Fun, confidence and better health: Inside a year on an e-bike

Increasing rates of active transport is a highly effective way of increasing population-level physical activity,^{1, 2} supporting health³ and reducing transport-related carbon emissions.⁴ Aotearoa New Zealand’s hilly topography, changeable weather and relatively spread-out cities mean that e-bikes are likely to be particularly effective in overcoming some of the challenges to cycling.⁵ E-biking may also be achievable for many people who do not currently cycle and would not consider riding a non-electric bike.⁶ However, while e-biking is growing rapidly, e-bikes are expensive, and cost is a significant barrier to their uptake.⁶ Aotearoa’s low rates of cycling⁷ mean that increasing e-biking among people who do not currently cycle is also likely to require community, practical and social support.⁸ 

The HIKO e-bike programme

HIKO is an e-bike programme in Wainuiomata, Wellington, which is operated by a marae-led Hauora service. HIKO provides long-term access to e-bikes at no charge, along with cycle skills training, e-bike maintenance and cycling equipment (e.g. helmets and locks). In its first year, 26 Māori and Pacific adults participated in the programme.  We followed the HIKO programme over the year through focus groups and interviews with participants prior to the programme, at six months, and at 12 months. Our research, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, explores participants’ experiences, focusing on the mental and physical health impacts of e-biking.⁹ Further research explores the programme design and impacts on travel and social connectivity.¹⁰

E-biking can support people’s aspirations for better health 

Participants described improving their health as an important motivation for trying e-biking. Some participants identified specific health goals, including supporting quitting smoking (“I'm hoping the biking will just give me enough of a cough attack to want to stop.”) or losing weight. Some participants were interested in e-biking as something which could be done without aggravating “old age injuries” particularly hip, back and knee pain. Lastly, participants described starting e-biking as a way of role modelling an active lifestyle:

 For Māori and Pasifika … we're role modelling for our kids, our tamariki and our mokopuna.

E-biking is possible and enjoyable for many people who experience barriers to being active

Several HIKO participants described experiencing health or weight-related barriers to being active found that e-biking was an achievable and enjoyable way of moving. E-biking was described as well-suited to the needs of older riders, ‘bigger’ riders, and people with chronic conditions, especially joint pain:

I’m an old lady so, if I can do it, anyone can do it and it’s good for my arthritis.

Features such as step-through frames and e-bikes with a higher rider weight limit supported a diverse group of riders. Our research highlights practice points for health practitioners to consider in discussing e-biking with individual patients (see Box 1).

Table 1: Practice points for healthcare professionals

E-biking has a wide range of physical and mental health benefits

Over the course of the year, participants described regular e-biking as contributing to better mental and physical health. Some participants noticed an improvement in managing a range of chronic conditions, particularly joint pain, respiratory conditions and metabolic conditions, for example: 

There’s been so many other wins with getting out and being active… the weight loss and my diabetes, my gout.

For many participants, the mental health benefits of e-biking were particularly important: 

you have a moment in time where you are not thinking about work, not thinking about problems of the world… obviously you get the physical benefits but… it’s what it does for me mentally.

These self-reported health improvements are consistent with well-established benefits of increasing levels of moderate physical activity.^12-14 Some participants also successfully incorporated e-biking into their strategies for quitting smoking.

The ‘fun factor’ and social connections help people to stick with e-biking

Enjoyment and social support are key ingredients in persisting with physical activity.¹⁵ Consistent with previous qualitative studies on e-biking,^{16, 17} participants enjoyed riding with others, being outside, and being able to go on mini-adventures. Some participants compared e-biking favourably with other low-impact activities:

 I don't want to sit in a gym… I don't want to walk on a treadmill. I need something that's going to be interesting… How can you get bored when every bike ride is different?

Supporting e-biking

HIKO took people who did not ride and converted them to bike riding by, firstly, giving them access to an e-bike that met their specific needs and, secondly, creating social support to sustain changed behaviour through the marae-led, community-focused programme design. 

Other jurisdictions have very high levels of the population who cycle; HIKO shows that with the right environment and support this is likely to be achievable in Aotearoa New Zealand also. However, creating large population shifts to e-cycling will need policy to create larger access programmes and expanded bike networks in all urban areas.

Authors details

Dr Emma Osborne, Department of Public Health, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke | University of Otago, Wellington

Cheryl Davies, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Mutunga ki Te Wharekauri, Tū Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust 

Assoc Prof Caroline Shaw, Department of Public Health, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke | University of Otago, Wellington