Does anyone use a Spin bike / Stationary cycle?

jeffro503
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jeffro503
Edited Date/Time 3/27/2014 7:10am
The reason i ask is , is I live up here in Oregon and the bad weather is right around the corner. It gets pretty nasty up here , so actual road cycling isn't something I'm really interested in. A couple weeks ago I broke my Elliptical trainer and was going to replace it with another one , but I don't really ever hear of to many riders using those. I do see and hear some people use the Spin bike / Stationary cycle , so I just wanted to get some input here.

If a person really wanted to build his cardio up during the winter , would a spin bike work better than an elliptical trainer for the same duration? What I'm asking is , does a spin bike work you harder than a Elliptical trainer?

How long are the durations are you guys using your bikes? 1hr every day , 1 hr every other day , 2hrs every other day? I just don't know.

Also , some input on a good brand of a spin bike / stationary cycle would be good to if I decide this is the route I wanna go. I just want to see if it is a worthy investment.
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70sSuperstar
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70sSuperstar 9/27/2011 5:09pm
9/27/2011 5:09pm
i put one of my mtn bikes on a trainer. extra room, in front of a computer. watch movies, pedal for 1/2 hour or so at a time. it helps a lot with cardio and legs for sure. at 53, i could care less about winning, just want to have a good time. know what i mean ?
500guy
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500guy 9/27/2011 5:11pm
9/27/2011 5:11pm
it really depends on the level and effort you put in, You can't convince me a road bike would be better than an elliptical trainer if you maintained the heart rate and duration.

I personally use a Schwinn Airdyne
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/27/2011 5:23pm
9/27/2011 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 9/27/2011 5:23pm
500guy wrote:
it really depends on the level and effort you put in, You can't convince me a road bike would be better than an elliptical trainer if...
it really depends on the level and effort you put in, You can't convince me a road bike would be better than an elliptical trainer if you maintained the heart rate and duration.

I personally use a Schwinn Airdyne
Thanks guys. I guess the reason I was asking was because a few weeks ago when my elliptical trainer broke , I wanted to start doing a little running for something to do until I got anew elliptical. The running completely killed me! I had been tearing up my elliptical trainer pretty good , but it did nothing , I mean nothing for my running......it was pathetic. My knees start to bug me the next day after I run , and I know it's helping a ton. But I would like to get that type of a workout / cardio with out thrashing my knees so bad.

Another buddy of mine ( BigdaddyG ) mentioned something to me a few weeks ago about "Spin bike classes" , and he said some of them can be extremely brutal ( great workout ). I need something here at home , as we don't have a gym any where near by , and I like working out here anyways.

As far as dedication goes , I was spending about 1 hr 5 times a week on my elliptical trainer , but I don't think it was doing me very much good for my riding , compared to something else I could be doing. You know.....maybe I could just do a cardio workout in a different way? And just wondering if a spin bike may work me harder?

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gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 9/27/2011 5:43pm
9/27/2011 5:43pm
Hang a heavy bag and try to get at least six months of good Muay Thai, kickboxing or even boxing training.
If you could join a mma gym that teaches all stand up fighting, then once you have a good base and you are just looking for good cardio training you can work the heavy bag correctly forever, and it is a full body workout. It's really just about keeping your heart rate at or slightly higher than where it is when you ride for slightly longer than you ride. And as you know nothing replaces riding your dirt bike but this something you can do indoors forever, and remember to push yourself.
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txmxer 9/27/2011 5:54pm
9/27/2011 5:54pm
It should have helped your running a ton if you were pushing it on the elliptical. Most people barely do more than a walk.

Better to go a gym and do a variety of things--spin class will kick your ass, but your ass (tail bone) can get jacked up if you aren't careful and you won't want to spin for a long time.

Rotating your workout between spin class/cycling, rower, and elliptical will give you all the cardio you need. Doing 30 minutes on the heavy bag will bust your butt too.
beandip
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beandip 9/27/2011 6:24pm
9/27/2011 6:24pm
500guy wrote:
it really depends on the level and effort you put in, You can't convince me a road bike would be better than an elliptical trainer if...
it really depends on the level and effort you put in, You can't convince me a road bike would be better than an elliptical trainer if you maintained the heart rate and duration.

I personally use a Schwinn Airdyne
Same the Airdyne works great for me!
mx196
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mx196 9/27/2011 6:27pm
9/27/2011 6:27pm
I definitly reccomend the spin bike, mainly because its the closest thing to road biking, and nothing beats road biking's conditioning. If your planning on buying one in particular, spin bike definitly, if you have a stationary already though, switch it up ever week or once or twice a week and youll be set!
machine
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machine 9/27/2011 6:34pm
9/27/2011 6:34pm
Hey Jeffro, ever used one of these bad boys?

