As the temperatures drop and the Omicron strain closes gyms around the world again, many of us are facing lock-down like situations à la 2020. It was back in the late summer of 2020, while Vancouver was gripped in both the coronavirus pandemic, and suffocating smoke from the California wildfires, that I caved and bought myself a stationary bike. Gyms were all closed, and we couldn’t even exercise outside due to the terrible air quality. As I thought this exercise bike solution was going to be temporary – I bought the cheapest option available on Amazon. Over a year later and hundreds of miles of surprisingly happy peddling later, I’m recommending this bike as my couch-potato’s solution for a poor man’s Peloton. A home gym – and yes, even a trainer that yells at you for just $200. No monthly subscription required. Intrigued? Read on!
Contents:
This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links, I may receive a small percentage at no extra cost to you.
The bike I bought was an Xterra FB150 Magnetic Folding bike. At the time, I bought the bike for about $170CAD. It’s currently on deep post-Christmas discount at only $100 – delivered to your door! I have put hundreds of miles on this exercise bike since I purchased it over a year ago. I was able to put it together in less than 45 minutes (and I am the least handy person imaginable), and all the tools you need to put it together were included in the box.
There are 8 resistance levels – levels 7 and 8 are challenging enough even for Jens who can’t help but go all-out when he rides. The bike does not need to be plugged in, as it is a magnetic resistance bike. I can ride this bike for hours, and the best part is: it is dead-silent. I can watch TV while using this bike, and even take a phone call without noise from the bike interfering.
Why this bike is amazing for couch potatoes:
Despite my past-life in competitive triathlon, I’m a couch-potato at heart. With all the gyms closing during the pandemic, I shudder to think of how much I would weigh now if it were not for this bike. Like many of you I have a hard time exercising at home. It just seemed like such a slog to stop the Netflix stream and follow an exercise routine on YouTube or pull out the weights and kettlebells to follow a routine that was definitely less funny than Big Bang Theory. Well what if you could watch Big Bang Theory or whatever you want on Netflix as you’re exercising? This bicycle can help you do that! I even found a laptop stand that works well to MacGuyver myself a makeshift exercise desk on this bicycle! Total cost: Less than $200 (or $120 if you get this bike on sale!)
I’ve cycled hours and hours on my MacGuyvered exercise bike desk, all while watching TV, doing emails, writing, surfing the net, and those exercise hours just drifted by without me even noticing!
What if you want a proper “Peloton” experience?:
Ok, what if you need some cheery, uplifting trainer to encourage you to do your own at-home spin class à la Peloton? You can actually get free spin classes right on YouTube! I have not tried doing a spin class on my Xterra bike (I personally don’t like exercise classes) but if Spin is your thing – like you go hard enough to make the whole bike set-up rumble, I would recommend getting a more sturdy bike that was designed for spin-class like applications.
Conclusion:
Well, there you have it, the secret as to why I don’t weigh 4000lbs despite my penchant for eating poutine, and sweets while in lockdown. Who knows how many more lockdowns we’re going to have to go through with Coronavirus. At least buying yourself some exercise equipment that is dead easy to use and is symbiotic with our Netflix rituals gives us at least some modicum of control over our own life and health in a world where the only certain thing these days is uncertainty.
Factoid: I wrote this entire blog post while cycling on my MacGuyvered exercise bike desk set-up while watching a Big Bang Theory marathon 😉