UKC

Hi Folks,

Here's the scenario: My knees are starting to buckle due to advancing years I'm afraid and my days of road running look numbered as an effective way of keeping fit for the hills.

Therefore, would a decent, static, exercise bike be just as beneficial to me in terms of a cardio workout and, if so, which one.

Thanks in advance

In reply to frankbabs:

A good quality spinning bike does the job for me.
Watt bikes are awsome but expensive,

E

In reply to frankbabs:

All my local cycling comrades question my sanity ,but I ,in many ways prefer using my exercise bike.

Has kept me fi for years now ,and I find it a very good workout.you will sweat buckets,so close the curtains and go topless.

Mines is a Reebok ,with a decent display and range of settings.

Get some padded cycling shorts also .They help.make things a bit more comfortable

In reply to frankbabs:

I know it might sound ludicrous, but what about a moving exercise bike?

I think they call them bikes.

In reply to frankbabs:

I do a fair bit of cycling and go to a spinning class, but thought I'd be useful getting an exercise bike for the house. Wasn't sure I'd use it all that much so I just went for a relatively inexpensive one, a Reebok Z9. It's a bit plasticy compared to some of the really expensive ones, but it does the job and was £180 which didn't seem too bad when I was looking around.

It has various modes and programs and nice enough display screen. Tell you things like your pulse, stuff like that. Some assembly was required but it was very simple, just a few allen bolts, took about 10-15 minutes I guess.

I'm not very motivated to sit on an exercise bike, so I put it by the TV so I could watch TV while pedalling. The distraction probably means that I don't work as hard but it keeps me going. I'd watch those TV shows anyway so I suppose I might as well be pedalling while doing it!

In reply to Richard Carter:

My wife bought a Cintura last year. In terms of function it's absolutely fine. However, none of us can get motivated to actually use it. Even when watching a recording while using it, time seems to pass at a pace that's seems slower than continental drift.

I am about to go out on my road bike for about 90 mins. I am fairly sure it's going to pour and I'll get very wet. However, I will still have enjoyed myself and the experience of being outside will be much better than sitting on the Cintura.

In reply to frankbabs:
I find exercise bikes so boring. Get a mountain bike and get out in the fresh air, its so much more fun.

In reply to frankbabs:

The only advantage of an exercise bike is that if you cycle until you are absolutely knackered you only have a short walk to the fridge...

Get a proper bike and use it instead of the car when you can, better for everyone.

In reply to Clarence:


Also that you dont need to deal with really shit weather.
Cant say I like them much but during the winter do have an advantage for a lets get knackered session.

In reply to wilkesley:

I get a few hundred miles a week out of my road bike, but there are times when its just easier to use the indoor bike. As I said, if I'm watching TV might as well be cycling!

The OP doesn't say why he's after a static bike, rather than a bike but maybe he has his own reasons. Static bikes are quite good for training, as you can compare sessions directly to measure improvement, it eliminates the variables you get when riding outside - although the OP's dodgy knees would seem to suggest he isn't getting it for competition level training.

In reply to frankbabs:

Hi mate,
I have a basic York Nexus bike in the spare room.
As a stay at home dad, I haven't the time to go running during the day so use this at night.

Up to 10 different levels and I pop it on level 8 and rather than time I put in 500 calories which takes about 40 minutes and watch catch up on the telly.

I recently snapped my achilles playing footie but before that, I used it 6 days a week for a month, felt a lot fitter and lost a stone. Obviously a bit of healthy eating but I didn't go on a diet and it was a really easy way to do some phys and lose weight.

Hope this helps, Den

In reply to Denni:

Can you buy an exercise bike which you can link to a PC or ipad and effectively play a game of some sort? Fire buttons on the handlebars, zombies etc- you get the idea. If not why on earth not?

In reply to Denni:

Hi Folks, many thanks for all of your advice, especially from from Den who really cut a chord with me!!! The consensus seems to be be outdoor biking which is what I initially hankered after!! Being a fresh air freak I really need to persevere with this.

Thanks to all for the invaluable discussion.

Cheers.

In reply to frankbabs:

I've been on my exercise bike tonight ,

Going out into the dark,wind ,and rain doesn't really appeal.

Might go on it again later.

Opportunities for outdoor biking are limited ,in most people's life's.

Weekend window.at best.

In reply to andymac:

But what a way to spend the weekend