Exercise Bike Buying Guide

Many people choose to buy exercise bikes when looking for a convenient, low-impact cardio workout. Smooth Fitness has many exercise bikes to fit any workout style or budget, and no matter which bike you choose, you're sure to reap the advantages of a complete aerobic workout. Exercise bikes are usually easy to use and have proven to be effective at raising the heart rate, developing cardiovascular fitness, and burning calories while limiting the impact on knees and leg joints.

Advantages of Fitness with Exercise Bikes

The main advantage to working out with an exercise bike is that you can use it almost anywhere. Exercise bikes let you squeeze in complete cardio workouts from the comfort of your home, while watching the kids, catching up on your favorite TV show, or reading a book. During the winter and summer months, exercising outdoors can be a drag; however, with a stationary bike, you can stay fit in comfortable room temperatures.

Additionally, many places don't have sidewalks, bike lanes, or any safe place to ride a bike outdoors. With exercise bikes, you don't have to worry about dodging traffic and praying that distracted drivers don't accidentally swerve into you. These reasons, plus the fact that exercise bikes let you work out without running the risk of injuring yourself, all add up to prove that stationary bikes are a great way to stay in shape.

Tips for Buying Exercise Bikes

The first thing to consider when deciding to buy an exercise bike is the fact that bikes come in basically two forms: the traditional upright form, and the recumbent form. Upright bikes, like the Smooth UB5 and UB4, are built like traditional bikes and offer great cardiovascular and good lower body workouts. They're compact so they can fit in small spaces, and are the most popular exercise bikes on the market.

However, recumbent bikes place the body in a semi-reclining position that offers lower back support. The Momentum RB5 offers adjustable ergonomic seating and three heart rate control programs, and is great for individuals prone to back or joint pain. Recumbent bikes also provide for a greater lower body workout than with upright bikes.

Other things to consider when buying exercise bikes are resistance, feedback mechanisms, size, and warranty.

• Resistance - exercise bikes have different resistance options. Direct tension offers a manual adjustment, air gives resistance by pedaling against an fan's airflow, and magnetic is the most sophisticated. With this type of resistance, magnetic airflows create and track the resistance, allowing for more variation in your workout.
• Feedback mechanisms - these can provide information on speed, distance, and your body's performance. Many monitors display heart rate information, pulse, calories and fat burned, RPM, and other factors.
• Size - while most bikes are very adjustable to fit almost any size, it's important to make sure the bike is right for your size and will fit into your workout room. Upright bikes take up less space than recumbent bikes.
• Warranty - exercise bikes can come with a wide variety of warranties ranging from 90 days to lifetime, on certain parts. For example, parts and labor may be covered for 6 months, but the frame may last a lifetime.

One last key thing to remember is to test the exercise bike out as much as possible before buying. Even if you order online through Smooth Fitness, don't be afraid to test the same bikes out in a store for a full five to ten minutes to truly find out if the bike is right for you. After all, buying an exercise bike is a big investment. With our tips, hopefully those considering buying exercise bikes will have an easier time with their purchase and be all set to enjoy a lifetime of biking.