Quiet cardio equipment?

I do most of my cardio outdoors...mostly cycling. When the weather is in-climate or I'm just being a wuss with the cold I have an indoor cycle trainer that I can just mount my bike to and do spin classes on YouTube.

If it were me, I'd opt for a rower...but that's due in large part to the fact that I already have a bike and as stationary exercise goes, I enjoy rowing the most.

So I know you asked about equipment specifically, but if you're interested in videos, Fitness Blender's "low impact" videos are also great for keeping the downstairs neighbors happy. I live in an old, creaky house and find that a basic yoga mat has absorbed any extra noise from changing position and that kind of thing.

https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos?trainingtype[]=10

I don't think my rowing machine (Concept 2) is all that quiet. Waterrowers are a little quieter, but I'd rather row a C2. No downstairs neighbors here, though.

I ordered a folding recumbent bike for my mother after she had knee surgery.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004O6TXVS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is what I like about it:

1) The price is right (and was better reviewed by exercise sites over bikes costing more).
2) It is quiet AF. You cannot hear that thing at all. You don't need to turn up your television.
3) It is a solid piece of equipment, mainly being a steel skeleton welded together.
4) It folds. It is a bit of a PITA, but if space is a consideration, then this is definitely the bike for you. I bought some furniture slides and put it underneath and she just slides it from one room to another. But she is 68.
5) The resistance is really good on it.

The "computer" on it is kinda cheesy. But TBF, you aren't really going to use it. You can count calories used in a myriad of ways. Basically, it is a timer and a distance measure. There is a heartbeat monitor on it, but it is more for a general sense of where you are than a piece of science.

Also, if you are under 5'2" or over 6'2", this bike will not work for you.

She's had it six months now and, to my surprise, uses it almost daily. (The holidays put the kibosh on it a little but she is back.)

If you really need something silent, than this is the bike for you.

Kettlebell swings would be quiet depending on how you parked the bell between sets.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I don't think my rowing machine (Concept 2) is all that quiet. Waterrowers are a little quieter, but I'd rather row a C2. No downstairs neighbors here, though.

The C2 fan does make noise but not enough to bother neighbors thru walls, floors or ceilings IMO.

When my GF uses my rower in the family room, I cannot hear it in the bedroom directly upstairs. Both floors are carpeted.

Might be different if the rower were placed upstairs but I doubt it. In that case, I don't think fan noise would be the issue.

More likely some form of vibration from the fan and/or seat rollers that could be felt or heard thru the ceiling below (like the guy w/ the spin bike above mentioned), especially if its an uncarpeted floor w/o a mat under the rower.

I think it mainly depends whether there's carpeting (and/or other sound deadening material in the floors/ceiling) and how sound proof the construction is in the building in question overall.

A rowing machine is excellent but if you really want to be quiet, there are some great low impact bodyweight cardio workouts on YouTube.

Oh thing for noise is what the machine is placed on. Recommend a large padded type mat (like a dense yoga mat) under equipment. If you have a wood floor, I would even do two mats, one dense and large on floor... then maybe a smaller squishier "comfort mat" or "yoga mat". That is what I have my bike+trainer set on - gives it a slight wobble if out of saddle, but helps isolate noise from floor well.

Concept 2 rowing machine is noisy. Water Rower is a little quieter, but not what I'd call "quiet" (for apartment living purposes). Most bikes will be quieter than either. Don't know about other types of rowing machines.

What I do know about rowing machines is that many, many people use them incorrectly (most people I see at the gym, including some trainers!), and will likely struggle to get a good workout if that's the case.

If it's wet and windy outside, or if i don't have a spare 3 hours then I'll go on the turbo trainer or do the next workout on the Tapout XT calendar. Otherwise I'll go out for a ride.