Exercise bike terms explained
Like all health and fitness equipment, exercise bikes use some terms you might not be familiar with. Here’s a list of the most common ones.
| Console | the controls on the front panel of the exercise bike |
| Crank | the ‘stick’ connecting the pedal to the machine’s frame |
| Display | the digital readout on the front panel of the exercise bike |
| Frame | the structure, usually metal tubes, that all the moving parts of the bike attach to |
| Heart monitor | a sensor that takes your pulse and displays it for you |
| Programmes | the various choices of workout on an exercise bike, such as Alpine Pass, Forest Trail, or 1hour Time Trial |
| Recumbent | an exercise bike with a lean-back riding position, where you sit low with your legs in front |
| Saddle/seatpad | where you sit on an exercise bike |
| Self presenting pedals | means the pedals are weighted to always be the right way up to accept your foot |
| Upright | an exercise bike where your riding position is the same as a normal bicycle, sitting high with your legs pointing down as you lean forward over the handlebars |
Argos guide to exercise bikes
- Know your exercise bikes
- Features to look for in an exercise bike
- Choosing the right exercise bike
- Confused? Try the Jargon Buster
Not the machine you were looking for?
There are Buying Guides for: