Introduction
Exercise bicycles have always been one of the most popular cardio machines for people who enjoy working out at home, but having reviewed numerous stationary bikes since launching this website back in 2014, it is fair to say that they haven’t really changed a great deal over the years.
Therefore it is always exciting to come across some new innovations, and just recently there has been a lot of hype about two new inventions that look like they could be a lot of fun for exercise bike users and cyclists.
The Cardigo Bike
The first new product that I want to tell you about is the Cardigo bike because this is similar to a road bike, except that this one gives you a full body workout.
That’s because the front part of the bike extends outwards on a telescopic tube up to 10 inches, enabling you to push outwards with your arms and pull towards you as you cycle.
So you will be able to work your arms, chest and shoulders as well as your legs, and will burn even more calories than you would if you were just pedaling away on a regular bike.
What I really like about this Cardigo bike is that the pushing motion propels you forward, which means that you can use your arms to do some of the work if your legs get tired, and if you don’t wish to use this extendable tube at any point, you can simply lock it in place.
I also like the fact that there are three levels of resistance if you require a more intense upper body workout that will give you even better results.
On the negative side, I would imagine that the front wheel can get a little bit wobbly when you are repeatedly pushing forwards and pulling backwards all the time, and it is probably going to attract a few laughs from other road users.
However it is still a really cool innovation, and I’m sure that the final product will be even better when it does eventually go on sale.
According to the official Cardigo website, it is set to launch in 2018, with the first model estimated to cost between $750 and $1250, but you can get a 30% discount if you sign up to their newsletter.
Cycflix
If you prefer to do all of your cycling indoors on an exercise bike, there is another new invention that may be of interest.
An Irish student called Ronan Byrne has developed a unique product that will motivate you to exercise harder and maintain a consistent pace while you are watching Netflix.
Cycflix is essentially an exercise-powered entertainment device because by connecting your exercise bike to your computer, it will allow you to watch your favorite movie or TV show on Netflix, but only if you are pedaling at a certain speed (or higher).
If you drop below this minimum speed, it will give you warnings and pause the content until you get back up to speed.
This may sound like a bit of a gimmick, but I know from experience that is all too easy to drop your pace right down when you are using an exercise bike and trying to watch a screen at the same time. So it could be very beneficial.
Furthermore, if you are an avid Netflix watcher who doesn’t really exercise as much as you should, you can use this device every time you watch Netflix in order to increase your activity level and improve your fitness.
Cycflix is still in the prototype stage of development right now and it is not clear if it is going to be developed further, but the inventor of this product has created this Instructables page that tells you how you can make one yourself.
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