If you’ve ever considered investing in a piece of home cardio equipment, this winter may be your moment. Your local gym and fitness studios may be closed to due COVID-19, or you may be wary of working out indoors as cases in your area climb. With dropping temperatures and inclement weather, outdoor exercise becomes less appealing, too. While the upfront cost of a home treadmill or exercise bike can be steep, it may be your best bet in staying consistent this winter and reaping the many physical and mental benefits of regular exercise.
Of all home exercise equipment, why choose an exercise bike? For one, cycling is easier on weight-bearing joints like your hips, knees, and ankles than other forms of cardio training, like running. The movement of biking actually helps lubricate the joints and improves range of motion. Turn up the tension and you’ve got a lower body strength workout, too, engaging legs, hips, glutes, and the lower abdomen. Cycling can improve heart health and lung function, as well as increase overall endurance. And thanks to the past decade’s boom in group fitness à la Soulcycle, Flywheel, et al., indoor cycling hits an exercise sweet spot that is both fun (great music, engaging instructors) and motivating (leaderboards, personal stats).
Now, thanks to streaming workouts and “connected fitness” (wifi-enabled screens mounted on bikes) much of the studio experience can be replicated at home. The playlists, the instructors, and the stats can be cued up just like a Netflix show. through what’s out there to compare and contrast what’s available, finally coming down to a few of the best exercise bikes for a variety of users and needs.