They are the closest thing i've found to work the muscles used on the track in MX. This thing will kick your ass, I hate the SOB, but it works...lol

Zycki11
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Zycki11 9/27/2011 6:49pm
9/27/2011 6:49pm
Do they make converters for your road bike to become a stationary?
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machine 9/27/2011 6:52pm
9/27/2011 6:52pm
Zycki11 wrote:
Do they make converters for your road bike to become a stationary?
yes
Fiberglassflyer 9/27/2011 6:58pm
9/27/2011 6:58pm Edited Date/Time 9/27/2011 7:03pm
http://www.realryder.com/ Jeff, check this one out. I sold the concept 2 rower I had because of shoulder surgery and I am looking into spin bikes as well. N.W.Fitness at 13th & Burnside have acouple good quality spin bikes.(Waters,LeMond).
MP818
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MP818 9/27/2011 7:07pm
9/27/2011 7:07pm
Variety is best. It's best to change it up so that your body doesn't get use to one thing. Running is an awesome source of cardio, but horrible for your knees and joints. As a racer, we take enough abuse just riding. I've found that the Concept 2 rwo machine is the best for me. You can do a solid session or intervals on that thing and it kills. Go at about 50 rows per minute for 15-20 minutes is pretty gnarly. There are all kinds of combos you can do with it though...same as a spinbike. Ellipticals work as well, but you have to really get into it. And take note that most cardio is built between the 15-45 minute marks.
EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 9/27/2011 7:09pm
9/27/2011 7:09pm
You guys have some cool stuff!

I wish I had the time/facilities to contribute...
KTMRACER732 9/27/2011 7:46pm
9/27/2011 7:46pm
I wanted a concept 2, but money was short so I ended up just getting a trainer for my road bike. Most of my cross training comes in the form of road and mountain biking due to the fact that I have no place to keep my motorcycles while i'm down at school. I paid 150 bucks for my road bike trainer compared to the 1000 or so you would spend on a concept 2, but I don't get the full workout that the concept 2 would give.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/27/2011 8:06pm
9/27/2011 8:06pm
FastEddy wrote:
Jeffro, have you ever looked into one of these rowing machines?
http://www.concept2.com/us/default.asp
yes , for sure I had thought about getting one of these as well , but I'm going to be running out of room here pretty quick. Since my Elliptical broke , I wanted to replace it with something similar in size. I also have a huge Body solid home smith system gym , but I have to sell that thing as well because I'm moving into a smaller place. Depending on what size place I move into , I may not be able to fit a concept2.........I would love to have one though.

Fiberglassflyer......I will look into that realryder for sure as well. And I am going to plan on swinging by the NW fitness store this week as well. Craigs list has popped up some pretty good units as well over this past few weeks to.

Gsxrcr28.......the heavy bag is something I can do here at home as well. I have a big one here and I just never use it. I never really thought of using it for cardio like that.....so good idea , and thanks.
iudi2006
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iudi2006 9/27/2011 8:10pm
9/27/2011 8:10pm
txmxer wrote:
It should have helped your running a ton if you were pushing it on the elliptical. Most people barely do more than a walk. Better to...
It should have helped your running a ton if you were pushing it on the elliptical. Most people barely do more than a walk.

Better to go a gym and do a variety of things--spin class will kick your ass, but your ass (tail bone) can get jacked up if you aren't careful and you won't want to spin for a long time.

Rotating your workout between spin class/cycling, rower, and elliptical will give you all the cardio you need. Doing 30 minutes on the heavy bag will bust your butt too.
What he said, I've been doing the rowing machine and the elliptical and i burned up to 1200 calories in an hour an a half. So i mean you can do some serious cardio at a gym with a variety of machines to chose from. Is there a 24 hour or Balley fitness anywhere near your house?
gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 9/27/2011 8:27pm
9/27/2011 8:27pm Edited Date/Time 9/27/2011 8:30pm
FastEddy wrote:
Jeffro, have you ever looked into one of these rowing machines?
http://www.concept2.com/us/default.asp
jeffro503 wrote:
yes , for sure I had thought about getting one of these as well , but I'm going to be running out of room here pretty...
yes , for sure I had thought about getting one of these as well , but I'm going to be running out of room here pretty quick. Since my Elliptical broke , I wanted to replace it with something similar in size. I also have a huge Body solid home smith system gym , but I have to sell that thing as well because I'm moving into a smaller place. Depending on what size place I move into , I may not be able to fit a concept2.........I would love to have one though.

Fiberglassflyer......I will look into that realryder for sure as well. And I am going to plan on swinging by the NW fitness store this week as well. Craigs list has popped up some pretty good units as well over this past few weeks to.

