So, over these winter months I put back on the 15 or so pounds I had lost (so I probably need to lose a min of 30 from here), and my knees and feet are enjoying jogging at this point (yes I have well fitted, nice running shoes).
I don't want to spend the cash on a nice road bike and the helmet and such, not to mention to the folks around here really don't like cyclists.
Does anyone have a good suggestion for an exercise bike with a "road bike" like riding position, that won't cost as much as CAAD 10?
Do you mean an exercise bike like an indoor training thing, or a real bike to ride outdoors but just for exercise? If you mean indoor the best way to get the real road bike position is to find a cheap used roadbike on craigslist that fits you and then get an $80 stationary trainer form PerformanceBike or somewhere online. Bike mounts in trainer which has adjustable resistance.
All of the indoor stationary bikes I've seen under $1000 do a pretty poor job of replicating bike position.
I just bought a road bike off craigslist and a magnetic trainer stand to ride indoors. That way when it gets nice I can take the bike off and ride it outside.
Now if I could actually get the motivation to ride it regularly it may help with my weight loss...
Yes, I mean an indoor training thing. Part of the reason for it is so I can monitor distance/speed vs a road bike on a stand.
EDIT: EvanB, I have no desire to ride outside in my area.
+1 to what ultraclyde said. Get an inexpensive road bike that fits and a trainer. Set it up in the living room, garage or wherever and spin away. 
You can get a cycle computer that measures speed and distance off the rear wheel, so that works great in a trainer setup.
Yep. Even the cheapo computers from WalMart can be made to work on that kind of setup. You should be able to get in for under $250 with an old used schwinn or peugot road bike, a new mag trainer, and a walmart computer. If you happen to catch a used trainer it will be less than that.
No matter what you do, though, riding on a stationary trainer sucks if you are used to riding outdoors....
EDIT: in passing, be aware that speed/distance on a trainer don't really correlate to anything on a real bike outdoors - the indoor effort is always less for given mileage and speed because of wind resistance among other things.
Plus one for using a real bike indoors on a trainer. New ones start about $125, but a $250-300 unit will be much easier to live with (more sturdy, easier adjustment, smoother, quieter, more realistic resistance curve.) I like the Blackburn TechMag and TechFluid, and Giant also makes a nice fluid model. Cycleops are a decent 2nd choice.
Tons of folks buy these and never end up using them, so check your local craigslist/newspaper for nearly new used ones for cheaper than new.
A trainer tire on the rear is a good investment as it will wear much better than a road tire. Continental makes them in several sizes.
I have no input on what sort of bike to get but...
Any particular reason why you're looking at a bike in particular for this?
Elliptical no bueno for some reason? (And yes, i know i'm doing what we both hate right about now, but as someone who manages to burn far more calories on an elliptical than an exercise bike, figured maybe it was worth talking about.)
^Because for some reason I was thinking about that. That's an even better idea though, because the wife will likely split the cost of an elliptical.
^For the record, what SFO and I get INCREDIBLY annoyed by on this forum:
"Hi there denizens of the intertubes. Could you please give me advice on X?"
Enter a bunch of posters:
"Hi there person looking for advice on X. I will now proceed to give you advice on F, G, and Z. I hope I have been helpful."
I can't wrap my head around this mindset.
I see tons of hardly used exercise equipment at the local dump every time I drop stuff off, I just ask the guy at the dump permission if I see anything that looks interesting (like the old craftsman toolbox I snagged a couple months ago). It wouldn't get much cheaper than that.
SFO & Z: Agree, but also think SFO's post is doing the exception right: Note that you actually read the request, and that you want to make sure the OP isn't overlooking something which might suit their needs better, but there wasn't info in the post to know whether it had been considered and ruled out. We all sometimes focus on answer X without ever recognizing that it's a ludicrously expensive/complicated/difficult/unpleasant answer when F takes 5 min and is free...
Anyhow, for the OP here, I'm not aware of anything cheapish that can mimic proper position as well as an actual road bike on a trainer. Also +1 to the notion that trainer distance/speed != road distance/speed (though if you aren't going to ride outside, you can at least compare your trainer rides).
I have seen, though rarely, some of the CycleOps stationary trainers which do allow a wide range of position on CL locally (Portland's pretty bikey) in the $1200-$1500 range. I think those also get you power displays, so you can stop pretending to do distances/speeds, and actually measure your power output, which is a much more meaningful way to gauge effort.
I'm reasonably happy with my CycleOps fluid rear-wheel-type trainer, inasmuch as I could be satisfied with a trainer.
This hasn't really been a bad thread for it.
Usually it'll be like:
"I want an indoor exercise bike."
"BRUH! LIFT WEIGHTS!"
