If you are planning to work indoor using a stationary bike, and looking for some thing within the budget, then Used stationary bike is the best option.  Stationary bikes offer an effective way to burn calories, improve cardiovascular fitness and develop leg strength.

While buying a stationary bike you have two types of seating position available to choose from, depending upon your workout goals.

1. Upright bikes: If you need to mimic an outdoor bike ride, then go for upright bikes. Matching traditional bikes these have the pedal below the seat and seating position will be exactly like your on road bike. Improves muscular activation thereby, cycling efficiency and power.

2. Recumbent bike: These bike has reclined back, bucket seat and pedals are in front of the body. The handle bars positioned to give a full stretch for your arms and no pressure on the wrists.  Preferred for people with back problems,over weight issues, health problems  and for elders.

Either will do fine if you are looking to improve your aerobic fitness.

Buying used best stationary exercise bikes

1. Make sure that the bike doesn’t make sound during operation. Depending upon the resistance mechanisms used in bike, the noise vary. Air, magnetic, fluid are some of the resistance mechanisms used. The noise decreases, the cost increases and the level of resistance setting increases in that order.

2. Ease of operation should be considered while buying, not later. Make sure the seating position is comfortable.

3. Buy from a reputed seller and choose a reputed company product.

4. If you are dealing one on one, buy it from a person whom you know, or at least make sure you can meet him again if you need to.

Preferred places for buying

Amazon, Ebay, Craiglist.

Preferred brands to buy

Upright bikes: Schwinn, Monark, Bodyguard, ,Keiser, and Reebok

Recumbent bikes: Precor, Life Fitness, Body Guard, and Lifecycle

Even though used stationary bike are cheap compared to new one, in some strange cases used bikes are costlier than new one (I observed few in Amazon) for unknown reasons. In such cases new one would be obvious choice. But always remember to give a test drive, or in this case test ride.. :) … before you buy.