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Exercise bike recommendations?

by sergius
Tue, Dec 30, 2014 20:03
16

Hi Folks,

I had originally planned on getting a turbo trainer to use over the winter months, however my wife has vetoed the idea of my bikes ever being allowed in the house and I've no other suitable location that I can use. After a bit of wrangling, she seems vaguely keen on a proper exercise bike that we can both use, for her to replace the running that she's been missing and for me to allow me to do something on a cold/wet/windy day rather than sit on my a*** and eat cake.

I frequently (3-4 times a week) use the spinning bikes in my gym so am fairly comfortable with fixed exercise bikes, but it's not something I've ever really looked into buying before - so any advice would be appreciated. I've had a look at the Technogym ones that I use in my gym (~£2k) and a look at Wattbikes (£1.6k to £2.25k) - both of which are a bit more than I'd want to spend on this. Firstly the money for this is coming out of the funds for my next proper bike, and secondly as my wife's involved she'll flip if I spent that much on something like this.

The criteria I have are the following:

- As small a footprint as possible, with wheels to move the thing (it will be stored in one room and used in another).
- Computer/sensors, cadence + the ability to hook up a HRM would be my ideal, not necessarily a deal breaker though.
- Fully adjustable (saddle and handlebars up/down & forwards/backwards), it needs to be easily adjustable to fit both my wife and I.
- Ideally not more than £500, I'm flexible on this but I will have other expenses (pedals/cleats/shoes for my wife etc.)

I've seen a few on Amazon and Fitness-Superstore that look vaguely suitable, but reviews are limited so it would be a bit of a blind purchase. Can anyone lend any personal experience/suggestions here?

Thanks for any help,
Cheers.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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16 comments

Avatar
sergius | 7 years ago
0 likes

Back from the dead!

 

We bought an exercise bike, tbh it rarely (never) gets used.  My wife uses it more than I do, in fact the only time I've really used it is when I came off on some back ice in January and fractured both wrists - you can ride one of those without having to lean on your hands.

 

I just go out in the bad weather and suck it up normally, although this winters' experience will change that going forward.  It will be MTB or a Cross bike offroad going forward when it's that cold.

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beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
0 likes

get a different wife?

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MariaMartinez | 7 years ago
0 likes

second hand spinning bike? only about £100

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Jimnm | 7 years ago
0 likes

When the weather is just too bad to get out,  I workout on my cross trainer. It's got the pedalling motion and it's good for your upper body and stamina. Not sure what you guys think, it does me ok and keeps my legs right. I'm not young at nearly 66 but it's an everyday thing minimum 40 minutes on whatever setting I feel like doing on the day.

your comments would be appreciated... 

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GuyWest | 7 years ago
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Regardless of whether you use it at home or in the gym, you should remember the tips for taking full advantage of bike exercising: 

Be sure bicycle fits you appropriately. ... 

Keep your upper body relaxed, shoulders far from the ears. 

Sit gently on your seat, usingyour abs to support your back.

Avatar
drosco | 8 years ago
1 like

I got at cheap Chinese spin bike of ebay and it's been rubbish. Noisy, adjustment is terrible. I still use it, but it removes whatever pleasure there is to be had from training. Whatever you get, make sure it's a decent one.

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marrcena | 4 years ago
0 likes

Yoga exercise stands for the greatest ideal, as well as achievement of the human. Nevertheless, it is not a thoughtful phenomenon, yet an experiential one. Basically, it is the pure experience of the full capacity of human presence. This experience, or state of being, is not special to Yoga. It can boost cycling performance.

It is accessibly many other spiritual techniques from various other cultures, East and West. It has been provided several names to describe it: All inadequate, as well as partial; but each providing a feeling of it from a certain angle.

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pablo | 10 years ago
0 likes

simple solution buy a new bike and a trainer. A nice clean bike on a nice new trainer which you would have all dialled in ready for the summer.

