I’m in the market for a decent exercise bike (upright, not recumbent).
Anyone know of a decent one within the $175-250 price range? I’d rather not spend more than that, as I plan on spending 20-30 minutes per day on it after work. I plan on using it to supplement my dieting, which is going smoothly.
Comfort seems to be an issue with ANY upright, but I’ve heard that upright bikes tend to burn more calories than recumbent (due to the “resting” posture that recumbent brings). If this isn’t true (or you can provide evidence to the contrary), that would be most appreciated as well.
That said, I’d be willing to know if anyone has any experience with a BIY exercise bike in that price range. I’ve been checking out a few on Amazon and already have a few in mind based on the reviews.
If you can find one that’d be great. I went through a lot of exercise bikes before just resigning myself to going to the gym. I’ve found that unless you are willing to spend the $1200-2500 on the quality of equipment they have at your local gym you’re going to end up with a machine that is very uncomfortable, probably makes weird and distracting clicking/creaking noises, will be unsteady as you use it, and will fall apart in 6-8 months.
I’ve gone through several of the top reviewed machines in that price range on Amazon 4-5 years ago so I’m not saying you can’t find one, but I thought I’d put my word in as someone who wasted about $500 trying to buy a decent piece of exercise equipment online.
Yeah, I know that most of the BIY fitness equipment tends to be junk (at least when compared to stuff you find at a gym), but I don’t really have the inclination to get a gym membership (and drag myself there, to boot!)
I’ve been looking at this one:
There doesn’t seem to be too many complaints regarding the construction or quality, but people seemed to have an issue with shipping for some reason.
but got one used that had been made and sold through Sears. Its done me good service through a few knee operations and semi-regular use for like 15 years now.
I’ve had that bike for almost a year now. I think it gets used about two hours a week. So far, I haven’t had any mechanical problems with it and it’s solid and quiet enough for me. I got it pre-built from a local bike shop, so I can’t really speak to shipping or assembly.
My only complaint is that the seat was pretty uncomfortable until I got used to it. I mean to invest in a padded cover but never really think about it when I’m out.
FWIW, I use one of my regular bicycles on a biketrainer (two different pics). If you have a bike that you feel is a good comfortable fit, you can get one in that price range. You have to scour reviews though to find one that good and quiet. Mine’s not bad.
It tucks under the bed, or can be put in the closet. I keep mine behind the couch. So if you’re tight for space or don’t want to look at a stand-up, it’s pretty good.
I’d recommend one that has a quick release set up though, so you just put in your back wheel, pull the lever and go. The more precious seconds you need to set anything up, the less likely you are to use it.
I was fortunate enough to find a ProForm 775S for $5 at a garage sale. I have had many exercise bikes in the past. The most important thing is the fit for you. Can you find a comfortable position as far as distance from you to the handlebars. The seat is always adjustable, but the distance to the bars is pot luck in most bikes. I have found this quiet magnetic resistance to be a worthwhile feature. The pedal action is very smooth over the full cycle and you won’t wake anybody up late at night.
Have you considered watching Craigslist? An awful lot of people buy stationary bikes and never use them. In my area, there are always a ton of options, and you can ask to give it a quick use when you see it. Many of them are practically brand new (used less than 5 times) and there are so many for sale that the deals are great.
While I don’t know if recumbents burn less calories, you might want to consider comfort here. Just my opinion, but you won’t keep doing it if it hurts, and you can always raise the difficulty (resistance) anyway. If you’re trying to train for using an actual bike, of course, feel free to disregard, but I can’t stand using a non-recumbent myself. If you haven’t used either, I’d recommend at least getting a day pass to a gym and doing about 20 minutes on each kind.
I discussed the recumbent vs upright issue with my physical therapist. She said they always use recumbent, because it helps enforce proper posture for your back.
I never used a recumbent before this round of PT, but I’m find with it. And since I’m in the marker for a bike at home anyway…I’m going to go recumbent.
I’ve been going to local stores to see what they have on display. I’ll see which of those seem like they have good features, and which ones are comfortable. Then I can look for craigslist and other sites that may have a better price. Of course, my company is going to give me $300 towards it…so I’m not being too picky.
-D/a
I also went with a recumbent. I knew I would need motivation to get on the bike, so exercise time is the only time I allow myself to play video games. I’ve played through lots of driving games on the recumbent, which has similar specs to the Schwin. Magnetic resistance is great, very quiet.
Now that I’m participating in events, like Century Bike Rides, I find that I want to train more in preparation for the event. You might find motivation by signing up for an event, like a 5k/10k walk, jog, run or similar event. There are lots of bike rides that have beginner distances, like 25 miles instead of 100 miles. YMMV.
Craigslist doesn’t work in my area for used exercise equipment. A used exercise equipment store picks up all the great deals to resell for a decent price… on Craigslist, as well as at the store.
