Considering picking up an elliptical bike?  Before you go ahead and pick one up, it’s important for you to learn of the various types of elliptical bike that are out there as well as what the difference is between an elliptical bike and an elliptical trainer.

An elliptical bike can be found either with or without a seat.  Most of the ones you find don’t have seats and if you’re looking for a good workout, it’s probably best you go with one that doesn’t have one as it will involve more of your body that way. 

One thing most elliptical bikes do have though are handles which you can grasp onto while peddling.  These handles move back and forth as you pedal, thus engaging your arms throughout the workout and giving you a better burn. 

Now as far as the difference between an elliptical bike and an elliptical trainer, one of them of course is the ability to sit down on some of the elliptical bikes, however there is another difference.  That other difference is the stride or range of motion regarding your feet.  Elliptical trainers tend to have a longer stride, almost as if you’re going cross country skiing on the machine, however a lot of elliptical bikes have almost a peddling sensation, as if you’re peddling away on a bike. 

So if you’re looking for the most effective workout, you’re probably going to get a slightly more involved one with an elliptical trainer, however that’s not to say that the elliptical bike is a slouch, far from it, an elliptical bike will serve your needs well enough.

When you’re picking up an elliptical bike, there are a few other things you’re going to have to consider though:

Manual vs. Motorized

An elliptical bike can either provide resistance through manual means such as a belt, or it can be motorized and provide resistance electronically.  A motorized or electronic bike will come with a lot more features such as the ability to detect your heart rate via the handles, an LCD screen which shows you the amount of calories you’ve burned and even programmed courses which you can select to run that will simulate running up and downhill.

The motorized elliptical bike is definitely a lot more fun and provides a lot more flexibility over the manual, however that comes at a price, it will be a bit more expensive. 

Elliptical Bike Vs. Elliptical Trainer Revisited

In addition to the differences we discussed earlier, I feel it’s important to also note that an elliptical bike may be preferable over an elliptical trainer due to the fact that it will usually take up less space.  This way you can get the benefit of the elliptical motion without having the machine take up such a large amount of real estate.  This is particularly important for those who are living in condos or are trying to fit some exercise equipment in a small or congested room.

In addition to this, although a seat can mean less calories burned for the elliptical bike, it may just be your preferred style of doing cardio.  Sure, you may not burn as many calories, but if you would rather sit while you get in a workout and if that would mean the difference between you wanting to exercise and wanting to skip it and do something else, then it might be to your benefit to go with the seated exercise bike.

Now one last thing I’d suggest you do before you actually buy a machine, is to test it out.  Visit as many fitness stores in your area as possible and try out as many exercise bikes as you can, get a feel of their features and how that relates to their price tag and make a list of the top 3 bikes you’re considering purchasing.

Once you’ve done this, go online and search for reviews for the elliptical bikes on Amazon, you can often get a bit more insight on the equipment from people who have actually bought and used it and this will help you in making a more informed decision. 

When it comes time to actually buy, consider buying the machine online rather than through the store.  Why?  Well, often times you can save yourself a substantial amount of money as things are cheaper online than in stores.  The only downside is you’ll have to wait for the delivery.  Just make sure that if you do buy online, you buy from a reputable company like Amazon or Ebay and you should be good.

Related Hubs you may also want to visit:

Portable Treadmill
Treadmill Equipment