{"id":2355,"date":"2025-02-18T12:26:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T01:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/selecting-the-perfect-exercise-bike-a-guide.html"},"modified":"2025-02-18T12:26:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T01:26:25","slug":"selecting-the-perfect-exercise-bike-a-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/selecting-the-perfect-exercise-bike-a-guide.html","title":{"rendered":"Selecting the Perfect Exercise Bike: A Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With all the high-tech equipment you can find in gyms these days, it\u2019s easy to overlook the trusty stationary bike. But an exercise cycle can be a smart investment when you\u2019re\u00a0building a home gym\u00a0or just looking for an easy way to get some cardio at home.<\/p>\n<p>Exercise bikes can help you experience many of the physical and mental benefits of cycling without having to face the elements (or the traffic) outdoors. So how can you choose the best exercise bike for you? Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n<h2>What to Look for When Choosing an Exercise Bike<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re not happy with your exercise cycle, you\u2019re probably not going to commit to using it regularly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost people give up on their fitness equipment because it wasn\u2019t what they thought,\u201d says Courtney Grafton, a certified spin instructor and cycling expert at FitRated.com.<\/p>\n<p>The first step is to find a bike that feels comfortable to you. It should feel similar to riding a real bike, Grafton says.<\/p>\n<p>With your bike properly set up, you should be gripping the handlebars with your elbows slightly bent, and your torso should ideally be at a 45-degree angle \u2014 not hunched over. And when the pedals are parallel to the ground, the knee of your front leg should be over your foot.<\/p>\n<p>Grafton also recommends paying attention to these features when shopping for an exercise cycle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Smooth flywheel.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cNot only will it feel better, but a smoother flywheel will also be quieter,\u201d Grafton says. \u201cThis is important for\u00a0people in apartments or who don\u2019t want to disturb the whole house when [using the bike].\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bluetooth connectivity.\u00a0<\/strong>This isn\u2019t a necessity, but it can make it easier to track your workouts on an app.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Seat comfort.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019ll be sitting on it a lot,\u201d Grafton says \u2014 and if you\u2019re not a seasoned biker, a narrow seat may feel uncomfortable. Grafton suggests looking for a bike with a wider seat or purchasing a cushioned seat cover.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Handlebars and pedals.<\/strong>\u00a0If your bike workouts are high-intensity, you may prefer a bike with clip-in pedals. Just keep in mind you\u2019ll need to buy compatible shoes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Price.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhy pay for features you aren\u2019t going to use?\u201d Grafton says. \u201cThere are a lot of great bikes on the market that won\u2019t break the bank.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Recumbent vs. upright: Which is better?<\/h3>\n<p>There are two main types of stationary bikes: recumbent and upright. \u201cThe main difference between a recumbent bike and [an] upright bike is your overall body positioning,\u201d Grafton says.<\/p>\n<p>A recumbent bike has a full seat back, so you\u2019re in a reclined position while pedaling. \u201cRecumbent bikes are great for seniors and those rehabilitating an injury,\u201d Grafton says. \u201cI would also recommend these for those with back or hip issues.\u201d However, recumbent exercise cycles don\u2019t provide as much of a core workout as upright exercise cycles.<\/p>\n<p>An upright bike is the type you\u2019d typically see in a spin studio \u2014 it has a smaller seat and requires an upright body position, similar to riding outdoors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUpright bikes are great for those looking for a good cardio burn,\u201d Grafton says. \u201cAn upright bike will work more muscle groups, and you have more riding options on an upright bike, such as sprinting or raising up out of the saddle to climb.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Our Pick: The BODi Bike<\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-163938\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/15141129\/best-exercise-bikes-600-myx.png\" alt=\"MYX Bike | Best Exercise Bikes\" width=\"420\" height=\"514\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0BODi Bike\u00a0is our top pick for the best exercise bike.<\/p>\n<p>This professional-grade Star-Trac exercise bike features mechanical-friction braking and a 41-pound flywheel for a quiet and smooth ride. The bike can be easily adjusted to accommodate riders from 4\u201911\u201d to 6\u20198\u2033, and the versatile pedals are compatible with SPD clip-ins or regular sneakers.<\/p>\n<p>Featuring science-driven heart rate-based training customized to your own heart rate zones, the BODi Bike can help you reach your fitness goals faster and more efficiently. Plus, it\u2019ll make sure you\u2019re working out across a variety of intensity levels, which can help to reduce fatigue and prevent overtraining.<\/p>\n<p>And with the BODi app, you can stream workouts led by certified trainers to mimic the studio experience right at home. The 21.5-inch HD touchscreen monitor even swivels out so you can cross-train and take your workouts beyond the bike.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a biking pro or just beginning your cycling journey, these workouts will meet you exactly where you\u2019re at \u2014 and then push you even further.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, the BODi Bike has a lower price point than similar high-tech exercise bikes, and the compact footprint is ideal if you have limited space in your home gym \u2014 you only need a 4\u2032 x 6\u2032 space around the bike to ride and move comfortably.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line: If you\u2019re looking to invest in the best exercise bike for your indoor cycling workouts, the BODi Bike strikes a perfect balance between cost, comfort, and connectivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With all the high-tech equipment you can find in gyms these days, it\u2019s easy to overlook the trusty stationary bike. But an exercise cycle can be a smart investment when you\u2019re\u00a0building a home gym\u00a0or just looking for an easy way to get some cardio at home. Exercise bikes can help you experience many of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2357,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions\/2357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}