Reading books while cycling on a stationary bike can be a great way of turning a sometimes monotonous task into a more tolerable -- even enjoyable -- experience. This can make it easier to meet the American College of Sports Medicine's recommended 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per day, five days a week. It will also allow you to get in extra studying if you are in a time crunch for school by allowing you to keep your study materials in a place where you can read them.
Step 1
Measure the height and width of the stationary bike's display panel. These measurement will let you know where to set the mounting hooks and how long your thin boards should be.
Step 2
Drill one, ½-inch hole at one end of each of the two pieces of the thin wooden boards. These holes should be inset at least 1 inch from the top of the board. The thin boards should be no more than ½-inch thick and 1-inch wide.
Step 3
Attach one mounting hook to the each of the tops of the two thin wooden boards. Insert the bolt through the hole of the mounting bracket and the self-made hole in the wooden board. Secure the bolt in place by tightening the nut with the adjustable wrench. Repeat this procedure with the other board and bracket.
Step 4
Place the boards with mounts on the display panel so that they are supported by the device. The "U" portion of the hooks should latch onto the display panel. Place these 2 inches, in-set, from each end of the display panel.
Step 5
Saw off any board the overhangs from the bottom of the display panel. Wear your safety gloves and goggles when doing this.
Step 6
Measure between the two boards with mounts. Take your measurement from the middle of each of the two suspended boards. This measurement will let you know where the holes will need to be drilled on the third piece of thin wooden board.
Step 7
Remove the two boards with mounts and drill ½-inch holes, ½ inch up from the bottom of the board and spaced directly in the middle of the board.
Step 8
Drill two more ½-inch holes through the long portion of the third wooden board piece. The distance between the middle of these two holes should be what you measured in Step 6.
Step 9
Secure one L-bracket to the bottom of each of the boards with mounts. Insert one bolt through the L-bracket and board, and secure with the nut. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the nut and bolt.
Step 10
Secure the third wooden board to the two L-brackets. The board should be placed on top of the flat portion of each the brackets on the opposing side of the two other boards. The bottom holes of each of the L-brackets should fit neatly over the two holes that you drilled into the third board. Place one bolt through the L-bracket and hole of the third board. Secure with the nut and adjustable wrench. Repeat this procedure with the other hole.
Step 11
Place the finished holder back onto the display panel of the stationary bike.
Things You'll Need
- 2 mounting hooks
- 2 L-brackets
- 3 pieces of thin, wooden boards
- ½-inch wood-cutting drill bit
- Power drill
- 6, ½-inch bolts
- 6, ½-inch nuts
- Tape measure
- Hand saw
- Adjustable wrench
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
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