Fair enough, I understand how it could be annoying. I had mega knee/foot pain in my "properly fitted" running shoes also. Went to 0mm drop shoes and my problems went away. Thought it would be worth mentioning.
Swank Force One wrote:
This hasn't really been a bad thread for it.
Usually it'll be like:
"I want a manual transmission wagon with excellent mileage"
"P71!"
Fixed. (And also broken. There is a double space after each line, not sure how the formatting went all fubar there.)
Bike + trainer.
We did just buy a FitDesk II and I love it. I am able to pedal for much longer on it, with the back-rest and I can hold a gaming controller while riding.
ProDarwin wrote:
Fair enough, I understand how it could be annoying. I had mega knee/foot pain in my "properly fitted" running shoes also. Went to 0mm drop shoes and my problems went away. Thought it would be worth mentioning.
Swank Force One wrote:
This hasn't really been a bad thread for it.
Usually it'll be like:
"I want a manual transmission wagon with excellent mileage"
"P71!"
Fixed. (And also broken. There is a double space after each line, not sure how the formatting went all fubar there.)
I wear orthotics and good shoes, it's just since putting the weight back on over the winter that it's bugging, so I'd like a lower impact way to get my cardio.
I may look into the bike/trainer thing. I guess that way if I ever did decide I wanted to ride on the street I could.
ProDarwin wrote:
Fair enough, I understand how it could be annoying. I had mega knee/foot pain in my "properly fitted" running shoes also. Went to 0mm drop shoes and my problems went away. Thought it would be worth mentioning.
Swank Force One wrote:
This hasn't really been a bad thread for it.
Usually it'll be like:
"I want a manual transmission wagon with excellent mileage"
"P71!"
Fixed. (And also broken. There is a double space after each line, not sure how the formatting went all fubar there.)
It's because you quoted something. You have angered the quote gods.
z31maniac wrote:
ProDarwin wrote:
Fair enough, I understand how it could be annoying. I had mega knee/foot pain in my "properly fitted" running shoes also. Went to 0mm drop shoes and my problems went away. Thought it would be worth mentioning.
I wear orthotics and good shoes, it's just since putting the weight back on over the winter that it's bugging, so I'd like a lower impact way to get my cardio.
I used to wear doctor-prescribed orthotics as well, FWIW. Probably could have a whole thread on those.
I throw one other idea out there that you didn't ask for: Rowing machine. If you can find one cheap on CL, you can burn mega calories mega quick. For me I can burn way more biking or rowing than I can on an elliptical just due to larger muscles being used. A CL bike/trainer combo will still come in for less $ than the rower though, unless you get lucky.
z31maniac wrote:
^For the record, what SFO and I get INCREDIBLY annoyed by on this forum:
"Hi there denizens of the intertubes. Could you please give me advice on X?"
Enter a bunch of posters:
"Hi there person looking for advice on X. I will now proceed to give you advice on F, G, and Z. I hope I have been helpful."
I can't wrap my head around this mindset.
Funny. To me, getting a heads up on alternatives I may have missed considering is at least as valuable as what the question actually was, and one of the primary reasons I ask questions here.
I thought this was GRM?
c-list bicycle plus 4 harbor freight jack stands plus an old alternator, belt and some light bulbs and you're done.
I picked up a recumbent (that isn't really all that recumbent) exercise bike at a local charity resale shop for ~$75. It has different programs and difficulty levels, is comfortable, and never needs to be taken apart so I can use it outside.
I don't feel I'm losing anything to my 'real' bike riding skills by using it vs a true upright when I use my outdoor bike...YMMV, just get pedaling ;)
russde said:
I picked up a recumbent (that isn't really all that recumbent) exercise bike at a local charity resale shop for ~$75. It has different programs and difficulty levels, is comfortable, and never needs to be taken apart so I can use it outside.
I don't feel I'm losing anything to my 'real' bike riding skills by using it vs a true upright when I use my outdoor bike...YMMV, just get pedaling ;)
I keep looking for one on marketplace. I want to diy a cycledesk.
Wow. Zombie thread.
My parents had a recumbent bike I used to try to use once in a while. It sucks. The max resistance on it is not that high, and perhaps more importantly, the seat is too big so its easy for your hamstring to hit it as well as your glutes lift you off the seat and you kind of 'bounce' side to side on the bike as you pedal. I would always choose one where I am sitting on my taint instead.
Regarding trainers: remember there are a few different type. The cheaper magnetic ones tend to be pretty easy to overpower for any sprint/hill climb/etc. type of work. The more serious people use a fluid trainer IIRC.
RE: Rowing machine that I mentioned earlier. I picked one up used (concept 2) in January this year. I've already used it more than I have used all other indoor cardio equipment combined. Its pretty great. Additionally Concept2 rowers tend to hold their value pretty well, so when I decide I dont want it anymore for whatever reason, I can sell it for what I paid.
