NYC DOT and NYU Launch First-of-its-Kind E-Bike Cardiovascular Health Study
The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and New York University (NYU) have launched the NYC E-Bike Health Study, a research collaboration designed to examine how the use of electric bikes (e-bikes) and the city’s cycling infrastructure influence the cardiovascular health of New Yorkers.
The study arrives as e-biking becomes a primary mode of transport for a growing number of residents. While existing research indicates that e-biking provides moderate physical activity—exceeding the levels associated with walking or sedentary travel—large-scale, population-level evidence regarding these health benefits for New Yorkers has remained limited. This new initiative, led by Dr. Rumi Chunara, Director of the NYU Center for Health Data Science, aims to fill that data gap.
Infrastructure and Public Health
The initiative is tied to a broader effort to expand the city’s active transportation network. NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn stated that because more New Yorkers are cycling for affordability and convenience, the “Mamdani administration will be doubling down on delivering safe cycling infrastructure.”
Flynn noted that e-bikes are particularly popular among families and delivery workers who benefit from the added motorized boost. He emphasized that the city must adapt street designs and policies not only to ensure rider safety but to better understand the resulting health benefits for the general population.
Dr. Rumi Chunara, who is also an associate professor at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the NYU School of Global Public Health, explained that the research will compare e-bikes to conventional cycling and other transportation modes. “Understanding how our streets can influence our choices can help create better health outcomes for all New Yorkers,” Chunara said.
The Surge in Urban Cycling
The study is set against a backdrop of rapid growth in city cycling. Daily cycling trips in New York City now exceed 600,000, representing a 64% increase from the 380,000 daily trips recorded in 2013. This growth has been supported by NYC DOT investments in micromobility programs, greenways, and protected lanes.
The broader implications of such shifts are highlighted by an EPA study, which found that if Americans walked, biked, or e-biked for half of all trips under one mile, the collective impact would include:
- A decrease of 2 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
- Savings of $575 million on fuel.
- Savings of $900 million in car maintenance costs.
Study Methodology and Participation
Funded by the NYC DOT, the mixed-methods study is open to adults 18 and older who live in New York City and can ride a bike, including standard bike riders and e-bike delivery workers. The research consists of three primary components:
- Online Survey: A brief survey examining health, riding habits, and barriers to cycling is open through August 2026 at ebikestudy.nyc.
- Focus Groups: A subset of survey participants will be invited this fall to participate in 90-minute in-person sessions to discuss their cycling choices, and experiences.
- Wearable Device Study: Later this fall, a selected group of riders will use fitness trackers to provide objective activity data to be compared against self-reported survey results.
Future Implications
The research is intended to quantify the impact of e-bikes on the length and frequency of trips taken by New Yorkers. These patterns, combined with the upcoming wearable device data, will be used to reveal the effects of e-biking on cardiovascular health.
The findings from this study could further bolster New York City’s plans to expand its protected bike network, positioning safe routes as vital pieces of public health infrastructure. NYC DOT and NYU plan to have draft results of the study prepared next year.
