Exercise Bike

Arm Yourself With Information: Exercise Bike Reviews

Exercise Bike Reviews

Those who want to begin using an exercise bike as part of their fitness routine have two basic types of bike to choose from - upright and recumbent. The design of the upright bike resembles that of a typical road bike. The pedals are positioned below the rider.

The seat on the recumbent bike is chair-like or resembles a bucket seat. The design places the pedals in front of rider, a position that can place less stress on the joints.

Dual-action exercise bikes are upright bikes that have moveable bars or arm handles. With this design, the rider uses both of arms and legs, engaging in both aerobic activity and upper body toning.

Prices for exercise bikes vary from $200 to $2,000, depending on features and quality of construction. There are some recumbent bikes available at the lower end of the price range, though these are truly "bare bones" models. Many trainers and exercise experts recommend saving money for a bit longer and moving up to a bike in the $300 - $500 price range. In fact, the Schwinn 113 offers several resistance presets and heart rate programs, as well as a 10-year frame warranty - all for just $400.

The Nordic Track SL700 ($400 - $500) has 8 preprogrammed workouts, iFit and adjustable magnetic resistance. For about $600, the Ignite 745 offers many of the same desirable features, including 20 programmed workouts and a lifetime frame warranty.

Some of the more expensive exercise bikes, both upright and recumbent, offer at least 8 fitness programs and 15 to 20 levels of magnetic resistance. These top-line bikes (such as the Body Solid B3U, the Lifespan R3 and the Diamondback 960 Sr) will cost about $1,000 to $1,500. Most allow the rider to monitor progress on an easy-to-read electronic display that charts heart rate, distance, speed, time, calories, resistance level, watts and METS.

Variety is the key word when it comes to resistance levels on top-line exercise bikes. With direct tension bikes the rider can manually adjust the resistance. The cycling motion on a bike with flywheels is like regular cycling motion. Bikes with air assistance get resistance by pedaling against the airflow of a fan blade.

The most sophisticated resistance bikes are magnetic frictionless resistance bikes. These bikes provide greater variety of workout levels. Advanced bikes feature feedback technology that shows: speed, time, distance , total calories and fat burned, program mode, resistance levels, pulse, heart rate, and work out levels (RPM, watts, METS, mpm's, and mph/kph). The bike you choose to purchase will depend on your wants, needs and budget. The type of workout you're looking for will also influence your choice of bikes. But the range of prices and features in exercise bikes ensures that you will find just what you are looking for as you start on the road to fitness.