Exercise bikes, commonly called spinning bikes, are a great piece of exercise equipment for anyone who is trying to get in shape by adding aerobic exercises to their workouts. Exercise bikes are stationary pieces of equipment just like treadmills, so you will be able to work out on your bike no matter what time it is or what kind of weather there is out doors.

One feature that you should look for on any exercise bike is whether it is a fixed gear bike or not. If an exercise bike is a fixed gear bike, the pedals will not be able to move forward or backward without the spinning wheel moving.

 

This is a lot different than an actual bike that allows the pedals to move backward anytime or else will have the backward pedaling motion control the brakes. Fixed wheel bikes, both stationary bikes and street bikes, have no internal hub that would allow the axis to rotate independently.

 

Both models, fixed gear and free gear, are produced for exercise bikes. Fixed gear bikes are easier to make since there are simpler components, but fixed gear bikes are usually more specialized and could cost more.

 

If you don’t know the difference between riding the two types of bikes, you should definitely go to your dealership and request to try both types of models before making any purchase. Many people who have never ridden a fixed gear bike before are surprised that they cannot coast as they are accustomed to doing on the bikes.

 

The inability to coast may prove frustrating to some people, but if you will allow yourself to get used to the new ride you will find that it has some benefits. Once you get pedaling on a fixed gear bike, the wheel will have a certain amount of inertia or tendency to continue its spinning motion.

 

Since the wheel, and therefore the pedals which are fixedly attached to it, continue to spin even after you have stopped exerting yourself, many exercisers have found that this helps them stay in a constants pedaling motion for longer.

 

Whether you realize it or not, pedaling on a free gear bicycle actually invites you to coast quite a bit, and every bit of coasting that you do allows your heart rate to fall further and further away from your target heart rate. Exercising on a fixed gear spinning bike invites you to dial into a perfect resistance setting and pedal nonstop for extended periods of time.