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Okay. So this week I'm buckling down and getting back into my workout routine. Expect to see a full fledged revival of the Official Hatrack Exercise Thread soon. But this summer I've decided I just can't do jogging. It was boring last year, and the longer my runs went, while impressing myself with the increased length, only got more and more boring and ended up being unsustainable. I decided I needed a program that I could actually stick with year round, and I've decided on cycling, for which I've decided to buy a recumbent exercise bike.
While I'm still very used to the idea of a stationary bike, all the reading I've done has suggested that recumbent bikes are easier on the body while still giving the same benefits, so recumbent it is! Plus I can read and watch tv whilst remaining relatively comfortable in the process. I LOVE successful multitasking.
My problem is that I've visited every local sporting goods store, but have been left very unimpressed by their selection of bikes. My price limit is $200, which is probably more than I can afford anyway, but I'm really committed to getting back into my exercising within the next week, no more procrastination! Thus I'm left with ordering something off the internet, which upon further checking is actually less expensive than I thought it would be. I'd probably be willing to shell out an extra $30 or so for shipping and handling on a $200 bike.
Some of the bikes are duplicates on both pages. But I'm curious as to what each of you would pick. It's hard to gauge what would actually be comfortable just from looking at a picture, but there was a very small selection in all the stores I went to. I think I want a magnetic resistance bike, and something rather comfortable. Preferably something that I could program and make my own riding program out of or use the preset ones already in it.
Do any of you have recumbent bikes out there who care to comment? Any and all advice is welcome, after my little issue is solved, I was hoping this could be the next installment of Hatrack Reviews, and in this case, Hatrack Reviews: Exercise Bikes. Hopefully I can make a decision by the end of the week.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
I've honestly never been big on exercise bikes. I shall look at those when I am done with my obsessive apartment cleaning, though. I always liked elliptical machines.
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I looked at ellipticals. I've read that they can cause injury more often than bikes. Plus it takes out the multitasking element I was looking forward too. And I actually tried out out at the sporting goods store. It was a very, odd feeling.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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actually, I have an elliptical, and I like it a lot. I find it hard to read on them, but my dad can read like nobody's business. But, what we've done is we've set up an old tv that had a built-in vcr and I just play old movies on it while I run. It's really great. I actually ran this morning while watching Toy Story. Good times.
Posts: 1789 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Have you actually used a recumbent bike before? I personally prefer an upright bike; it's much more comfortable IMO.
You can multitask on an elliptical, or at least as well as you can on a bike or treadmill. If you're really going hard you shouldn't be able to read. But if you're keeping your heartrate lower and doing longer workouts you shouldn't have any problem reading on any of them.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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My advice to you is to try to pick up a used one off Craigslist first. It might take a little longer to find what you want, but it will be cheaper, and no matter how committed you are I always like buying used first to make sure I actually stick with the program. You're around Detroit, right? [url=http://detroit.craigslist.org/spo/]Here's[/url the sporting goods section. There seem to be several treadmills, elliptical machines, and health riders up now, but no bikes. I'd check it morning and evening for a couple of days, and see if one shows up before buying new.
Hmmm, there's a seperate bike section, I don't know if a stationary bike would show up there or in sporting goods. You might want to keep an eye on both.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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