Chances are the first piece of equipment that comes to mind when you have to name a fitness machine is the good old exercise bike. And why wouldn't you think of it? The best exercise bikes strike the perfect balance between form and utility, between simplicity and complexity. But what should we be looking at when we're searching for the best exercise bikes available to buy, and why have they become synonymous with fitness gyms everywhere?

How the Best Exercise Bikes Change the Game

It is not known with certainty who invented the stationary exercise bike, although most clues point to a patented Exercycle product from 1932.

But the stationary bikes of that era differ quite a bit from the https://www.fitgenic.com/reviews/best-exercise-bikes/ best exercise bikes currently available to consumers.

So, what are the most important elements you should look for when you are shopping for an exercise bike?

First of all, you should think about how you will use it. The best equipment available on the market can be used both to improve muscle capacity as well as to assist in the healing or toning process after an injury, representing a less intense alternative to running both outdoors and on the treadmill, while also presenting various options for adjusting the intensity of your workout and tracking your physical progress.

Is That Everything?

No. Exercise bikes also have the great advantage of being able to be used in your own home, at your adjustable effort intensity, without having to think about the weather outside or the route you would usually take on a normal bike. And as with a normal bike, exercise bikes offer the advantage of promoting both physical endurance through cardio-type exercises, as well as muscle-nourishment and strength exercises, depending on the amount of effort the user is willing to make.

It's quite a commitment to ride a few miles on your bike just to keep the constant reminder that you're away from home and your legs can no longer move. With an exercise bike, such problems are non-existent, as the effort you put in is commensurate with your physical abilities, which you can display by watching TV or listening to music in the comfort of your room.

A Growing Trend in the Way We Exercise

To a large extent, the growing popularity of exercise bikes corresponds with the growing number of people who, since the pandemic, have tried to take their health more seriously and invest heavily in the sector of sports and fitness equipment that can be used in the comfort of own households.

The number of people using fitness apps soared with the onset of the pandemic. A recent survey on a sample of two thousand Americans found that 74% of respondents admitted to trying such an app at least once during the last year.

Services such as Peloton have also seen record revenues, with increases of up to 176% over the number of registered users since June 2020.

What does all this mean? That we've gone through a transformation in the way we exercise, a transformation that, like many things that have changed during the pandemic, may have brought a permanent shift in the way we now see the usefulness of home exercise and the need for expensive subscription-based gym memberships.

So, It’s This New Trend Here to Stay?

Probably. Let’s face it, for many people a commercial gym represents the escapism they need to get away from everyday reality. All the disadvantages mentioned before, such as the commute to the location of the gym and the high cost of a membership card, are minor drawbacks compared to the advantages of the wide selection of equipment available at all times and the professional help of the instructors who can guide you properly.

But for other people, these aspects don't matter so much anymore, and the privacy and flexibility of home workouts are now the reality and the future for many fitness enthusiasts.

The best exercise bikes can successfully provide the versatility needed to supplement a large amount of fitness equipment you can find in a commercial gym, especially if they are combined with other sports equipment such as home gyms, treadmills, elastic bands, or elliptical machines, whose recommendations and reviews you can find on https://www.fitgenic.com/ Fitgenic.com .

Is This a Good Thing?

As long as this trend change results in more and more people discovering their athletic side and trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, then yes, why not?

How many of us wouldn't like to visit the gym regularly but don't have either the time or the motivation to follow a routine in front of other people? This is probably where the big divide that pushed this whole trend to the surface started and what keeps this current movement still going.

Maybe you don't exactly benefit from the same facilities in a gym built in your living room as you would in a professional facility filled with dozens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, but does it matter?

First of all, you're taking the first step, and that's the most important thing. You're taking the first step for your health, the first step for your physique, the first step for your mental health, and for a routine that could become a daily occurrence with a little willpower.

You don't need a lot of equipment at your disposal around the clock. You may only need one of the best exercise bikes you can find, maybe a home gym that works all your muscle groups, or some simple resistance bands to help you with the variety of isometric exercises you found on the internet.

That's the whole appeal. There's no pressure, there's no wrong answers or equipment, there's just the passion for improving your fitness at your own pace, without feeling judged by anyone, without leaving the safety of your home, and without having to turn the whole process into something more than you want it to be.