soulsearcher

hey people so im after an exercise bike but not sure which one to pick as theres a fair few out there,
like theres air bikes, spin bikes, upright bikes and even recumbent exercise bikes too

i need it for rehab and as well as getting better id like to improves the strength as im very weak
and im also generally get healthier not just hoping for it to help me physically but mentally too

i've seen the whole peleton hack thing on youtube which looks good,
just last thing i want to do is get something and later wish i wouldve picked something else and live in regret and even worse not end up using it

any advice and help would be appreciated thanks

VegasTriker

I'm lucky enough to live in an area where winter riding isn't really tough to do so my experience may not be typical. I bought a used exercise bike just to try it out and found it to be extremely boring, not at all like getting out on the road and actually riding, Eventually I put the bike out at the curb and let someone else pick it up. No real loss as it wasn't very expensive. I'm cheap so the idea of paying $$$$ for something like a Peloton and then being required to pay monthly fees is an anathema to me even though I can well afford it. If you do decide on buying one of these expensive exercise bikes, why not choose one you really want to buy and then looking at Craigslist or other similar sites and buy one from someone who had my same experience - their loss, your gain. You still have to pay the monthly fee but at least you can save some on the initial cost. Then if you hate it as much as I did, resell the bike and recoup more of your money than if you buy new. My local CL has a "3rd generation" Peleton for $850 and others for well under $1K.

soulsearcher

okay thing is it has to be an indoor exercise bike

anyways how do these bike trainers work with normal bicycles?

also whats this zwift app? can i connect to it whilst using the indoor bike on a bike trainer and cycle virtually so to speak?

what do i need exactly?

sorry for my ignorance just got no idea how it all works tbh

ratell

I would do the bike on a trainer. Something like this wahoo https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices...kickr-snap-buy If you don’t already have an outdoor bike you’ll need to buy one. The advantage is if you get into it you have a bike you can ride outdoors.

Zwift is a virtual cycling world where you can cycle with and even race others. It is potentially very social. In order to Zwift you need a trainer or exercise bike that records power and a phone, tablet, laptop or Apple TV to run the app. Makes indoor cycling much less boring it does have a monthly fee. There are a lot of YouTube videos that can give you the peloton experience if you are looking to save money. Or if you already have an Apple Watch apple’s fitness+ is probably cheaper. You can try Zwift for free. I would compare it to a video like this to see which you enjoy more before signing up. The other option is to just watch a tv show while cycling that’s what my wife does.

PeteHski

First thing to decide is whether you just want an exercise bike vs a real world bike simulation. Peloton is a high-end exercise bike (spin bike) perfect for following spin class workouts with highly motivating videos etc. A smart trainer used with Zwift is more like riding a real bike indoors, with gear changes, virtual roads etc. It's a whole different experience.

From what you are saying I would have thought Peloton would be more what you are looking for, unless you intend to ride outdoors at some point in the future. If not and you are looking at this purely for indoor exercise then I don't see much point in a smart trainer.

UniChris

Having gotten an air bike free, and kind of regretting that it's taking up the space I might use for something else, I'll point out one major aspect of them which is that you can't choose how the resistance varies. Pedal faster and it gets harder to pedal - but you can't say "I want to spin fast into low resistance" or "I want to push harder at a moderate cadence" - it just does what it does, like a single speed bike.

If the goal is to get your heart rate up for a while, or move your legs some, it can do that though.

msu2001la

You're posting on Bike Forums, so naturally people here will prefer and suggest a traditional bike mounted to a trainer, running Zwift/Rouvy, etc because that is the best way to simulate outdoor riding indoors. This is a great option if that's your goal, and also a good route that would give you the ability to ride your bike outside as well. For non-cyclists this usually isn't a great option though, as they tend to want more of a spin class type of environment and/or a turn-key setup that doesn't require a bunch of separate purchases and setup.

For a traditional stationary/spin bike, I think Peloton is the best option. The bike itself is solid and simple, has a massive touch screen display, and the classes are all pretty great. It's expensive, but worth it if spin classes are something you enjoy. The Peloton app also has some great strength/yoga/stretching classes that you can run through other devices like your phone or TV, etc.

You might get more specific info by posting this in the Indoor cycling sub-forum.

VegasTriker

If you live in a place where commercial gyms or fitness centers are readily available, I suggest you sign up for a 3 month membership with one that has bike trainers. It would be rare to not have this equipment available to try out. See if you really want to spend a large sum of money on buying one of your own. It's not as convenient as having a trainer in your home but sure would be less expensive than buying one and finding you aren't going to use it. How much are you willing to spend on one if you buy one for home? That will determine what suggestions you get from readers here.

Just curious. Are you in the USA where most members who read this are located? The reason is that I haven't heard anyone I know who wasn't from across the pond use the word "whilst" rather than "while" in a sentence.