Exercise Bikes Buyers Guide
With lockdown moving again and winter getting ever closer exercise is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. Exercise bikes are a very popular piece of equipment to have at the home gym and in a commercial gym. But the whole process of buying an exercise bike can be a super daunting experience overall. There is A vast amount of different brands of exercise bikes that you can choose from now on the market, and with websites like Amazon bringing tons more brands to the market, It’s never been harder to choose. So making sure you spend your money correctly is a massive part of choosing a new exercise bike and we’ve got some simple guidelines which we are setting out that will make your choice of exercise bike a lot easier. |
Do I really want an exercise bike?
This may be the most obvious question, but also the most important one, are you sure you really want an exercise bike? Making sure you answer this question correctly will also help you decide what kind of bike is that you want and what can a function is a needs to be able to fulfil your workout goals.
If you simply just want her exercise bike to just leave a little bit fitter, then this is a really easy decision to make, however if you are looking to take your exercise regime to the next level and work out harder than you have been currently then you need to make sure that the bike that you choose are the best functions for you to be able to keep fit and lose weight. Not all exercise bikes are created equal and if you want to achieve your goals then it is essential that you choose the right bike with the right functions to be able to create the right exercise intensity.
Who is going to be using this bike?
Is it just going to be you using the bike, Or are there other people gonna be using the bike as well? You need to establish who is going to be using the exercise bike to make sure you buy the perfect bike for everyone using it. For instance it may seem simple but you need to make sure that everyone can be using the bike can fit the bike perfectly, having a bike that is adjustable not just in the seat position also the handlebars is essential to ensuring that everyone gets a perfect workout from this machine.
More than anything you Wanna make sure that the machine is appropriate for the workouts that everyone Is using it for, so it is essential that you have the right amount of resistance levels on the machine so that everyone can push themselves further and achieve their workout goals!
How will the exercise bike be used?
It really depends on how you can use this exercise bike and also what your end goals are from this. If you are just using it as a gentle exercise machine for a simple workout then it really doesn’t matter if you go for a cheaper machine with a lesser construction quality.
It’s really not going to matter as much as if you are not using it like a pro would. If you are looking to undertake some serious cardio workouts then you need to make sure that you are spending a little bit more so that the machine that you spend money on is gonna last and not outgrow your workouts which is the most important part of this As you don’t want to be buying twice!
Which type of exercise bike do I need?
This can be the biggest decider in which exercise bike you end up with choosing the best type for your workout goals. Very simply there are two types of exercise bikes: Upright and Recumbent.
Both of these exercise bikes are very different in style but provide similar levels of cardio training. Both can burn a lot of calories, but the recumbent bike is a much more relaxed exercise bike with a much larger seat and in general it is much more comfortable to sit on and work out on. It has handgrips at the sides for when you pedal with your legs in front rather than below which means that it is much more reclined when you are sitting and in general is a much more relaxing way of exercising. However you’ve got to consider that this is generally seen as a much less intense machine to use and in general not such a good workout.
The upright bikes are more akin to a regular road bike and as such are generally seen as a much better workout then the recumbent bikes themselves. You sit like you do on a road bike you are upright and you pedal with your legs below you just as you words out on the road. This is generally seen as the best workout you can get from exercise bike and with the newer additions of spinning bikes set up in the same fashion as an upright bike, you can get a really good workout similar to that being out on a road bike.
How much do I have to spend?
As with everything in the home workout category we do not suggest that you scrimp on your home exercise bikes, in general you will just find that you are can end up buying twice and while this is often appealing to spend less in the first case it’s definitely not sustainable way of living.
So the amount of money that you have to spend on your exercise bike really does depend on your budget as a general rule we do recommend that you spend more to get a higher build quality more functions and overall a more enjoyable bike to use that you are likely to use more in the future!
Which Bikes do you recommend?
We have got quite a few personal recommendations or exercise bike that we definitely recommend you check out as soon as possible. All these recommendations are bikes that we have used ourselves even we own them or we have used a friends exercise bike.
