How to choose an exercise bike

With the arrival of winter, the bike is sent for wintering, and the athletes are transplanted on exercise bikes. These compact devices can be easily installed even in a city apartment; with their help, one can not only lose skills over the winter, but also work on the body's muscle groups and also lose weight.

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1. The best manufacturers of exercise bikes
2. Types of exercise bikes
3. The main criteria for choosing an exercise bike
4. Choosing an exercise bike for weight loss

The best manufacturers of exercise bikes

Choosing an exercise bike, first of all, you should prefer products of European and American manufacturers of sports equipment and gear, which is popular among professional athletes and installed in many gyms of the planet:

1. Proxima;

2. Body Sculptor;

3. Spirit;

4. Intensor;

5. SunnyFit;

Unnamed Chinese models, despite their low cost, should be avoided - the functionality of such devices, as well as the subsequent operational reliability, is a lottery. Well, of course, you should look for more information about the model you are interested in, on thematic forums and on social networks on the Internet.

Types of exercise bikes

Like the transmission mechanism in bicycles, exercise bikes are equipped with the ability to adjust the load, which has a positive effect on the intensity of the exercise and makes it possible to emulate many situations - descending from the mountain, lifting, slalom, and giving the body a variable load.

Depending on the type of flywheel drive, exercise bikes are divided into the following types.

Mechanical exercise bikes

The most simple and inexpensive devices. The load here is adjusted by tensioning the drive belt — the higher the tension, the more force must be applied to perform the exercise. Such devices are compact and great for those whose budget is limited.

Virtues

• Inexpensive;

• Adjustment of the degree of load is performed manually;

• Compact;

disadvantages

• There is no smooth adjustment of the course during the exercise;

• High noise;

Inertia exercise bikes

A more advanced version of the mechanical simulators, which differ in the type of drive. The load here is not regulated by means of a belt drive, but thanks to special brake pads that compress and unclip the flywheel. Thus, during the exercise, the possibility of stepwise adjustment of the intensity of the load appears.

Virtues

• Inexpensive;

• Simple and unpretentious in operation;

• The adjustment of the degree of load is carried out mechanically;

disadvantages

• High noise;

• The intensity modes are switched in steps, there is no smooth adjustment;

Electromagnetic exercise bikes

The most functional, advanced and, accordingly, expensive exercise bikes.Electromagnets are also used here as an adjusting mechanism, however, they are controlled using a microcontroller that acts on them and allows changing the intensity of the load in real time, without distracting the athlete from the exercise process.

Virtues

• Functionality;

• The presence of various sensors to monitor the state of the body;

• Dynamic regulation of the degree of load right during the exercise;

• A microcomputer that allows you to adjust the intensity of the load during the exercise;

disadvantages

• High price;

• Large dimensions and weight;

The main criteria for choosing an exercise bike

dimensions

This parameter plays an important role, first of all, for those who are going to install a simulator in a regular city apartment. A large and functional device is hardly suitable here, and therefore preference should be given to a compact magnetic simulator. The magnetic option is also preferable because the mechanical and inertial models are noisy, which is unlikely to please the neighbors. If such restrictions do not play a role, and the device is selected in a country house or a fitness club - you can choose absolutely any exercise bike, regardless of the specifics and functional features.

Availability of microcomputer and special sensors

The computer allows great expand the functionality of the device. Thanks to him, the athlete receives comprehensive information regarding exercise time, distance traveled, calories expended and the intensity of the load generated by the flywheel. In addition, with special sensors, it is possible to monitor the pulse and even blood pressure, which allows you to closely monitor your own well-being and adjust the load depending on it.

Weight Limit

Each exercise bike, regardless of its functionality, has a certain maximum allowable weight. As a rule, this weight is at around 100-120 kilograms. When choosing an exercise bike for this parameter, you should take into account the most significant member of your family. In addition, the maximum allowable weight declared by the manufacturer should be increased by 15-20% - this parameter is usually overestimated by just this number of percent.

Choosing an exercise bike for weight loss

Experienced nutritionists say that in order for the process of losing weight to be as efficient as possible, the body needs to be given a long, at least 35-40 minutes, load of medium intensity. The first 20 minutes the body spends reserves of glycogen in the blood, and only then begins to burn fat. It is for this reason that an electromagnetic exercise bike with an average power flywheel that allows you to sensitively adjust the intensity of the workout is best suited for losing weight. In addition, it will not be out of place to adjust the workout algorithms and create your own programs, which will make it possible to perform interval training when the low intensity of the exercise alternates with short, explosive intervals.

In the following articles, our experts tell how to choose a treadmillsecrets choosing an elliptical trainer and recommendations for dumbbell picker for practicing at home.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.