Exercise Reloaded: The Schwinn 112 Bike
Ever since college (and rowing), I’ve always been a runner. I used to run to get fast, later I ran to keep off weight. When you look at the charts, running burns an insane amount of calories compared to other exercises. But I’ve finally realized what the problem is with running: You can’t run at 50%. I can’t run lightly. There is something about the motion of running that just makes you go all out.
Running is great for weekends when you’re rested, but what about after work on a Thursday night when you’re dog tired? When it’s just not possible for me to run “lightly,” the sheer effort of it all (running at 100%) becomes a disincentive to actually doing it.
So I recently broke down and bought something I never thought I would buy: An exercise bike. The Schwinn 112. How is it? I love this thing! Yes, it doesn’t burn as many calories as if I were running (about 265 calories per half hour vs. 500 running), but the simple fact that I can bike when tired w/o giving myself a heart attack makes all the difference. There is no mental or effort barrier to working out.
The Schwin 112 costs a mere $300, has an electro-magnetic resistance wheel (the same kind of wheel you find in high end gyms bikes), is reasonably sturdy, and assembles in an hour. This thing is a great value…
