Proform has a cool new exercise bike out called the Proform Tour De France (TDF) that uses Google maps and their patented incline and decline technology.

With the TDF you can essentially ride any road or course you can dream up, punch it into Google maps on the bikes console and ride it!

Here are some specifics on the bike from Proform’s website:

Google Maps
With the iFit Live™ Technology Powered by Google Maps™ you can ride anywhere in the world! Choose from 24 pre-mapped courses or create your own. Ride over the Passage du Gois or climb the hills of Mont des Alouettes in France.

20% Incline and Decline
Introducing incline and decline that matches the street! Now, you can experience any route around the world and Le Tour de France Indoor Cycle automatically adjusts the incline and decline to simulate the terrain!

Intelligent Wind Resistance
Intelligent Wind Resistance automatically adjusts the resistance of your bike based on your wind profile. Our smart technology calculates your height and weight to apply the natural resistance you would get out on the road.

If you’re not thrilled with the idea of a regular exercise or spin bike the Proform TDF looks like it’s just what the doctor ordered.

You can checkout more info on the bike and see some more videos on at Proform.com

If you’ve riden the Tour De France or own one make sure you leave a comment on the bike below.

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It seems like there is a never ending urge of furniture designer’s who think it’s a great idea to combine office work and exercise.

The newest entry into this fray is the Exercise Bike Desk (Cycle Desk) from Kickstand Furniture.

Before I talk about whether the Cycle Desk has any merit, let me give you a quick history on exercising at work.

The first entry in the exercise at work club was the exercise ball. “Sit while you get fit”, or  ”strengthen your core and improve your posture” while you’re grinding away at your desk for 10 hours a day.

If that idea isn’t crazy enough for you, enter the Treadmill Desk (TrekDesk).

If you found it difficult to concentrate on your work while balancing on a ball, you’re gonna love trying to read your computer screen while your head bobs up and down and you can’t reach your keyboard.

Enter the Cycle Desk

The Cycle Desk is the newest entry into this market made by a company called Kickstand Furniture from Ohio.

Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t expect this company to be from Ohio. The idea seems more like something that hatched from a zany Californian.

Maybe this thing isn’t even real? It make you wonder how many they will sell at up to $2750.

Here’s what they have to say about the desk on the blog:

The frame is constructed with hand-welded 2-inch square steel tube. It stands 115 cm (45 in) high and comes equipped with footers that raise and lower the desk by 15 cm (6 in). You can order it with either a raw steel or brushed finish. Custom finishes, such as chrome or powder coat, are also available.

The desktop is 150×75 cm (60×30 in), which is supported by two industrial strength sliders attached to the frame, each slider capable of supporting 159 kg (350 lbs) per side. The desktop extends 25 cm (10 in) to make mounting and dismounting your bike a snap. You can order the desktop two ways: recycled maple and tempered glass. Custom surfaces are also available.

Two types of footers are available, one for hard flooring and the other for soft surfaces like carpet.

The kicker to the Cycle Desk is the fact that it doesn’t come with a bike, you’ll have to supply that along with a stationary bike trainer like this.

I’m guessing that the Cycle Desk is aimed squarely at the super hard-core bike enthusiest crowd that live to ride and rides to live because I can’t think of any other reason to drop that kind of cash on a desk when I could get a kick-but exercise bike like this and have enough money left over for an entire home gym system.

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This 4 Minute Fat Burning Workout is based on the Tabata Protocol (named for its’ founder Izumi Tabata).

In the video Sarah is using a Schwinn Airdyne upright bike but you can use a recumbent, spin bike or ergometer and get identical results. The main thing to focus on is the workout and NOT the equipment style.

After you complete this intense 4 minute interval workout you can raise your metabolism for up to 30 hours!

Got a few minutes to lose fat? Good, here’s how to do the workout.

How To Do the 4 Minute Workout on Your Bike

The Tabata workout is dead-simple to perform. You’re basically doing 8 rounds of 20 second sprints followed by 10 second recovery periods. Here’s what it looks like…

Warm-up for 5 minutes prior to starting

20 second sprint
10 second recovery

20 second sprint
10 second recovery

20 second sprint
10 second recovery

Repeat the 20 second sprint 10 second recovery for 8 rounds and follow the workout with a good cool down session. It should be noted that during the 10 second recovery period you still pedal the bike, just do it very slowly.

Sole Spin Bike SB700

Sole has branched out their exercise bike options and has introduced a lone spinning style bike into their line-up — the Sole SB700 Spin BIke, here’s my review.

When Sole enters a market, like they did with online sales of treadmills and ellipticals, they don’t flood it with 20 different models to try and muddy the waters like Proform does, they develop function and ergonomic machines that match their reputation for quality.

