E-Bike Versus Classic Bike Intervention Trial

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The effects of active commuting with an e-bike, as compared with a classic bike, on cardiorespiratory fitness and vascular health are largely unknown. To assess whether active commuting with an e-bike or a classic bike increases peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) in untrained and overweight individuals.

Detailed Description
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Riding an electrically assisted bicycle (e-bike) is thought to be suitable to increase physical activity in daily life, to promote health, and to increase cardiorespiratory fitness in normal-weight individuals. The positive effect of commuting to work by a normal bike on cardiorespiratory fitness has been shown to be an important predictor of cardiovascular mortality in previous studies. We thought to improve maximal oxygen uptake by commuting to work by e-bike vs. classic bike. Besides cardiorespiratory fitness we assessed arterial stiffness as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

Official Title
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E-Bike Study - Endurance Capacity Following 1 Month Training of Classic Bike Versus Electric-assisted Bike

Conditions
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Physical Activity, Obesity

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Commuting to work


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: body mass index 25-35 kg/m2, and willingness to commute to work by e-bike or by normal bike at least 3 times per week with a one-way distance of ≥ 6 km. Exclusion Criteria: cycling as a leisure-time activity, active commuting to work or exercise training more than once per week within 4 weeks before the start of the study, uncontrolled cardiovascular diseases limiting cardiorespiratory fitness, stage II arterial hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure > 95 mmHg), renal diseases, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (HbA1c > 6.5%), or active malignancy or chemotherapy during the past 6 months.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: E-bike intervention<br>Intervention is active commuting to work by an electric assisted bike to work for a period of 4 weeks at least 3 times per week with a minimal distance of 6 km per way | Behavioral: Commuting to work<br>* Commuting by an electric assisted bike to work for a period of 4 weeks at least 3 times per week<br>|
| Active Comparator: Bike intervention<br>Intervention is active commuting to work by classic bike for a period of 4 weeks at least 3 times per week with a minimal distance of 6 km per way | Behavioral: Commuting to work<br>* Commuting by an electric assisted bike to work for a period of 4 weeks at least 3 times per week<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| maximal oxygen uptake | maximal oxygen uptake measured on a cycle ergometer with a ramp protocol | 4 weeks |