Home-exercise bikes are uniting fitness with the cocooning craze. As more people seek entertainment and leisure activities in the comfort of their homes, these bikes allow them to stay trim and healthy while avoiding overcrowded gyms and the familiar hazards of sharing the roads with motorists.
Depending on the features you need or desire, a bike will typically cost between $150 and $700. Although all exercise bikes help you tone the buttocks, upper legs, and to a lesser extent, the calves, certain bikes do even more:
Dual-action models allow you to pump the handle bars back and forth, toning the arms and shoulders.
Recumbent bikes, which have you sit and pedal with your legs stretched out in front of you, target the lower abdominals, and provide a workout less stressful on the knees and back.
Electronic bikes allow you to program resistance levels and various interval workouts.
Training stands let you transform your traditional bike into an indoor exerciser.
The Tufts Health Plan Health Journal notes some features of a safe, comfortable bike:
- Stability when you’re seated on it.
- Covers over flywheels, chains, and other moving parts.
- Handlebars that adjust to a position comfortable throughout your workout.
- Smooth and consistent motion.
- A seat that’s well-padded and easy to adjust.