I am a 5’6" female 26 years old weighing just over 200 pounds. On September 6th, I had facial surgery for sinusitis. I believe that exercise will help me heal faster and avoid feeling like trash. I am a newbie, and I previously did not workout as frequently, so please bear those two factors in mind. I do some exercise and take walks outside at least once or twice a week. I am not an exercise aficionado, but I am concerned about my health and want to develop healthy habits for myself.
The greatest case for me is that I want to exercise at home rather than going to a gym. My room is small, but there is enough space for a small workout area. I am thinking about acquiring a stationary bike. I am not a cyclist by any means, but I believe that a stationary bike would be easier for me to utilise. Plus some light dumbbells to help me lose weight and firm up my arms.
My biggest challenge is finding a stationary bike for less than $300. I’ll spend a little more under my budget if it’s worthwhile, but I’m also saving for a car. I’m spending my savings to buy a stationary bike, but I don’t want to obtain anything that would fall apart after only 2-3 years of use. I was obsessed with a product on Amazon. I almost purchased it since I got a deal, but despite the excellent reviews, I was no longer satisfied with the product.
I’m searching for recommendations on which stationary bike to buy and looking for owners or individuals with experience to help me make an informed selection. I intend to use this product extensively, and I have no reservations about it being self-assembling. It’s just more handy to have something in my own home to encourage me to workout more frequently.
I got a cheap one on Amazon and rode it into the ground in less than a year. It’s not like I was hefty or anything and broke it; I was around my current weight (124 pounds) but rode it every day. Not worth the cost.
I agree with the other posters who suggested looking for a used bicycle. People are constantly selling them since they no longer use them, and the used market has cooled significantly since covid.
For house bikes, the 300-500 range is probably the sweet spot for new bikes; most people prefer magnetic resistance because it is more quieter and usually indicates a little higher quality bike that requires less maintenance. Belt drive over chain drive will be significantly quieter.
I’ve used the inspire spin bike (~360), which is decent, quiet, and technically has a Bluetooth connection. However, I couldn’t get their app to function with it without a subscription. Several different brands manufacture at the same plant and vary the identical finishes/features. Ascend has done a lot of advertising and uses the same body. Most likely, other Amazon brands do as well.
I have a cheap stationary bike from Amazon that appears comparable, but it is not the precise model. It works perfectly fine. I would suggest the two things to look for are magnetic resistance and, if you plan on following along with a class like Peloton or Apple Fitness+, having a bike with a cadence/RPM meter is useful.
Purchasing old cardio equipment can also be an extremely good price because individuals are continuously looking to get rid of it. If you have transportation, you can buy name-brand bikes for around a quarter of their original price.
In case someone finds this topic and is considering the Ascend S2 Spin Bike:
I’ve tried numerous times every day for the past three to four days to contact customer assistance to handle concerns without luck. I’ve emailed and left messages without receiving a response.
Excellent build quality and ride feel. The bike is quiet and comfy, with plenty of flexibility, especially considering the price.
We already have a properly functioning spin bike. We purchased the S2 for two specific reasons: 1) power readings and 2) compatibility with Kinomap.
Unfortunately, the power measurements are significantly wrong (about one-third of actual watts). We did not anticipate the accuracy to be down to the Watt, but I’m talking way off.
I paid $40 for one on Facebook Marketplace. It is especially useful during the winter. If price is a problem, a jump rope is less expensive and provides the same level of cardio.