What To Look For
Most exercise bikes are highly adjustable, so unless you're extremely tall or short, almost any exercise bike will fit your body. You should still test-ride an exercise bicycle before buying, however. Subtleties of pedal spacing, crank arm length and general ergonomics make the difference between a bike that feels decent and one that feels great to pedal. That's the most important factor for any exercise equipment because you'll eventually find a reason not to use a bike that doesn't feel good. Try both upright and recumbent bikes to get a feel for which you prefer. Recumbent bikes offer wider seats with back support, but upright bikes more closely mimic the motion of pedaling a real bike.
Common Pitfalls
Some exercise bike manufacturers pack their products full of features to disguise a wobbly frame or jerky, noisy resistance mechanism and, again, if it doesn't feel good you'll find a reason not to ride it. Don't let yourself get suckered into buying a bike with flashy features but a sub-par frame or resistance mechanism. Make a list of which features are most important to you, then put it aside and focus first on finding a bike with a solid frame and a smooth, quiet resistance mechanism. Don't take the list of must-have features out again until you've found a bike that feels like it can endure constant pedaling and won't drive you crazy with the noise or feel of the resistance.
Where To Buy
Occasionally you'll find a decent exercise bike for sale in a wholesale club or general retailer. But your chances of finding a well-built machine that will stand up to repeated use are better if you shop in a sporting goods store, and better yet if you shop with a dedicated exercise equipment retailer.
Cost
According to the Exercise Equipment Expert's Exercise Bike Guide, you should pay $600 or more for a good exercise bike. Decent models are available for less, but stay away from bargains that look too good to be true. Remember, a manufacturer cuts corners somewhere to offer low pricing, and if the bike has a lot of features, that leaves just the frame and resistance mechanism as corners to be cut.
Insider Tips
Even if you're on a strict budget, buy the best model you can. If you can't afford to buy a high-end bike new, shop for a used or refurbished model. But keep in mind that most exercise equipment warranties don't transfer to a second owner. If anything goes wrong with a used bike, you'll end up paying for parts and repairs.
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