I’ve been trying to reduce my mileage while maintaining my fitness as I get older.
I bought a Rogue Echo Bike about a month ago. This is kind of a modern take on a Schwinn Airdyne that your grandparents probably had in their basement.
Anyway, it is a great cross training tool. You can do workouts that’s simulate speed work very well, your lungs will be on fire and you’ll barely be sore the next day, it’s like running 200/400s. This is a 10 seconds on, 20 seconds off for 4 minutes wkt. I was an 800 runner, and I get totally annihilated in only 8x10 seconds at max effort.
Or, you can just do a “long run” on it. The nature of the fan resistance is great and it is pretty tough to hold a comfortable pace for about 45 minutes. On a normal bike you need to go for such long, time-wise, rides to get a good effect. On this bike, 45 mins is pretty tough at a normal pace and you’ll feel like you got a good wkt for sure.
I think the Schwinn AD7 and Assault Bike are easier, if you wanted to do a 2 hour ride, these might be better for that. The Echo Bike provided more resistance at the same RPM.
Anyway, if you’re on the fence I suggest getting one. I’ve been really happy with it and have seen good fitness gains.
No affiliation to any of these companies...I’m just really excited about the fitness I should be able to maintain regardless of age, weather, pandemic, all of that. Way better than an elliptical, stair climber, rower, anf of that stuff.