Local charity Life Cycle has been supporting Bristol residents to cycle for many years, teaching them the skills and confidence they need to get cycling. In a move to help even more people get on bikes, Life Cycle teamed up with researchers from the University of Bristol to explore the benefits of electric bikes (also known as e-bikes).
The NIHR-funded research study, called PEDAL, enabled 18 people with type-2 diabetes to try an electric bike for several months. The participants generally became fitter, and a number of people lost weight – in some cases several kilos. But the best result was that the participants were extremely positive about the experience of e-cycling and 14 purchased their bikes at the end of the study.
The results were so encouraging, that the University commissioned a video in which two participants tell how the e-bikes changed their lives.
Poppy Brett, CEO of Life Cycle, said: "Lots of people have the impression that using an e-bike is 'cheating'. What this study has shown is that e-bikes have as many health benefits as push bikes. The advantage of an e-bike is that people can cycle further for longer, tackle hills that they might have avoided otherwise and can get as much exercise as someone on a push bike."
Ashley Cooper, Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health from the from the Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol, commented: "This was a small study, but we are excited by the results and will be looking to do further research next year into the benefits of e-cycling for people affected by type-2 diabetes. Anyone with the condition who is interested in taking part in a future trial should email ebike-project@bristol.ac.uk."
Provided by University of Bristol