Why would we compare stationary bikes against treadmills? Because both offer excellent cardiovascular exercises at home alongside gym & burn a hell lot of calories.
Which one reigns over the other? Is it a Stationary bike or Treadmill? Not an easy question to answer. But Rest assured! We are here to guide you on the correct way to choose the perfect one for exercising.
Searching for the best exercise machine at home? Thinking about getting either Treadmill or a Stationary Bike?
Stationary Bike & Treadmill both have advantages over another one in their own ways. From weight loss to muscle toning, low impact exercises to high-intensity training & whatnot.
Before taking the decision, based on our research of Stationary Bike vs Treadmill, take a look at the pros & cons of those two types of exercise machines & whats factors need to be considered first before purchasing.
STATIONARY BIKE VS. TREADMILL (OUTLINE)
The Stationary bike comes in various types like recumbent bikes or upright bikes. It’s usually compact & quiet in nature. The stationary bike gives the right overall balance & shows all the necessary information on the monitor. The uniqueness of this machine is low impact/intensity workout while burning calories.
On the other hand, Treadmill gives an overall full-body workout & features walking, running, incline running exercises. It has options of fitness monitor, customizable workout programs & various resistance levels. As it features walking or running with customizable plans, you can easily build stamina overtime at your own pace.
Stationary Bike Pros & Cons
- Reasonably easy to exercise for everyone.
- The risk of injury is minor.
- Strengthen leg muscles, overall lower body.
- Various types of workout based on resistance & speed level.
- Non-impact on joints, especially back & knee.
- Reasonably easy to exercise for everyone.
- The risk of injury is minor.
- Strengthen leg muscles, overall lower body.
- Various types of workout based on resistance & speed level.
- Non-impact on joints, especially back & knee.
Read our best bikes reviews
Treadmill's Pros & Cons
- Non-impact on joints, especially back & knee.
- Burns a lot of calories like no other.
- Versatile workout types, including incline & different speed modes.
- Comfortable for everyone.
- An alternative to running outside offers the same benefit.
- Build strengths on abs, core, legs & increase stamina gradually.
- High impact on joints, especially knees.
- Have a chance of injury or back pain.
- Fall risk while running.
Read our best treadmill reviews
As we mentioned, the pros & cons are now time to consider the factors when looking for Stationary Bike vs. Treadmill. Let’s go!
Which exercise machine burns the most calories?
The process of losing body weight is simple – burn more calories than consumed—both of those two types of machine assist in burning calories, ultimately leading to the weight loss process.
- With a stationary bike, you can burn 400 calories (uppermost 500 calories) per hour & it needs to be cycling at an intense rate.
- With Treadmill, you can burn 600 calories (uppermost 700 calories) per hour with high intensity walking or running.
Winner – Treadmill here burns more calories than the stationary bike.
Which exercise machine is easy to use?
- The stationary bike is like telling you just hop in and start spinning the pedal. It’s effortless to use & there’s no learning curve there.
- The Treadmill is also easy to use but requires a little time & effort to get used to it. The belt running beneath the legs needs a short time to match with the pace.
Winner – As both are easy & friendly to use, It’s a tie.
Which exercise machine is more durable?
- The mechanism behind the stationary bike is simple yet effective. For this reason, servicing a stationary bike is rare. So it’s unlikely to break down quickly.
- The Treadmill consists of several parts that might fall off/break down suddenly. For example – the incline mechanism might stop working accidentally. The same can be said for the motor or belt.
Loser – Treadmill falls short of the stationary bike in terms of durability.
Which exercise machine has more injury rate?
- The stationary bike has a low impact on joints. It does create specific injuries but not scary. First of all, my butt hurts from sitting so long on the seat. Constant cycling makes pain on the knees & shoulder pain from hunched for an extended period.
- The Treadmill has a high impact on joints because of running or walking faster. Treadmill certainly does have some severe injury risks like a wrong footing can lead to a sprained ankle, losing balance & falling off from the machine.
Loser – Treadmill has more injury rate than the stationary bike. But with proper precaution, both of those bikes are excellent trainers.
Which exercise machine is more space-friendly at home/Gym?
- The stationary bike certainly does take less space than Treadmill in the home or anywhere.
- The Treadmill is a bit bigger & needs more space anywhere than a stationary bike. Some models of Treadmill offer a folding option, which is a great feature.
Winner – Stationary bike is the clear winner here that is more space-friendly anywhere it fits.
Which exercise machine offers more workout variation?
Workout progression is directly connected to the workout variation every machine offers.
The stationary bike & the Treadmill both offer a variety of speed & resistance. For continual progression, those both exercise machines have increasing & decreasing function for resistance & speed.
Winner – Both stationary bike & Treadmill is the winner here, it’s a tie.
Final Thoughts
By now, you have got a firm grasp of what stationary bike & Treadmill both offer. Those two exercise machines have their own merits.
Now, it totally depends on your requirements which one you will choose. For low impact exercises – go for the stationary bikes. For high impact exercises – go for the Treadmill.
However, for maximum fat burning & faster-losing fat, we suggest grabbing a Treadmill as it offers the best value.
Daniel Amankwah is a fitness expert for 4EvaFit Lifestyle, personal fitness coach, personal trainer, blogger, and a motivational speaker living in Acton, Massachusetts. His affection for a healthy lifestyle has penetrated through the noise in the health, fitness industry and empowers people to create sustainable prescriptions for lasting health, happiness, and confidence.
A background as a business researcher coupled with a personal passion for fitness help brings our readership a thoughtful curation fitness guide and fitness product review. His burning desire is to share his fitness experience and offer some encouragement to anyone that is working to better themselves physically through healthy eating habits and being active.
As a visionary, his vision is a world where daily acts of self-love and care are a regular part of life.
