Welcome to the Get Fit Guys quick and dirty tips to get moving and shape up.

My name is Brock Armstrong and I'm the Get Fit Guy.

I'm a big fan of cycling because it's fun, a quick way to get around town, and it's a great workout.

But I also know that when I cycle, I spend a lot of time in the seated position,

and this can shorten my hip flexors and create pain and stiffness in my neck, my shoulders,

and my back. If only there was a way to solve these issues without taking me off the road,

well, maybe there is. About 10 years ago, a friend of

mine told me about this funky, bike-like device that he had purchased called an elliptigo.

He described it as the love child of a bicycle and an elliptical trainer. A few weeks later,

he actually showed up to meet me riding it,

and yep, that is exactly what it looks like. It has handlebars and wheels like a bike,

but instead of pedals, it has those big foot pads like an elliptical machine at the gym. And the real

differentiator is that it doesn't have a seat. Now, outdoor elliptical

bikes seem to be gaining popularity. I've started to see these contraptions on the streets in my

neighborhood, and I've even seen four-time obstacle racing world champion and ultra runner Amelia Boone

posting about her elliptical machine on Twitter, so I thought

it was about time that I took a closer look. So let's start with are these outdoor elliptical

machines effective or not? Well, in one of my previous articles called The Benefits of Using an

Elliptical Trainer, I mentioned a study from the Journal of Strength

and Conditioning Research. And the study compared the use of a plain old bike with an elliptical

trainer during what is called a windgate test. Now, this test is a 30-second all-out maximum

effort that measures the power output from an athlete.

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