When it comes to getting in shape, the most important aspect is a willingness to commit. After that, what type of exercise or machine you want to use is secondary. For many people, the exercise/stationary bike is the answer to their fitness needs. This applies whether the bike is at home or at the gym.
There’s a lot going for stationary exercise bikes. There’s several benefits that apply to a person’s health, time and safety. There’s many different styles, ensuring there’s a type of exercise bike to fit the needs of everyone. From those styles, there are many models which have a variety of different features to them. The most important thing is to just get started and get on the bike and see where it takes you.
Benefits of Using an Exercise Bike
There’s plenty of options when it comes to fitness choices. Exercise bikes have a lot of benefits that people don’t recognize. First off, it’s obviously a great cardio workout. It helps the body burn fat while getting it used to high heart rate cardio. Unlike many other exercises, it’s shockingly low impact, ensuring that the joints in the body aren’t being damaged while working out.
Modern exercise bikes allow people to enjoy the excitement of a cycling cardio workout without having to take to the roads. Face it, there’s a lot of bad drivers out there, and while an accident isn’t likely, it’s still possible. You don’t need to go to the gym either. Many modern stationary bikes actually allow you to connect with online instructors, which ensure you’re getting a great class and burning the most calories possible on your bike.
Types of Exercise Bikes
There are several different types of stationary exercise bikes that can potentially be taken advantage of. The first type is what’s known as recumbent stationary bikes. These bikes do not in any way, shape or form look like a normal bike. There’s no upright handlebars and the cushion is undeniably one that’s very comfortable. These bikes are very easy to use and are excellent for any fitness level.
The next type of stationary bike is the upright bike. This is what most people consider to be the standard exercise bike. These bikes have fairly small seats, which can often be the classic bicycle seat. It will have front handles and a display that allows you to configure many of the settings.
Dual action bikes work in different ways. In addition to functioning as a stationary bike, they will also have the functionality of an elliptical or a star climbing machine. This will often give you a more varied workout than other bikes can. Variety keeps exercise interesting and people coming back.
The final type of bikes have been mentioned already. They are interactive bikes. These bikes typically have the styling of an upright bike, but they are linked through wifi to the internet. They can then display different bike courses around the world or tap in to online instructors who keep you going.
Popular Models
There’s quite a few different popular models of exercise bikes out there for people to choose from. Some of the most popular options include:
- Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Bike - This is a folding bike that takes up very little space. This makes it great for apartments. It’s not fully upright, but it’s quite and quite solid. It’s best for people between 5’3” and 6’1” of height, with an upper weight limit of 300 pounds.
- Peloton Bike - Almost everyone has heard of the peloton bike. It’s pretty great in almost every way, so we won’t list the benefits. The downsides mostly come down to price. It’s a huge upfront cost and the peloton classes require a subscription. Since you are paying for the software, there’s always the chance that a new model might come out and render the current out of date and unusable. Aside from those problems, it’s just incredible.
- MYX Fitness Bike - This bike is often considered a peloton alternative as it has many of the same features. One benefit is that almost anyone can use it, ranging from 4’11” tall to 6’8”. The weight limit is also quite high at 350 pounds.
- Sunny Health & Fitness Indoor Cycle Bike - For people looking for a steady flyweight bike, there’s no better option than this. The caged pedals ensure stability without having to buy specific shoes just for the bike. The resistance style uses leather bands and actually helps mimic the road, so it has a natural biking feel to it as well.