How to choose a stationary bike

When winter comes, the bicycle is sent to hibernation, and athletes are transferred to exercise bikes. These compact devices can be easily installed even in a city apartment, with their help you can not only not lose skills over the winter, but also to work on muscle groups of the body, as well as to lose excess weight.

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1. Top Manufacturers of Stairmasters
2. Types of exercise bikes
3. The main criteria for the choice of exercise bicycle
4. Choosing a stationary bike for weight loss

The best manufacturers of exercise bikes

When choosing a stationary bike, first of all, you should prefer the products of European and American manufacturers of sports equipment and equipment, which are popular among professional athletes and installed in many gyms around the world:

1. roxima;

2. Body Sc
   ptor;
   • Spirit;
   • Intensor;
   • SunnyFit;

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

Exercise bikes

Similar to the transmission mechanism in bicycles, exercise bikes are equipped with load regulation, which has a positive effect on the intensity of the exercise and makes it possible to emulate many situations – downhill, uphill, slalom, and give 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 the tension of the drive belt – the higher the tension, the more force should be applied to perform the exercise. These devices are compact and great for those whose budget is limited.

Advantages

• Inexpensive;
• Adjustment of the degree of load is done manually;
• Compact;

Disadvantages

• No smooth adjustment of the stroke during exercise;
• High noise level;

Inertial Exercise Bicycles

More advanced version of mechanical training machines, differing in the type of drive. The load here is not regulated by a belt drive, but thanks to special brake pads that compress and decompress the flywheel. So, when exercising, you can adjust the intensity of the load in steps.

Advantages of

• Inexpensive;
• Simple and unpretentious in operation;
• Adjustment of the degree of load is mechanically controlled;

Drawbacks

• Highly noisy;
• Intensity modes are switched in steps, there is no smooth regulation;

Electromagnetic exercise bicycles

The most functional, advanced and, accordingly, expensive exercise bikes. As the regulating mechanism here are also applied electromagnets, but they are controlled by a microcontroller acting on them and allowing to change intensity of loading in real time, not distracting an athlete from the process of training.

Advantages

• Functionality;
• The presence of all kinds of sensors that allow you to monitor the state of the body;
• Dynamic adjustment of the degree of load directly during the exercise;
• A microcomputer that allows you to adjust the intensity of the load right in the course of the exercise;

Disadvantages

• High cost;
• Large dimensions and weight;

The main criteria for the choice of exercise bicycle

Dimensions

This parameter plays an important role, especially for those who are going to install the simulator in an ordinary city apartment. A large and functional device is unlikely to fit here, and therefore preference should be given to a compact magnetic simulator. The magnetic version is also preferred 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 chosen in the country house or fitness club – you can prefer absolutely any exercise bicycle, regardless of the specifics and functional features.

The presence of a microcomputer and special sensors

The computer can greatly extend the functionality of the device. Thanks to it, the sportsman receives comprehensive information concerning the time of training, the distance covered, the calories expended and the intensity created by the flywheel. Additionally, the presence of special sensors makes it possible to monitor heart rate and even blood pressure, which allows you to closely monitor your own well-being and adjust the load depending on it.

Maximum weight

Each stationary bike, regardless of its functionality, has a certain maximum permissible weight. Typically, this weight is around 100-120 pounds. Choosing a stationary bike by this parameter, you should take into account the most weighty member of your family. In addition, the maximum allowable weight, declared by the manufacturer, should be increased by 15-20% – this is the number of percent, as a rule, overestimates this parameter.

Choosing a stationary bike for weight loss

Experienced nutritionists say that in order for the weight loss process to be as effective as possible, the body should be given long, not less than 35-40 minutes, the load of medium intensity. The body uses up glycogen reserves in the blood during the first 20 minutes and only then starts burning fat. This is the reason why an electromagnetic exercise bike with a medium-power flywheel is best suited for weight loss, allowing you to sensitively adjust the intensity of your workout. In addition, it will be useful to adjust the algorithms of training and create their own programs, so it becomes possible to perform interval training, when the low intensity of exercise alternates with short, explosive intervals.

In the following articles our experts tell you how to choose a treadmill, the secrets of choosing the elliptical trainer and recommendations for the selection of dumbbells for training at home.