The Sole SB700 is no exception to that rule and is a strong competitor in the under $1000 spin bike market with its’ primary competition coming from the Livestrong LS9.9ic and the stable of mid range bikes from Schwinn and Spinning (most of which are made by Star Trac).

Sole SB700 Specs

• Frame: 2.0 mm oval steel tubing
• Seat/Handlebar Adjustable:  Yes Up/Down; Fore/Aft
• Flywheel: 48 lb chrome plate wheel
• Pedals:  Toe Straps
• Display: 3″ x 4″ backlit blue LCD
• Brake Pads:  Yes
• Resistance:  Turn knob
• Transport Wheels: Yes
• Dimensions:  42″ x 21″ x 40″
• Product Weight: 140 lbs
• User Weight: 300 lbs
• Console: Integrated w/ RPM, time, KCal, speed, distance
• Water Bottle Holders: Yes

What I Like About the Sole Spin BIke SB700

The Sole SB700 has a lot of high end features that, in my opinion, are must haves in this price range.

For starters there’s the (4) way handlebar and seat adjustments that allow up/down & fore/aft positioning so you can find a comfortable riding position.

Then there’s the 48 pound chrome flywheel for super smooth pedaling action and the feeling of riding a real road bike — in case you didn’t know, the flywheel material and weight is the best indicator of the quality of a spin bike.

The last component on the Sole Spin Bike that’s worth noting is the training computer. It’s a nice backlit blue LCD screen that allows you to track RPM’s, Calories, Speed and Distance.

What I Don’t Like About the Sole SB700 Spin Bike

There are a couple of area for improvement on the Sole SB700, but I believe that the “improvements” I’d like to see on the bike are a function of how this bike is priced, and not a reflection on the quality of the core components like the flywheel, crank set and drive system.

For starters, I would really like to see the training computer track rep cadence. While rep cadence measurement is not the end all be all for more casual users, serious road bikers that opt for the Sole may dismiss this bike for that simple ommission which I think is a mistake.

It would also be nice if there were pedals with the clip attachments. You generate a lot more power on a bike using shoes that clip onto the pedals as opposed to the toe cages that come standard on this bike.

On the other hand, I would expect that those wanting clip pedals already have them on their road bike and could swap them out with the stock pedals.

Bottom Line on the Sole SB700 Spin Bike

The Sole SB700 is a strong competitor in the under $1000 spin bike market. It’s built on a solid frame with a heavy, smooth pedaling flywheel and comes with a training computer to track your workouts — you may need to buy clip pedals or swap them out from your road bike if you already own one.

If you’re shopping for a spin bike in this price range, I think it’s a toss up between the Sole and the Live Strong 9.9 — either way you go you’re getting a great bike for the money.

get the Sole SB700 Spin Bike on sale w/ free shipping

Sunny Health & Fitness Spin Bike

There’s been a lot of buzz and less than comprehensive reviews online about the Sunny Health & Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling spin bike so I thought it was high time for a full review here at the Exercise Bike Expert.

So what exactly can you expect from a spin bike for under $300 dollars? Good question, keep reading to find out what Sunny has done with this budget slashing spin bike…

Pros of the Sunny Health & Fitness Spin Bike

The Sunny Spin Bike has namy of the features you’d expect to find on the health club style spin bikes that cost 3 times as much like:

• fully adjustable seat
• adjustable handlebars
• a 40 pound flywheel
• adjustable resistance
• under $300 price tag

The most notable “pro” of the Sunny exercise bikes is the for and aft adjustable seat.

It’s critical to set-up your body on an exercise (or road bike) bike the right distance from the handlebars so you’re in an advantageous riding position so having this feature is huge — that means husbands and wives (or their kids) will have no problem using this bike in the right form.

Livestrong Spin Bike

Livestrong currently has two of the best spin bikes on the market, the limited edition flagship Live Strong LS28ic and the more affordable Livestrong LS9.9ic. The sping bikes by Livestrong are the only two options if their LS7.0b recumbent bike isn’t your cup of tea.

Unlike other spin style bikes manufacturers, Livestrong has chosen wisely to only make two health club style models that are both worthy of their name, and not put out inferior products to hit some magical industry “price point” that fits into Costco and Walmart’s value structure.

Both the LS28ic and the LS9.9ic will make a fine cardio companion for home workouts but there are some key differences that you should be aware of before you make your investment.

Differences Between the Livestrong LS28ic and LS9.9ic Spin Bikes

For the most part the two spinning bikes share the same club quality components including a kevlar drive belt, 40 pound flywheel, air ride saddle, dual sided pedals and a 290 pound user weight limit.

