Stationary bicycles, such as upright bikes, are a much beloved and trusted source of safe and effective exercise for people of all ages and health conditions.
They’re also great for eliminating excuses that keep you from getting your daily exercise in, such as the weather being bad, having to go to the gym, or the problem of having limited floor space for your equipment!
And the best part? They’re affordable, easy to use, and come with a whole host of positives!
Let’s get right into exploring the upright bike benefits and uses!
Upright bikes are perfect for low impact calorie burning and weight loss!
You don’t have to work out hard and overexert yourself at the gym or become an expert weightlifter or bodybuilder to burn calories and shed some pounds!
As even something as simple as riding a bike can help burn calories, and the more calories you burn every session, the easier and more effective it is to lose weight at a faster pace.
Upright bikes aid you in this endeavor by easy and low strain to use, prompting more consistency in your sessions; nobody feels motivated to hop back into their training routine if they feel beat down and haggard at the end of each day!
The above fact coupled with liberal use of the resistance settings on your bike to heighten the difficulty of your workout increases intensity, and a higher intensity equals better calorie burn, which in turn means more weight loss.
Estimates of exactly how many calories per session you burn riding your upright bike can vary on a number of factors, such as your age, height, and weight, but an average of 260 to 400 per a moderate level of intensity cycling for 30 minutes is definitely doable.
Upping the length of your session as you gain progressively more stamina and can tolerate longer durations is also highly beneficial, as one full hour of cycling can put you at 400 to nearly 700 calories burned in that time alone!
For reference, something like a single pepperoni Hot Pocket can range anywhere from 310 to 360 calories depending on the type of crust and other additives, so burning this level of calories is no small number.
The upright bike benefits your muscles by engaging more of them than other exercise bikes.
This aspect is another benefit for weight loss and putting on some healthy muscle, because as more are engaged and exercised, the higher the calorie burn, and the more muscle you put on also heightens your burn rate.
Upright bikes generally have you leaning and bracing yourself with the handlebars as you pedal, which engages your upper, lower body, and core, unlike similar machines such as the recumbent bike.
Basically, if you are able to ride a regular bike comfortably and without strain, and wish to burn calories, lose weight, and or put on muscle then an upright bike is a fine choice for you.
A recumbent is a better choice for those with back or mobility issues, as while it has you in a comfortable reclining position, this isn’t as conducive to weight loss or muscle toning, nor the exercise of higher intensity needed for such.
Upright bikes also benefit from being more versatile in the positions you can choose to ride in, so if back pain occurs from leaning too far or a specific position, changing up is simple, and can better focus on other muscles if desired.
While the pedaling motion can especially benefit the legs and lower body with their toning, bikes with handles are the best choice if looking to make the workout more of a full-body one, so the arm and shoulder muscles can get in on the action.
The upright bike benefit’s from having access to a large array of technological features and advancements!
These exercise bikes have been around a long time, and this benefits them in two major ways; one, they’re cheaper and more readily available, and two, they come with every tech feature known to man if you so desire!
From simple to sophisticated, there’s a whole world of features and other bells and whistles and add-ons to explore, so here we will get to a rundown of the essentials and most common ones.
1.The console
Conveniently displays the time and duration of your session, the speed, and cadence of your stride, heart rate, calories burned, and often settings for the upright bike’s preset programs to adjust your workouts easier for your height, weight, age, or gender.
Many have the option of LED lighting and easy to use touch screens for simplicity and a familiar style of use.
2.The adjustable seat
Comfort is the name of the game and the key to consistency when maintaining your exercise regimen, so why sabotage yourself by enduring unnecessary soreness and pain at the end of each session?
Adjustable seats aid your comfort level by ensuring your back is properly aligned and you can maintain the ideal riding form and position, which lessens the strain and soreness that indoor cycling can cause.
Many upright bike benefits from the trait of the seat coming pre-set already, but like everything, it’s not a one size fits all situation, so having the ability to adjust the seat to accommodate your height and length of your legs is a big help!
