The Complete Handbook of Exercise Bike Accessories

Chapter 1: Understanding Exercise Bike Accessories

What Are Exercise Bike Accessories, Really?

Exercise bike accessories are every component that is not part of the base frame, drivetrain, or factory-installed resistance mechanism. That is a simple definition, but it covers a huge range of hardware. A cleat for a cycling shoe is an accessory. A console bracket that holds a tablet is an accessory. A 2-inch thick rubber mat under the bike is an accessory. A replacement seatpost shim that lets you fit a different saddle is an accessory. The category is broad because the bike itself is a platform, and the accessory is whatever you mount to it, attach to it, or place around it to make it work better for a specific rider, a specific room, or a specific training goal.

To understand what this category actually is, you have to understand what an exercise bike is not. An exercise bike is not a bicycle. A bicycle is a tool for moving a person over a surface. An exercise bike is a tool for applying a load to a stationary rider. That distinction changes everything about the accessory ecosystem. Bicycle accessories exist to help you ride farther, faster, or more safely in the outside world. Exercise bike accessories exist to help you train harder, measure that training, and tolerate the experience of sitting still while you do it.

This is why a road bike saddle is not automatically a good exercise bike saddle, and why a mountain bike pedal