When I decided to purchase a larger piece of equipment for my home gym, I looked into the different makes and models of treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.
I debated the different benefits of each.
The size of the equipment was a concern because I have limited space. Plus, I often workout when the rest of the family is asleep, so I wanted something that operates quietly. I ended up buying a stationary bike because it met all of my demands and was the more affordable option. The box that arrived in the mail looked nothing like a stationary bike. Assembling all of those parts was challenging, time-consuming and frustrating. However, once the bike was put together, I was totally satisfied with my choice. It has a really comfortable seat that I can adjust to accommodate the length of my legs and a cup holder where I set my water bottle. The touchscreen display is extremely simple to navigate. I’m able to scroll through a whole menu of programs such as rolling hills, stream crossing or long-distance marathons. I can make the workout more strenuous by simply tapping a button to increase resistance or pedaling faster. I can also adjust my goal to achieve a specific distance, time or number of calories burned. I usually set the program to achieve 500 calories burned and spend about an hour on the bike. I appreciate the ability to listen to music and read on my iPad while I workout. I normally use the bike one or two days per week. On the in-between days, I go for a run or jump rope. It’s helpful to have the option of cycling because it gives me a chance to rest my joints.