While we power through the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have had to adapt to our lifestyles and routines. One result of this has been the emergence of more home gyms and workout spaces.  

Stationary exercise bikes are a common piece of cardiovascular fitness equipment that are found in home gym setups. Mostly for their cost-friendly attributes and portability, all while providing a substantial cardio workout.

What is an Exercise Bike? Well, an exercise bike, also known as a stationary bike, is a device that allows the user to mimic the motion of cycling while being able to conveniently workout indoors, without worrying about the unpredictable elements of the great outdoors.

These bikes typically include pedals, a seat, handlebars, adjustable resistance levels, and many have a monitor to help you track your progress and heart rate while you work out.

However, there are many different types of exercise bikes, and while they are all similar, they all have significant differences between them as well. At Akfit, we consider ourselves experts in all things fitness! In turn, many of our clients ask for advice about which type of stationary exercise bike is right for them.

This article will explore 4 different types of stationary exercise bikes, including spin bikes, dual action bikes, recumbent bikes, and upright bikes. After reading you will understand the differences between each bike and their unique benefits in order to determine which exercise bike is right for you. 

In this article …

1)      Who We Are

2)      What is a Spin Bike?

3)      What is a Dual Action Bike?

4)      What is a Recumbent Bike?

5)      What is an Upright Bike?

6)      Purchasing Your Exercise Bike

Who We Are

Since 1989, Akfit has been working closely with consumer and commercial clients. We are a Canadian specialty fitness storelocated in Sudbury that offers a variety of fitness equipment in store and online, while also providing fitness knowledge, commercial and home gym design advice, and providing the tools you need to reach your fitness goals.

We have a variety of exercise bikes for sale and our fitness experts will share their expertise with you to help you narrow down your exercise bike investment decisions if you aren’t quite sure which is right for you. We even have an entire post dedicated to our top 5 selling spin bikes.

What is a Spin Bike?

Spin Bikes are one of the most common types of stationary exercise bikes.

Spin Bikes are generally the smallest, and the most simple exercise bikes to get used to. They’re so common that one of the most frequent types of programs offered in commercial gyms are called spin classes. In fact spin studios have been popping up more frequently in Canada over the last few years.

Even though these might be the most familiar types of stationary exercise bikes, don’t be fooled, they can still provide a very challenging workout.

Spin bikes are designed to emulate a road bicycle. The seat is usually smaller and stiff, placed  at a similar height as the handlebars. This generally puts the user in a bent over position, but the seat and handlebars are sometimes adjustable to meet the comfort of the user. You can also exert more effort by standing on the pedals to increase the intensity of your workout.

Rather than switching gears on bikes designed for outdoor use, spin bikes typically have a resistance knob or lever which through a brake pad, friction or magnetic force applies resistance to the flywheel.

Since spin bikes have become so popular as of late, a lot of higher-end models have introduced increased electronics such as video consoles to help keep the user motivated. 

Benefits of owning a spin bike include:

•         They provide a high-intensity workout
•         Spin bikes are generally the most cost-efficient type of exercise bike
•         They are very compact and portable
•         They mimic the activity of exercising on a racing bike
•         Spin bikes provide lower-body workout
•         Exercising on a spin bike can improve heart and lung health.

At Akfit, our spin bikes range in price from $598 to $3498. Check out our top 5 selling spin bikes here.

What is a Dual Action Bike?

The dual action bike, also referred to as an air bike, is less common than a Spin Bike. 

Instead of implementing a flywheel into the design, the dual action bike features a big fan blade that creates resistance. The air resistance generated from the fan blade ultimately affects the resistance of the pedals. The resistance is mostly reliant on the blade and how fast you pedal. However, the majority of dual action bikes also include covers you can open and close to control the level of airflow hitting the blades..

This style of resistance provides the user with an air bike workout that is suited for high intensity interval training (commonly referred to as HIIT workouts). Air resistance is not constant, it’s variable. This means you will need to put in more effort if you want to double your speed compared to most bikes. Dual action bikes also feature unique handles, so rather than only featuring pedals, the hand levers require a push and pull movement. This creates a full-body workout.

Air bikes have upright seating so you can implement steady state cardio workouts to your fitness routine.

In comparison to the spin bike, air bikes are quite comparable in size and weight. They are quite portable and do not require electricity if you want to implement one into your home gym setup.

