How
to Make the Best Exercise Bike Choice
If you're looking for an exercise machine that
will give you a good cardio workout without stressing your
joints, then maybe an exercise bike is just what you need.
Treadmills are still the most popular exercise machine out
there, but not everyone can use a treadmill safely, because
of the high impact exercise that it asks you to do. If you
have very sensitive joints for any reason, you'll have to
try a different means of getting a daily workout.
Elliptical trainers can work well for this purpose,
but an exercise bike is also a very fine choice. A lot of
people seem to gravitate to exercise bikes, probably because
they are familiar with the overall design. And everyone knows
that riding a bicycle is good exercise, so it only makes sense
that if you can perform the same motions indoors you should
be able to get similar health benefits.
So what should you look for when you are shopping
for exercise bikes? The first thing to decide is whether you
wish to have an upright bike or a recumbent bike. The upright
exercise bike looks very similar to a real bicycle, with handlebars,
a seat, and pedals underneath. The recumbent exercise bike
on the other hand, can be a sort of strange looking contraption,
that you actually lay in and pedal with your feet straight
out in front of you. Most fitness experts seem to agree that
either type of exercise bike will work well for you, it just
depends on your personal preference and comfort level as to
which bike you should buy. For instance, those with chronic
back problems may find the recumbent exercise bike much easier
to work with.
When looking over the exercise bike candidates,
the same general rule of thumb applies here as it does in
other exercise machines. You generally get what you pay for.
In other words, most of the really cheap exercise bikes will
not hold up well over the long haul. So expect to pay at least
$600 to $1000 for a good piece of equipment, and $1500 or
more for a really heavy-duty gym quality machine.
It's always a good idea to try out any exercise
bike model that interests you in advance in person. See how
comfortable it is for you to use as you exercise. Does this
seat fit you as it should? Can you adjust the seat level to
give you a comfortable travel distance to the pedals?
Other considerations include whether or not
that particular model has a heart rate monitor. This is a
good piece of equipment to have for almost any exercise machine
that you want to use. In fact, some machines are even coming
with interactive heart rate monitors that keep an eye on your
heart rate level and adjust your workout automatically to
help you burn the most calories per session. If you can get
an exercise bike with this feature, it can be well worth it.
Also make sure that the display on each model
gives you the information that you would really like to have
as you workout. Does it keep track of the time that you have
been on the machine? Does it show the calories you have burned?
Does it display your heart rate level? Does it allow you to
adjust the resistance of the machine as you workout?
As you test out each machine, take notes on
each model, both its strengths and its weaknesses, and then
compile the information after you have looked at a good representation
of all exercise bike models available. By keeping the suggestions
listed above in mind and doing your homework you should be
able to make the best exercise bike choice possible for your
needs.
Credited by Thad Pickering
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