Pedal Exerciser
Quite a few cycling enthusiasts in the world of today have begun to invest in exercycles – large exercise equipment which looks remarkably like a bicycle without proper wheels, propped up on a frame. However, these machines are expensive, and their slightly less expensive cousins, known as bicycle trainers, are becoming increasingly popular among people who already own a bike. The versatile mechanism of bicycle trainers allow people to slot in their own bicycles on to the machine, and ride away to their heart's content, gaining as much exercise and enjoyment (if not more) they would have obtained from an exercycle under other circumstances.
However, if you lack the funds to purchase an exercycle or even a bicycle trainer, or do not have a bike to put in your trainer, or lack enough floor space for the placement of such large machines in your household, you can just go minimalist and get a pedal exerciser.
A heavily simplified version of the exercycle, the pedal exerciser has a somewhat plain design, with a heavy focus on utility rather than majesty. In terms of looks, it resembles a fulcrum to which two rotary foot pedals have been attached. In order to be used, it needs to be placed on a sturdy seat atop a flat floor. Its operation is quite simple, as it employs the same principles as an actual bike, an exercycle or a bicycle transmitter.
The small size and excellent portability of the pedal exerciser has earned it quite a reputation among fitness freaks worldwide. Quite a few models of pedal exercisers weigh as little as five pounds. They are easy to disassemble and reassemble, and are considered invaluable by people who travel a lot, since they can carry around their exercise equipment with them without having to break their backs. The inexpensive nature of the product, especially compared to heavier machines, makes it a great buy. Even the best pedal exercisers on the market cost much less than an exercycle or even a regular bicycle.
Another excellent feature of a pedal exerciser is its unique one-size-fits-all design, which enables it to be used by several people consecutively without having to make any changes to its settings. Rather than having to fiddle with levers and knobs to make adjustments, you can simply move the exerciser backward or forward to suit the length of your legs until the ideal position is discovered.
However, the simplicity of the pedal exerciser is also considered its downfall by many. No electronics exist on the pedal exerciser, and programmable changes in resistance levels are not an available option with them, rendering completely balanced workouts impossible. However, manual adjustment of the resistance is still possible using a knob on the body of the machine.
Once an user has become better acquainted with the machine, he or she can even try adjusting the resistance of the machine while cycling in real-time, while his or her legs are still pedaling away. It has been done and is still being done by many people worldwide, and is considered a healthy alternative to electronic methods of automatic resistance adjustment. Certain magnetic variants of pedal exercisers have been released by several manufacturers, but due to their considerably larger bulk and weight (and hence, drastically reduced portability), they are yet to see popularity and acceptance.
Certain models of pedal exercisers even have small battery/dynamo-powered electronic displays which allow its users to keep track of their exercise statistics, such as the distance covered while cycling and the time taken to do it.
It can be said from the immense success of the pedal exerciser that a good piece of exercise equipment does not need to be bulky and complex-looking – even the simplest-looking among them can turn out to be an elegant solution to the demands of the masses.