Benefits of owning a dual action bike can include:

•         They provide very high resistance workouts
•         Dual action bikes are fairly light and can be moved easily
•         They are great bikes for HIIT workouts
•         They also provide a full body workout
•         Strengthens lower-body and upper-body muscles

At Akfit, our dual action bikes cost between $1098 to 1798.

What is a Recumbent Bike?

A recumbent bike has a more obscure look to them compared to other bikes. They are commonly found in commercial gyms, and if you have been in a commercial gym less then you probably have seen one before, but may have been hesitant to hop on.

Recumbent bikes provide a much more relaxed seating position compared to other stationary bikes. In fact, it’s the complete opposite compared to sitting on a spin bike. The user actually sits in a leaned-back position when using a recumbent bike on a seat with a backrest similar to a chair

These bikes are a great source of any-intensity steady-state cardio, and are easy to relax, pedal, and focus on reading a book or watching a show at the same time. 

Due to the position that you take on a recumbent bike, you will have less stress on your back and core. This is because your back is in a more natural position.

These bikes are usually also stationed at a lower height making them easy to get on and off of. This offers better accessibility to users who are less mobile, compared to other bike styles. 

Similar to upright bikes (which we will cover shortly) the majority of recumbent bikes out there have a magnetic resistance system that is usually adjustable by pressing a button on the console attached to the bike. Both of these types of bikes are usually a plug-in style bike and come with a console and programs similar to a modern elliptical or treadmill.

Benefits of owning a recumbent bike can include:

•         Recumbent bikes provide a more comfortable and relaxed experience
•         They are great options for low-intensity workouts
•         These bikes put less strain on your back and core
•         Recumbent bikes are easy to hop on to use for individuals who are less mobile
•         Using a recumbent bike helps build strength in your legs while putting less pressure on your joints.

At Akfit, our recumbent bikes sell anywhere from $898 to $4498.

What is an Upright Bike?

The upright bike is named because of its seating position. The user sits in an upright position with the handlebars set above the seat. While the seat and handlebars can be adjusted, you’ll naturally be using this bike in a more neutral, and upright position compared to other exercise bikes.

As mentioned previously with the recumbent bike, most upright bikes usually feature a magnetic resistance system. This works with a magnet. The resistance levels are generally controlled with buttons on the console.

While it’s not common, and depending on the model you can exercise standing up on an upright bike as the pedals are placed underneath the seat, and the seat itself is generally small as well. This type of workout is usually not the most comfortable due to the lack of resistance created, however some higher-end models do allow for it to be a possibility. 

Upright bikes are utilized for a wide variety of exercise bike workouts. They are good for interval training, but also can be utilized for low-intensity workouts.

These bikes are beneficial for those who are looking for a bike that is designed to be more comfortable than a spin bike and provide the opportunity for a much more relaxed workout. All while also having the ability to take advantage of a vigorous workout as well. 

However, while upright bikes are more portable than a treadmill or an elliptical, they are usually slightly bigger and more bulky than spin bikes.

Benefits of owning an upright bike can include:

•         Upright bikes provide the opportunity to engage in high or low-intensity workouts
•         They are very common and easy to use
•         You can sit on them without needing to bend as much compared to using a spin bike
•         They are more portable than recumbent bikes
•         The magnetic resistance system is very user friendly
•         You can build strength in your lower body while using an upright bike
•         They are fantastic cost-friendly alternatives compared to treadmills or ellipticals.
•         Many upright bikes feature a variety of programmability option to help keep you motivated 

At Akfit, our upright bikes sell anywhere from $798 to $2148.

Purchasing Your Exercise Bike at Akfit

We hope that after reading through this post, that you have a better understanding on which type of exercise bike may be more suited for you and your cardio goals.

If you are interested in purchasing an exercise bike at Akfit, we have a wide variety to choose from. We also offer mats and different types of flooring designed to protect your exercise bike and your floor.

We encourage you to reach out to us or visit us in-store. You can book a virtual meeting with us and our fitness experts will help run you through all the details of our products, and compatibility for your gym setup and for your own personal fitness goals.

It is also important to note that we offer delivery services for our products. With this, we will also instruct you on how to install your brand new fitness equipment and we can teach you how to safely use it and maintain it.