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Exercise bikes are a wonderful way to get a low-impact exercise workout. Of course today's bikes like those from Sportsart, Tunturi, Nordictrack, Schwinn, and Pro Form are a far cry from the bikes offered many years ago.

You know the ones - the lightweight plastic flywheel, the tiny seat, and no statistical monitoring whatsoever.

Well, as you probably know today's exercise bike offers a stationary bike rider so much more. Now a person has to decide between getting the lower profile comfortable recumbent style or the high-seated traditional stationary style bike.

Of course each has its advantages but to ensure that you get the most value and best fit for your needs one should ensure that any bike reviews consider several critical and necessary features.

Because an exercise bike provides a lower-impact workout they also require longer usage to get maximum benefit. What does this mean? It means that using this type of home exercise equipment is going to require a person to spend many, many hours using the bicycle.

With this in mind, it's absolutely critical that any stationary and recumbent exercise bikes considered has several key features detailed.

An appropriately supporting seat. Some manufacturers provide seats that are plastic and rather small. As you might expect, these are going to get uncomfortable. Fast.

So make sure the seat is large enough and supportive enough to accommodate today's heavier riders.

Because it can get rather boring just riding for hours on end, make sure the bike is quiet enough to operate while a television is on in front of you. You won't regret this.

Modern recumbent and stationary exercise bikes have a computerized console panel above the handlebars. Both cheap and expensive bikes have this feature. And because these consoles tell you all the stats you may need to monitor while exercising, like calories burned, time, distance, exercise level, and speed, you want to make sure that you are going to be putting your bike near a power outlet at home.

It's rare to find a model that still operates on only batteries. So make sure you plan in advance where you want your bicycle to be located in your home.

There are other minor features that are more personal preference but still should be considered. The main ones are:

• pedal straps
• seat height adjustability/flexibility
• cup holders
• warranties

Overall, if you ensure to consider these points prior to doing your exercise bike reviews you will be sure to come out with a bike that is more than acceptable and capable of giving you the workout you need.

And want.