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Alan Tullett | 10 years ago
0 likes

I've got the DKN Ergometer AM-3.0. Cost me about £250 a year or so ago new. Got Watts, Cadence, Speed, 12 levels of resistance, programs or you can make up your own, has handles for heartrate or it can pick up a cheap heartstrap with no problem. Small footprint and adjustable height (you might want to drill an extra hole for a perfect fit but the existing ones are ok for us) and saddle setback. It's magneto but that's ok for me. All the family use it, me, my wife, even my two daughters sometimes. I fit it in a corner of my small bay window and then just move it a fraction to watch TV on it. It has wheels if you want to move it but I doubt if you'll bother after a while. Decent enough manual. Perfect for you I would say and won't make much of a dent in your new bike budget.

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dotdash | 10 years ago
0 likes

Don't forget to use a cash back site for some extra money.

Quidco are offering 2.5% cutback with the 20%, and they normally pay the cashback on the full amount.

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sergius | 10 years ago
0 likes

And an extra 20% off today only, so £320 for the Kettler Racer 3.

That looks like a good choice to me, thanks folks.

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twowheeltoys | 10 years ago
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My better half has had a couple of Kettler bikes and although the serious cyclists on here may turn their noses up, they provided a more sweaty experience than I expected. Most are easy on the eye which should appeal to your wife. Word of caution though, if you find a bike you like the look the look of, have a really good dig around, prices vary ridiculously (eg. Kettler Racer 3 on amazon £668, only £449 on sweatband.)

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OnTheRopes replied to twowheeltoys | 10 years ago
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twowheeltoys wrote:

My better half has had a couple of Kettler bikes and although the serious cyclists on here may turn their noses up, they provided a more sweaty experience than I expected. Most are easy on the eye which should appeal to your wife. Word of caution though, if you find a bike you like the look the look of, have a really good dig around, prices vary ridiculously (eg. Kettler Racer 3 on amazon £668, only £449 on sweatband.)

Kettler 3 does not look a bad bike for the price. Never used one myself but the downside for me would be the manual resistance.

Argos and Homebase are currently listing the kettler for £398
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/kettler-indoor-racer-exercise-bi...$ja=tsid:18771%7Ccc:%7Cprd:185170%7Ccat:Garden+%3E+Outdoor+Living+%3E+Sports+Equipment&_$ja=cgid:13692607336|tsid:49590|cid:320438656|lid:87080162237|nw:g|crid:56069232856|rnd:13080714190499112751|dvc:c|adp:1o4|bku:1

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sergius | 10 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for that, I'd not come across Keiser before. My gym is only £15/month and won't be replaced by this bike, this is for my wife during the week and me on weekends when the weather is bad only.

£1300 for a new one is still a bit steep, I'm not sure whether I'd go down the second-hand route, will need to talk to the missus about that.

No-one has any personal experience with cheaper/lower-end bikes at home?

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notfastenough | 10 years ago
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Wattbikes can be hired or bought in instalments for about the same price as a gym membership, so I suppose it depends on whether you plan to keep the gym.

The keiser M3 is good, the resistance varies wildly in the gym because people just let them slam back down after moving them, knocking the resistance magnet out of calibration. But if it's yours, you could do a quick adjustment before you use it to ensure a reasonably consistent power curve. Power, HR, cadence etc all present.

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OnTheRopes | 10 years ago
0 likes

Wattbike if you can afford one and are serious enough to need one.
I have a Keiser M3 which are very good as far as Spin Bikes are concerned.
http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/keiser-m3-indoor-studio-exercise-cyc...
They are magneto resistance give cadence, heart rate (with the right strap) Watts and resistance level on the readout. Adjustment of saddle height, bars height and saddle fore / aft. Not cheap new but you can pick them up on ebay for less than £500

Heres one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keiser-M3-Indoor-Bike-/111544500178?pt=LH_Defa...

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