3.Resistance settings
Essential for tailoring your workout however you want it and whenever you want it, this setting is used to control how “difficult” and “heavy” your pedals feel when cycling, which heightens the intensity of your session and offers variance and an overall different feel.
The upright bike benefits from a wide variance of how many levels of resistance they offer, typically they have 16, but some can have as many as 32 forms of resistance and variation in intensity.
4.Tablet and phone mount
Another common and helpful feature included is a holder for your tablet or smartphone, which enables you to listen to music, watch a movie or video, and even attend an online spin or cycle class!
Being able to distract yourself during the workout can help the time feel as if it has passed by faster and make sessions more enjoyable and less repetitive, helping you stay consistent!
5.Adjustable handlebars
Like having an adjustable seat, this feature is essential to ensure comfort and lessen pain from poor posture but also helps to offer variance and versatility in your stance during cycling sessions.
A bonus of the above is if the bike is for the use of multiple people in your home, as the bars and seat can be changed accordingly to accommodate every individual’s needs based on aspects such as their height, arm length, and preferred riding form.
6.Water bottle holder
This is one of those “smaller” things that can become really annoying at the moment, as it may not seem super important, but without a water bottle holder or some form of rack to put your drink in, you’ll probably have to settle for an awkwardly placed and sized stool or table to place it on top of.
When you’re exercising, you generally wish to do everything in one simple motion, including reach for your drink, take a swig, and resume, so a holder is certainly helpful in these cases.
Offers a more traditional cycling experience
Whether you’re training for a marathon, or just prefer the familiar and easy to do form of exercise such as cycling, upright bikes mimic the typical bike riding experience more so than other forms of stationary bikes, making them simple to get used to, and convenient for everyone to use!
The upright bike benefits the consumer by being affordable by the budget conscious
A major elephant in the room when considering any product, equipment, or gear that’s intended to make you healthier is always “how much will this cost me?”
Striking the balance between breaking the bank and affordability is important, since being broke or in debt after your big purchase definitely isn’t motivating nor useful.
Thankfully, in the case of upright bikes, there are wide varieties of types, features, and traits, from complex to basic to suit your price range needs!
They have a wide range of costing anywhere from 200 to 2,000 dollars, making them affordable for many households and people from most means, so shopping around and picking the bike with all the traits you wish and none of the ones you don’t can help you save money in the end.
Compact size and shape saves floor space
Another major point to consider is, even if you can afford the tool of your dreams, where is it going to go?
Especially since many of us live in apartments, small homes, and other shared spaces, making it difficult to have more than a single room to ourselves nowadays.
Luckily, the upright shape and compact size of the upright bike help mitigate the issue by making them easy to find a place for and store when not in use.
Many of these bikes don’t need more than a small corner of a room or garage to set up in, making them ideal for spacial restrictions and removing one of the more common aspects that bar anyone from being able to keep fit in the comfort of their own homes.
Great for cardiovascular exercise!
One of the major upright bike benefits is that they’re a perfect tool for cardio, and this is amazing news because the importance and health benefits of cardio cannot be understated, as cardio and aerobic exercise have been found to strengthen your lungs, heart, and other muscles, as well as increase oxygen and blood flow throughout the body.
This process leads to a wide variety of positive changes, such as lowering your blood pressure, boosting your immune system, improving sleep, positive effects on mood and blood sugar, and even better memory and brain function!
Stationary bikes such as upright bikes are perfect ways to get in cardio exercise, as they’re low impact and do not strain the body or worsen any existing issues with the joints, making them an ideal choice for people of all ages and health status.
Wrap up!
In summary, upright bikes are a time tested solution to many fitness-related woes, such as tools being out of your budget, not having space for your equipment, or risking aggravating an existing injury.
As well as bringing a whole breadth of benefits with them, upright bikes are a must-have for anyone looking for something affordable, convenient, easy to use, and as well as safe and effective!
I hope this has been informative, as always, leave a comment if you desire, and best wishes in your health.
