Is a Mini Exercise Bike Worth It and Should You Get One for Yourself?
When I first saw these tiny exercise bikes a few years back, I doubted whether they are as effective as traditional exercise bikes. I’ve met a lot of people who share the same apprehension about such machines.
True, they are very portable, but are they any good when it comes to cardiovascular fitness and muscle toning?
To answer my own curiosity, I had to embark on a mission to find out whether quality mini exercise bikes are worth every dollar you spend on them. I’m pretty sure you’re also anxious to know what I’ve learned.
It Can “Help” in Losing Weight
Don’t get the impression that a mini exercise bike is the ONLY solution to your weight issues. We have to understand that weight loss can only occur if there is more calorie expenditure than calorie intake.
In other words, burning more energy than the energy that you take in the form of food will lead to a net loss of weight.
Since exercise machines work to increase energy expenditure, we have to look at how well a mini exercise bike can burn calories within a given period of time.
When I was doing the treadmills, I was burning around 250 calories every 30 minutes. I was doing an easy 8 KPH pace. But if I bumped the pace to 15 KPH, I can burn about 370 calories in half an hour.
On the stationary bike, I was able to burn about 150 calories in 30 minutes, doing very light pedalling. When I increased my pedalling as if I a dog was running after me, my calorie burn registered 310 calories in 30 minutes.
I tried the same with the mini exercise bike. I pedalled hard for half an hour and managed to burn 200 calories.
The figures may not look stellar. However, I would like to point out that I was also working on my desk while I was pedalling on the mini exercise bike. I couldn’t do that on either the treadmill or the stationary bike.
Can a mini exercise bike help you lose weight? Sure. However, do not expect it to give you the kind of results that you can get from other exercise machines.
On a more positive note, however, you could be working and losing weight at the same time.
It Can Help in Toning the Muscles
When it comes to toning the muscles, a mini exercise bike can also be helpful. There are two ways this device can help.
The traditional way is to pedal it to work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves as well as a few other muscles of the legs. You can also pedal it backwards, allowing you to target other muscle groups.
There is another way you can use the mini exercise bike to tone your muscles.
I found out that placing it on the desk and pedalling it using my hands can help tone the muscles of my arms. Of course, my suggestion is to not do this when you’re in the office.
Here’s the thing. While the device can help tone muscles, don’t expect it to give you the results in a short span of time. So, if you’re thinking of training for the Ironman competition, then this is not the machine for you.
Should You Get a Mini Exercise Bike?
Overall, a mini exercise bike can help you in losing weight and in toning muscles. However, don’t expect the results to be spectacular.
Should you get it then? Everything depends on your fitness goals and the amount of time that you can commit to exercising. If you want robust gains, then this machine isn’t for you.
If you barely have time to go to the gym and don’t mind getting modest results, the mini exercise bike is worth it.
