One of the most popular cardio machines people use at the gym is a stationary bike. An exercise bike can provide a really great workout allowing you to burn many calories in a few minutes depending on the level of resistance set. With the advent of stationary bikes designed for home use, more and more people are considering investing in one. The benefits of owning a stationary bike at home are numerous:

Exercise at any time and any day. Your bike is accessible in your house 24/24 7/7 as compared to a gym which has opening/closing time and closing days.

Save money on gas as there is no need to travel to your gym.

Good or bad weather doesn't make any difference, your exercise bike is indoor and you can train whenever you want.

If you like to train alone, investing in a stationary bike is really a great idea.

Buying a stationary bike is only a one-time investment and you don't need to keep up with the gym membership fees to stay fit and trim.

There are several kinds of stationary bikes for home use like recumbent, spinning and upright and the best stationary bike for home use is the upright one. The upright stationary bike is the most popular for home and also ideal for people with limited budget. Here are 5 things you need to know before purchasing a stationary bike:

Home Space

Having adequate space at home for accomodating a stationary bike is important, if not what's the point of buying one if you can't fit it in your house. The good news is an exercise bike doesn't require much space as compared to a treadmill for instance. It's pretty compact and can fit easily anywhere in a room even for small apartments.

Budget

You don't need to splurge to buy a stationary bike for home use. In fact there are great bikes suitable for home use without costing you a fortune. Prices typically range between $100-$1,000 and over $1,500 for gym quality stationary bikes.

Quality

Buying too cheap is not advisable as you'll be sacrificing quality for price only. Checking on quality is of utmost importance as well. You want something which is robust and durable as well.

Workout Effectiveness

You sure want a stationary bike which can meet your fitness or weight loss goals, a machine which has enough features and functions to give you a great workout.

Comfort

If you don't feel comfortable riding on your bike, your motivation will be impeded with time. Comfort is essential if you want to perform your workout regularly. This is very important.

At Body-Building-Resource.com, after much research for our readers, we've decided that the best stationary bike for home use is the Schwinn 170 Upright Bike. In terms of price, quality and features, this is truly a superb exercise bike for the money.

Compact and fairly easy to assemble.

Sturdy, smooth and very quiet.

Comfortable with the large soft seat.

25 levels of resistance giving you a variety of difficulty levels and workout intensity.

Monitor up to 13 different display feedbacks thanks to the dual track two LCD window system.

29 programs, 4 user settings and goal tracking for more challenging and motivating workout.

Comes with cooling fan, sound system, drink holder and book rack.

Budget stationary bike priced under $500.

Product Dimensions: 41 x 22 x 58 inches

Weight: 74 pounds

Schwinn 170 Upright Bike