Pedal-Assist E-Bikes may boost fitness and cut fat in sedentary students
NCT ID NCT07114991
First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether using a pedal-assist electric bike for commuting can improve physical activity, fitness, and health in overweight or obese college students. Participants are randomly assigned to either use an e-bike for at least four trips per week for 12 weeks or to a control group. Researchers measure changes in daily activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, body fat, blood lipids, and psychological well-being over 24 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pedal-assist electric bicycle (e-bike) commuting
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that e-bike commuting is a practical way for overweight young adults to boost physical activity and improve heart health.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The 12-week intervention is short, and long-term adherence is uncertain.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18-29 years * Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student * Body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m² (classified as overweight or obese) * Self-report of engaging in \<150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity * Able and willing to safely ride a bicycle for commuting or transportation purposes * Willing to be randomized and complete all study procedures across 24 weeks Able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Current use of a bicycle or e-bike for commuting ≥2 times per week * Known cardiovascular, metabolic, or orthopedic conditions that limit physical activity or make exercise testing unsafe * Currently pregnant, planning pregnancy during the study period, or less than 6 months postpartum * Use of medications known to affect glucose metabolism, heart rate, or physical activity (e.g., beta-blockers, insulin) * Diagnosed severe mental health disorders that would impair study participation * Participation in another clinical trial or lifestyle intervention within the past 3 months * Inability or unwillingness to attend lab visits or comply with the intervention protocol
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Wisconsin-River Falls
River Falls, Wisconsin, 54022, United States
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