Exercise Bike

Buying an exercise bike or anything with jargons of its own can be daunting, especially if you’re technophobe. This article is going to explore the exercise bike world without jargon and help you choose the right one for you. There are two types of exercise bikes and you will learn their differences and which one you should choose for your particular situation. We’ll also be talking about what features are important and which are better.

Recumbent bike

The first type of bike is called recumbent exercise bike which is generally more comfortable and burns more fat than the upright bike. (Second type of bike) The reason why it burns more fat is because you can’t stand up and pedal, thus preventing you from cheating on your exercise.

It’s comfortable because you’re rested against a backrest with your legs pedaling in front. One of the reviewers on the internet said that recumbent bike is so comfortable that It felt like you’re resting on an armchair. It is comfortable but not that comfortable. :)

Upright bike

The second type of bike is called upright exercise bike which is like a traditional bike you see on the road. The reason why its called upright is because you’re seated upright just like a normal bike. With upright bike you can exercise your cardiovascular system more effective because of its intensity (recumbent bike is less intense but it burns more fat, the reason is for another article) and you have more flexibility. Which means you can pedal with sitting or standing and etc.

Another type of upright bike is the dual action bike which has a bar handle which you can move to exercise. This adds to the intensity and saves you time by exercising both body parts at the same time.

Pros and Cons of both bikes (and what you should buy according to your situation)

Now that you get a general view of what is upright and recumbent bike, this section is going to explore the main differences between the both of them and which one you should buy.

If you have trouble with your knees, back or you’re just prone to injuries, get recumbent bike because with upright bike you will be pounding on your joints while pedaling upright. Recumbent bike is especially great for people overweight because you’re burning more fat and at the same time protecting your joints.

If you’re looking for something to strengthen your lungs and stamina for race then you should get upright bike because upright bike is more intense.

Features you must get

Most of you are probably now asking, what features should I get for my exercise bike? And I suspect most of you only want important features. Here’s what to look out for. Flexibility: A person varies in size and if you’re buying this for your teen son then they will grow in size. What you want is an exercise bike you can use for years and anyone can use it. (buy one for your whole family!) So make sure that the size is easily adjustable and there’s a wide range of size it can adjust to.

Feedback this is very important if you’re looking to lose weight because without measuring your progress you won’t make it very far. There’s a story of a sports coach who reported vast improvement from his team just by measuring! What basic feedback mechanism you should be looking for?

Namely distance, speed, time calories burned and resistance level is what a normal exercise bike should have but a good exercise bike should have a heart-rate monitor. There are a few types of heart-rate monitor and I suggest that you get the best if your budget allows it. The first type is the hand on the handle steel (you place on hand on a steel reader on the handle) which is inaccurate.

The second type is the cordless chest strap which is very accurate and convenient for you.

Conclusion

The conclusion is you should get recumbent bike for fat loss and comfort and upright bike for intensity training. To get a review on which model to buy and which manufacturer is better for your needs, read my reviews on the right hand side.