What really separates the Limited Edition LS28ic from the LS9.9ic are three specific upgrades that are worth noting:

• (upgrade #1) – Micro Adjustable Fore & Aft Handlebars: To get your riding position dialed in just right, having handlebars that you can slide towards or away from you can make a big difference on longer rides and reduces arm and back fatigue.
• (upgrade #2) – Drop Handlebars: If you’re really into road cycling and love the feeling of tucking down and really blasting your legs this is a must have option.
• (upgrade #3) – Telemetric Heart Rate Strap: Tracking your workout heart rate on a ride or doing intervals is one of the most effective means of training. You can add this option by purchasing your own Polar heart rate monitor and strap but it will cost you more.

Even though the LS28ic has the three upgrades over the LS9.9ic I don’t any of them should be considered a deal killer. You just have to decide if not having the drop bars with micro adjustment and the telemetric heart rate are worth a couple hundred bucks to you.

If they’re not, get the Livestrong LS9.9ic and start pedaling away to your hearts content…

	Livestong LS28ic Spin Bike Limited edition version of the LS9.9ic with key health club style upgrades over the LS9.9ic that include… micro adjustable handlebars fore & aft drop handlebars telemetric heart rate strap zinc oxcide coated frame 10 year frame warranty get the Livestrong LS28ic on sale w/ free shipping
	Livestrong LS9.9ic The LS9.9ic is the same basic bike as the limited edition LS28ic and shares the following high-end components including… 40 pound flywheel 290 lb. user weight limit kevlar drive belt air ride saddle dual sided aluminum pedals console w/ rpm, time, distance get the Livestrong LS9.9ic on sale w/ free shipping

Nautilus NR 2000

Nautilus has been making good exercise equipment for years, and they continue that tradition with the new Nautilus NR 2000 exercise bike.

The NR 2000 isn’t aimed at the entry level casual user, this bike is made for a user who appreciates features like heart rate controlled workouts, a quality drive system with a balanced flywheel and telemetric heart rate control like the $3000 plus exercise bikes at the local health club.

I think Nautilus was smart not to try and make a bike in the sub $1000 price range and compromise on quality and features just to try and keep the price under a magical number.

Nautilus NR2000 Recumbent Specs and Stats:

• Self-leveling foot pedals increase comfort
• Telemetric heart rate receiver
• V-Force Drive System
• LED console with a high definition 16 x 16 dot-matrix and 4-window readout
• V-Force magnetic resistance
• Heart rate controlled workouts
• 30 years frame, 3 years parts, 2 years electronics, 1 year labor

Riding on the NR 2000 is a pleasurable experience due to the fact that Nautilus went the extra mile and gave this recumbent a solid drive system with nice adjustable pedals, a comfortable seat and a club style display console that makes tracking your workout simple.

The Nautilus NR 2000 is getting hard to find as it’s being phased out of production but can be found on the used market.

Here’s the recumbent exercise bike I recommend instead of the Nautilus NR 2000

Question

Spin Bike on the Biggest Loser

I was wondering if you can tell me what the difference is between a spinning bike, and something like a Precor recumbent bike? Is one better than the other?

The personal trainer from the biggest loser says that riding a spinning bike is one of the best things for someone heavy because it is great exercise that keeps the weight and strain off of their joints, and bones.

What are your thoughts on this idea? Is there a machine that you recommend? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Answer

The term “Spinning Bike” is copyrighted and credited to Madd Dog Athletics – with that legal disclaimer out of the way, spin bikes deliver a very effective cardio workout that’s ratcheted up a notch over a traditional recumbent or upright exercise bike for two reasons:

1. Spinning Bikes are made to be used while standing up and grinding hard on the pedals to simulate hill climbs and sprints.

2. Spin bikes have a large heavy flywheel that dish out more pain and punishment than all but the most upscale traditional exercise bikes.

Is a spin bike better than a recumbent exercise bike? It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish – if you’re looking to get into racing shape and take the cardio beating of a spin style workout it’s a good fit, but in reality most people aren’t tough enough to handle the demanding workouts longer than about two weeks before giving up.

For most people, an upright or recumbent exercise bike is a better cardio machine choice, especially if you’re de-conditioned when you start as almost all riders are. Traditional upright style exercise bikes will give you an excellent workout that’s easier to stick with in the long run.

As to “Bob the trainer from the Biggest Loser” and his comments on spinning bikes being the end all be all, take what he says with a grain of salt. A spinning bike will NOT get all your weight off of your knees and ankles unless you stay seated throughout the entire workout which is NOT what spin bikes are designed for.

On a related note, I came across this new spin bike called the “RealRyder” that’s all the rage in the health clubs. According to the Realryder website, their new bike has a “unique, articulating frame that allows it to steer, turn, and feel like a road bike”.

I don’t know if the Realryder is all that, but it’s interesting enough that I thought I would mention here and let you know it exists.

see my picks for best exercise bikes for here

What’s the best exercise bike on the market? Is there a manufacturer that makes the best exercise bikes? The answers to these questions is, there isn’t one, and no.

