Exercise Bike

The exercise bike is the early cardio machines in the gym which is still popular, even though there are various exercise machines today. It has pedals, handlebars and a seat like regular bicycles but without wheels. So it’s simple to use because most people are able to ride the bikes, that means machine training is not necessary.

Moreover, it allows you to spin faster than riding on the road because you don’t have to worry about the accidents. So exercise bike is good for your heart and lungs exercise.

What It’s Good For

Bike Training:
It’s sure that the real bike is good if you use it as everyday vehicle to reduce global warming. But if you want to exercise seriously, you must increase your heart rate to target HR zone (50-85% of average maximum heart rate). That makes you have to spin at high speeds continuously, which could cause an accident if you do it on the road. For a stationary bike, you don’t need to worry about this.

Interval Training:
Exercise bike allows you to increase and decrease speed yourself. That means you can sprint to top speed and recover to very low speed as you want. So, it’s suitable for interval workout like Tabata method which can burn a ton of calories within 4 minutes.

Things to Consider for the Best

Types of Exercise Bikes

• Upright Bike looks just like a regular bike, which everyone is familiar, but no wheels. So, it requires little space and is easy to posture.
• Recumbent Bike is designed according to ergonomic to be comfortable. It has a backrest to support user back while exercising which is good for those who have back problems. Pedals are positioned in front of body that help reduce stress on knees and ankles.
• Spin Bike is designed to resemble a racing road bike. Frame and mechanism are sturdy and can support high-speed spin that’s great for intense workout and cycling training.

Flywheel Weight - Flywheel is a main mechanical part of exercise bike that provides momentum to make spinning feeling like riding a real bike. The heavier flywheel also makes spinning more steady and the bike feel more solid.

Drive System

• Chain Drive is same system with outdoor bikes that make feeling when spinning is similar. So, it’s noisy and require frequent maintenance.
• Belt Drive made from rubber, so it requires less maintenance and is very quiet that doesn’t disturb others in the room.

Conclusion

Exercise bike is a simple machine that everyone can use. It’s lightweight and has no complicated parts that can be assembled and transported by a single person. It requires less space and is low price compared to other cardio machines like elliptical and treadmill. Only about $200 - $300 you can get a high quality exercise bike. For other types, you may have to pay more than $1,000 to get a high quality model.