In today's world, with everyone's lifestyles and the patterns of living getting changed regularly, keeping fit has become a very important thing. Exercises have become the norm of the day. It is important that one exercises and works out in order to shed those extra pounds and also to keep fit. Exercise bikes play a very important role in this daily routine and helps keep oneself in shape.

These bikes are a very useful source of exercise as they give a very good work-out for all the parts of the body. So apart from jogging people can also try out cycling in these exercise bikes for extra fitness. Many cycles also come with a meter that shows the amount of calories lost, the distance traveled, mileage, time pedaled etc.

Choosing the right kind of exercise bike is a very important thing. The first thing to be checked is the comfort levels of the user; the more comfortable the seating and the other arrangements, the more entertaining and enthusiastic the exercise. Mainly, there are four basic types of exercise bikes, the first being the upright bike. They are similar to the outdoor cycles and have a seat and pedals that can be pedaled. The next type is the recumbent type, which has the seat placed very low, parallel to the ground level. The pedals are in the front side, so that the legs do not have to bend a lot. Also the seat has a back support that is very comfortable to use.

The semi-recumbent is the next type. They have a higher seat position than the normal recumbent types and also the seat is inclined so that elderly people can get down the cycle easily. The dual action bike is the fourth type. These are the perfect ones for the whole-body work-out, as both the handle bars and the pedals also are movable, thus facilitating the hands and legs to move. Some bikes have a certain weight capacity, and cannot load more than that particular weight. So it is important to have a look at that before purchasing the bike.

Resistance is another important factor to be considered while buying the exercise cycle. It is the pressure that is experienced while cycling the exercise bike. Depending upon the need to reduce weight, the resistance has to be adjusted on the bike; the more the resistance, the more difficult it is to pedal the cycle, which helps in a rigorous work-out plan. There are various types of resistance in bikes, the first type being Magnetic type. This type is found more in professional gyms. It is noise-free and is quite smooth to use. The resistance power can be adjusted as well. The next type is the Air resistance, where a fan is fixed to the pedal. The more the pedal is pressed, the more the resistance and the faster the fan would swing. In the third type called direct tension, the user adjusts the resistance according to the need, with the help of knobs. The fourth type is the Flywheel, wherein the resistance is taken care of a big wheel, and as the pedal is moved, the wheel also moves.

Exercise bikes are very important to keep fit and also for following a rigorous exercise and fitness regime. What more, with the ease of shedding weight even while watching TV or the favorite movie, in the cosiness of one's home, what more can one ask for! But it is definitely important to consult one's regular doctor before getting into these exercises as they are strenuous and might not be advised for people with hypertension, high diabetes etc.