are so many exercise bikes available that it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Spinning bikes, stationary bikes, dual action bikes, and recumbent bikes are probably some of the terms you’ve heard. It’s almost as though you have to be a fitness equipment engineer to understand the differences! Here’s a quick summary of these confusing terms.

o Spinning Bikes

You’ve probably heard about the spin craze that has become so popular in health clubs. Spinning bikes usually have at least a front wheel that spins (which is why they are so brilliantly named spinning bikes). These bikes might be the current fad, but they aren’t very comfortable. The seats are small and hard. The classes make these boring bikes more interesting, but as home exercise bikes, they quickly become tedious.

o Stationary Bikes

Stationary bikes (or upright bikes) are the exercise bikes that most people can identify. It’s the same basic model as in the 1980’s. Once again, it’s fairly uncomfortable. You can’t really do anything like read or watch TV because you’re leaning left and right and bouncing, so it, too, quickly gets boring.

o Dual Action Bikes

Dual action bikes are aptly named, as they give you both an upper and lower body workout. There are handles that move independently – much like an elliptical machine. It’s a good workout, but a bit tough for beginners, and as usual, the time on the bike will eventually get boring.

You can also get dual action bikes that allow you to adjust the machine to create an arm-pedaling workout. It’s usually fairly difficult to make the adjustments. It’s also two separate exercises, which create a longer workout. Most people aren’t as likely to keep up such a routine.

o Recumbent Bikes

Recumbent bikes are the exercise bikes with the comfortable bucket seats. You sit back and lower to the ground as you pedal. These exercise bikes are easy enough for even the most sedentary beginners, and they usually offer workout programs to keep the workouts from becoming mundane.

The Experts Recognize the Advantages of Recumbent Bikes

Most physicians and personal trainers recommend recumbent bikes. Recumbent bikes are better for people of all different fitness levels. You are more likely to keep up a recumbent bike routine over time, the bikes are safer, and there are different benefits for both men and women.

o Recumbent Bikes for All Fitness Levels

Even the most sedentary person will find a recumbent exercise bike easy to use. You can adjust the settings to offer little or no resistance as you pedal. People who are overweight will definitely find the seat much larger and more comfortable than other exercise bikes.

Athletes will find the recumbent exercise bike a challenge. The resistance can become incredibly difficult. The bike can simulate pedaling up hills. Most recumbent bikes offer various programs that will require you to sprint and tackle hills. If you want an upper body workout as you pedal, you can easily add weights and do repetitions as you sit back in the recumbent bike seat.

o Recumbent Bikes Offer a Sustainable Workout

The programs offered by most recumbent exercise bikes definitely keep the workout from becoming boring. You can simulate a course that is easy or difficult, flat or hilly. When shopping for exercise bikes, it’s better to get a bike with as many variations as possible.

The fact that a recumbent bike is suitable for all levels will keep you getting back on the bike. If you’re feeling particularly tired or lazy one day, you can have an easy workout where you can read a book or newspaper. If you really want to test your limits, you can crank up the music, set the machine to more difficult levels, and add some weights for an upper body workout.

o Recumbent Bikes are Safer

Because you sit back and lower to the ground in a recumbent bike, it is better for your body. Most exercise bikes force you to hunch over, causing a stiff back. Some dual action bikes are back injuries waiting to happen. Recumbent bikes require that you sit with good posture as you pedal.

Recumbent bikes also offer one of the few cardio workouts that put no pressure on your knees and other joints. You can’t “cheat” on a recumbent bike and stand up when you’re finding it more difficult to pedal. Standing like that on other types of exercise bikes puts unnecessary pressure on your knees and ankles. Recumbent bikes let your body exercise at an angle where your body weight is not stressing your joints. Even people with back and knee problems will find a recumbent bike easy to use.

o Why Men Should Choose Recumbent Exercise Bikes

So many men neglect their lower bodies when they workout, especially in strength training. It’s common to see buffed out men with giant biceps and tiny little bird legs. That’s because it’s easier to get an upper body workout at home. If you just invest in a recumbent bike, you can set the machine to high resistance. You will build leg muscle, and you can even do curls while you pedal.

