Cheap Recumbent Excercise Bikes and Exersise Cycles

Exercise bikes are one of the more popular pieces of exercise equipment found in home gyms and home fitness studios across the world.

They offer a great cardiovascular and fat burning workout with special attention being paid obviously to the legs, butt and thigh areas.

They are also one of the few pieces of exercise equipment you can use comfortably whilst performing other activities. Watch TV, read a book, play your Gameboy, DS or even pick up a controller and play your Xbox 360 whilst you work out - you can do all this and more on an exercise bike, particularly on one of the recumbent cycles.

Possibly the biggest choice you will have to make when deciding which exercize bike is best for your needs is to choose between the two main frame types out there. In short, this means deciding whether you want the traditional upright style or the more relaxed recumbent style of frame.

In order to illustrate the differences between these two types of indoor cycle let's take a look at them individually.

The upright style, as you can see from the image, is more like the traditional road bike you may or may not be used to riding. They will typically have adjustable seats and handle bars designed to suit all comfort levels and are typically smaller and cheaper than the recumbent bike as they use less materials to make.

The main advantage of the upright indoor cycle is they allow you to treat the bike as if it were a road bike, allowing you to stand up off of the seat to sprint or simulate hill climbing.

They also let you give your backside a rest from the uncomfortable seating if you opted for a cheap upright model.

If you are not too worried about your choice of exercise bike actually mimicing the format of a real street bike then you should probably choose to buy a recumbent exercise cycle for your home gym.

The main reason for this is simply because most users find them much more comfortable to use. The recumbent style puts you in more of a laid back seated position with back support whilst still maintaining the optimal pedalling position. The seats are adjustable to suit all shapes and sizes and the seats are generally larger and more comfortable than on an upright cycle.

The more comfortable your excercise bike is the more likely you are to keep using it!

Recumbent bikes are particulary recommended for anyone with lower back problems as they provide additional lumbar support which the upright cycle will not.

The drawback of the recumbent style is that they are larger and a little more expensive than upright bikes and you can not stand up on them as you can with an upright cycle.

Fans of upright cycles claim they can get a more intense workout from an upright cycle whilst recumbent cyclists claim their choice is more comfortable and therefore allows them to use the bike longer and stick with their regime without it feeling like a punishment.

Ultimately, as there is little concensus from experts as to whether one is better than the other either, the choice really comes down to which one YOU are more comfortable using.

So, you've chosen what frame type suits you best...now what?

There are a dizzying array of choices out there when it comes to brands, models, options and extras which can make looking for the best exercise bike for your needs somewhat akin to looking for a needle in a haystack!

So lets get a magnet and look at some of the things you should be looking for when making your choice.

Comfort and Adjutability

The single most important thing to look for when comparing exersize bikes is whether they are comfortable for YOU to use. Sit on one and try it out. If it's not comfortable then you will quickly lose interest in using it.

Look especially at the seat and handlebars

If you are not the only person in your household who will be using the bike, then make sure that the adjustments which will need to be made to things like the seat height, handlebars etc. are easy to do as there is nothing more annoying than having to mess around with making these adjustments every time you want a workout.

Resistance - Belt or Magnetic?

Belt driven exercise bikes are cheap...and not all that recommended. The belt is typically adjusted by hand which will interrupt your workout again and again. In addition, they are usually pretty noisy and the nylon band will wear out over time.

Manual settings are bad - avoid them where ever possible.

Better, is variable magnetic resistence which can be controlled through the easily accessible control panel. Push button control of the resistence levels gives you a much more pleasurable workout as it means you do not have to stop exercising to make adjustments as you go along.

Magnetic resistence should offer smooth operation and better long term durability over the belt driven alternative.

More On Manual vs. Automatic Adjustments

The more things you can adjust through the computer console or which will adjust automatically through a set program, the better you will like it.

Whilst an indoor fitness cycle with a manually adjusted belt resistance etc. is sure to be cheaper just consider how this will effect your workout.

So, you want to climb a hill? Get off the bike, mess around with a knob, climb back on and start cycling again. Now, you want to go down the hill. Get off, mess with the knobs again...and so on. It's distracting, annoying and will disillusion you fast with your new bike.

Now, consider the same scenario controlled by magnetic resistence through the control panel. Climb a hill? Press a button. Simple. Simpler still is using on of the built in programs which will automatically send you on a route which includes hills and dales without you having to make any adjustments at all!

Again - AVOID manual adjustments.

Built In Workouts and Fitness Feedback

What's available through the display console?

Budget exercise bikes are likely to have very little...if they even have a display console in the first place.