There are a lot of upright, recumbent and spin bikes on the market that are “best buys” but you want to find a bike that’s the perfect fit for your needs.

You see, finding the best bike for working out at home is much more difficult than finding a decent treadmill or elliptical. Why? Because, believe it or not, exercise bikes are complicated in their form and function, especially to the uninitiated.

You’ve got upright bikes, recumbent bikes, spin bikes, elliptical bikes and…you get the idea, it’s a lot of complicated sounding stuff to worry about.

To compound the problem of figuring out the type of bike you should get, you also need to buy the right bike to suit your exercise goals.

Confused yet? Don’t worry, I’ve been where you’re at and I have some good news for you…

I’ve already done all the hard work of reviewing the best exercise bikes on the market for 2011 and I’m going to share what I learned, with you, for free (before you get too excited and think I’m giving all my stuff away, I said I’m going to share my knowledge, not my stuff  ;^)

If you need more information on any of the exercise bikes shown bel0w, make sure to read my exercise bike reviews for a complete review and rating on each model.

Best Upright & Recumbent Exercise Bikes for 2011

	Schwinn 140 Upright Bike If you’re looking for a good upright bike in this price range, you can end your search with the 140. I wouldn’t even bother with bikes from Proform, Reebok, Stamina and Phoenix… read my Schwinn 140 Review get the Schwinn 140 on sale w/ free shipping
	Nautilus R514 Recumbent Bike If you get bored easily on an exercise bike, the Nautilus has your cure with 20 total programs that include Polar heart rate programs with telemetry, profile courses and 2 programmable user profiles. read my Nautilus r514 Review get the Nautilus R514 on sale w/ free shipping
	Livestrong LS7.0b Recumbent Bike One thing that set’s the LS7.0b apart from the competition is that fact that when Livestrong designed this recumbent they put the money into quality components like the drive system, seat construction and the display console and opted to skip adding a bunch of gee-whiz electronics read my Livestrong ls7.0b Review get the Livestrong 7.0 on sale w/ free shipping
	Sole R92 Recumbent Bike So what makes the Sole E92 one of my Top 5 Exercise Bikes? Let’s start with some key features like the 2 degree inward design of the pedals so you stay in the correct posture, and the well padded adjustable seat that won’t aggravate existing low back problems or cause a new one… read my Sole r92 Review get the Sole R92 sale w/ free shipping
	Smooth V2300 Upright Elliptical Bike If you like the idea of a recumbent bike for comfort and performance, and want to take your workouts to the next level definitely checkout the Smooth V2300. It’s a great bike with a lifetime warranty that will save you thousands over anything made by Octane. read my Smooth v2300 Review get the Smooth V2300 on sale w/ free shipping

Sole R92 Recumbent Exercise Bike

For years Sole Fitness has making an award winning line of treadmills and ellipticals, so it’s about time that they got serious about their stable of exercise bikes… and they finally have.

Meet the new Sole R92 Recumbent Exercise Bike. The R92 is Sole’s entry level recumbent — don’t let the word entry level make you think this is a beginner’s only bike because it’s far from it.

The Sole R92 is what I would call a mid-level bike that’s got about every key feature you’re gonna want, but at a price that’s a few hundred less than its’ big brother the Sole LCR light commercial bike.

So what makes the Sole E92 one of my Top 5 Exercise Bikes? Let’s start with some key features like the 2 degree inward design of the pedals so you stay in the correct posture, and the well padded adjustable seat that won’t aggravate existing low back problems or cause a new one…

Sole R92 Recumbent Key Specs and Features

• Pedals: Oversized & Self-Leveling with 2 degree inward design to promote good posture
• Seat Adjustment: 12-position for for ergonomic comfort
• Flywheel: 26 pound flywheel (best in class) for a smooth and fluid motion
• User Weight: 300 lbs
• Standard Programs: six, two user defined and a heart rate control program
• Fans: Built-in workout fans to help you stay cool
• Sound System: MP3/Ipod Capability w/ built-in speakers

The number overlooked feature that people miss when they shop for an exercise bike is the size and weight of the flywheel. Get a small underweight flywheel on a seemingly nice exercise bike and you’re going to notice the rickety feeling of the drive system a few months down the road.

That won’t be a problem with the R92 because it’s got a best in class 26 pound flywheel that’s buttery smooth and makes pedaling this recumbent a pleasure.

Mix-in a nice electronics package that includes workout fans, Ipod MP3 capability w/ built-in speakers and top it off with a killer warranty and 300 pound weight capacity and you see why I recommend this bike so highly.

get the Sole R92 Recumbent Bike on sale w/ free shipping