Recumbent bikes can also allow men to get a great cardio workout without the discomfort that only a man knows on regular bikes or other types of exercise bikes. With the large, comfortable seats of recumbent bikes, you are much more likely to enjoy your workout pain-free.

If you move the seat of a recumbent bike up a bit to bring your legs higher, you can even target the lower abs and have to do less crunches to get the bottom of your six-pack!

o Things Women Should Know About Recumbent Bikes

Two words, ladies: legs and bottoms. Recumbent exercise bikes are so comfortable and easy to use that eventually you can do workouts giving you results like you’ve spent hours a day on a stair-stepper.

Recumbent bikes can give you a fat burning cardio workout with enough resistance to help you build long, lean muscle. Picture Tina Turner legs. Recumbent bikes also are great for your inner thighs. Using different programs and settings, you will be able to target different muscle areas in your legs for longer looking, leaner legs.

According to most polls, women claim in higher numbers to not have time for exercise because of more responsibilities in the home. With the positioning of a recumbent bike, you can multi-task to more easily fit in a workout. You are able to read, catch the news, and even use a phone or your handheld organizer.

Finding a Recumbent Exercise Bike

With prices between $200 and $3000, there is quite a variety of recumbent bikes available. Use the Internet to find great deals (including free shipping most of the time). Because the bikes are great for any level and help you to finally be able to stick with a safe and effective workout routine, you can splurge a little. This is definitely one of the best investments you can make for your health.

The Schwinn 231 recumbent exercise bike is made for home use. That doesn’t mean it’s a lightweight though. It’s one of Schwinn’s more expensive bikes, but here’s why owners buy it anyway…

The 231 Schwinn Recumbent Exercise Bike is a very low priced bike compared to many competitive bikes. Buy a cheap exercise bike and it will likely self destruct. Owners say the Schwinn 231 is a lot of bike for the money. It’s durable and has the Schwinn quality, but it has lots of features too. Here’s how…

It will work and last.

Schwinn equipment is known for lasting a long time. Now this bike isn’t as heavy as a commercial machine, but it does weigh in at well over a hundred pounds. It’s heavy enough to be stable, but light enough to be easily moved. It’s well put together too. This is a machine that won’t have to be replaced quickly. That way, it may be cheaper in the long-run than a cheap discount store machine. You get a lot of bike for the money and that’s the Schwinn reputation. So many of these bikes have been sold that you can find many, many owner comments on the Internet. That’s a major plus.

The Recumbent Advantage.

Anyone can get on this machine with its step-through frame. Once on, you’ll like the big comfortable seat. The seat has a dual lumbar support and gets high praise. It has plenty of adjustments too so it will fit most people well. Like any recumbent model, many people find this type of bike more comfortable than an upright model. The design of the seat lets your weight be distributed just right for maximum comfort. If you can ride longer and harder on a comfortable bike, you get more of what you want from your machine. More riding means more weight loss and better fitness.

What About The Electronics?

A key feature of Schwinn 231 exercise bike is the electronics. The resistance system is magnetic which produces a smooth almost silent ride. Plus with the 16 resistance levels you can adjust the pedal effort to just the right level for you . To keep it interesting there are 10 different preset workout programs too, plus there are 10 profile courses. What’s the real reason for the electronics? Simple. The programmed workouts and the quiet, smooth ride are the way to fight boredom. My guess is that most exercise bikes sit idle because pedaling can be painfully boring.

Other Exercise Options?

Exercise bikes are not a new idea. The exercise bike remains popular even though there are many other options. Those include treadmills and elliptical machines as well as many others. A recumbent machine is quiet, comfortable and this one has powerful electronics. You can exercise with quiet and without bobbing and bouncing around. That way you can listen to music, watch videos or even read while you exercise. The recumbent bike has a number of advantages over other exercise machines.