Dripex Upright Exercise Bikes (Indoor Studio Cycles)
Pleny Folding Fitness Bike
Bit of a no-brainer this one. I have used this fitness bike personally, I was writing definitely better bikes on the market, by always think that the best fitness bike is the one you are actually going to use. This bike is one of the better bikes that we tried for storing once you’re done with it. Make it so much more likely out and use it. Some of the other bikes that we recommend whilst they are more robust and have a lot more options they are a lot bigger and cannot be stored. It also has really call option of adjustable resistance bands which can be used for a full body workout.
YOLEO Stationary Exercise Bike Indoor Cycling Bike
Genuinely a fantastic exercise bike, which really should be priced much higher than it is! Whilst more of an unknown brand, it comes with silly good reviews, which is how we came to purchase ourselves. A similar bike branded one of the top name brands would be almost double the price is really worth considering this exercise bike is a big contender.
This is extremely well made and very heavy-duty so really don’t expect you have any issues with it all in terms of durability. We used ourselves we were able to pound away at it hours and hours. Lost tons of options for resistance as well similar to much more expensive bikes. Absolutely would recommend, that as it comes through Amazon delivery is top-notch and if you have any issues until you get two year warranty with Amazon themselves out of the box. Can’t say better than that!
BlueFin Fitness 5.0
This is a bit of a beauty and one of my most recommended fitness bikes on Amazon. It feels much much more expensive Ivy would find in a commercial gym, except that the pricetag just doesn’t match.
This bike comes with all the standard options that you would expect on any fitness bike, is extremely well made and has the awesome option of a integrated app which has tons of different courses and training videos as well as an LCD display. It feels much more expensive Peleton-esque bike but for 1/4 of the pricetag!!
How much space do exercise bikes take up?
Very good question and easily one of the most important questions in this article. Exercise bikes are big and they take up a lot of space generally so if you are an in a house or flat where space is at a premium then you really do need to consider the dimensions before you think of buying your machine.
There are a lot of machines nowadays which are much more advanced than the study and can also fold for easy storage which is something we definitely recommend look into if you are at a premium for space. Don’t let the space the exercise bikes take up discourage you from getting one they are a great workout device and you definitely should get one if you are investing in your health!
What resistance will I need?
It really depends on your current level of fitness and if you have been used to road biking or using exercise bikes in the past before. Different exercise bikes create resistance in different ways so it’s super important that you know how they work so that you can make sure you get the best out of your exercise bike and it lasted for a long time and doesn’t outgrow your current fitness regime.
How do exercise bikes work to create resistance?
Simply put there are four different ways in which your exercise bikes work to create resistance. Magnetic – these bikes are simple work on magnetic’s and let you pedal without so much noise and without friction. These are very smooth and easy bikes to use.
Air – these are some of the simplest bikes in terms of construction, they have a fan in them which when you pedal creates a resistance through the airflow. The harder you paddle the more airflow the more resistance you get and the harder it is overall from your ride. These are often seen in commercial gyms.
Direct tension – these are simple exercise bikes they run on and a dial which you manually adjust to create further resistance. You see a lot of these around and they are some of the most popular.
Flywheel resistance – these are getting much more popular and are the type of bikes you generally see in gyms nowadays. They afternoon spinning bikes and are some of the hardest to use and provide the best workout. Essentially you have two pedal to move a heavy flywheel similar to a road bike and they also have adjustable tension to make it even harder similar to replicating a hill out on the road these are generally much more expensive however.
What are programmes used for?
It seems to be the standard now on all good exercise bikes that they come with a plethora of workout programs built into them generally on a touchscreen device. These programs vary from manufacturer but are generally seen as very popular types of exercise because they can allow you to get more immersed in the training that you are doing.
They come in a range of different types of workout such as HIIT training which can be really daunting and hard work and much more simpler heart rate zone training programs. Overall they are not important and shouldn’t be a dealbreaker if you are dedicated to working out, however a lot of people will find that these kind of programs can help them get immersed in their training and definitely help if they are not used to working out before this. They absolutely can keep you motivated!
How much warranty can I expect?
Almost all manufacturers these days offer really good warranty on their exercise bikes, and generally two years is considered the standard. We absolutely recommend you purchase through Amazon as alongside the manufacturer warranty this also gives you much more built-in protection because Amazon’s customer service is 2nd to none and should you have any problems at all you can go to them directly before you go to the manufacture if are any problems at all the manufacturer.