Exercising with an outdoor elliptical bike is fun and ultra exciting in itself. To make it more enjoyable, I have come up with seven accessories to keep it you moving forward while having fun.
No. 1 Heart rate monitor
Our first accessory is the body monitor--- the heart rate monitor.
This is a wearable tool to be placed on the chest, wrist or the head, depending on which type you would want. It is connected to a screen display which will give your heart rate at a specific time as you bike.
Most heart rate monitors nowadays can be connected to smart devices like the smartphones and smartwatches. So it would be easy to monitor and convenient provided that you’ve set target figures.
The importance of a having a heart rate monitor is to check the intensity of your workout. It is handy when you have a specific target to achieve or to ensure that you are exercising based on your limitations.
How you use/ set the monitor is based on your preferences and needs. There is, therefore, no universal guidelines on its settings. It is also important to choose a tool that is user-friendly.
No. 2 Water bottle and holder
I cannot emphasize more the importance of properly hydrating yourself while exercising on the outdoor elliptical bike. I’ve spent a section of that from our previous post.
Consequently, you need to bring with you a water bottle and a holder you can attach to your elliptical bike. You can have a strap on your body or carry, but it might be too hassle to move around that might cause accidents.
There are separate bottle holders you can get from equipment stores. You just have to make sure that the holder is the right size to where you will attach it to the bike. If you already have a water bottle, you also need to consider its size to fit the holder.
You can ask the professionals to attach it to your or you can also do it yourself. It has to be secured and away from your legs and arms to avoid hitting it with your body.
No. 3 Special cleaning and cooling towel
A towel is necessary while working out for health and sanitary purposes. But, for rigorous training activities, a special cleaning and cooling towel is most appropriate.
Cooling towels are made of different materials like microfiber, polyester linen, and bamboo. It usually stays cold to keep cooling the body as you pat or wrapped it. Cooling the body is vital to keep temperatures stable as it rises while the body is induced by stress.
The cleaning towel, on the other hand, is to keep you clean during and after a workout. Leaving sweat to just dry on your skin can cause irritation and build-up of germs especially if you have sensitive skin.
You don’t have to bring it with you outside while biking if you are uncomfortable. It can be used after your workout when you arrive home.
No. 4 Music player/ application
Music is always part of my workout that I even have a workout playlist on my Spotify when I hit the roads.
There is something about listening to a good beat that makes even the mundane task enjoyable.
Several studies have shown that music can change your mood as you workout keeping you uplifted and motivated to keep kicking. As a result, you do more workout and is easier to push yourself to reach certain exercise goals.
Listening to music also gives you a distraction. That is, you don’t always have to look at the distance you’ve covered or count the calories you’ve burned. By the end of a song, you will be surprised that you have reached father than you expected.
Smartphones are super powerful that you can use it as a music player and heart rate monitor simultaneously. Thus, you don’t have to bring too many gadgets.
No. 5 Lubricants, wipers and other basic maintenance tools
Now, this is something that you don’t have to bring with you while riding. Before you go out for your run, you need to check your bike first. Try pushing it for a few meters or ride on to examine if the resistance is too hard or too soft for you. You can also examine whether other parts need to be fixed and cleaned.
Doing checks before using the bike is needed because its parts are bound to get loose and dirty the longer you use it. This is where the lubricants, wipers and other basic tools come in useful. There are bikes, however, that may not need these things. It is still better to have these in just in case.
The tools and lubricants are for minor maintenance that you can do at home. So, if you don’t have the power or the skills, you can bring your equipment to mechanics or those who are expert in it.
No. 6 Gadget holders
Aside from the water bottle holder, there are smartphone holders that you can also attach to the bike. These holders allow you to go hands-free from them and focus on the steering and pushing of the bike’s handles.
It is further convenient because it is often placed in front of you showing the figures like your heart rate, the distance covered and the map. You don’t need to stop and check and continuously cycle.
If you have nowhere to place your gadget on the bike, there are some gadget holders need not be placed on it. You can choose those that can be strapped to your arm. It has sizes that can suit any smartphone. To make it more compact, there are smartwatches for you to use.
No. 7 Safety gears
At number seven are the safety gears, and it is highly obvious that these are equally important as the others on the list.
Safety gears include the helmet and knee and elbow pads as the most fundamental. You can also bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun.
Based on your comfort and style, you choose not to wear pads and sunglasses. But, a helmet is very important.
If you go biking at night, your outdoor elliptical bike should have some reflector device. You can also wear a vest to ensure that you can be seen by other motorists.