Along with jogging and running, cycling is one of the most effective ways of toning the muscles of the lower body. Although outdoor cycling seems more enjoyable compared to indoor cycling, not everyone has the convenience of time, weather, and traffic-free cycle lanes to cycle outdoors. This is when exercise bikes can come in handy. Exercise bikes are similar to a bicycle, except that it is stationary. It has peddles, a saddle, handlebars, a monitor that records heart rate, the duration of a workout, the number of calories burned, resistance, spinning, and so on.

Along with working out the lower body, exercise bikes are also a great way to add variations to cardio routines. Cycling on exercise bikes strengthens and trains the respiratory system and the heart. Also, cycling exercises help in the strength training of muscles and aids in weight loss. A low-impact and low-risk exercise, cycling does not put too much strain on the knees and joints compared to other cardio exercises such as running and skipping. Also, the range of motion of the joints in the knees, ankles, and hips is improved by cycling.

With so many health benefits that cycling offers, it can be useful to have an exercise bike at home, especially when the weather is not good for running outdoors, or you are simply feeling lazy to head out to the gym. Here are some of the well-known exercise bikes available in the market:

• NordicTrack GX Pro Series
  This series of upright exercise bikes have about 30 preset workout routines that let you concentrate on different fitness areas, such as calorie burning, intensity, and performance. Similar to the ProForm series, the NordicTrack series also has adjustable seats; the vinyl seats of these bikes can be adjusted vertically and horizontally as well. There are built-in sensors in the handlebars of these exercise bikes that keeps track of heart rate as you cycle. Additional features of this series of bikes include book rests, water-bottle holders, transportation wheels, and cooling fans. The speed of these fans changes automatically with the speed of pedaling as you exercise. The price of these bikes is around $700.
• Diamondback Fitness
  This brand makes both upright exercise bikes and recumbent bikes. Recumbent exercise bikes have seats with backrests. These types of exercise bikes are suitable for people who have joint problems and also for seniors. The seats and handlebars can be adjusted according to your height. The upright bikes from Diamondback Fitness also have adjustable handlebars and seats. In addition to this, you can adjust the consoles of these bikes. The consoles display information about the number of calories burned, speed, distance covered, and total workout time. Other features in this series of exercise bikes include cooling fans, preset workout routines, built-in audio speakers, USB device chargers, and audio inputs. The price of these bikes is around $700.
• ProForm EX Series
  This series comprises of stationary exercise bikes from ProForm. Most of the bikes in this series have pre programmed workouts loaded in them. A few of the bikes in the series have high-end features such as tablet holders, workout fans, built-in speakers, and MP3 connectivity. These bikes have large backlit electronic displays. Some of the ProForm bikes have been built to be iFit compatible. With an extra fee, iFit lets you pick and cycle through bike routes from all over the world using Google Maps. Another unique feature of ProForm exercise bikes are the adjustable cushioned seats; unlike the seats of most exercise bikes, the seats of ProForm bikes can be adjusted vertically as well as horizontally. The price of these bikes is around $590.
• HealthRider
  Similar to Diamondback Fitness, HealthRider also manufactures both upright and recumbent exercise bikes. All the models of HealthRider exercise bikes do not share the same features. For instance, only some models are equipped with detailed electronic display consoles and are compatible with the iFit technology. Most of the models have very basic display consoles. Some bikes have just one or two preset workouts, while others have a wide range of pre-programmed workout routines. Also, only a few models have built-in media centers and magazine or tablet holder. The price of these bikes is around $500.
• Bladez Fitness
  This series of upright bikes have 25 preset exercise routines, adjustable seats, and about 24 resistance levels that help to improve workout intensity and performance. The handgrips have inbuilt sensors that monitor the heart rate during a workout session. The consoles display the speed, total time of workout, calories burned, and distance covered. The bikes from Bladex Fitness are equipped with i.Concept Technology. With this feature, compatible fitness apps can be downloaded to personal devices such as mobile phones. These apps let you plan and manage your workouts efficiently. A noted feature of these exercise bikes is that they use magnetic resistance. This makes the bikes from Bladez Fitness very low-maintenance. The price of these bikes is around $500.