Fitness Exercise Bikes - They Still Deliver The Goods
While the mention of the phrases 'exercise machines' or 'aerobic exercise equipment' is likely to make most people think of elliptical trainers or motorized treadmills, there are still a number of other good options for someone that wants a machine that provides an aerobic workout. Stair climbers, rowing machines and stationary bicycles are some good choices. What really matters is what you like to do. Regardless of whether the latest research says elliptical trainers or treadmills or anything else provides the best workout, that means nothing to a person who cannot stand to exercise on an elliptical or treadmill. Since there is a large group of people who prefer to do their workouts on a fitness exercise bike, we'll talk a little about them in this article.
If you have a regular road or mountain bike, there's a money saving indoor cycling alternative available to you. You can place your bike in what's called a 'trainer'. This device usually fits under the back wheel of the bicycle and raises it off the ground while providing adjustable resistance through various methods, such as a fan or magnet. Many of these bike trainers have controls that attach to the handlebar so the rider can change the resistance without dismounting. Some newer models provide resistance that changes with the amount of effort the user exerts, in an effort to provide a workout that is similar to actually riding on the road. For those of you with deeper pocketbooks, there are trainers that attach to computers and allow the rider to perform all sorts of different workouts on various courses and even race against a computer generated rider.
The traditional exercise bike setup is now referred to as an "upright exercise bike". While the old fashioned form of these bikes, using an adjustable strap or magnet to provide resistance, is still available, it's been somewhat overshadowed by what's referred to as a spinning bike or spinbike. These bikes were created for use in spinning classes, which came into existence about ten years ago and were quite the craze for awhile. While spinning is no longer the big thing in fitness, it is still very popular, and the bikes are available to home exercisers as well as participants in spinning classes. It's worth considering a spinning bike for your home workouts due to the smoothness of the resistance (provided by a heavy flywheel) and the normally very durable construction. Since these bikes do require quite a bit of an investment compared to a regular upright bike, you should be certain that you've made a commitment to ride on a regular basis before getting one.
Another fairly recent development is the recumbent exercise bike. This configuration puts the user in a leaning back position, with the pedals more in front of the exerciser than below them. It's been shown to be excellent for some people with lower back or neck problems who have difficulty using the upright versions. And those who tend to have problems with the traditional bicycle seat may also prefer the recumbent, which usually has a seat that more closely resembles a chair or a car's bucket seat. There are also some other alternatives such as dual-action bikes, which provide upper body exercise through the use of arm poles in addition to the expected lower body workout. One advantage of this type is that the form of resistance is usually a fan-like mechanism attached to both the pedal cranks and arm poles, which in addition to providing resistance that increases with speed, also provides a cooling breeze to the user. So you've got a few options when it comes to choosing fitness exercise bikes. Do some research and try them all out to insure that you make a wise investment!
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