A number of excellent resources are available for people in the market for an exercise bike. You can get quality recommendations from a number of unbiased sources. You also can obtain more general information about what to look for in an exercise bike and what features are offered in various price ranges.
Expert Insight
The Trainer Secrets website offers a thorough guide for choosing which exercise bike to buy. It not only describes the most important features to consider; in order of importance, it also reviews a number of popular models and highlights its top nine choices, including five from Schwinn. Consumer Search.com also recommends specific models and recommends three exercise bikes: the Marcy PL-43211 for budget shoppers, the Schwinn 230 recumbent bike at a mid-price range and the Spirit XBR 25 for high-end users, including gyms and health clubs.
Price
Price is the top consideration when buying an exercise bike, according to Trainer Secrets. You get what you pay for with exercise bikes -- the best bikes are better engineered with more features. Trainer Secrets states that a good entry-level bike will cost you around $200. However, it is worth noting that the budget choice from Consumer Search.com, the March PL-43211, runs about $145, which sounds like a bargain. Mid-range bikes run from $300 to $600 and top of the line machines are $600 or more.
Comfort
You should insist on buying an exercise bike that is comfortable, regardless of the price range. The seat should be easily adjustable. The two basic styles are recumbent and upright. Recumbent bikes, which have a chair-like seat to sit in while you peddle, are generally more comfortable for most people. But upright bikes, with a traditional bicycle seat, can be best for more strenuous workouts when you want to stand up on the peddles for maximum effort.
Resistance
Exercise bikes include three ways to build resistance. Cheaper bikes use a tension belt. Some bikes provide resistance from air from a fan blade. The best bikes utilize magnetic resistance, and provide a knob or push buttons to control the amount of resistance. For consistent and quiet performance, magnetic resistance is the way to go if you can afford it.
Gadgets
You may find necessary a number of features in an exercise bike. Heart rate monitors are useful for a lot of people. In fact, Trainer Secrets says, "I can't stress how important it is to have your bike equipped with some form of heart rate monitor. ... The whole point of riding an exercise bike it to get your heart rate up. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you're shooting yourself in the foot right from the get-go."
The display console and built-in workout programs are the elements of least importance in buying an exercise bike. The number of workout programs can range from scant to numerous and the display controls can range from bare bones to deluxe.
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