I am quite new to cycling and due to living in the middle of a city and working shifts am considering purchasing either an exercise bike or a trainer. Which would people recommend?
I just really want something initially so I can get on the bike everyday and 'cycle' as it were but that fits in with my daily schedule and the weather here in scotland! Looking to build up fitness (for the weekends on the real bike!) and lose weight intially but interested in interval training in the longer term?
An exercise bike I have been looking at is the York 3350HRC which alters resistance according to your heart rate but the saleperson in the shop told me they were [censored] and flimsy and to go with a reebok (rbc3000) instead! Anyone have any experience of these two exercise bikes?
Or would I be better to go for an indoor trainer? If so what is reliable and relatively cheap (£200 max) and quiet in the UK? And how bad is the effect of trainers on the tyres? I would like to be able to hook my bike up a couple of times a week and exercise at home and then take the bike out at weekends. Does that sound feasible without messing about changing tyres all the time?? And what about the rim based trainers? Are they any good?
Gat a trainer rather than an exercise bike. Exercise bikes don't replicate cycling on the road very well and are very different from pedalling your own bike which is what you are training to do. Fluid trainers are quite and <£200, buy a HR monitor and you will be able to estimate you intensity on the trainer and on the road. You will also need a couple of big fans to cool you when in doors, much of the work you do in doors is trying to keep yourself cool. Not sure about rim based trainers, I'm not sure that they are any good. As for tyres, they shouldn't do too much damage if ridden a couple of hours a week; best to get some hard wearing and cheaper tyres than light weight racing tyres. Hope that answers most of your questions.
One last tip, have specific goals and good a session plan every time you get on the trainer!
