Stationary exercise bikes are excellent fitness machines for all types of exercisers, including beginners. They’re easy to use and have lots of levels of resistance, so you can work your lungs, heart and muscles as little or as hard as you want. Adjustable seats and handlebars and cushioned seat pads on the more expensive models mean that exercise bikes let you work out in comfort whilst watching television or reading a book.

Spinning provides a cardiovascular workout without risk of strain to your back and joints. As well as working on your overall fitness and endurance, cycling also gives great tone to your leg and glute muscles.
Most exercise bikes have meters that monitor your speed, mileage and how much time you’ve been pedaling. More expensive bikes can also measure your heart rate and calorie burning and offer pre-programmed hill or flat workouts.

Choosing an Exercise Bike
Some types of exercise bike offer extra resistance for lower-body conditioning, some are kinder to the joints and some give detailed information on your heart rate and calorie burning. You’ll find four main types of exercise bike on BizRate:

• Uprights: Most similar to outdoor bikes. You sit up on a traditional bike seat whilst spinning. Most cheaper exercise bike models are traditional uprights.
• Recumbents: As with recumbent outdoor bikes, these have the seat positioned at a low level, parallel to the ground. The pedals are in front of you so you don’t bend your legs as much, which is great s for cross-training runners. There’s also a back support for greater comfort. A great choice if you suffer from back or knee problems.
• Semi-Recumbents: These exercise bikes have an inclined seat higher than full recumbents. Ideal for elderly users, since they’re easier to dismount.
• Dual Action: Great for an whole-body workout, thanks to changeable handlebars that work your arms as hard as your legs.

Resistance
Pedal on a stationary bike with no resistance is like spinning on a bike with a broken chain – you’re going nowhere and your muscles aren’t doing any work. Stationary exercise bikes create resistance, so you’re actually powering along with your legs. Different exercise bikes have different means of creating resistance:

• Magnetic: Lets you pedal quietly and without friction. You can increase resistance smoothly and easily. Popular in professional gyms, but expensive.
• Air: A fan built into the wheel builds up an air flow for you to pedal against. The harder you pedal, the greater the air flow and resistance. The air from the fan helps cool you down.
• Direct Tension: You adjust resistance manually with dials.
• Flywheel: Resistance is regulated by a heavy wheel and maintained by kinetic energy built up by your spinning.