Are Aerobic Riders Worth the Money?

Those who bought an aerobic rider several years ago for hundreds of dollars are probably sorry. They spent a lot of money for a machine that has a limited purpose and limited benefit. But at a lower price, for those seeking those benefits, an aerobic rider can be a good addition to the home gym.

Aerobic riders look somewhat similar to rowing machines. But they provide less range of movement and burn fewer calories than a treadmill. They can still have their place, though.

As the name suggests, they provide a reasonably good aerobic exercise. They help develop lung capacity. While doing that, it’s impossible to avoid gaining good cardiovascular benefits, as well. So, an aerobic rider provides dual advantages.

Aerobic riders also help strengthen hamstrings and work the deltoids and several back muscles. Since the motion is to and fro in a single plane, they also help develop joint flexibility by stimulating lubrication.

Other machines, like rowing machines, treadmills, ellipticals and more, may provide a more strenuous workout or a larger range of motion. But they also tend to cost a lot more these days.

A good aerobic rider can be had used for less than $50 and even a new one may well be less than $150. They top out at about $500. By contrast, even low-end treadmills start at several hundred dollars and rise from there. Elliptical trainers may run anywhere from $350 at the low end to $600-$1,000 or more for a very good one.

Aerobic riders also take up less space and are lighter weight than treadmills or ellipticals. That makes them easy to put into place, use, then store away. There are models that can be easily folded and put in a closet or under the bed. A treadmill or elliptical generally is intended to stay in one place. If you want to take your aerobic rider out into the backyard for a nice workout, that’s easy. You won’t be doing that with other equipment.

According to one influential ACE (American Council of Exercise) study carried out by CSUN a few years ago, aerobic riders allow users to burn only about 50-75% of the calories of a treadmill. No other study has come along to contradict the claim and so the popularity (and prices) of aerobic riders waned a bit not long after their introduction.

But given the considerable difference in price, that comparison may not be entirely fair. A jump rope is much cheaper than a treadmill, too. It’s not intended to provide the same features or workout. The same can be said for an aerobic rider. Also, since they’re such simple mechanisms, they’re much less likely to require any kind of repair.

Provided the price is reasonable and you purchase a sturdy model, you can expect to get good workout benefits from an aerobic rider, especially if you’re just starting out. Just don’t pay more for hype. Of course, that statement goes for any piece of fitness equipment.