SAN FRANCISCO, Ca., October 16 — You’ve got an exercise itch, but you’ve also got cranky joints. Or snowy roads. Or a schedule that doesn’t let you see the light of day to enjoy a spin on the pavement. Looks like you’ll have to settle back onto your couch and work up a little remote-controlled exertion, right? Wrong.
How did the Middle Ages put cutting-edge fitness in your living room? In the Beginning. "Human-powered land vehicle." Sounds innovative, right? Well, it was — that is, back in 1418, when Giovanni Fontana rigged up a device with an endless rope connected by gears to four wheels. From thence sprung bicycles, and it only took five-and-a-half centuries for the rest of the enterprising human race to come up with a stationary model that worked regardless of climate. In 1965, Schwinn — already long established as a bicycling powerhouse — introduced the first exercise bike for indoor use. The idea went from revolutionary to relatively passé by the 1990s, with elliptical machines, steppers, and treadmills having muscled in on the fitness market, but the indoor cycling craze has brought stationary bikes of all design back into vogue.
Innovations
Of course, all those other fitness disciplines inspired a bit of keeping up with the Joneses — e.g. heart-rate monitors, coach-like training programs, variable resistance, etc. And more than any other workout machines, exercise bikes — especially comfy recumbent models — have established themselves as stalwarts in the rehabilitation field. Speaking of comfort, even upright models — both exercise bikes and indoor cycling machines — have taken special care in ergonomic design elements like better seat cushions and handlebar positioning.
What’s In It For You?
Safety. One of the safest, lowest-impact workouts around. No need to torture your joints to tone your muscles and trim your resting heart rate, after all.
Season-friendliness. wherever you are and whenever you want (no need to change to those studded tires during a snowstorm). And if you need a mountain workout and you don’t have a slope handy, just hop on, hit the right program, and sweat away.
Style. Not to say the first models were bulky, but today’s simple, streamlined footprints — in recumbent and upright styles alike — won’t take up too much of your space (or ruin that elusive feng shui flow, for that matter).
Savings. Perhaps the biggest selling point of this market is its selling point. Compare a mid-range exercise bike or indoor cycling bike to a mid-range elliptical or treadmill. Then, just for fun, think of all you could buy with the money you’d save by staying in the saddle.
Meet your match:
Whether you’re rehabbing from injury, training for a road race, or just getting more fit, whether you prefer lounging or sitting tall, whether you want to work all your limbs at once or keep the focus on your fan... um, your problem area, read on. You’ll like what you see.
| Top shelf: Cateye Fitness EC-3700 Recumbent Exercise Bike; $2,199.99 |  Your eyes would glaze over if we listed all the features, so we’ll mention two and leave the rest to your imagination. The two: a pulse-limit alarm (exceed your pre-set pulse limit, and the machine reduces torque automatically) and, for you statheads, an integrated printer that provides numbers and graphs of your pulse and work rate, with updated data every 30 seconds and full reports of every fitness test you undertake. | | | Save & Share |  $100 off on $1,000!
Take $100 off any exercise bike over $1,000. Enter coupon code EXRBKE at check out. Coupon valid through 10/26/2006 at | | |
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