It is not enough to only get the best exercise bike. There are some health safety considerations for exercise bikes and they are very vital points to note when using a stationary exercise bike.
Exercise bikes, just like other fitness equipment can be very beneficial to staying healthy and fit. However, when wrongly used can cause serious harm to the user.
To avoid getting yourself injured while trying to use your new bike, we have come up with some top safety precautions for using a stationary exercise bike.
Top 8 Safety Precautions for Using an Exercise Bike
1. Correctly Inspect Your Bike’s Part
This is vital if you are just purchasing your bike. Before assembling it, you need to check all the parts, screws, and other essential parts. If the bike is delivered, ensure all the parts are complete and in great condition.
2. Correctly Assemble the Bike
Incorrectly assemblage can cause the breakdown of the bike while using it which may lead to serious injury. The wrong assemblage will make the bike less sturdy and more unstable which is very dangerous.
3. Size the Bike to Correctly Fit your Height
One of the things that cause injury while using an exercise bike is using a bike that does not fit the user. This is why you need to select a bike that can be adjusted and your height falling within its adjustable range. This will make riding more comforting, easier, and effective.
4. Start your Cycling with Low Intensity
As with every exercise, you need to start slow and work your intensity upwards. Your body is like an engine, no one starts an engine and starts raising its workload immediately. You allow it to warm up and that applies to your body. Start your exercise bike with the lowest resistance level possible to warm up before increasing your cycling intensity.
5. Weight Capacity of the Bike
Ensuring your weight is not higher than the maximum weight capacity of the bike is one of the health safety considerations for exercise bikes. if your weight is higher, the bike can break down in pieces leading to serious injury.
6. Inspect before riding
Ensuring your stationary bike is in good condition before getting on it will be a good safety consideration. With this, you can easily detect default parts and fix them before riding the bike. This will ensure safety and reduce the risk of getting injured.
7. Choose the Correct Bike Type
There are two general different types of exercise bikes: upright and recumbent stationary exercise bikes. It is vital to select the most suitable one for your condition, age, and targeted result. You can read our article on the best recumbent exercise bike and best upright exercise bike to get good knowledge about these bike types.
8. Do not Rush your Growth
Growth is steady and you cannot be fit in just one day. Therefore, for beginners, it is recommended that you start your journey with the lowest resistance level. As you get fitter, you can increase the resistance to accommodate your fitness level. This will ensure that you do not get yourself injured and also overstretch yourself. Also, overtraining can lead to a fitness/workout plateau which is not so great for your fitness growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for when buying an exercise bike?
As discussed in our review of the top 20 best exercise bikes here, there are three main things to look out for in selecting the best exercise bike that will ensure safety and give you good fitness results:
#1. Safety:
This entails getting a sturdy bike and you can know a sturdy bike by looking out for the material used in constructing the frame. Also, the weight of the flywheel will determine how stable the bike will be. The heavier the flywheel, the stable your bike will likely be. Also, the weight capacity must not be neglected. Getting a bike with a high weight capacity, especially, one with a higher maximum weight limit than the weight of the rider will enhance the safety of the rider.
#2. Comfort:
Being comfortable on the bike will help you exercise better. There are things you need to look out for like the seat: is it adequately padded and contoured to perfectly fit the butt. Can you adjust the bike to suit your height perfectly? A fitting bike will be very comfortable and even underscore its effectiveness.
Is a heavier flywheel better on an exercise bike?
Heavy flywheel does not impact your cycling; it only makes the exercise bike sturdier. It has no impact on the intensity of the workout.
Can Riding a Bike worsen my fitness?
It is always important to select the correct bike type for your age and condition. Riding an upright bike for seniors may not be the best choice and people with back problems. Therefore, if the right bike is not selected, together with an unfit bike can worsen your fitness and lead to injury.