Mid-level and higher end systems will have a variety of feedback mechanisms which will give you important information about your workout including such things as heart rate, distance travelled, calories burned, time taken, speed and more.

Opt for an exsercise bike with lots of built in or programmable workouts as these routines and the feedback you get from the console are extremely good at keeping you motivated and give you goals to aim for during your next workout session.

Fan Height, Speed and Adjustability

Somewhat overlooked is whether your exercise bike has a fan attached to the cosole dashboard and whether it is likely to do the job it is intended for. Many fans are not adjustable and others do not have must strength to them even if they are. It's not a feature if it doesn't do the job. Look for an exercise cycle with an adjustable fan and a little bit of strength behind it. Better still, find one which has adjustable fan speeds through the dashboard computer.

Heart Rate Monitor

Budget exercise bikes are unlikely to have this feature at all but heart rate monitors can be bought separately.

Mid-range fitness bikes will have some for of pulse rate monitor, usually through pulse points on the handlebars whilst high end exercise bikes are more likely to have more accurate wireless heart rate monitoring devices as part of the set up.

Some bikes will have programs which will calculate your target heart rate and then adjust the resistence accordingly to ensure your work out is tailored to meeting these levels.

A heart rate monitor is important both for safety and to help you meet your training goals.

Stability and Durability

There's only one way to test this - hop aboard! You should check whether the bike feels sturdy to you when you are using it. The last thing you want is to feel like you might fall off, or to heard things rattling and grinding whilst you are exercising. It's distracting and you are less likely to feel comfortable using the bike if it feels like it might tip. It's also an unecessary safety risk for you and those around you.

Weight Capacity

If you are overweight then you should definitely check out the recommended frame capacity before you make a purchase. Cheaper bikes may not be able to stand as little as 200lbs and sometimes less without over-stressing their frames. More expensive models can take much higher stress.

Warrantee and Service Options

Look for the best warrantee you can find. Some of the cheap exercise bikes have pretty pathetic warrantees and there's a reason for this - they are not expected to last very long! Some of these might have a warrantee less than 6 months, some as little as 3 months.

A good warrantee is a nice little indicator of the quality of the bike you are buying. Look for at least a year in a general warranty and expect to find a lifetime warranty on the frame.

If the company has no confidence in their bike then neither should you.

Price vs. Everything Else

It's unfortunate but where exercise bikes are concerned, as with just about everything else in life, the saying "you get what you pay for" holds true and perhaps truer than most.

The price of an exercise bike will range from anywhere around $100 to upwards of $2000 depending upon the features it has, build quality etc. For a home user however, there are many very good quality exercise bikes out there for under $1000.

Whilst it may be true that you can go out right now and pick up an indoor exercise cycle for around $100 and possibly less, you will also almost certainly be wasting your money.

These cheap exercise bikes are typically very poorly made, use the band form of resistance, have no exercise programs built in and in general are lacking in just about every other department which is almost certain to guarantee you will either lose interest in exercise bikes in general or be forced to go back out and buy another, more expensive model.

Just do not waste your time on a cheap exercise cycle.

Expect to pay at least $300 - $500 for something which has the basic features and $500+ for a higher end exercise cycle.

Noise Levels and Operation

The quieter the better when it comes to an exercise bike, especially one you will be using in your home, not just for your own convenience but for everyone around you. A noisy exercise cycle will quickly drive you to distraction, get in the way of listening to music, watching TV, reading or whatever else you are doing to pass the time whilst exercising. You might not be able to tell in the shop quite how loud you prospective choice is either so look around online for some reviews. Amazon is a great place to find lots of real user opinions on things like this.

When beginning a new exercise routine you should always consult your physician especially if you have a medical history which might warrant particular care.

Start out slowly and build in to your routine. If you have not exercised for a while then there is little point in jumping on a bike and cycling hard for an hour...then being stiff as a board the next day and not being able to work out for a week! Start out slow and build up to whatever goal you have.

Another rule is to known your limits. If you should start feeling lightheaded or begin to feel dizzy whilst working out then stop rather than trying to push through it and risk harming yourself.

Also, consider what physical limitations and goals you have in choosing your exercise equipment. For example, anyone with lower back issues is much better suited to a recumbent exercise bike as these offer lower lumbar support whereas an upright exercise cycle does not.

Wear training shoes and make sure you actually use the straps on the pedals and keep your feet firmly in them. You don't want your feet slipping off whilst in full flow as this can cause injury.

Keep kids and pets away from the machine. A whack from a pedal isn't going to do anyone any good.