Gsxrcr28.......the heavy bag is something I can do here at home as well. I have a big one here and I just never use it. I never really thought of using it for cardio like that.....so good idea , and thanks.
Yeah no prob man, whats cool about it is you can be perfecting a craft at the same time so it helps keep the boredom low.

Lots of good advice and recommendations in this thread though.

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Wadded_Up 9/27/2011 8:31pm
9/27/2011 8:31pm
Circuit training with the stationary bike and weights. You can change up the muscle groups each day and do a minute on the bike at a time (thus saving your ass bone) and make it as hard as you wish depending on how you feel each day. Too much of the same bullshit workout gets old quick. Two hours on a stationary bike would stop anyone from a continued program. Mix it up and have a little fun.......
Wadded_Up 9/27/2011 8:48pm
9/27/2011 8:48pm
STBY wrote:
I use a spin bike to train... You can get one for a great price at sports authority, here it a link to the one I...
I use a spin bike to train... You can get one for a great price at sports authority, here it a link to the one I bought.

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4132265&cp=7…

Get yourself a spin video (interval training) and a heart rate monitor and your set... 45min 5 days a week and you will improve your cardio a ton!
sounds boring...................
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/27/2011 9:15pm
9/27/2011 9:15pm
FastEddy wrote:
Jeffro, have you ever looked into one of these rowing machines?
http://www.concept2.com/us/default.asp
jeffro503 wrote:
yes , for sure I had thought about getting one of these as well , but I'm going to be running out of room here pretty...
yes , for sure I had thought about getting one of these as well , but I'm going to be running out of room here pretty quick. Since my Elliptical broke , I wanted to replace it with something similar in size. I also have a huge Body solid home smith system gym , but I have to sell that thing as well because I'm moving into a smaller place. Depending on what size place I move into , I may not be able to fit a concept2.........I would love to have one though.

Fiberglassflyer......I will look into that realryder for sure as well. And I am going to plan on swinging by the NW fitness store this week as well. Craigs list has popped up some pretty good units as well over this past few weeks to.

Gsxrcr28.......the heavy bag is something I can do here at home as well. I have a big one here and I just never use it. I never really thought of using it for cardio like that.....so good idea , and thanks.
gsxrcr28 wrote:
Yeah no prob man, whats cool about it is you can be perfecting a craft at the same time so it helps keep the boredom low...
Yeah no prob man, whats cool about it is you can be perfecting a craft at the same time so it helps keep the boredom low.

Lots of good advice and recommendations in this thread though.
yeah no kiddin'. great advice in here for sure.

Ludi2006......I don't have a gym any where close to me. All the good gyms are in Portland , and that is about 1hr away. But , If I have the right equipment here , I have no problem pushing myself.

As far as the spin bike stuff goes , I'm going to be making a few calls tomorrow and see about getting into a couple spin bike classes to see what it's all about.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/27/2011 9:20pm
9/27/2011 9:20pm
CR250Rider wrote:
I got one of these, I love it [img]http://www.treadmillscentral.com/images/343.jpg[/img]
I got one of these, I love it

What brand is that? Sweet looking bike!
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/27/2011 9:21pm
9/27/2011 9:21pm
STBY wrote:
I use a spin bike to train... You can get one for a great price at sports authority, here it a link to the one I...
I use a spin bike to train... You can get one for a great price at sports authority, here it a link to the one I bought.

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4132265&cp=7…

Get yourself a spin video (interval training) and a heart rate monitor and your set... 45min 5 days a week and you will improve your cardio a ton!
Going to check out the sports authority in Tanasbourne mall are up in Beaverton in the next few days as well. hell , I didn't even know I had one that close to me either.
500guy
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500guy 9/27/2011 9:36pm
9/27/2011 9:36pm
Back to the Spin class question. Yes a 45 min Spin class with a good instructor will kick your ass, but that gets back to the issue of resistance, effort , Duration and Heart rate. Obviously you got the Elliptical down and were not pushing yourself.

One of the reasons for road biking is to maintain a lower heart rate for longer periods of time to build a strong heart without stressing it to much. You still have to do the Sprint work or interval work.
JIM256
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JIM256 9/27/2011 9:42pm
9/27/2011 9:42pm
I love spin classes. Treat it like a moto and its one mean ass kicking. Try 2 classes back to back...GNARLY!
Premixed
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Premixed 9/28/2011 1:49am
9/28/2011 1:49am
bullshit. buy rollers. i race road bikes now and rollers are great. not only do you get the work out, you get the bike handling/core strength training of keeping the thing on two-wheels. cant beat it for stationary.

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Huckster 9/28/2011 3:09am
9/28/2011 3:09am
CR250Rider wrote:
I got one of these, I love it [img]http://www.treadmillscentral.com/images/343.jpg[/img]
I got one of these, I love it

X2 i have has one for a few years now and it works awesome. I did the majority of my acl rehab on it....

Jeffro google X bike

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