I'm just wondering if anyone here uses an excercise bike regularly. I'm thinking of buying one but I'd like to know if anyone has had any success with them.

   

Had one for a while. Made a decent clothes rack.

   

lol I think that's how most end up.

   

I have one, it's my second one; I wore the first one out!

When you buy an exercise bike, you need to know that you are entering a love-hate relationship and you will likely wind up hating it. It's great exercise because you can do it without going out or going anywhere at all when it's cold. You can get your heart-rate up, your respiration up and even sweat like a pig without the pounding and jarring that goes with running. The problem is, it's boring as hell! The only solution I've found is to ride in front of the TV when there is something on that I'm really interested in.

The one I'm riding now is a recumbant. I like that a lot better because it's a much more comfortable riding position and you get the same exercise. In addition to TV, I dream of warm spring days when I can ride my real bike outside without freezing my fingers and face.

My reason for riding? I'm old, tend to gain weight and I'm diabetic. It's a case of use my legs or lose them.

   

I find you get where you're going a lot faster on a real bike.

   

Save yourself a bunch of trouble and space and get a wind trainer. Your bike sits on, or fastens to them and you ride it as you would on the road. I've had one for years and use it from time to time in the winter. Mine is fastened into it and is loaded with features. All you really need though is one that the bike sits on called rollers. Thing is with that one, you'll need to ride it in a door way till you get the nack for staying on top of it.

   

Exercise bikes are great...especially watching the hockey games. You can adjust the tension as you go along. I usually go for the first period, then rest for awhile and will finish off during the last period of the game. You can really work up a good sweat. It's also great for the CFL games too!

   

I have the professional exercie bike like the one at the Spining classes at the gym. A Schwinn. Can't go wrong with it and still using it after 3 years. I didn't want to get a wind trainer because the roller used up the tire rubber. Since I have a mountain bike I had to change the tires to the slicks for smoothness on the roller. I find the Schwinn is more stable while dancing on it from my harcore training. It's more expensive but truely worth it.

Good luck

   

Next time you virtually ride through Hamilton let me know. I'll be virtually around.
I picked up a Greg Lemond spinner after a gym around here tanked. The wind trainers are good as well, just not a skill I've acquired.

I took a look on Google last night for "cycling videos" and there are helmet cams and time trials you can download to race against. Or there are some from the spinnig classes you could use.