There are multiple types of exercise bikes available in the USA, be it offline or online market you can see many different types of exercise bikes, and all of them are made with certain kinds of workout requirements.
Selecting the right type of exercise cycle is a must as per your fitness and health goals, so it is essential to understand each one of them in detail, though any kind of exercise is helpful for your fitness journey.
But an exercise bike is one of the best equipment especially if you are looking for weight loss and if trying to lose fat around your belly, it does not only help to lose weight but also ensures to the tone of your lower body.
It provides great cardio exercise so let us discuss each one of those 5 different types of exercise bike, so you can get them as per your requirement.
Also read: Treadmill vs outdoor running which is the better
5 Different types of exercise bike
Upright Exercise bike:
Upright exercise cycles are more often you will see in the gym, especially used for indoor exercise including the comfort of your home, this workout cycle does not come with back support but gives relaxed and easy workout sessions.
You can watch videos, and television while doing a workout, The design of the products is sleek and very easy to store anywhere, this is very good for those who want to experiment with cardio exercise and at the same time low impact workout then it is the ideal choice.
This helps the user to provide strength to your legs, and thighs, you have to perform a workout by seating there will not be the option of standing workout as the seat and handle of the bike won’t be at a similar position.
The bike handle will be higher than the seating, with upright bikes most of the time you may have to keep your hands on handles while performing, overall good cycle for cardio exercise that is beneficial for the lower body and also provides little strength to the upper body as well.
There will be a screen on the cycle that can display your workout performance such as calories burned, speed of the session, etc, this depends on product to product, also some of the models will have heart sensor technology at the handle so you can track your heart rate during a workout.
Pros:
- Good for burning calories.
- Great for cardio exercise.
- Strengthen your leg, and thighs and are good for abs.
- Shape and tone your muscles.
- Allow you to upright and forward-leaning position.
- The price is affordable.
Cons:
- Cannot stand and pedal.
- Sometimes users feel stiffness.
- Not good for an individual who has back pain.
Spin Exercise bike:
This is another one of the best exercise bikes for those who are looking for a high-intensity workout with low impact, it is very effective and burns massive calories 30-40 minutes of cycling burns around 400-500 calories so it is a good cycle to burn calories quickly.
The design of the upright and spin bikes are very resemblance to each other, but this cycle looks more like a racing bike or bicycle, these bikes are also known as “Indoor bikes” these are mostly found in the gym due to their size.
As it is a little larger in size thus this is not suitable for home use, but if you have a place to keep you can use them at home as well, the resistance system of the cycle is what makes it a little different than an upright bike.
The flywheel spins according to peddling by you, and the resistance or the speed of the workout is adjustable with help of a knob, if you are into cycling you will do the workout quite efficiently overall good for those who are looking for cardio and aerobic kind of workout.
Unlike an upright bike, you can pedal and exercise with help of a spin bike to enhance your workout if needed.
Pros:
- High-intensity cardio and aerobic exercise.
- Burned higher calories.
- Can peddle while upright, leaning, and standing.
- Most of the bikes are adjustable such as seats and handlebars.
- Heavy-duty Sturdy exercise bikes.
- Similar feeling to riding a bicycle on road.
Cons:
- Occupy space.
- Not suitable for joint issues.
- Sometimes may face back pain.
Dual-action Air Bike:
This exercise cycle is getting popular due to its dual feature, what they are? we are going to discuss but if you do not hear the name air bike then these are also known as “Fan bikes” or “assault bikes”
Most of the designs come with seat and back support so good for those who have issues of back pain or lower back injury, these are usable for gym and home so you get another option for indoor cycling for weight loss.
The design will be like 2 long handles which are movable so you can train your upper body as well along with the lower part of your body, you just have to move front and back and another good thing with most of the fan bikes if you do not wish to use handles you can use the bike as a stationary cycle as well.
The intensity of your workout will be depending on how fast you can peddle, overall helpful equipment to tone your body, and at the same time increase endurance level, god for cardio and HIIT training.
Pros:
- Good workout for the overall body.
- Target your upper and lower body.
- Dual-purpose handles moving or stationery.
- Low impact and easy on your joints.
- Good for high-intensity cardio and HIIT training.
- Burns calories to lose weight.
Cons:
- Requires space as it is not foldable.
Recumbent exercise bike:
The recumbent bike is specially made for comfortable use as the design is more reclined and there will be back support, a good seating area with front pedals so you can use it comfortably.
This bike is good for those who have severe back issues, joint issues, or have any kind of injury history, though these bikes are not burning very massive calories but are decent to lose some unwanted fat.
It helps to shape and tone your glutes, lose decent fats around the belly and strengthen your legs but can not expect to burn massive calories and gets faster results, if you want to have a high-intensity workout better to go with an upright, air bike but best will be a spin bike.
Pros:
- Comfortable and relaxing exercise.
- Specially designed for people with back or joint issues.
- Good for the person who has an injury.
- Good for senior citizens.
Cons:
- Pricey.
- Doe does not burn massive calories.
- Requires space.
Mini Exercise bike:
These bikes are a very tiny pedaling cycle that is very easy to store and suitable to use anytime, it does help for calorie burn but is not as effective as some of the above-listed on our list of 5 different types of exercise bikes.
These are quite affordable and there will be a small LCD display to monitor the time of the exercise, speed, and burned calories, it helps to increase blood circulation to your body and is easier on your joints but not very effective to burn high calories.
Pros:
- Easier on joints.
- Requires less space.
- Affordable in price.
Cons:
- Not suitable burning for massive calories.
More about 5 different types of exercise bike
What kind of exercise bike should I get?
This is completely dependent on you If you have space at home and do not have any issues of back pain or joints and looking for fast calorie burned go for the spin exercise bike.
If you are looking for a casual workout with good cardio sessions which can help to burn a good number of calories then the Upright bike is ideal to go with, Air bike is a good option for those who are looking for upper and lower body training.
The recumbent exercise bike provides comfort but burns fewer calories as compared to the other 3 options upright, Spin, and air exercise cycle, but the recumbent bike is good for senior citizens and those who have any history of injury, back and joint pain.
Selection among 5 different types of exercise bike depending on a lot of things your main goal and also current health situation and of course budget, we have covered all the points above you can read in detail to know more.
What exercise bike is best for weight loss?
Spin bike burns massive calories so our suggestion will be spin cycles for fast calorie burn but as discussed, a lot depends on things such as goal, current health, budget, and storage facility if you are looking for a home.
If you are looking for a home then you can go with foldable exercise cycles there are many exercise bikes available online which are suitable for home use.
Conclusion:
So here it is we have discussed in detail 5 different types of exercise bike, also we have covered the advantages and disadvantages of each one of them, hope this article helps you to know about types of exercise bike.
We have also covered the most frequently asked question which is what is the best exercise bike to get? if you like this information share it with your friends and if you have any questions post your comments we will be happy to guide you.