Exercise Bike Buying Guide
Exercise Bikes Overview
As with any piece of home fitness equipment, when purchasing an exercise bike there are a few points too consider.
Exercise bikes are very popular as they do not take up as much room as a treadmill or elliptical cross trainer.
Exercise bikes are an excellent way to stay in shape and are suitable for all levels from beginner to the more serious trainers.
A great benefit of the exercise bike is that there is no impact on the lower joints meaning that it is ideal for rehab and people
with lower joint problems.
There are 3 main types of exercise bike, these are: Upright exercise bikes, recumbent bikes and spinning bikes.
The upright exercise bike is a normal cycling position and is similar to riding a road bike, the recumbent bike
is a seated position with a backrest and the pedals are out in-front of you (these are an alternative option for people with lower
back problems) and spinning bikes or aerobic training bike as they are also known are similar to a racing bike and
were made popular with the spinning classes at health clubs which is a more intense workout. Also for consideration with
exercise bikes is if you are less mobile in the lower joints, then look for an exercise bike with what we call a set through feature.
This allows you to get onto the exercise bike a lot easier than trying to throw your leg over the saddle.
Resistance
As with elliptical cross trainers, exercise bikes vary the intensity of the workout by adding resistance to a flywheel.
This can be magnetic resistance which means that there is a flywheel with a bank of magnets which at the touch of a button
or turn of a dial will add magnetic resistance by moving the magnets closer to or away from the flywheel.
The other type of resistance is where there is a strap around the flywheel and this is tightened or released to give the resistance level.
The non magnetic resistance tends to be on entry level bikes. Exercise bikes with magnetic resistance have a smoother movement which
provides a more realistic and enjoyable workout. Look out for the flywheel weight on the exercise bike as the heavier the weight
the smoother it will feel.
Seat
As with any form of exercise it is always important to have the correct position and posture. The correct position for an
exercise bike is when you are seated and your feet are on the pedals with one foot at the lowest position there should be a
slight bend in the leg. Therefore when looking for the right exercise bike make sure that it has an adjustable seat. You should
also be able to keep your back straight and upright whilst holding the handle bars, so again look for exercise bikes with adjustable handle bars.
Features
Most exercise bikes will have one or two built in programmes where the resistance will adjust automatically these are excellent
motivators and will help you to adhere to you exercise regime. The higher level exercise bikes will also have what we call heart
rate control programmes which will adjust the resistance according to your heart rate to keep you within your heart rate training
zone making sure that you get the best from your workout. We have many exercise bikes from top brands such as Proform,
Nordictrack, Reebok, Weslo, Marcy, V-Fit and Motive to name a few.
Warranties
As with any home fitness equipment, exercise bikes should have at least 12 months warranty.
Most brands will offer 2 years warranty and there will be various extensions on this.
It is always better to stick with branded Exercise bikes such as Proform, Nordictrack, Welso etc
as they will carry good warranties and have good back up support. Hopefully this exercise bike guide will help you with your purchase.
However should you require any further information on exercise bikes, then please contact our sales team on 0845 6435656.
Please Note: it is always advisable to consult with your GP before entering into any exercise regime.