The exercise bike (even exercise bike, fitness bike, stationary bike, bike room or exercise cycle) is one of the home fitness equipment (ie physical activity that is carried out in the home) most popular and used. In essence, the exercise bike is a sort of stationary bicycle that, while being devoid of wheels, allows to make the movement of the pedal.
The exercise bike is a relatively recent invention. It was designed in 1968 by a researcher Idaho, Keene P. Dimick. The idea of the U.S. was undoubtedly brilliant, since the bike is a tool used by millions of people, both within the walls of the house both inside gyms. The distribution of this tool is definitely made easier by the wide range of prices, from its small size (among other things, there are also foldable models) and the ease of its use. The issue of ” costs ” is practically non-existent, if we stop at the only parameter ” price ” is possible to find stationary bikes within reach of every budget. The different models of exercise bikes are wasted, as well as in the price differ in quality, services offered, mechanics and so on.
Exercise bike – The features
Visually, the bike very reminiscent of the shape of normal bicycles, missing wheels, the structure is resting on horizontal bases protected by rubber. The handlebars have diverse shapes, but obviously are designed in such a way as to allow a comfortable grip and adapted to each type of user. Some models have been moving handlebars that can be moved back and forth allowing you to keep moving your arms (which is practically impossible with a normal bike), doing so, to some extent, the function of the rower. The most important part of the exercise bike is the so-called flywheel, a metal disc attached to the pedals. The flywheel is, generally speaking, a tool that has the purpose to stabilize the rotational speed of a mechanical system.
The person who uses an exercise bike transmits energy through the act of pedaling. This energy is not constant, and there is an alternation of phases in which the applied force is greater or less. The flywheel stabilizes and makes more uniform the speed of rotation of the pedals by making the effort the user has a certain consistency, with consequent helpful improvement. The weight of the flywheel is often taken as a parameter indicative of the quality of the bike: the greater the weight of the flywheel, the better the quality of the tool.
Many times this is true, but it is not an absolute truth, and there are tools such as the flywheel which weighs maybe 20 pounds, which is qualitatively superior to others whose flywheel has a greater weight. It is certain that the exercise bike flywheel which weighs, for example, 6 kg, hardly conspicuous by their quality. Some importance is also covered by the overall weight of the tool, beyond the advantage of easy transportation, a bike light too difficult to excel in stability. The variables to consider are many, but an idea on the quality of the medium, although very rough, there is also provided by this data.
Another feature of considerable importance is that of the brake, or better of the resistance that serves to make it a more difficult (and more workout) exercises. Currently, there are four types of resistance that are found on the market:
- Mechanical (belt or pad).
- Air.
- Magnetic.
- Electromagnetic.
Those belts or buffer resistances are found in cheaper models and qualitatively inferior, but even in these types of exercise bikes tend to use them with less and less frequency. In the vast majority of cases, these bikes are very noisy and do not shine for fluidity and stability. The exercise bike with resistors have a belt strap located around the flywheel that is stretched by a knob which is there to manage the different intensities of resistance, the more the belt is stretched. The more difficult is the movement of the flywheel. The exercise bikes with resistance to buffer are equipped with a buffer (generally felt) that approaching the flywheel it brakes the movement.
The biggest problems in stationary bike with mechanical resistance are due to the fact that it has an obvious consumption generated by friction and a deposit of dirt on the belt or on the pad, and this, with the passing of time, has deleterious effects on gradually and fluidity of resistance. The exercise bikes with air resistance are not on the market for as many consider this type of resistance very interesting.
The exercise bikes with air resistance are equipped with a fan who creates resistance depending on the strength of the ride, in other words, the harder you are pedal, the more resistance increases. The fan also has a cooling effect. Since no mechanical brake is not used, the exercise bike with air resistance has an average life considerably longer than those with resistance pad or belt.
The exercise bike with magnetic resistance are equipped with a support in the shape of a semicircle on which are mounted the magnets. By means of the knob that adjusts the resistance, the media is approached, never come into contact with, the flywheel and the magnetic field it will slow down the movement. The main advantage of this system compared to the mechanical resides in the fact that there is no mechanical wear; resistance will always have the same gradualness and fluidity.
