Bikes, Ellipticals etc (whats the BEST to purchsase to maxim

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swalthes
swalthes Posts: 14
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay so My husband and I want to buy something for working out at home. We arent sure whats the best investment thats enjoyable and pays off. SO share anything about Excercise Bikes (upright & Recumbent) & Elllipticals. Were not looking to spend a fortune (hopefully 200ish dollars ... ANY tips, experiences etc will be appreciated.

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  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    My impression has always been that bikes don't burn as much calories in a shorter amount of time. For 30 minutes on my bike (recumbent) I burn 150 calories give or take. 30 minutes on my elliptical, I burn 300+ depending on how much I push it or what level I'm on. But an easy "run" on the elliptical is about 300.
  • bonnienm
    bonnienm Posts: 329 Member
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    Bought an elliptical in December and it is a good workout at least for me. It isn't really enjoyable but you can do it while you watch TV so it's ok and worth using because of the calories burned. We paid around $300 for it.
  • amaliasmom
    amaliasmom Posts: 13 Member
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    We just recently bought an elliptical. I don't find it quite as boring as a treadmill or a bike. I also like that it burns a larger amount of calories. We didn't spend a large amount of money either. We got one that was $189 before tax. It seems to work just fine and doesn't take up too much space.
  • kyboersarah
    kyboersarah Posts: 2
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    I have a treadmill and while I do love it - I also have an elliptical that I can really feel the burn in my legs...I have just recently starting using EA Sports Active which u can get for Wii etc and I am feeling more burn and strength from the 30 day challenge...I like to use the treadmill or elliptical with it..I can last a lot longer on the treadmill than I can the elliptical though :) Elliptical can be more challenging in my opinion but I am loving the EA Sports Active 30 day challenge more..

    Not sure if I have helped or not :)
  • elfie9863
    elfie9863 Posts: 337
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    I have had both treadmill and elliptical...definately vote for elliptical as far as a better calorie buster, harder than the treadmill I say. Although they both get sorta boring, the treadmill was more boring to me.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Do you like to bike outside? If so, to get the best bang for your buck I would look into a bike from Target or Walmart (not super cheap, shoot for around $100) and then get a bike trainer from like Amazon (I got mine for around $80). That way in nice weather you have a bike for outdoors, but during the winter you can set the bike up on the trainer (it turns it into a stationary bike) for indoor exercise.

    Other than that, it's all about what you prefer. If you never have, I would suggest getting a free trail to a gym and try out different machines. Most people love the elliptical, I HATE it with a passion. I love the treadmill, it's my go-to machine whether at the gym or at home. I love to bike and I love my bike trainer, but I would never want a stationary bike that can be nothing more than a stationary bike....pedaling away in the basement ALL the time going nowhere would drive me nuts.

    So find out what machine you like and go for that one.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    plus the elliptical has the added benefit of being able to go backwards for targeting a completely separate set of muscles.

    I have the treadmill too, I use both several times a week. But the Elliptical is where I go when I need to burn a certain number of calories in the shortest time. The bike sits in my living room and gets used leisurely while watching tv when I can't be down in the basement working out.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
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    Be sure and try the equipment out before purchasing. I can't stand the cheap ellipticals that I can afford. Love the one at the gym, but it would be way out of my price range. Upwards of $500. Bikes are less expensive, I think.
  • chantalicious
    chantalicious Posts: 68
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    I'd go for the eliptical unless your spending the big $$ and you're actually going to purchase a Spin bike rather than a stationary bike. With the spin bikes you can download videos and rides. My girlfriend just bought one for her home gym but she spent about 400 bucks on it.
  • gentlebreeze2
    gentlebreeze2 Posts: 450 Member
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    I have a recumbant bike and a treadmill. I use the bike everyday and have lost 47 pounds so far. It's parked in front of the tv. If I watch tv, I better be pedalling. The biggest change has been my upper thighs... no more saddle bags. I would love to have an elipital, but money is a little tight right now.
  • prencesskl
    prencesskl Posts: 123
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    It really depends on what you will use. The elliptical is a better workout, but it's harder as well, and if your going to get it and end up not using it then the fact it works out better doesn't do anything. You should get a week pass at a gym and try them both out, and see which one you are more likely to use long term.
  • BOGmama2010
    BOGmama2010 Posts: 599 Member
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    I bought an elliptical a couple of years ago from Play It Again Sports. It was new and about $300. The thing squeaked from the first day and was annoying to use. I agree that you are not going to get gym quality for that amount of money, unfortunately. The bike might be a better thing. Or, if you want to work out together, you could spend less than half of that on Insanity (which doesn't require any extra equipment) and workout together, which often times strengthens your relationship, and get in even better shape than the bike or elliptical will get you. :)
  • jenX1174
    jenX1174 Posts: 154
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    I've had an Elliptical for the last 10 years. It's my favorite piece of equipment, although I do like to vary my workouts by going for a walk or doing a video. I get bored doing the same exact thing all the time. We just upgraded our elliptical and bought a LiveStrong LS10.0E for $999. I really love it, it gives me a much better workout than the lower quality machines I've used in the past.

    The one I had before was a Proform, it was okay, but if you are serious about working out and it's going to be your main form of aerobic exercise, you really should invest and buy a good quality machine. You're less likely to run into worn out bolts and belts that come with continuous use over time. Also, it is more likely to be a smoother motion which is better for your back, hips, and knees than the jerky motions of cheaper ellipticals.

    That's been my experience thru 10 years and 4 ellipticals. Hope that helps :)
  • lucky48
    lucky48 Posts: 65 Member
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    I have a road bike that I use outside when the weather is nice but for at home equipment, I prefer an elliptical or Adaptive Motion Trainer. In my opinion, they burn more calories than just using a recumbent or stationary bicycle as the motion is similar to running without the impact.

    I purchased a treadmill with the hope that I would use it but I find that it collects dust more often than I would like. I get really bored running on a treadmill and prefer to be outside instead.
  • swalthes
    swalthes Posts: 14
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    Okay Wow seems like the elliptical is the way to go then. My husband was just at Walmart on his lunch break and is buying "Gold's Gym Stridetrainer 380 Elliptical Trainer ". $277.00 - Hoping this is a good one. I told him to avoid any under 200 so we wouldnt be buying a piece of junk.

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