Walk into any gym and you’ll see that both elliptical machines and exercise bikes are popular choices. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, stationary cycling has twice as many “core” participants than “casual” participants, while elliptical machines are the second-highest-sold exercise machines, bested only by treadmills. But you don’t have to choose between the two; cross-training, or varying your exercise routines and equipment, is your best bet for healthy, injury-free exercise.
Using the Machines
Both ellipticals and bikes use a cycling motion and provide a low-impact workout. Since you stand on the elliptical, you have slightly more weight-bearing exercise to help build bone density, an important consideration for women and older adults. Because most ellipticals have poles as well as pedals, you can exercise your arms to a degree. Ellipticals also allow you to pedal backwards, as well as forwards, involving more muscles in your workout.
Cardio Fitness
Most quality ellipticals and bikes include settings to vary the resistance level and programs to vary the difficulty automatically. In both machines, you determine the speed by pedaling faster. In the gym setting, you can join an exercise class on a bike, where your workout will be intense and varied.
A panel of fitness trainers and scientists discussed cardio fitness with the New York Times and gave the elliptical 80 points and the stationary bike 75. One panelist, Reed Humphrey, a professor of physical therapy, said researchers have not conducted conclusive studies on the cardio superiority of one machine over another.
Health and Safety Issues
The elliptical machine takes some getting used to, while the bike is familiar and easy to use immediately. According to Michael Berry, professor of health and exercise, people who have difficulty with balance need to take extra care on an elliptical. Both the elliptical and bike could cause overuse injuries if every workout, every day consisted of just that one machine. The elliptical received a score of 76 from the "New York Times" panelists on “wear and tear,” while the stationary bike received a 59.
Home Use Considerations
Ellipticals range from $600 to $3,000 on Consumer Search, and vary greatly in terms of quality, with gym-quality models taking up lots of household space, but providing a more solid, safe machine. Stationary bikes range from $80 to $3,000 on Shopping.com, and they take up far less space than elliptical. Consider, too, the price for a gym membership that would allow you to use both machines.
The Overall Experience
The "New York Times" panel rated the elliptical the “best all-around choice” as a fitness machine in large part because it was fun for people to use and seemed “effortless” to people, while the stationary bike “felt “boring and ineffective.” The panelists gave the elliptical a total of 369 points compared with 313 for the bike.
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