How to Choose an Exercise Bike
Posted by Renee on October 29th, 2009 filed in Uncategorized
One of the most well-liked fitness exercise machines is the exercise bike but buying one is not as straightforward as going to the store and choosing one. There are various things to reflect on before you do this. You may want to take into account not only the cost, type of bike, whether you prefer an upright or recumbent exercise bike, and how comfortable and effortless it is to adjust.
How Much Do You Want to Spend?
Obviously this is usually the most principal consideration but you don’t want to go for the lowest cost bike you can find as it may not last very long, be comfortable or give you a good workout. A beginner’s bike at the lowest will set you back approximately $200, and though this will be adequate it won’t have any of the features that can be found on costlier work out bikes. For not much more, say between 0 and 0 you will get a higher quality bike with some features such as magnetic resistance, heart rate control, a comfortable seat and generally quiet and smooth operation.
For about 0 you will be able to buy a first-rate exercise bike with all the features you may want. For this cost you should expect plenty of built-in exercise programs, easy to use display console, and resistance control, handlebars that are simple to change and a very good warranty.
Exercise Bike Comfort
Naturally your exercise bike should be comfy as you will be using it for quite long periods. You will want a well padded seat and handlebars that can be adjusted easily. Are you going to purchase an upright or recumbent exercise bike? A lot of people find that recumbent exercise bikes are more comfortable to use than upright exercise bikes as you sit in a more reclined position so there is a reduced amount of stress on your back. Upright exercise bikes, although not quite as comfy, do have the benefit that you can easily boost the level of the workout by pedalling standing up just as you would on a regular bike.
Changing the Resistance
Resistance on exercise bikes is adjustable in two ways. Most of the lower cost models use tension and a belt, higher-priced models use magnetic resistance which is quieter and more reliable. Exercise bikes that use magnetic resistance usually use a button or knob. A button is easier to use.
Heart Rate Monitors
It is really crucial to be able to keep an eye on your heart rate while training as this is the whole aim of riding your exercise bike in the first place! Always buy an exercise bike with an integrated pulse rate monitor so that you can adjust your training correspondingly. Almost all the exercise bikes do have this while cheaper bikes will frequently only have a pulse rate monitor built into the handlebars. The more expensive exercise bikes will have exercises that are driven by your heart rate so they adjust automatically to maintain your pulse rate at a level that you set. This is a very good feature but not vital if you can’t manage to pay for it.
Integrated Workout Programs
Several of the less expensive exercise bikes do not have exercise built-in programs. Even if you may believe this is not too much of a shortcoming you will discover that merely sitting on the bike and riding will grow to be monotonous very swiftly! With workout programs you can change your training and the feedback you get will help with your enthusiasm. Displays that give you feedback on distance covered,calories burned and heart rate etc. really do improve your enthusiasm and keep you exercising for much longer. The majority of the exercise bikes in the middle range i.e. between about $300 and $600 will give you a reasonable range of built-in workouts and a fairly high-quality display. More high-priced exercise bikes i.e. in the 0 and over range will have a much higher range of workouts and first-rate console displays with a whole range of feedback information.
Conclusion
Certainly, as with other fitness exercise machines, when buying an exercise bike, you get what you pay for. It is not really a good idea to buy the lowest cost exercise bike you can find as it might not last very long and you will not be pleased with the workout that you get. It is not obligatory to buy a very pricey bike but we suggest obtaining one for around $300 which will give you satisfactory exercise and keep you motivated. Read more at Buying a Fitness Exercise Machine
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