A good bike for doing HIIT

This topic contains 7 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by  dmdw 6 years, 10 months ago.

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  • Hi all!

    I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations when it comes to getting a stationary bike for doing HIIT? I suppose you really want it to be quite steady, so would a spinning bike or a more conventional stationary bike do best?

    And yes, I love to be outside but I have found it to be quite hard to do HIIT outside on a bike, you basically go really fast. It would also be nice to have the ability to to HIIT on a rainy day without all the preparations. 🙂

    Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks!

    Hi tisseltass

    you have probably found a bike by now but I thought I’d share my experience especially for anyone else that may see the thread title and look further.

    I have a Keiser M3 at home – they’re expensive but quiet (very important to me), smooth, adjustable for seat height, fore/aft and handle height and fore/aft. I’ve had it for nearly a year now and I love it – very reliable and easy to use – also light enough to move from a corner to the centre of a room when needed.

    There are lots of HIIT protocols you can follow (see the book) some as quick as a few minutes (with 2-10 x 10 sec high intensity bursts).

    I tend to use the GCN (Global Cycling Network) 20 minute men workout on youtube. It has 7 HIT intervals – it’s not the same as any mentioned in the book or previous studies but it suits me. GCN have another 20 minute workout with women but it’s quite demeaning so I avoid that one. They also have several longer work outs with HIT included but I like the quick one.

    I have also bought several cycling digital DVDs from Virtual Active (www.vafitness.com/) – these are 30 minutes long and take you through amazing real life vistas. They’re not strictly HIT at the intensity in the book but you can modify them to do a HIT session for say 20-30secs at the end of every 5 minute block. I love starting my day in Italy or the Rockies or even New Zealand, all in the comfort of my own home.

    Hope this helps.

    Hi

    I’ve just done the 20 minute routine by GCN … Thanks very much for recommending it 🙂

    Lorna

    Hello janecw

    ‘Which bike?’ is becoming a bit of a FAQ on this forum, so thanks very much for your comment about the Keiser. I deferred the decision by hiring a bike, just so that I would have something to compare any eventual purchase with. The hire period is ending soon, so the search for one to buy will begin in earnest.

    Cheers!

    Hi,

    I’m still looking for a bike, the Keiser M3 looks like a really good bike, but unfortunately it’s a bit out of our price bracket. I would appreciate any other recommendations, say within the £200 to £500 price bracket?

    Cheers

    Hi DeeB

    I would have loved a Keiser M3, too but, like you, had to look at cheaper options.

    I eventually bought a Reebok ZR9 Bike, from Argos, for about £200. It certainly made me sweat – assembling it from the flat pack delivery hahaha! It’s not bad at all – it has enough resistance to be able to do HIIT.

    I must admit I was a bit spoiled by the heavy duty gym-standard bike which I had hired previously. It was proper beefy! Seemed to have a greater resistance at max level compared to my own one. To buy a new one from the company would have cost £1500. However, I later found out that they sell reconditioned ones for around £300 – £400 so that might be worth looking into. The firm is called Hire Fitness uk. It might depend whereabouts you live, as to whether there is an agent in your area.

    However, I’d say the one I have bought is good enough.

    Hope this helps – let us know how you get on.
    BB

    Wow, thank you BB, I never even thought about looking for a reconditioned one. We’re in the NE and I don’t think that Hire Fitness UK operate in our area, but I am assuming that there will be others who offer the same facility.

    I will have a look around today, thank you again….:-)

    Happy cycling
    Dee

    Just to let you know,

    I got a Keiser M3 (reconditioned) after all, it was a good recommendation Jane, thank you, and thank you again BB for the idea of a reconditioned bike, I haven’t used it yet, but it looks like it’s made of sturdy stuff.

    Dee

    Any additional recommendations on an exercise bike? I bike outdoors using clips. So should an indoor bike be set up for clips also–it does make pedaling fast easier to control? I just want to use the indoor bike for HIT purposes. Thanks for any recommendations.
    deborah

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