Exercise Bike / Exercise Bikes
Choosing the right exercise bike can be tough. That's why we have put together this Exercise Bike / Exercise Cycles Buyer's Guide. Our exercise bike guide will tell you exactly what to look for when you're shopping for an exercise bike / Exercise Cycle.
Exercise Bike / Exercise Cycle Buyer's Guide inside tips in order of importance:
Price (most important)
Know that to expect before you go shopping. Don't think you can get an exercise bike with all of the bells and whistles on it for £100 bucks. It's not going to happen.
A good entry level bike will run a minimum of about £150. That will get you the basics but not much else.
Mid level exercise bikes will cost between £300-£600. For your extra cash outlay you should expect to get smooth silent operation, magnetic resistance, a more comfortable seat, built in workout programs and heart rate control.
Top of the line exercise bikes are about £600 and up. When you make an investment this large you should get: push button resistance control, a hi tech led display console, longer warranty, pulse driven workouts, adjustable handlebars and tons of built-in workout programs.
Comfort and Adjustability
Your exercise bike should be comfortable and adjustable. We know it sounds like a no brainer, but you'd be surprised by how many people buy an exercise bike based on price alone, not thinking about how comfortable they'll be while they're riding it.
Insist on buying an exercise bike that has an easily adjustable seat and handlebars, and consider the seating options closely.
There are two main exercise bike seating choices;
Recumbent Exercise Bikes
The recumbent bikes have the advantage of placing your body (and butt) in a more comfortable position. You actually sit in a reclined position with your feet pedaling out in from of you.
Upright Exercise Bikes
The more traditional seating option. You sit just like you were riding a mountain or road bike.
Most of you who aren't bike enthusiasts will be more comfortable on a recumbent bike. They're easier on your back and butt. The only disadvantage to recumbent bikes is it's harder to really crank on the workout intensity because you can't stand up and pedal like you can on an upright exercise bike.
Resistance and Operation
Exercise bikes provide adjustable resistance in one of two ways. The cheaper models use a tension belt. And the mid to high priced exercise bikes use magnetic resistance. Magnetic resistence is the superior choice for consistency and quiet operation.
Magnetic resistance operation will vary by bike manufacturer. You'll either use a knob or pushbuttons to control the intensity of the magnetic resistance. Opt for pushbutton resistance if you can afford it.
We can't stress how important it is to have your exercise bike equipped with some form of heart rate monitor. Most bikes have at least a pulse grip point on the handlebars to check your heart rate while exercising.
The whole point of riding an exercise bike is to get your heart rate up. If you don't have a heart rate monitor you're shooting yourself in the foot right from the get go.
Higher end bikes will come standard with pulse driven workouts. That means the exercise bike will adjust the workout intensity based on readings from the built in heart rate monitor. A great feature to have if you can afford it, but not essential.
Display Console and Built-in Workouts
The display console and number of built-in workout will vary greatly with each exercise bike.
The cheaper exercise bikes have a poor display (or no display) and no built-in workouts. This drawback can lead to quick boredom with lack of user feedback and motivation.
When you move into the £300-£600 range there are a lot more choices. Expect a minimum of 5 built-in workouts and a display console that gives you feedback information on heart rate, time, distance and calories burned. Some exercise bikes in this price range have iFit and pulse driven workout programs. Most bikes also come with a nice led readout to help you track the progress of your workout.
The high end exercise bikes throw-in everything but the kitchen sink. More workouts, larger more detailed led display consoles and 10+ built in workouts at a minimum.
Hopefully Our Exercise Bike Buyer's Guide has helped clear up some of the confusion about what to look for in an exercise bike. Remember knowledge is power.
Treadmills are without a doubt one of the most popular items of home and commercial gym equipment, powered or motorised treadmills use a motor to move the belt, keeping the rate at which you walk constant. Many motorised treadmills have powered incline adjustments. One of the main advantages of a motorised treadmill is that it's more challenging - it can go faster than you can, so you have to work harder to keep up. Argos Sports offer folding treadmills - for those looking to save space and who may be on a budget. Non-folding treadmills - for those who have enough space for a treadmill, and commercial treadmills - for those who want a high quality treadmill with advanced features, similar to the standard you get in gyms throughout the world
Cross trainers also known as elliptical trainers offer the same benefits as a treadmill but are low impact machines, i.e. your feet remain stationary. These cross training machines have adjustable resistance, sophisticated digital displays and are quiet in operation. At Argos Sports we offer compact elliptical trainers for those of you short of space and on a budget, standard elliptical trainers for those of you who have the space available. We also offer commercial elliptical trainers for those who want a high quality elliptical cross trainer similar to the ones you use at a gym
Rowing Machines have the advantage of using the entire body in a single, fluid motion. The seat on a rowing machine slides on rails and there are handles attached to stretchy cords that simulate the arm motion of using a paddle. Rowing is low impact and non-load bearing. At Argos Sports we offer air rowing machines such as the concept2 model which is used in gyms throughout the world. Magnetic rowing machines that are silent in operation, and finally water rowing machines - if you are serious about indoor rowing we suggest water rowing machines
Exercise bikes (sometimes referred to as exercise cycles or Exercise Bike) are good for the large muscle groups in the legs. These bikes are manual and have variable resistance. Some exercise bikes will also work the torso and upper body. A recumbent exercise bike puts less pressure and stress on the back. At Argos Sports we offer upright exercise bikes which give you the feel of a pedal bike, recumbent exercise bikes where you sit back and pedal putting less strain on your back (good for those who have the room and beginners). Finally we offer spinners and racers designed for those serious about there biking.
Multi Gyms allow you to do various exercises on one piece of fitness equipment (multi), with different sections to let you concentrate on different muscle groups and body areas. The majority of multi gyms offer the same core exercises such as chest press, leg extension/curl and seated row. At Argos Sports we offer compact multi gyms - for those short of space and on a budget. Standard multi gyms - for those of you who have the space and multi stack multi gyms for the advanced user who wants a multi gym similar to ones use at a gym
Argos Sports offer an extensive range of boxing equipment from boxing boots, boxing free standing equipment, boxing bags, boxing gloves, stands and brackets and much more . As well as being a market leader for fitness equipment and exercise equipment we excel in our supply of boxing necessities.
Table tennis tables are becoming popular in the UK, table tennis is a great sport mainly because its fun and you get a workout at the same time. At Argos Sports we offer outdoor table tennis tables, indoor table tennis tables, and also our new ready to play table tennis table which require limited setup. We also offer table tennis accessories such as bats, balls, nets and more.
Outdoor trampolines with safety enclosures are becoming a popular piece of garden furniture. At Argos Sports we have our own unique brand of outdoor trampoline called Jumpking Jump Pod Trampoline. The Jumpking Jump Pod brand offers great quality at a great price and they are suitable for all users
Argos Sports offer the widest range of gym equipment, from weights benches, smith machines, standard and olympic weights, multi gyms, power racks, weight storage racks, leverage machines and much more.
From Baseball, Basketball System, Air Hockey Tables, snooker Tables, pool tables, heart rate monitors and more we have a complete range of sports equipment, all at great prices.
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