Exercise Bike Vs. Treadmill

Why is there such a big debate between the exercise bike and the treadmill? It is because these two are the most common forms of cardiovascular exercises. People who go to the gym, particularly to shed some pounds, look at both these machines and think: What exercise should I do today? Well here's the answer to this question for you! In this article I'm going to discuss both machines and talk about the pros and cons of each.

Factors to Consider

There are various parameters which have to be taken into consideration, when we make a comparison between these two workouts. Hence here are some of the factors to consider, while deciding which one is a better form of exercise.

The Calories Burnt Factor
Undoubtedly this will be the most important thing at the back of your mind. The reason you are working out is to burn calories and lose weight. So which one is more effective? We all know that by increasing the speed or the incline, both forms of exercise can be made more intense. But comparing the common speeds of each, we find that the treadmill is more effective. Comparing a common jogging speed of 10 km/h, we find that a normal person burns up to 700-800 calories (depending on the weight), in one hour. On the other hand, if you cycle on a recumbent exercise bike at the average speed of 12-14 km/h, you will burn 560-640 calories (depending on the weight), in an hour. So we can see that the calories burned using exercise bikes are less than the calories burnt using treadmill.

The Boredom Factor
Well this factor will have each one's individual opinion, but out of these two fat burning exercises I find the exercise bike quite boring and dull. There is nothing in the bike that motivates you to go faster and at the end, you will end up at a relatively low speed. On the other hand, a treadmill spurs you on to go faster and pushes you to run at a fast pace for as long as you can. Hence, when it comes to what I like doing more, I would say I enjoy the treadmill more.

Safety and Economics
One of the very important factors to take into consideration is safety. For beginners, a treadmill may be a little tough and there is a chance of people losing their balance and falling off the treadmill, hence sustaining an injury. The chances of falling off an exercise bike are quite rare and it is more comfortable as there is a seat. It is widely suggested that a treadmill puts a lot of stress on the bones and hence is not very good for you in the long run. The exercise bike also enjoys an edge, when it comes to economics as it is cheaper in comparison. An exercise bike does not have a motor and hence the maintenance cost is less too. The treadmill, on the other hand is more expensive and because of the motor it will consume more electricity. Thus an exercise bike scores over the treadmill in both these factors.

Thus the dilemma thus stands at 2-2. Now it is up to you to decide, which of these factors matter more to you and which of them play a bigger role in your decision. The facts of both, exercise bike and treadmill, are in front of you and hence you can take an informed decision.