Purchasing exercise equipment such as a treadmill or exercise bike is not only a financial investment, but also a major investment in your health and fitness. Considering the overall reliability of a treadmill or exercise bike regarding workout intensity and long-term function should help you choose the piece of exercise equipment that matches your individual fitness goals and interests. Both treadmills and exercise bikes have positives and drawbacks to their reliability.
Workout Intensity
Workout intensity refers to energy used or calories burned during a specific time frame. According to Bret Spottke from the Exercise Equipment Expert website, both the treadmill and exercise bike burn a significant number of calories and body fat, but the treadmill burns more calories. Along with burning more calories, the treadmill improves bone density and muscular strength better than the exercise bike. As a result, when it comes to the reliability of workout intensity, the treadmill outperforms the exercise bike.
Durability
The long-term durability of a treadmill or exercise bike depends on the quality of the materials and overall design of moving and working parts. Treadmills, for example, are made with a steel or aluminum frame for stability and durability, but they also feature numerous moving and working parts, such as the running belt, roller and, on some models, the incline function. Resistance bikes, however, have basic manual adjustments for the pedals and seat post, along with moving parts within the pedals. As a result of the design and limited number of moving parts, exercise bikes provide more long-term durability than treadmills.
Power Supply
Treadmills and exercise bikes require a power supply to operate the display console that tracks and displays workout data such as speed, time and distance. Treadmills typically require a dedicated circuit to operate the DC continuous duty motor. Exercise bikes, however, operate on AC power created by batteries and an internal generator fueled by the magnetic resistance. With the ability to create its own power supply, exercise bikes are more reliable than treadmills in this arena.
Warranty
If you experience problems with the overall function of your treadmill or exercise bike, most manufacturers protect your investment with a specific warranty plan. The best exercise bikes commonly feature a 10-year warranty for the frame, two years for parts and six months for labor. The best treadmills, however, commonly feature a lifetime warranty on the frame, 20-year warranty on the motor, three years on the deck and moving parts and a one-year warranty on labor.
References
- Dick's Sporting Goods: How to Buy A Treadmill
- Dick's Sporting Goods: How to Buy An Exercise Bike
- Exercise Equipment Expert; "Treadmill vs Exercise Bike"; Bret Spottke; October 2008
- Exercise Equipment Expert; "Nautilus U514 Exercise Bike Review"; Bret Spottke
- Exercise Equipment Expert; "Sole F80 Treadmill Review"; Bret Spottke
- Exercise Equipment Expert; "'Treadmill Buying Guide"; Bret Spottke
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