Exercise bikes are a natural choice for home cardio training because the pedaling motion is already familiar to many. You may encounter a dual-action bike that has movable handles, letting you tone your upper body as you pedal, but in most cases exercise bikes work only your legs. Regardless of what type of exercise bikes you're considering, always try the bike before purchasing it. That's the only way to be sure that it suits you.
Recumbent vs. Upright
One of the most obvious distinctions among exercise bikes is whether they are recumbent or upright. Upright exercise bikes closely resemble a normal bike, with a heavy plastic housing around the moving parts. Most upright exercise bikes have a broader, more comfortable seat than a standard road bike. Recumbent bikes place you lower to the ground than an upright bike, with the pedals located in front of you instead of below you. The recumbent bike seat closely resembles a small chair; the seat itself is even broader than an upright bike's seat and comes with a backrest.
Resistance
The oldest, and usually cheapest, exercise bikes still in use function by direct tension. You use a twist knob to adjust how much tension a belt or strap exerts on a disc that you turn by pedaling. You'll also find bikes powered by a fly wheel, air flow--you pedal against the resistance of a fan blade--and, on the most expensive of bikes, magnetic frictionless resistance that adjusts electronically with a push of a button.
Cost
Some of the factors that will affect an exercise bike's cost include how noisy it is, what kind of resistance it uses, how well-built it is, how the resistance adjusts, how much the bike frame adjusts, and what sort of electronic display and programming--if any--it offers. In April 2010, you could expect to spend a minimum of $200 for a basic but effective home exercise bike, with a more sophisticated model costing from $600 to well over $1,000.
Features
The most basic--and cheapest--exercise bikes will be little more than a seat and a pair of pedals. Some of the features to consider purchasing include pre-programmed workouts, built-in heart rate monitors, clip-in pedals or foot straps, book rests, and bottle holders.
Safety
Moving parts on an exercise bike should be completely covered if you have children. The bike should adjust to fit your body size. Using an improperly adjusted bike is a recipe for discomfort, if not injury. The bike should be heavy enough that it feels stable when you're on it.
Member Comments