Exercise bike?

[rosarugosa]

Looking for some input. I was thinking about getting a small portable exercise bike for when the weather prevents me from getting out for a walk. I know it's possible to do some fitness activities without special equipment, but I can't seem to motivate myself to get down on an exercise mat and do that type of exercising, but I can envision myself using a bike.
My question is whether anyone has one and uses it, or even knows someone who has one and uses it. It's become such a cliche for people to have exercise stuff and use it to hang clothing! A treadmill would probably be my ideal, but I don't see how my tiny house could accommodate something that large.

[Chicken lady]

I have one - very old and low tech. Bought it on Craigslist for $15. It has a wheel that you tighten down to increase resistance that has to be tightened pretty much every time. It lives in the unfinished basement. I use it two or three times a week except on the weeks I skip (like most of December) and it works well for me as far as weight control.

i read or (usually) watch videos while I ride. It squeaks and screeches, so I have to use headphones to hear my videos and don't ride when people are home. (Which is part of what happened to December)

[razz]

I am being sort of funny but sort of true. I tried having a bike and found that I simply did not use it consistently. My dog is my exercise bike, treadmill, gym membership etc. My commitment to him gets me doing whatever I have to do whatever the weather - rain, snow, heat, cold - because he needs it. Don't know why it is so hard to exercise for myself but a living being depending on me, gets me going. ut Not much help to say this, I know, but thought that I would share.

[herbgeek]

I have a bike trainer, which is basically a stand for my regular bike, that has variable resistance. Doesn't make any noise outside of what the bike would do on its own, which I like after having a special "exercise bike" that had all kinds of grunts and groans. My trainer is easy to remove and reinsert the bike, for when I use it outside in the nice weather months.

[Rogar]

I use a bike trainer with my regular bike, too. A little more expense and maybe more storage space, but I use the bike outside when it is warm enough. I've used the less expensive regular home excersize bikes and never found them to be comfortable, although the fancier ones in gyms are pretty nice and have some interesting features like programmed work outs. No idea how much the fancy ones cost.

[ApatheticNoMore]

If you'd be more likely to use a gym membership of a nearby gym go with that (I know I would be - I can not stand being stuck in the house after a certain point! And if the house is tiny all the more so! I know people don't always use gym memberships either - of course here I can walk most of the year as well).

[ctg492]

I got a bike trainer also this year. I ride a great deal outside. The trainer is the most boring piece of equipment I have ever bought hands down. It is not like a spinning class where there is high level energy happening. This for me is so boring, I wait for someone to drive past the house as I am peddling away in the window. But that is just me.

[ToomuchStuff]

My grandfather and his wife had and used one. They were the only ones I knew, as others used them for laundry. I would like to get one of those trainers, if I found some sort of program that one could put a course up on a screen. Otherwise I expect it would just be to test the bike in spring, before riding season.
I am much more apt to use a treadmill and just walk while having the radio on, then sit and spin.

[Rogar]

None of the indoor fitness methods I've found to do at home offer much relief from boredom, excepting yoga, which I've never minded. When I've used my indoor bike trainer, TED talks and other podcasts help pass the time as does music. I've know people who use a reading stand for their bike trainer but I cannot concentrate on good physical exertion and reading at the same time. I can imagine in the modern digital world there are streaming or DVD video programs that simulate a scenic bike course. One thing I've done is to memorize a few poems while using a trainer. You never know when a good poetry recital could come in handy.

[19Sandy]

I have a vintage exercise bike from probably the late 60s or 70s. It is awesome for holding clothing but it is good exercise too. It it is one thing that I would want to move but it would be difficult to move on my own. It may not be state of the art but it works.