The electromagnetic resistance is an advanced variant of the magnetic one; in exercise bike with electromagnetic resistance has not the approach or spacing of the braking body from the flywheel, the increase of the resistance is controlled by electromagnets to which it provides more or less current. The transaction is handled not by a knob, but using the appropriate command on the console of the exercise bike.
The exercise bikes with electromagnetic resistance are also known as ergometers. The exercise bike with magnetic resistance and electromagnetic are much quieter than those with mechanical strength and also ensure greater regularity and smoothness of the ride.
Other features of the bike that need to be evaluated at the time of the choice are the degree of comfort, easy entry, and the maximum weight borne on the console. Let’s analyze briefly leaving the comfort. In the case of persons of high stature, you should check if the bike is fitted in addition to the adjustment of the seat height, even adjusting horizontally, could happen, to tall people, hitting the handlebars with his knees.
The facilitated entry is a feature that should be considered in case the bike is intended for persons who, for whatever reason, have problems in the climb over the saddle to sit up. Obviously, this problem does not arise in healthy subjects. The maximum weight borne by bike is a factor that must be verified in the case that the user is particularly heavy (over 100 kg), people definitely are overweight or obese needs of particularly robust models of stationary bikes, a feature that contributes to an increase in the costs. The technical details of the exercise bike must indicate the maximum weight that can withstand.
Many exercise bikes are equipped with electronic console more or less sophisticated, and the values that are common to almost all models are generally an indication of elapsed time, distance traveled, speed, distance, caloric expenditure and heart rate display . These statements are now those that can be considered ” basic. ” Console particularly sophisticated, found in more expensive models are equipped with a number of pre-set workout programs such as programs for weight loss, programs HRC (Heart Rate Control programs that act on the intensity of that is done by changing the speed and resistance according to the user’s heart rate), the program’s watts (programs that vary the resistance and indicate when it is time to vary the speed of the pedal to maintain the power pre-set for the training) and so on.
Some consoles are capable of receiving SD cards with training programs that will be added to those of the factory. Accessories are also available that integrate equipment such as the chest belts wireless connections for your iPod or mp3 players, etc.. Details of no small importance: the presence of the wheels for moving and not all models are equipped with wheels, which makes more difficult about any movement of the bike from one place to another. Comfortable are also leveling feet that allow you to adapt the structure to all types of flooring.
Special exercise bike – there are particular models of exercise bikes, one of which is the so-called recumbent bike, a bike developed horizontally with the seat, backrest and foot pedals placed not below the user, but in the face. This type of exercise bike allows a more comfortable posture with respect to that provided by the traditional type of exercise bike. Thick are recommended in patients with venous problems in the lower limbs and those who suffer from back problems.
Another type of exercise bike is the so-called spin bike, an exercise cycle that allows you to accurately simulate pedaling the bike path and allows, in theory, to practice aerobically workouts more intense than those obtainable with a conventional exercise bike. The spin bikes are usually equipped with heavier flywheels on average (ranging from 10 to 25 kg) compared to those supplied to the other bike (from 6 to 12 kg).
Exercise Bike – Some advice on the choice.
We want to buy an exercise bike. To make the correct choice should specifically consider two factors: our training needs and how much we are willing to invest in this tool. Let’s start from the last point: as mentioned earlier, there are models super-cheap, but we feel sincerely advise against, what sense does it spend $80 if after a few months we find ourselves in his hands a clunker to be scrapped? Better to focus on more expensive models, but performance that we will use for several years, it is not necessary to spend thousands of euro, there are excellent professional exercise bike at lower prices ($ 500-600), and here we also met our needs training: figures of the genus allow us to buy models of excellent quality which guarantee stability, fluidity, regularity of pedaling and degrees of difficulty that we can easily manage; all features that can help make workouts interesting to a certain intensity, notwithstanding the fact that, as they say, is not at all easy to train for a long time on an exercise cycle without dying of boredom.
