Exercise bikes are valuable pieces of gym equipment to have in any gym for those who want to warm up for other exercises, or for those who are interested in weight training. No gym can be called a ‘proper gym’ if they do not have at least two stationary bikes with which to train and warm up its clients. While it may be hard to comprehend or even imagine a gym without one of these bikes, it is important to realize that the exercise bike has gone through a long evolution in order to reach where it is at the moment. For the longest time imaginable, these bikes were used exclusively for physiotherapy purposes, and not mainly for exercise and keeping fit as they are being used now. They have definitely come a long way, and if the latest developments in machines and the internet are to be taken into account, it will be discovered that the future is also bright.

What is an exercise bike and when were the earliest ones built?

exercise bikeAn exercise bike is a stationary bike that does not have true wheels like its counterpart, which is the bicycle. These wheels are instead changed into rollers or a trainer so that the person using the bike can still pedal but will not move the bicycle for even one inch. Instead, they will be exercising and keeping their bodies fit for whatever activity that they want to be involved in. for instance, this might be for physiotherapy purposes, or it may also be for preparation for a cyclist tournament. The earliest known stationary bikes appeared on the scene at the end of the eighteenth century, and many more types of exercise bicycles have sprung up since then.

What different types of exercise bikes do we have now?

cyclingThere are many different types of stationary bicycles appearing on the world stage with every passing day. We have progressed from one rudimentary type of bike designed and created in the eighteenth century to many different bikes built solely to cater to a single class of people. For instance, there are recumbent bikes which can be used by people who can only exercise in a recumbent position. There are indoor bikes which have been designed to be used in enclosed places for people who do not feel the need to venture outside their homes or gyms in order to get fit. There are also bikes which have been built with trainers for those who want to have different types of exercise all in one place.

The growing integration of technology and exercise bikes

gym bikes

We are currently going through a transformative period in technology, which is pervading all forms of life as we know them. For instance, the internet is being made compatible with everyday devices like thermostats, watches, washing machines and televisions. It is only natural that the internet will also come to be extensively allayed with stationary bikes, including sensors that will measure everything from our heart rate to our rate of perspiration while exercising.