Exercise bike

Go to almost any gym, and you'll find exercise bikes in use. Although they are just about the oldest piece of cardio fitness equipment around, exercise bikes remain immensely popular, both in the club and at home.

It's easy to see why exercise bikes are so popular - just look at what they offer:

• Easy to use
• Convenient for home use
• A good choice for the overweight or out of shape
• Perfect whatever the weather
• You can watch TV or read while using them - greatly reduces boredom
• Gentle on knees and ankles while building leg strength
• Recumbent models are very comfortable - encouraging you to exercise for longer

They are appropriate for all fitness levels. While you often see elderly or overweight people using them as a gentle cardio workout, you will also find hard-core triathletes using them for high-intensity interval workouts, or as a supplement to their road mileage.

Most modern models offer a host of features including:

• Pre-set programmes featuring hill workouts, fat burning workouts, etc
• Heart rate monitor
• Readouts of calories burned, distance covered, average speed etc