Dr. George L. Dixon - "Talking Fitness"

Stationary Bicycles (Long)

You need a sturdy bike that doesn't shake, rattle, and roll when you climb on it. It should feel solid when you jerk it around. The seat needs to be comfortable when you first try it on.. There should be wheels at one end so you can roll it, since most are heavy.

Your stationary bike should be freewheeling, so that as you stop pedaling, the pedals stop too, even if the flywheel continues to revolve. The seat and handlebars need to be adjustable.

You should be able to tilt the seat up in front just a little so you don't wear yourself out pushing yourself back on the seat. The seat should be adjusted high enough to leave your down leg bent just a little at the knee. Too high will cause you to rock back and forth and wear out your bottom. Speaking of which, look out for shorts with seams in the wrong places. There are sheepskin and gel-filled seat covers that are very welcome. The handlebars should let you sit forward comfortably, bent just a little, and should be padded or able to be padded. Use an oscillating fan to lend realism and to cool you off.

With your stationary bike you need an easy adjustment for the flywheel tension; an odometer for the miles you travel; a speedometer; and a timer with a bell. There are lots of bells and whistles on the most expensive bicycles.They are there to add realism, provide information, and help you avoid boredom. Try several bikes out for at least five minutes in a store, at a club, or at a friend's home. Buy one with your credit card and make sure you can return it if you find problems with you or it. You probably need a bicycle costing $300 to $750 for reasonably serious work. It is astonishing what you can buy at a garage sale.

Climb on the bike, start with low tension, at 40 to 50 revolutions per minute (RPM)--count on the upstroke--and pedal for 5 to 10 minutes if you are in pretty poor condition. Add more time and increase RPM and tension depending on your health. Be guided safely by your target heart rate zone.

Read the booklet that comes with that bicycle! It should contain lots of helpful details.

Bicycle stands, or trainers, are stands to which you may clamp your outdoor bike, including hybrid or even mountain bikes, and make yourself ready for the good weather. They can be found at most bicycle specialty stores and at larger sporting goods stores. They offer a superb and inexpensive way to use your own bike as an exercise bike. Most stands cost less than $100 to $150. Some require you to remove the front wheel, which is easy. I like the ones that allow you to leave the front wheel on; the "steering" lends a bit of realism.

As you pedal you turn small rotary fans that increase resistance automatically as you increase speed. Some are controlled electromagnetically, which in the future will more easily allow interactively to be part of the system.

Rollers provide a framework on which an outdoor bike may be ridden freely, in place, indoors. They are quite difficult and require lots of practice. They provide serious realism!

Recumbent stationary bicycles are reported to lower the stress on painful backs and knees and be less prone to elevate blood pressure.

The feeling of riding a stationary bike and the skills required to ride a bike outdoors or on rollers are quite different. The main thing missing from stationary bicycling is the balance required of an outdoor bike rider. Training indoors can certainly increase your strength and aerobic capacity. Indoor stationary cycling strains your ingenuity also so we have video tapes made especially for your motivation and diversion. Destination Fitness Home Page

More help is available in "Exercise a la Carte", here, at your bookstore or call 800-624-4952.