercise like cycling can further improve one’s mood and quality of life.

Researchers in the U.K. also have demonstrated improved cognitive function, showing that older adults who e-cycle regularly have faster processing times and improved accuracy and decision-making skills than older adults who don’t.

Some of these mental health benefits have even been found to be higher in e-cyclists than traditional cyclists. “There is a sense of freedom in being able to get out in the fresh air without feeling limited by terrain or distance,” says Bourne.

A worry-free and environmentally friendly commute

This also makes e-bikes more enticing to commuters.

“E-bike riding takes the ‘edge’ off of bicycling, meaning hills and hard efforts that can take the fun out of bicycling for most people,” says Cherry.

And because e-bikes can handle a lot more weight than most conventional bicycles, they make it possible to bring children to and from kindergarten or bring groceries home from the store.