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Which Is The Best Exercise Bike For You?
Exercise bikes have long been a staple of the workout gym and fitness centers across the country as they are a machine that most people just feel confortable with right away. Biking is well known to produce some solid health benefits, but unfortunately as with most outdoor exercises, it can be difficult to do when the weather turns nasty outside. So stationary bikes help solve that problem while still providing a solid cardio workout.
There are two types of stationary exercise bikes in usage today and the choice of which to use is actually more of a personal one as there is no great preponderance of evidence that any one type of bike exercise produces more benefits cardio-wise than another. Here are the two bike types so you can choose the best exercise bike for you:
- The first type of exercise bike for consideration is the one that most people think of when they think of a bike. It sits upright and looks much like a bicycle that has lost one or both wheels. Otherwise though, it is much the same as a regular bike. You sit upright on the seat and hold the handle bars ahead of you while you work the pedals below.
- The second type is called a recumbent exercise bike and looks completely different. The rider is more laying down on it instead of sitting and the pedals are in front rather than below the body. It's more of an odd looking kind of machine, but still very effective and useful. Some claim that the recumbent can be a better choice for those have back probelms as it doesn't produce the same kind of pressure on the spine that an upright bike may cause. Also many beginner exercisers find recumbent exercise bikes easier to use at first.
Whichever bike you choose, look for one that a seat that is easily adjustable so you can sit comfortably. The pedals should also provide straps that keep your feet in contact with them at all times. And it is good to have the wheel and chain covered for safety sake. You also want to be able to vary the resistance that the bike produces to your pedaling effort as this will need to be adjusted as you get in better shape.
Finally, look for an exercise bike machine that will fit the room that you use. Some bikes are larger than others, so match the bike to the size of the room, perhaps even one that folds down and stores away for those with very limited space.
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