pommi189

Hi Guys,

I am new to biking and just had a few questions.
I don't really know where to start!

Right now I am using an Expresso bike at my local gym and have been averaging 8-12 miles a day over the last few months. Does anyone have any advice on correct posture for expresso bikes, if the expresso is the best bike I can use to start out? And then maybe some advice on what type of bikes to look into once Spring comes around.


My goal is to become more toned and to cycle for long periods of time. I love biking at the gym and in general and would just like to incorporate it better into my life!

Any advice would be great

Vlaam4ever

IF you want to go on long rides, I recommend a road bike at whatever cost your budget will allow. You can find good bikes starting as low as $300 or as much as $10,000(or possibly more). Go to your local bike shop and pick the one that works for you, fits and is a nice color. Take it in to be serviced every few month. I recommend enjoying your time on the spin bike, but getting a real bike and proper gear ASAP. Pick up a helmet, a cycling kit, sunglasses, spare tubes, pump, chain lube, a small tool kit and hitting the road. Dont wait until spring, just do it.

As far the brands. Dont worry about it. by the time you figure out the best brand you could have ridden a few hundred miles. By the time you care about brands, you will be ready for a new bike.

Rowan

You need to fit the Expresso bike as you would an outdoor bike. From what I have seen, they have some limitations in set-up. Basically, I would get on to the bike, get the left-hand pedal down to the six o'clock position, and put my heel on the pedal. Your leg should be straight with your heel on the pedal. Move the seat up and down to get the right position. If you get pain in the front of your knee, the seat is too low; if you get pain in the back of the knee and/or down your Achilles tendon, the seat is too high.

As to the handlebars, I don't think there is much adjustment there. I get the impression they are set up more like MTB bars. You may be able to move the seat a little closer to the bars if you feel stretched out, or away if you feel scrunched up.

I am not sure that you will be able translate the "fit" on the Expresso to a real bike, but the principles of saddle height in particular are the same -- heel on pedal with crank at six o'clock position and leg straight. Use that as an initial guide, the check for how you feel with reach. Inevitably, there always will be tweaking involved later on.

I use the spin bike at the gym rather than the Expresso, but from what I observe of other users, you would be well advised to keep the rate that you spin the pedals (cadence) fairly high. A good range is between 85 and 95 revs per minute.

I think you can adjust this with the "gearing" on the handlebars. Keeping the spin rate higher rather than "mashing" means you will work your aerobic system better and be unlikely to suffer injuries. Obviously, if your interest is in road cycling, choose the road programs challenges on the screen.

Machka 

The Expresso bike are interesting, but they do have some limitations.

One is, as Rowan mentioned, the ability to adjust the fit. You can and should make some adjustments to ensure it fits you as well as possible.

Another is the way you steer. It's a bit different from a real bicycle.


My suggestion would be to alternate it with a spin bike. Ride the Expresso one day, ride the spin bike the next. Spin bikes can be adjusted more than an Expresso bike and fit more like a real bicycle. Take a spinning class 1-2 days per week if you can.


And I would also suggest getting an inexpensive bicycle now, something that you'll use as a "beater bike" after you get a good one. Make sure it is the right size for you and fits quite well. Then ride it whenever you can over the winter. That will give you a better idea of what you might want to look for in a good bicycle.

njlonghorn

This is good advice if going fast is your primary objective. For equal dollar and equal effort, a road bike will be the fastest option.

If you care more about comfort and/or durability, consider a hybrid. You will sacrifice a little in terms of speed (albeit not as much as most roadies seem to think), but the bike will be way more comfortable -- especially on long rides.

Hybrids come in a wide range of varieties, each striking its own balance between road-bike features and mountain-bike features. They range from 90% mountain bike to 90% road bike, so you should be able to find a bike that suits your purpose.

sprince

Best advice. Your ideas about what you want will change after you ride for a while. Just get a bike that fits and ride it now. Ride it to the gym every day if you can. Riding outside is a lot more fun.

TexMac

We have Expresso bikes in our gym and they are fantastic. They show av power, cadence, calories and they are not that far off compared to an actual power meter though there is no wind.
I ussually do 1.5 hrs and put my wrists on the handlebars, push the seat forward and raise the seat to my waist.