The Schwinn 231 Recumbent Exercise Bike is a good value. It’s noted for reliability and owners praise the value. It’s not as heavy and as stable as a commercial exercise bike, but it’s reliable and rugged for home use.

This is designed to put you in a semi-reclined position so your workout focuses on all the major muscles in your hips, thighs, and buttocks. Stationary cycling is the most effective low-impact aerobic exercises for increasing your metabolism for more efficient calorie and fat burning without the impact on your joints.

Because it is an impact-free activity, stationery cycling can be a lifelong form of exercise. For effective aerobic exercise, work within your target heart rate zone (70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate). They feature the adjustable heavy-weighted flywheel resistance and belt drive train, so your bike pedals smoothly at any resistance level. The magnetic resistance is easily adjusted with a grip-edged, 8-position dial knob that can be easily reached and adjusted without interrupting your workout.

The oversized foot pedals and adjustable foot straps hold your feet securely to improve pulling motion while pedaling. Exercise bikes without this feature have the pushing motion only and not the more advantageous pushing/pulling motion.

Recumbent Exercise Bike takes up much less space than other recumbent exercise bikes with a footprint of just 45″ x 24″. You’ll find that they are well designed and constructed bikes so you can sit back and get a smooth, quiet, low-impact, yet full-body workout. You are the most important person there is and your health should not be forgotten. As with everything exercise takes commitment, it is not something you can just jump into. You have you be dedicated and willing to accept hard work.

There is no doubt that regular exercise plays a key role to maintaining good health. Unfortunately most people simply do not get enough exercise and the few that do exercise tend to overdo it and end up in a state of over training which causes their immune system to weaken and they become susceptible to all kinds of illness.

Finding the right balance of rest and exercise in your life is important. It is important to also mention that diet plays a critical role so make sure to do your research into the ideal eating habits to maintain long term health. A good guide to follow when it comes to your diet is to eat smaller meals more frequently and make sure you are eating lots of natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.

There are two main forms of exercise and they are aerobic and strength training. Both are important and need to be implemented into your lifestyle if you wish to remain healthy. The term aerobic means to exercise with air. When you are doing aerobics your body is forced to take deep breaths and deep breathing has been shown in many studies to have amazing health benefits like increasing energy levels and detoxification. The amount of aerobic exercise that one needs varies from person to person.

If you work a job where you are constantly on your feet and moving around a lot then you probably do not need to add any additional aerobic exercise programs into your life. However if you are always seated and do not move around much in your regular job then it will be necessary for you to implement some type of workout routine so you can get the benefits that aerobic exercise provides.

There are many ways to do aerobic exercise and the main thing to keep in mind is that you should be moving your body on a regular basis and not live each day being physically idle. Some ways to get aerobic exercise could be to take a walk for an hour outside if the weather permits or to go to a gym and use a piece of aerobic exercise equipment like a stair master or treadmill for 30 to 45 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week.

You can also purchase a good quality aerobic exercise equipment like a recumbent exercise bike which many people find to be comfortable and effective. This will allow you to work out in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Strength training is also very important as it helps to build muscle and increase your metabolism so you will burn fat even when you are not exercising. This is a key ingredient to maintain a healthy body weight.

Weight training is the primary way to build muscles as you need to train your body to lift heavier weights so that it will respond by adding more muscle. Some key weight training exercises are the bench press and leg press. These two exercises alone can give you an effective weight training workout as they target a large number of muscles both in the upper and lower body. It is important not to do too much weight training since it does take your body a lot of time to recover from each workout.

A maximum of 1 workout a week might be best depending on how much weight you lift. The more weight you lift the more rest you will need in order to recover fully otherwise you risk over training which can weaken your immune system and lead to many health problems. Less is more when it comes to lifting weights. Be sure to take part in regular aerobic exercise and weight training as part of an overall program to live a healthy life.

