Fitness Equipment and Home Gyms

Shopping online will give you the best prices and features on exercise bikes. The exercise bike has been around since the 1950s but it’s come a long way since then. Today’s stationary bike is more comfortable and has more features than ever before, and is a reasonably priced and sensible addition to any home gym.

People who like to ride a fitness bike fall into three categories. The first is the serious cyclist who is kept indoors by bad weather. Although many cyclists ride in the wintertime, the experience isn’t always pleasant, and it can be dangerous when conditions are slippery. A stationary bicycle allows athletes to keep up a training routine during the off season without a break, enhancing their performance in the summer months.

The second group of exercise bike enthusiasts are people who for one reason or another can’t or don’t want to use equipment that involves walking or running. People with disabilities and injuries fall into this category. So do people who are just starting out in a fitness program and want to take things slow at first, as well as those who simply want to maintain their current fitness level with an easygoing aerobic workout. These folks can be found sitting on an exercise cycle perusing a magazine or avidly watching their favorite TV show, barely breaking a sweat as they give their heart and legs a moderate workout.

The third group of people who like exercise bicycles is runners and walkers who want a cross-trainer. Spending one or two days a week on an exercycle gives their knees and other joints a break from the rigors of running and leaves them refreshed for their next run.

It’s no secret that a stationary bike isn’t as intense a workout as other types of fitness machines. Cycling is meant to be a long-term, low-level aerobic activity. Although elite cyclists may have the muscle and coordination to make a workout on an exercise cycle an intense cardio experience, most people don’t. However, exercise bikes can certainly put your heart into its aerobic zone, and because your heart rate will be on the low end of that zone, you can ride for much longer than you’d be able to run. Sustained low-level exercise is very good for your heart, and is probably safer for people who are out of shape, overweight, or recovering from heart disease.

To increase the intensity of your workout, you can program the exercise bike to produce more resistance on the pedals. A set of built-in programs is a nice feature to have on a fitness bike. Some models even record your personal workout routine and replay it on demand.

Some brands to look for in a stationary bike include Schwinn and Life Fitness. The Schwinn Airdyne uses a fan to produce resistance instead of an electric motor.

Most people are familiar with the upright exercise bike, which looks just like a regular bicycle with a saddle and the pedals below your torso. But not everyone is familiar with the recumbent exercise bike, which changes your seating position so you’re leaning back, with your legs out in front of you. Recumbent exercise bikes have wide seats with backrests, so they’re very comfortable. Instead of hunching over a set of handlebars, you’re reclining in comfort and can flip through a magazine as you pedal away. Many riders report that their back problems cleared up when they switched from an upright exercycle to a recumbent. Schwinn makes several models, including the Schwinn 230, the Schwinn 203, and the Schwinn 231.

The mini exercise bike has burst on the scene recently and is a favorite of people with very limited space in the home. This is simply a set of pedals in a small box that sits on the floor. Mini exercise bikes are pedaled from a sitting position in an appropriate chair and have adjustable resistance just like a full size model. Quality varies greatly in these machines. The best ones have a high rate of customer satisfaction, while the worst are little more than cheap junk.

Reading some exercise bike reviews will help you make up your mind when you’re ready to buy. Whether you’re a serious cyclist or just starting out in your fitness regimen, a stationary bike makes working out a lot easier.