Just saved about $2,000

[vito]

Although I belong to a local gym, I have not been using their facilities during this pandemic. Too many huffing and puffing people in one place, even with the "social distancing" rules in place. And during this pandemic they have shut down the pool and spa (huge hot tub, in effect), something I liked to use after an hour of working out on one of the machines. Usually I would use the recumbent bike, and sometimes a treadmill. So I decided to look into buying a decent recumbent bike for home use. Most of the less expensive ones felt like junk when I tried them out, and the good solid feeling ones started at about $2,000, with most of them closer to $3,000 in price. Then I thought about the bicycle that I use for exercise when the weather is warm, an older Trek that works well despite being about 15 years old.

So I went ahead and ordered a bike trainer on Amazon, for the very low price of $150. I was amazed at the quality of this China built device, which took me all of about two minutes to get my bike hooked up to it. Quiet, smooth, and stable. Mostly I still just use the gears on the bike rather than the tension adjuster on the bike trainer. I have it set up in my mostly unused family room facing a nice large screen TV, and when I am done with my workout, I'm already home!

I feel pretty good about what I bought, and really feel like I saved myself at least $2,000. Maybe I should splurge on something else now with this "saved" money. I guess I should be pretty thankful at where I stand in life in that nothing immediately came to mind as something I just wish I could buy with that "saved" money. Another gun to put in the safe? I don't think so. Some bling or accessories for my motorcycle? My Goldwing really doesn't have a need for anything extra that I might want. Maybe a new, large screen laptop. I'll have to think on this a bit.

 

[Mobuck]

If it could generate electric power while your exercise so much the better.

 

[Jeepnik]

Years ago, after surgery, I wanted to get back on my bike. But it would be many months before that would be possible. I decided an exercise bike would help and with the approval of my rehab team started looking for one.

I found the same situation regarding price versus quality. Things like Craig’s list and Ebay didn’t exist (I said it was a while back). But looking in the local Penny Saver I found some very good machines for as much as 80% of their cost new. Most were hardly used if at all.

The sad thing is that with Ebay and such sellers all think their stuff if now golden. It’s harder to find good deals anymore.

 

[mr.deerstalker]

what's the interest rate where paying China for that borrowed money? im just wondering. Scott

 

[vito]

Like too many products, there is no way to know that it is made in China until the box arrives on my front porch. Around here there were exactly two stores at which I could look at decent home exercise equipment, and that is how I came up with the estimated cost of $2-3,000. The $150 bike trainer was worth a try, with the thought that if it turned out to be junk I would just send it back to Amazon. I was impressed with the quality of the item and so far think it was a great value.

 

[Kevin]

Those are interesting. I didn't know about them. It looks like they also have some models with Bluetooth to pair to your phone. I rode my bike a lot this past summer, but now it's too cold, so just walking. The Apple watch is great at tracking steps. It actually has a whole lot of data about steps, average pace, your heart rate, and averages over time, calories, and so on. Pretty interesting to see. Plus, for me anyway, I like to compare it to the day before and to see if I can beat my number of steps, or increase the pace for example.

 

[Uncle Howie]

Buy a brick of primers with that $2K... or just buy a case of .22LR ammo, if you’re not a handloader!

 

[toysoldier]

I found a decent air-resistance exercise bike at a church rummage sale for 30$. It has a digital display that shows elapsed time, miles traveled, mph, and calories burned. I'm actually getting on it once or twice a day.

 

[vito]

The simple bike trainer that I bought is working out just fine. I have it set up in front of a large flat screen TV in my sparsely used "Family Room" and have been using it with my Trek bike several times a week. I primarily use the gearing on my bike to vary the resistance, which makes it even more like the experience of riding the bicycle in the street, rather than relying upon the resistance dial that is part of this trainer. It is exceptionally quiet. I have no way of knowing how "far" I have traveled, but I go by time rather than distance, so all it takes is a glance at my watch. And so far I have had no problems with finding something worth watching on the TV. I used to exercise while watching FOX News when I would go to the gym, but lately I find I have less and less interest in watching any TV news shows at any time.

In addition to the $2,000 saved on this little trainer, I have decided to end my membership at a local gym which is saving me another $40 a month. When I would go to the gym I mostly just used a recumbent bike for exercise, rarely making use of the other machines or the pool for that matter. So now I don't even have the 5 minute drive and I exercise in my underwear in the privacy of my own home.

 

[Phoenix too]

One can do a lot with a trainer, and certainly less expensive than most any of the decent exercise-bike options.

Another option are rollers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WCUN7-nezQ

She is very, very, very good. I've been riding rollers for years and no way am I going to even try riding no hands. I get on differently than she, and I still ride with something solid on either side of me! As she notes, rollers do a lot for one's technique. Rollers do not tolerate an erratic, uneven, pedaling style. They will summarily toss you right off.

You can calculate the distance you travel - you just have to keep track of how many revolutions you do for the duration of the 'ride'.
Divide # of teeth on front sprocket, by the number of teeth on the back, multiply by wheel circumference, and then by how many revolutions you made. Presto!