Regular physical activities such as walking, swimming, and biking help an individual to stay healthy and keep the excess fat at bay. However, due to the busy lifestyle, conventional biking has largely been replaced by indoor cycling.
You do not always have to step out of your house for biking – thanks to stationary exercise bikes! They are a piece of essential gym equipment that can help you lose weight and strengthen and tone your muscles.
Biking is a top-notch cardio workout. Cardio exercises elevate an individual’s heart rate and promote easy burning of fat, thereby helping you lose weight. Biking does not only help you strengthen your heart but is also beneficial for your legs, knees, ankles, back, hips, and neck. Alongside cycling the pedals with your legs, some exercise bikes also allow the provision to pump the handlebars using one’s arms.
There are three types of exercise bikes: air bikes, spin bikes, and recumbent bikes. Are you wondering which exercise bike is best for weight loss? This article will give you a brief insight and help you to make the right choice.
Air bikes, spin bikes, and recumbent bikes belong to the same family and share resemblances in their core structure. However, some fundamental differences in structure tell them apart. These structural differences also account for the difference in their usability.
Read on to learn more about the three different kinds of exercise bikes and their features so that you can choose the one that works the best for fat loss.
Table of Contents
Enhance Your Cardio Capacity with Air Bikes
The most remarkable feature of air bikes is that they are equipped with a huge fan that generates wind resistance when a person works out. This equipment lets you push yourself to your extremes. The harder you pedal, the greater the fan’s resistance will be. Therefore, air bikes help you perform high-intensity workouts and enhance your cardio capacity.
The handles of a fan bike are synchronized to move as you pedal. This offers the benefit of working both your upper and lower body simultaneously. It is so effective that the results obtained by exercising for 10 minutes on an air bike are equivalent to running for 5 kilometers!
Air bikes are straightforward to use. They are also convenient for injured people or beginners, as one can easily adjust the resistance based on the speed of the pedal. If you are suffering physical challenges or injuries like twisted ankles or muscle strains, you can continue using your fan bike and indulge in a safe workout. Many people use this gym equipment for pre-workout warm-ups.
Air resistance exercise bikes are heavy and sturdy pieces of equipment that can help you shed stubborn fat and get a toned body. However, as they are not foldable, they can be slightly difficult to store. Nonetheless, they are the best at what they promise to do, i.e., helping you lose weight.
Spin Bikes for Easy Indoor Cycling
If you are looking forward to a regular cycling-type workout that can aid fat loss, you can use a spin bike, also known as a stationary bike. Spin bikes have a more sleek appearance and are lightweight compared to air bikes, making them suitable for indoor uses. It is more popularly used by people who are desirous of weight loss and focus more on their legs and calves.
Resistance in spin bikes can be built in two ways- by using magnets and by friction. In magnetic spin bikes, the flywheel is made to pass between two magnets. The magnets of these indoor bikes move to and forth and cause alteration in the resistance. On the other hand, friction spin bikes use felt pads on the flywheel, which can be adjusted using a knob to create resistance.
Unlike air bikes, stationary bikes are not meant for an intense and heavy workout. As it can offer a good low-intensity workout, spin bikes can be used by older adults. However, one of the major disadvantages of using spin bikes is that they do not provide holistic development of the body.
Unlike the handlebars of an air bike, those of a spin bike are not designed to work out the muscles of your forelimbs and shoulders. Nonetheless, investing in a spin bike is an excellent idea if you want to opt for an indoor weight loss program.
Recumbent Bikes for a Relaxed Workout Experience
If you find it challenging to work out for a longer time, you may need equipment that will help you avoid distractions and keep you hooked to the exercise bike for a longer time. A recumbent bike will help you work out in a reclined position. The bike will offer you the liberty to watch television or read a book as you exercise, thereby keeping you from getting bored.
Many people, especially aged people, find it very convenient to use a recumbent bike. If you are new to a cardio workout, recumbent bikes are a great thing to start with. Recumbent bikes are also suitable for experienced exercisers. You can set challenges for yourself by increasing the pedaling speed, cycling backward, or increasing the resistance. One can easily tailor the workout plan according to his fitness goals and level.
However, a recumbent bike may not prove to be as beneficial as the former two exercise bikes. The comfort of indoor cycling might diminish a person’s workout intensity, making it difficult for him to make progress in his fitness program. Also, since recumbent bikes have a reclined structure, they take up a lot of space and are difficult to store.
In a Nutshell
After a thorough evaluation, we are now aware of the features and benefits that each of these exercise bikes offers. If you are looking forward to weight loss, biking can prove to be the ultimate cardio exercise. Cycling for an hour can help you burn 400 calories!
If you want to get hold of the best exercise bike among a recumbent bike, fan bike, or spin bike, fan bikes are a clear winner. A decent air bike does not limit your resistance and intensity and allows you the comfort and convenience to customize your workout as and when required. They are so convenient to use that even injuries cannot debar you from hopping onto your air bike! Getting in shape is now easier than ever before!
