One of the most common fitness exercise machines is the exercise bike but buying one is not as easy as going to the store and picking one out. There are many things to reflect on before you do this. You may want to think about not only the cost, type of bike, whether you prefer an upright or recumbent exercise bike, and how comfortable and effortless it is to adjust.

How Much Do You Want to Spend?

Obviously this is usually the most crucial concern but you do not want to go for the cheapest bike on sale as it might not last very long, be easy to use or give you good exercise. A beginner’s bike at a minimum will set you back about $200, and even though this will be adequate it may not have any of the features that can be found on costlier exercise bikes. For not much more, between $300 and $650 you’ll get a higher quality exercise bike with some features such as heart rate control, magnetic resistance, a comfy seat and generally quiet and smooth operation.

For roughly $600 you will be able to obtain a first-rate exercise bike with all the features you may require. For this cost you should expect plenty of built-in workout programs, simple to use display console, and resistance control, handlebars that are simple to change and a very good guarantee.

Comfort of the Exercise Bike

Evidently your exercise bike should be comfortable as you will be using it for quite long periods. You will want a well padded seat and handlebars that adjust easily. Are you going to obtain an upright or recumbent exercise bike? Many people think that recumbent exercise bikes are more comfortable to use than upright exercise bikes as you sit in a more reclined position so there is a reduced amount of pressure on your back. Upright exercise bikes, although not quite as comfy, do have the advantage that you can effortlessly enhance the level of the exercise by standing up to pedal just as you would do on a regular bicycle.

Changing the Resistance

Exercise bike resistance is changeable in 2 ways. The majority of the cheaper models use tension and a belt, more costly models use magnetic resistance which is quieter and more dependable. For those using magnetic resistance it is adjusted either by a knob or a pushbutton, which most people find easier to use.

Monitoring Your Heart Rate

It is extremely important to be able to monitor your heart rate while exercising since the aim of the exercise is to increase the heart rate. Always buy an exercise bike with an integral pulse rate monitor so that you can adjust your workouts accordingly. Nearly all the exercise bikes do have this although less expensive bikes will often merely have a pulse rate monitor built into the handlebars. The high-priced exercise bikes will have exercises that are driven by your heart rate so they adjust themselves to keep your heart rate at a level that you fix. This is a very nice feature but not vital if you can’t afford it.

Built-In Workout Programs

Lots of of the cheaper exercise bikes won’t have exercise incorporated programs. Even though you may feel this is not too much of a drawback you will find that simply sitting on the bike and riding will turn out to be dull very swiftly! With workout programs you can vary your exercising and the feedback you get will help with your motivation. Displays that give you feedback on calories burned, distance covered and tour heart rate etc. truly do help your motivation and keep you exercising for much longer. A good number of the exercise bikes in the mid-budget range i.e. between roughly $300 and $600 will give you a realistic range of incorporated workouts and a fairly good display. More expensive exercise bikes i.e. in the $650 and above range will have a very wide range of workouts and first-rate LED displays with a complete range of feedback information.

Conclusion

Certainly, with exercise bikes, as with other fitness exercise machines, you get what you pay for. It isn’t a very good idea to purchase the lowest cost exercise bike you can find as it won’t last very long and you won’t be happy with the training that it gives you. It is not necessary to buy a very pricey bike but we suggest purchasing one for approximately $300 which will give you good exercise and keep your motivation high. Read more at Buying a Fitness Exercise Machine