Bike vs Elliptical: A Side by Side Comparison

When it comes to purchasing different machines that we will use for the purposes of exercising, making a choice is never easy. Should you buy a treadmill or a bike? Should you buy a bike or an elliptical bike? What to choose, as there are so many choices? These might be the questions that many people ask, and since you will not be paying peanuts, it is important to take everything into account. If you happen to be torn between a stationary bike and an elliptical bike, you have come to the right place as we will tell you exactly what the benefits of each are, so you can make the decision yourself. Without further ado, take a look at how both of these machines affect your fitness, weight loss, calorie burn and finally,your wallet.

Do you want to stay fit?

If you want to stay fit, and this is probably the main reason why you are reading the comparison between these two, it is important to know that both machines are used for cardio exercises. They both target your cardiovascular system (basically your heart and your blood vessels) and they both improve endurance. What many people fail to understand is the fact that both of these machines are good for you, and not one is better than the other – they are just plain different. The only thing that you need to have in mind here is the age of the person using it. For example, if you are buying this machine for an older person, then they might find the stationary bike a bit more suitable.

Do you want to lose weight?

Do not worry as both of these will help you burn fat and lose weight. The calories that you burn during the workout both depend on the actual intensity of your workout. The stationary bike can, for 1 hour of training, help you lose from 400 to 830 calories, while the elliptical bike, for the same time, can help you lose from 450 to 830 calories. Since the difference is not that big, it would be a great idea to opt for high-quality assault air bikes that will engage your arms and your legs and give you a more intense workout compared to other stationary bikes. This is how you will get the best of both worlds.

Do you want to tone your muscles?

Another reason why you want to get an exercise bike is probably because you want to tone down your legs, your buttocks or your arms. Here you might be able to notice the difference between these two machines. Namely, the stationary bike will work on your thighs and your calves. Apart from that, your arms will work out as well, especially your biceps and your triceps. You can also target your glutes, but you will need to increase the resistance of your bike for that. On the other hand, the elliptical bike mostly works on your upper body, at least 80%. The other 20% go on your bottom muscles, such as your buttocks, your thigh muscles and your legs. For both machines, it might be advisable to pedal back just a little bit in order to work on the other muscles.

Do you care about the pricing?

The pricing is also another thing where these machines differ. The stationary bikes are somewhat cheaper, and the average price is between 300 and 600€, while elliptical bikes can come up to 1000€. This means that you can get one of the best stationary bikes on the market for the price of one ordinary elliptical bike.

Hopefully, this answered several questions for you, but at the end of the day, it is what you’re actually looking for that matters. Stationery bikes cater to everyone’s needs, and even though they burn a bit less calories per hour, they are cheaper and they tone your leg muscles very nicely. On the contrary, the elliptical bikes work on your upper body and they burn slightly more muscles, which can prove very significant in the long run. Take your time to see which one is best for you. What you can do is go to the gym and try both of them and then see which one you like more.