If you're in the training industry, or just someone looking at equipment for a home gym, you may be well familiar with the exercise bike and what is available for using a stationary bicycle to get the same kind of exercise you would enjoy on the road. But you may not know about the newest options for exercise bikes, and if you’re the type who likes to be on top of the latest trends, it may be worth taking a closer look.

The newest kinds of exercise bikes coming on the market involve a lot of visual technology. They help users set their paces and evaluate their progress with handy route simulations, “ghost rider” challenges, and much more. Essentially, these visual exercise bikes help give individuals working toward fitness goals some additional tools for getting engaged in using the exercise bike.

If you recall earlier versions of the exercise bike, you'll remember something that's pretty different from today's standard machine. For one thing, the traditional exercise bikes were often designs that we now call an upright bike, with a seating structure much like that of a real bicycle. You may recall that the seats on those models were not always very comfortable!

Newer exercises bikes on the market include another option that we call a recumbent style bike. On these models, the user sits further back on a larger seat that supports the spine. Some recumbent bikes have additional arm handles to measure the heart rate. New recumbent style exercise bikes are often designed with additional controls, such as hill simulation features and more for monitoring the resistance of the bike and the user's output with digital readouts that trainers can explain to new users who can keep better track of how they are doing and how many calories they are burning in a session.

That kind of design is what these visual exercise bikes are building on: the difference is that where yesterday's exercise bikes left users to figure out their own focus, the newer bikes focus users visually on a viewscreen. Those who used to read magazines or watch television on older exercise bikes may not prefer the new visual type of machine, but market research has shown that for many fitness participants, it can be very helpful to associate your actual stationary bike effort with a visual result. Lots of users who are less distracted will pedal on further, and get a better workout. So next time you're in the market for an exercise bike, look for both upright and recumbent styles, with all of the newer features that may make your fitness routine more effective. Keep an eye on competitive pricing for all of these features to get the best deals on the exercise bike, something that has proven to be a popular staple in health clubs and home gyms alike.