Tips on Buying an Exercise Bike

Posted on October 17, 2009
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One of the most common fitness exercise machines is the exercise bike but buying one is not as simple as going to the store and picking one out. There are various things to reflect on before you do this. You will want to think about not only the cost, type of bike, whether you prefer a recumbent or upright exercise bike, and how comfortable and easy it is to adjust.

What is Your Budget?

Of course this is always the most significant concern but you don’t want to go for the cheapest exercise bike available as it may perhaps not last for 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 will not have any of the features that can be found on more expensive exercise bikes. For a little more, between 0 and 0 you’ll get a higher quality exercise bike with some features such as magnetic resistance, heart rate control, a comfortable seat and generally quiet and smooth operation.

For around 0 you will be able to obtain a first-rate exercise bike with all the features you may want. For this price you ought to expect plenty of built-in exercise programs, simple to use resistance control and LED display console, handlebars that are straightforward to adjust and a very good guarantee.

Comfort of the Exercise Bike

Certainly your exercise bike should be comfortable as you will be using it for quite long periods. You will want a well padded seat and handlebars that can be adjusted effortlessly. Are you going to buy an upright or recumbent exercise bike? A lot of people think that recumbent exercise bikes are more comfortable to use than upright exercise bikes as you sit in a more reclined position which puts less strain on your back. Upright exercise bikes, although not quite as comfy, do have the advantage that you can effortlessly boost the level of the workout by pedalling standing up just as you would on a regular bicycle.

Changing the Resistance

Resistance on exercise bikes is amendable 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.

Monitoring Your Heart Rate

It is very important to be able to monitor 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 heart rate monitor so that you can adjust your training appropriately. Just about all the exercise bikes do have this though cheaper ones will frequently only have a pulse rate monitor built into the handlebars. The more expensive exercise bikes will have workouts that are controlled by your heart rate so they adjust automatically to maintain your pulse rate at a level that you fix. This is a very good feature but not essential if you can’t afford it.

Integrated Workout Programs

Many of the less expensive exercise bikes do not have workout integral programs. Although you may believe this is not too much of a shortcoming you will find that simply sitting on the bike and pedalling will turn out to be boring very rapidly! With exercise programs you can change your exercising and the feedback you get will assist with your motivation. Display consoles that give you feedback on distance covered,calories burned and heart rate etc. truly do help your enthusiasm and keep you exercising for much longer. Most of the exercise bikes in the mid-budget range i.e. between roughly $300 and $600 will give you a reasonable variety of integral workouts and a moderately good quality display. More expensive 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 complete range of feedback information.

Conclusion

Evidently, with exercise bikes, as with other fitness exercise machines, you get what you pay for. It isn’t really a good plan to buy the lowest cost exercise bike you can find as it might not last very long and you will not be satisfied with the exercise that it gives you. It is not necessary to buy a very pricey bike but we recommend buying one for around $300 which will give you good quality exercise and keep you motivated. Read more at Buying a Fitness Exercise Machine

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