Exercise bike or treadmill at home?

[LostAtTheFair]

I would like to rent either an exercise bike or a treadmill for use at home when the DCs are in bed. Has anyone else done this? The cost is within budget but I'm worried about space and noise. I'd prefer a treadmill but am afraid that the pounding will cause the DCs to wake up!

Treadmill is much noisier than a.bike and takes up more room, so think it will need to be the bike.

Treadmill is very noisy, but I hate a bike (get a sore arse) and would go for a treadmill.

I have a treadmill and it is noisy unfortunately. How soundly do they sleep and where would the treadmill be in relation to them? Can you use it at a different time of day? Could you try it for a month? I'm also not keen on bikes.

Thanks for responses. I'm also not particularly keen on bikes but one would be better than nothing. Although I do have my heart set on a treadmill and it wasn't until recently that I realised about the noise. One DCsleeps soundly one not so much. I would ideally be using the equipment in the converted loft but not directly above either of their bedrooms. But I could compromise for a treadmill and could have it in the dining room downstairs if it could fold away when not in use. Is the noise from a treadmill mainly from the motor or from the pounding?

It's the pounding and yes it's loud. I have one and when it used to be in the house , and it was a very large house, it could be heard in most places. Now I have it in an outbuilding I use as a little gym. What about a cross trainer/elliptical that would maybe work?

The noise from a treadmill is mainly from the pounding, the motors are fairly quiet. I can hear ours when others in the house are using it, but the rhythmic sound of someone running on it is quite soothing actually.

I'd vote treadmill over bike, definitely.

Good to know that it's the pounding. I agree that an elliptical would make sense but I really don't like them either - I'd actually rather a bike than an elliptical. We have an outbuilding in the garden but I think that it would be too cold in winter and I wouldn't leave the children to go there. Another option is a rowing machine - I quite like them in the gym but I use them for short warm ups usually rather than my main cardio session. Does anyone know about rowing machines as a main cardio machine? I can't imagine the lower body getting much of a workout but maybe I'm wrong?

Also is the pounding noise muffled at all if there's a rug under the treadmill? Or is it just the same as if it's on a hard floor?

A rower is a full body workout. Think it's one of the better options and low impact for joints too as well as your house!

I haven't tried a rug under our treadmill, it's on a wooden floor, but yes I reckon it would muffle some of the sound.

Our treadmill gets used quite a bit, by all members of the family. We also have an elliptical, but it only ever seems to get used as a towel rail.

Just for info, a decent treadmill is a large piece of kit and even if they fold up for storage they take up quite a lot of space.

What about an elliptical stepper....

Rowing is an excellent full body workout..if you're in the right position. If you're only feeling it in your upper body, something's not right.

Another vote for Rowing Machine

Thanks all

Lost any rental company recommendations?