When you finally decide to actually purchase an exercise bike, its important to first figure out where you are going to put the bike, this is so you can figure out what type of bike you want as well as how much room you will need for the bike. The second thing your going to want to do is think about whether you want an upright, semi-recumbent or recumbent exercise bike. The bike that you do choose should be comfortable enough for you to sit in but should also have good posture and an adjustable seat option as well. if you are going to buy a bike online, obviously you aren’t going to be able to test it out first so the second best thing is to look fir reviews online. Thankfully fir your sake I have found a few highly reviewed bikes that are available online, so go ahead and take a look at the following products available to you right now online:

Stamina CPS 9200 Indoor Cycle Exercise Bike -

The CPS 9200 Indoor Cycle exercise bike gives you the feel of a real road bike with it’s weighted flywheel that builds speed link an outdoor bike. Strong and durable steel construction lets you stand up and pedal hard while the support of the rock-solid base keeps you steady.

Deluxe Conversion II Recumbent Bike and Rower -

These are awesome because its like a two in one machine! It is constructed with an extruded aluminum rowing beam and steel construction for increased durability. With eight levels of resistance and an easy-to-see LCD screen which keeps track of distance, speed, calories burned, and pulse (measured by sensors in grips), the rower bike will motivate you during your low-impact, comfortable workout. The Stamina recumbent bicycle is very quiet, has a cushioned, foam-padded seat and seat back, and foot-straps which hold your feet firmly in place for the ultimate comfort.

Elite Total Body Recumbent Bike -

With the Elite Total Body Recumbent Bike, you work all major muscles in your thighs, buttocks, and hips while getting a great cardiovascular workout. In addition, the Elite Total Body Recumbent bike tones your upper body muscle groups with rotating handlebars.

InTone Folding Recumbent Bike -

The InTone Folding Recumbent Bike tones your thighs, hips, and buttocks while you get an effective low-impact cardiovascular workout. With the easy mobility of the unit and it’s folding design, the InTone Folding Recumbent Bike is portable and easy to store. Other features of this bike include; a quiet motor, a cushioned seat and seat back, and foam-padded grips, providing for a very comfortable, low-impact workout. The adjustable seat can fit all heights, and allows for you to workout in a semi-reclined position, eliminating back and shoulder strain. The LCD monitor tracks workout time, speed, distance, and calories burned, so you will remain motivated as you meet your goals!

When it comes to fitness equipment the recumbent bikes and trikes are creating waves in the fitness world as well as the market these days. But then you should not select any equipment in haste. Do not give yourself a chance to regret your decision of making a flawed choice. Hence gaining an adequate knowledge of the features that you should look for in the cycle that you intend to buy is going to help you a lot in making the right choice. Out here we will discuss about what you should take into account before buying a recumbent trike.

The first criterion that you should think of is, whether you want to use the trike on a regular basis or occasionally. Every trike cannot be used for every purpose. The models for heavy usage are different from the models for comparatively light usage. It is very important for you to choose according to your usage to get the maximum benefit from your recumbent trike. Subjecting a trike that is meant for light usage to heavy usage is sure going to take its toll on the trike. If you are an occasional user, I suggest that you go for the ones that are meant for occasional usage. They are available at cheaper rates than the ones meant for heavy usage or multiple users, which may be preferred by the gyms.

There are two types of trikes available in the sports equipment market today, namely, the delta and the tadpole. The delta trike is designed like a conventional tricycle. It has a pair of wheels at the back. The tadpole is rather unconventional. It has a pair of wheels in the front. It is seen that the tadpole models are more in use than the delta models. With the tadpole model you will have problems embarking and disembarking from it. In comparison to the manufacturers of delta models, you can get to see more number of manufacturers of the tadpole.

If you are particular in getting a delta for yourself you should put some efforts in searching for a good brand. They are pricier in comparison to the tadpoles. Both the models have their own advantages and disadvantages and your own judgment is supreme. If you have difficulty in climbing on to a low-lying seat, it is better for you purchase a delta-type trike.

Coming to the speed at which you can drive these trikes, it is generally observed that those with low and narrow seats- the ones on which you can assume a relaxed posture seem to ride really fast. But coming to stability issues such a trike is not a good choice. Besides, it is not as suitable for riding long distances.