There is no doubt that a fan bike can be an effective tool for burning calories and weight loss when combined with a good diet.
The way the resistance increases the faster you pedal and you use your arms as well as your legs gives you a workout like no other. It is this that gives it such harsh nicknames like the misery machine. You can get an intense workout like no other piece of equipment which can make it much more effective at burning those calories.
It is estimated that you can burn up to 75 calories in just a minute on a fan bike at very intense levels (this is by serious athletes but they can only do this for a minute).
But you don’t have to do that to get those calories burning away,
You can get moderate exercise as well as intense workouts from the bike that allows you to set the pace you need especially when getting started but it can easily be a too tough piece of equipment if you don’t pace yourself in the beginning as you get used to it.
Burn Cardios At Your Pace
The great thing with the fan bike is you can have moderate exercise and burn calories moderately as you get used to it and then push yourself harder as you get fitter and burn more calories by pushing yourself harder without having to worry about adjusting the resistance.
That is probably the issue with it, that you have to push yourself to get the workout you want or need there is no way to have a pre-set the speed like there is on treadmills.
All Fan Bikes Can Be Effective
In some respects all fan bikes can be effective for burning calories for weight loss but the more expensive bikes are more durable and take the tougher workouts for longer and be able to stand up to the tougher workouts as you progress.
How I Chose The Fan Bikes
The criteria I’ve chosen in selecting the bikes is:
Quality. The bike must be made to stand up to exercising for a number of years being durable and stable. I looked for the ones that didn’t shake or creak or flex under the pressure of the workouts.
Customer Satisfaction. Customers must rate the bike from actual experience. The guide I’ve used for this is to see that it has an overall rating of 4/5 or above.
Console. At least a basic console to keep you on track during your workouts and with a heart rate monitor if possible for heart rate zone training which can be great way to measure effort and as guide for maximizing fat loss.
Adjustable. The bike should be able to be adjusted to fit a range of different sizes
The Best Fan Bikes For Fat Loss
In selecting the fan bikes for this best of list I’ve looked at them in three price categories, starting with the best and the premium priced fan bike:
Our Pick
Assault Air Bike
This is the best fan bike in terms of build and overall quality widely available for people wanting to use in their own home. But do expect to pay extra.
For a beginner it is possibly too much bike but it is definitely one they can grow into. They can do moderate exercise and as they improve fitness and lose weight they can push themselves harder. It’s is built to take much more as it is the bike of choice of many elite athletes.
The bike can accommodate users up to maximum weight of 350 lbs. The seat can be adjusted vertically and horizontally to get the best fit for people between the heights of 4ft 10 and 6 ft 10 ins. Adjusting this from person to person is quick and easy making it a great option for multiple to use.
The console tracks RPM, distance, speed, calories, watts, time and heart rate (when wearing a compatible heart strap that needs to be bought separately). You can set targets to achieve on each workout, set up your own intervals or use tabata (20 seconds fast as you can, 10 seconds rest for 4 minutes) or a reverse tabata (10 seconds on, 20 seconds rest for 4 minutes).
This is a popular bike at CrossFit gyms and home gyms across the country due to it durability to take intense workouts. It is great for weight loss and newbies too , but if you are wanting moderate exercise to help with fat loss it may be more than you need.
Also Recommended
Schwinn Airdyne AD2
This bike provides a stable and durable workouts that can be used by beginners and more advanced trainers. It is one that can keep up with you as you advance in your fitness and lose weight and want to get a more intense cardio.
The console is basic where you can track speed, RPM, distance, time and calories. It doesn’t monitor heart rate. (The Schwinn Airdyne AD6 does when you supply your own strap but it doesn’t seem to fit people as well as this bike – although it is a tougher bike).
The max user weight for the bike is 250 lbs (Airdyne AD6 is 300 lbs). It is easy to adjust for a variety of sizes by moving the seat up and down using the adjustment knob.
It is a sturdy and fit multiple sizes. It is well rated by customers for moderate training, burning calories and intense low impact cardio workouts working arms and legs.
You can read more fully about it here.
Budget Option
Marcy Air 1 Fan Exercise Bike
The bike is great for those looking to lose weight and be more active. It’s great for moderate exercise and more intense training but elite athletes are likely to find it is not tough enough for their needs where they push themselves to the limit.
It’s maximum weight capacity is 300 lbs. The seat can be moved up and down to fit people of a variety of heights quickly and easily making it suitable for multiple users wanting to exercise.
The console is basic -it’s easy to use and read. It tracks RPM, time, distance and calories. The console rotates through the measures every 6 seconds.
Customers are pleased with how it performs in their full body workouts with it holding them firm while they get the cardio workout they want for burning calories and getting and staying in shape.
You can read our full review here.
Any of these bikes can help you burn fat and calories to help in weight loss (with diet) but which one is right for you will depend on your budget and also your long term goals and expectations. It would be great to hear what you think is right for you in the comments below.