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If you’re a former or current runner, then you’ve probably been injured. And that’s not surprising. After all, when you run, you subject your body to impact forces that are equal to two to three times your body weight. And when you run again and again, that repetitive impact has been linked to a high injury rate. A 2004 study stated: “Running is one of the most widespread activities during which overuse injuries of the lower extremity occur.”

Luckily, there is a solution: Scientific research shows that exercising on ElliptiGO bikes empowers riders to improve fitness while reducing pain. Additionally, ElliptiGO cycling burns more calories than traditional cycling. And best of all … it’s fun! Let’s take a look at the studies that have been conducted on ElliptiGO bikes.

ElliptiGO cycling burns 33% more calories than standard bicycling. 

In 2011, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), conducted a study comparing running, traditional cycling, and ElliptiGO cycling. Males and females between the ages of 30 and 41 ran, biked, and rode ElliptiGOs on the flat inner skirt of a bike track at intensities ranging from easy to very difficult. Researchers found that ElliptiGO cycling required 33% more effort, on average, than bicycling at the same speed. 

While there are many factors that impact energy expenditure while cycling (such as a rider’s weight, riding experience and overall fitness), during flat rides at speeds over 10 mph, the most significant factor is a rider’s size and the corresponding frontal area that they have to push through the air. The upright riding position of ElliptiGO cyclists not only gives riders a great view of their surroundings, reduces back pain and eliminates seat pain, it also results in a much greater front area while cycling when compared to the hunched-over position of a traditional cyclist. And that unique ElliptiGO riding position of standing tall results in a higher effort than cycling at the same speed, resulting in a greater calorie burn.

Researchers also found that running and ElliptiGO riding were very similar in terms of perceived exertion levels and heart rate responses. In fact, riding an ElliptiGO bike at 11 mph was determined to be equivalent to running at a 10-minute mile pace. Riding an ElliptiGO bike at 16 mph was determined to be equivalent to running at an 8-minute mile pace — without the joint-pounding of running.

ElliptiGO cycling improves fitness and body composition … and it’s fun!

A 2015 American Council on Exercise (ACE) study proved that riding an ElliptiGO bike exceeds accepted guidelines for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition. Healthy adults aged 18 to 45 participated in the study. The results showed that the participants, on average, exercised at 75% of VO2 max and 84% of their maximum heart rate, burning 356 to 436 calories during a 30-minute workout. These results exceed the American Council of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) guidelines for exercise to manage or lose weight.

The study revealed one other impressive result: Participants had fun riding their ElliptiGO bikes — even on a 400-meter track, where the study was conducted! And fun is a key factor in helping people stick with a workout. The researchers noted that people tend to be intrinsically motivated to be physically active when they truly enjoy their workouts, and they benefit from positive emotions and attitudes like happiness, relaxation and freedom, in addition to the physical benefits of exercise. 

Runners can train on ElliptiGO bikes to improve fitness — without pain.

A 2016 study in partnership with Ohio University compared run-only training to ElliptiGO-only training. Highly fit, experienced runners under the age of 30 were the subjects. The study found that runners who did run-only training experienced more soreness in their lower body than runners who only trained on an ElliptiGO bike. Even runners who were already experiencing minor running pain did not feel that pain while riding an ElliptiGO bike. Meanwhile, both groups experienced the same improvement in Ventilatory Threshold (easy running) pace and maintained their VO2 max level, running economy, respiratory compensation point (hard running), and their 5,000-meter time trial performance. The bottom line: Runners made the same fitness gains with reduced pain by training solely on ElliptiGO bikes. 

Cross-training on ElliptiGO bikes improves running economy and mobility.

While the Ohio University study showed that ElliptiGO-only training was superior to run-only training in terms of pain reduction, how would ElliptiGO bikes compare to other typical cross-training machines? A University of Memphis 2015 study aimed to find out. With high school runners as the subjects, the study compared the effects of cross-training on stationary elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and ElliptiGO bikes. The findings suggested that ElliptiGO bike riding improved mobility, which implies that stand-up cycling could reduce the risk of running-related injuries. The study concluded that ElliptiGO bike riding may be the most effective cross-training exercise for improving running economy, which is a measurement of how efficiently runners use oxygen at race pace. 

Science proves what our customers know: ElliptiGO cycling is the best way to get fit and have fun!

Thousands of customers have shared that riding ElliptiGO bikes has helped them recover from injuries, reduce pain, increase fitness, lose weight, and boost happiness. Scientific research proves what they already know:

• ElliptiGO riders burn 33% more calories than traditional cyclists, without seat pain.
• Adults who are looking to maintain or improve fitness can burn more calories in 30 minutes riding an ElliptiGO bike than doing other forms of exercise — and ElliptiGO cycling is more fun!
• ElliptiGO bikes are a superior cross-training tool that improves mobility as well as running economy.
• ElliptiGO cycling provides the same fitness gains as run-only training, without lower-body pain.

Studies show that exercising on ElliptiGO bikes is beneficial for improving fitness, reducing pain, and increasing happiness. As writer Daniel J. Green wrote in an article about the 2015 ACE study, “The ElliptiGO offers a safe, low-impact workout … And, by all accounts, it’s a lot of fun. What more could you want from a piece of exercise equipment?”