One of the most prevalent fitness exercise machines is the exercise bike but purchasing one is not as simple as going to the mall and picking one out. There are several things to take into account before you do this. You may want to consider not only the price, type of bike, whether you prefer a recumbent or upright exercise bike, and how comfortable and uncomplicated it is to adjust.

What is Your Budget?

Evidently this is usually the most important consideration but you shouldn't go for the cheapest exercise bike on sale as it may perhaps not be long lasting, be comfortable or give you a good workout. A starting bike at a minimum will set you back roughly $200, and although this will be acceptable it probably won't have any of the features that can be found on more expensive work out bikes. For not much more, say between $350 and $650 you’ll get a higher quality exercise bike with many features such as magnetic resistance, heart rate control, a comfortable seat and usually quiet and smooth operation.

For about $550 you will be able to buy a first-rate exercise bike with all the features you may need. For this cost you should expect lots of built-in exercise programs, easy to use display console, and resistance control, handlebars that are straightforward to change and a good guarantee.

Exercise Bike Comfort

Of course your exercise bike needs to be easy as you will be spending quite a lot of time on it! You will want a well padded seat and handlebars that adjust easily. Are you going to buy an upright or recumbent exercise bike? Many people find that recumbent exercise bikes are more comfy to use than upright exercise bikes as you sit in a more reclined position which puts less strain on your back. Upright exercise bikes, although not quite as comfortable, do have the advantage that you can effortlessly increase the intensity of the workout by pedalling standing up just like you would on a normal bicycle.

Adjusting the Resistance

Exercise bike resistance is changeable in two ways. The majority of the cheaper models use a belt and tension, higher-priced models use magnetic resistance which is quieter and more consistent. Magnetic resistance is usually adjusted with a knob or a pushbutton. Most people find it easier to use a pushbutton.

Heart Rate Monitors

It is really important to be able to observe your heart rate while training as increasing your heart rate is why you are exercising. Always buy an exercise bike with an integrated pulse rate monitor so that you can change your workouts appropriately. Practically all the exercise bikes do have this while less expensive ones will often only have a pulse rate monitor integrated into the handlebars. The more expensive exercise bikes will have exercises that are controlled by your heart rate so they adjust automatically to keep your pulse rate at a level that you decide. This is a very good aspect but not vital if you can’t manage to pay for it.

Built in Training Programs

A lot of of the cheaper exercise bikes do not have workout integral programs. While you may think this is not too much of a disadvantage you will discover that simply sitting on the bike and pedalling will become tedious very rapidly! With exercise programs you can vary your exercising and the feedback you get will assist with your motivation. Display consoles that give you feedback on your heart rate, calories burned, distance covered etc. truly do help your motivation and keep you exercising for longer periods. The majority of the exercise bikes in the mid-budget range i.e. between about $300 and $600 will give you a reasonable variety of included workouts and a reasonably good quality display. More expensive exercise bikes i.e. in the $600 and above range will have a much higher range of workouts and excellent console displays with a complete range of feedback information.

Conclusion

Certainly, as with other fitness exercise machines, when buying an exercise bike, you get what you pay for. It isn't really a very good idea to purchase the lowest cost exercise bike you can find as it won’t last very long and you will not be pleased with the training that it gives you. It is not necessary to buy a very expensive bike but we suggest obtaining one for about $300 which will give you satisfactory exercise and keep you motivated. Read more at Buying a Fitness Exercise Machine