E-bikes have long been disdained in the cycling community as a cop-out. But as the huge baby boomer cohort gets older, e-bikes are looking better and better — and they’re still great exercise. A University of Colorado Boulder study monitored the cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity of people riding pedelecs, which are the electric-assisted bikes that are legal to ride in bike lanes in Europe.

“Commuting with a pedelec can help individuals incorporate physical activity into their day without requiring them to set aside time specifically for exercise,” said James Peterman, a graduate researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology at CU Boulder and lead author of the new study. More …