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Overview
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Stationary exercise bikes first appeared back in early 1920s health parlors, but they were just street bikes fitted onto stands. Most of today's users need more motivation than what a simple stationary ride provides. Exercisers want to pick a work level, ride over "virtual" hills, measure their heart rate, count calories, and time the workout length. Modern computerized bikes provide comfortable seating and automate almost every aspect of the workout. Some bikes include handlebar-mounted monitors that measure the working pulse and change resistance to keep the heart rate in a predetermined zone. Program menus offering flat courses, hill and valley intervals, and manual controls eliminate boredom and suit the exercise needs of everyone from beginners to athletes. Stationary bikes include two types: the traditional upright and the newer recumbent. On a recumbent bike, users sit in a reclined or "recumbent" position with their lower and middle back fully supported by the seat. The recumbent position allows
blood to flow back from the legs to the heart faster and more easily than from an upright position. The hip and buttocks muscles share the workload more than in upright pedaling, so users experience less thigh muscle fatigue.
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Considerations
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More than ever, recumbents are the leading bike choice for exercisers. Recumbents' benefits are shared by all, particularly women, seniors, and deconditioned users. If your population is young and athletic, they may favor upright bikes. But generally, most users, aside from cyclists and traditionalists, prefer recumbents to uprights. In most circumstances, budget and/or space allows for only one or two bikes. Recumbents are then the wisest choice. Otherwise, an appropriate mix includes one upright for every two to three recumbents. Look for contact heart rate, which allows users to measure their heart rate by simply grabbing the bike's handlebars. If your budget does not provide, consider telemetry heart rate, which allows users to measure heart rate by wearing a strap around their chest.
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OUR PRODUCTS:
Syracuse Fitness Store proudly offers True, Matrix, Cybex, Star Trac, Nautilus, & Spirit. Like the treadmills and ellipticals, bikes are offered for either a light commercial setting or full club setting. Depending on how much that bike will be used and at what intensity will determine which model will be ideal for your setting. Bikes are typically something you can "cheat" on when working on a fixed budget. We encourage customers to put their money into the treadmills and ellipticals first.
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True PS900 Recumbent Bike
Our most popular bike we sell is the True PS900 Recumbent bike. The features, quality and price is what people love about this bike. The PS900 is a "walk-thru" bike which provides a cut out in the frame making it easier for users to get in and out of the seat. A walk thru design certainly makes sense for people with injuries, pregnant, or overweight. However, we have found that walk through designs makes it even more inviting for the most physically fit. Another key feature with the PS900 is that the back pad is adjustable in tilt. This features offers the ideal comfort position for anyone that gets on the bike. The PS900 is also self generating meaning you can place in anywhere within your facility without having to worry about power cords and a nearby outlet. The price of the PS900 is $2395.
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TRUE CS8.0 Recumbent
Over the PS900, the CS8.0 offers more resistance levels, more programs, and an LCD Screen. For the club that wants it all, the CS8.0 is a solid user friendly bike.
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Matrix Recumbent & Hybrid Bikes
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Matrix R7xe
Matrix fitness offers some fascinating bikes for 2009. The R7xe pictured above offers a integrated 15" touch screen display with FitTouch™ Technology. The 7xe is fully compatible with iPod, and incorporates Vista Clear™ Television Technology, thumb switch controls, a secondary data display window, and an integrated wireless data transmitter. It also has a integrated personal fan. You could practically live on this thing. It comes with a price tag of $5595.
Matrix has more bikes in their lineup than any other manufacturer. Their traditional step through recumbent bikes start at $2795.
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Matrix Hybrid Bikes
The hybrid bike is of course a mix between the traditional upright bike and recumbent bike. Something different, that is what a lot of fitness facilities are looking for today. Matrix offers three different series of hybrids starting at $3595.
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After looking at the Matrix bikes, the Cybex bikes might seem a little bland. However, for people familiar with Cybex's reputation of making quality product, the 750R is still a bike to consider. Most impressive of this bike is that it offers 900 watts of resistance. It is the only bike on the market to offer 3 modes of resistance including Constant Power, Bike Mode and Speed Control. Like True Fitness, Cybex goes with the optional external tv. The 750R is $3295. With the optional TV, price is $4795.
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Nautilus 3000 Series Upright & Recumbent Bikes
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Nautilus offers their 3000 upright and recumbent bikes as a perfect fit for light commercial settings. Very attractively priced with all the bells and whistles you find on more expensive models. The 3000 series models from Nautilus are self generating and have contact heart rate. One of the most appreciated features for supervised light commercial settings is their ability to make custom programs. Physical Therapy and Rehabilitations find this feature extremly valuable. Not always do the preset programs offer exactly what your looking for. Please call or email for more information and pricing on the Nautilus Bikes.
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