US20110300997A1

US20110300997A1 - Exercise Apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20110300997A1
Application number: US13/122,312
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Ilett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-01
Filing date: 2009-09-10
Publication date: 2011-12-08
Also published as: WO2010038049A1; EP2344260A1; GB0905390D0; GB2456086B; GB2456086A; GB2464100A; GB0817880D0

Abstract

A pedal exercise apparatus (100, 100′, 500, 600) is provided. The apparatus (100, 100′, 500, 600) comprises pedals (112) mounted on crank arms (104, 106, 401, 404). At least one pedal (112) is associated with at least one resilient member (116,117, 410). In use of the apparatus (100, 100″, 500, 600), a pedal (112) can be displaced from a rest position to a work position against a restoring force provided by the resilient member (116,117, 410) and held in the work position while the user performs a pedalling motion, allowing the user to exercise.

Description

The present invention relates to a pedal exercise apparatus.

PRIOR ART

Conventional exercise machines known in the art include various pedal machines. These machines include stationery bicycles and pedal assemblies, sometimes known as ‘mini-bikes’ comprising a pair of crank arms mounted on a frame or in a housing, which can be rotated by a user's hand or foot.
Such pedal machines often include a mechanism for creating resistance which acts against the rotation of the pedals so as to provide an effective means of aerobic exercise. For example, stationary bicycles are generally comprised of a conventional bicycle crank assembly but the rotation of pedals may be resisted by magnets or by friction.
These mechanisms for creating resistance can be bulky, heavy and/or noisy, and are often difficult to maintain. In addition, they add to the cost of the machine.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a pedal exercise apparatus comprising at least one pedal mounted on a crank arm, wherein the pedal is associated with at least one resilient member, the arrangement being such that, in use of the apparatus, the user may displace the pedal from a rest position to a work position and hold the pedal against a restoring force provided by the resilient member and held in the work position while performing a pedalling motion.
The association of a pedal with a resilient member is advantageous as it allows the apparatus to be used for exercising by allowing a user to hold the apparatus in tension while performing a pedalling action. As the resilient member acts to return the pedals to the rest position rather that acting against rotation of the crank arms and/or pedals, it will not generate the noise associated with increased friction. The apparatus is simple and can be lightweight and low cost.
The pedal exercise apparatus may be arranged to be pedalled by a user's hands and/or by a user's feet. The pedal may therefore be a hand pedal or a foot pedal. This allows the apparatus to be used for exercising a specific part of the body, and/or to be versatile.
The resilient member(s) may comprise one or more of: an elastomeric band, a bungee cord, a compression spring, an extension spring, a magnetic means, a pneumatic chamber, a resiliently deformable object; or the like.
In one embodiment, the pedal exercise apparatus comprises a crank assembly, the crank assembly comprising an axle and two crank arms extending in opposite directions and arranged such that, in use, a user performs a pedalling action, causing the crank arms to rotate about the axle, wherein each crank arm has a pedal moveably mounted thereon, and at least one pedal is associated with at least one resilient member, the arrangement being such that, in use of the apparatus, the user may displace the pedal from a rest position to a work position and hold the pedal in the work position against a restoring force provided by the resilient member while performing a pedalling motion.
The pedal exercise apparatus may be arranged such that the at least one pedal is moveably mounted on the crank arm such that it can be displaced along the length of the crank arm. This is a convenient arrangement for providing a moveable pedal.
In one embodiment, the pedal exercise apparatus is arranged to be moveable into a second configuration, in which the crank arms extend in substantially the same direction. This second configuration is advantageous as it allows the user to use the apparatus for arm/leg-press, arm/leg curls or other leg/arm pushing/pulling exercises, in addition to the pedalling exercises which may be carried out when the apparatus is in the first configuration.
The pedal exercise apparatus may comprise at least one attachment device arranged to allow the apparatus to be attached to a user thereof. For example, the attachment device(s) may comprises one or more of the following: belt, belt attachment device, thigh straps, hand/foot straps, shoe cleats, or the like. This may be advantageous as it allows the apparatus to be braced against a user thereof and/or to secure the users hand or feet to the pedals. For example, foot straps may allow the user to secure the feet to the pedals such that, during use, the pedals can be pulled as well as pushed.
Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may further comprise a support assembly.
The support assembly may comprise bars, which may be telescopic bars, which are arranged to brace the apparatus against parts of a users body, for example the waist, legs, feet, shoulders, etc, or against a surface such as a floor, wall or pillar. Such bars may comprise feet to assist in stabilising the apparatus. The support assembly may alternatively or additionally comprise a housing arranged to support the apparatus on a floor, wall or other surface, wires for suspending the apparatus, or the like.
In particular embodiments, the support assembly may comprise a waist support assembly. In one such embodiment, the waist support assembly comprises a telescopic bar which is secured to the axle assembly on one side and to a belt on the other side. The belt may be an integral part of the waist support assembly. Such a waist support assembly provides support to the back and the stomach against which the weight of the machine and/or the tension applied to the pedals by the user is braced.
The attachment device(s) and the support assembly may independently or in combination assist in bracing and/or balancing the apparatus against a user or a surface. However, as will be appreciated by the skilled person, in some embodiments it may be desirable to limit the support provided for the apparatus. If the user has to support and/or balance the apparatus in use, further muscle groups will be used, for example the core muscles of the torso such as the stomach muscles. In some embodiments, the attachment device(s) and/or the support assembly may be detachable from the apparatus. This allows the user to select whether to utilise the attachment device(s) and/or the support assembly, or support the apparatus his or herself.
In some embodiments, the restoring force provided by the apparatus is variable. It is advantageous to provide a means for regulating the restoring force on the pedal(s) in the machine such that users (for example users of different strength) can adjust the amount of resistance to their exercise requirements
For example, the resistance may be increased by securing a plurality of resilient members to the pedal(s), and/or replacing a resilient member having a first predetermined restoring force with a resilient member having a second predetermined restoring force.
Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may comprise a resistance control mechanism. In one embodiment, the resistance control mechanism may comprise a pre-tensioning mechanism arranged to tension the resilient member. If the resilient member is a band or cord or the like, an example of a pre-tensioning member is a rotating member, about which the resilient member can be wound. Alternative embodiments may comprise spaced rollers which cause the resilient member to a follow a Z-bend. The distance between the rollers may be varied to vary the tension. Alternative pre-tensioning mechanisms which are appropriate for use with other types of resilient members (such as springs and the like) will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example part of a spring could be locked or placed under pre-tension.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pedal exercise apparatus comprising a crank assembly, the crank assembly comprising an axle and two crank arms extending in opposite directions and arranged such that, in use, a user performs a pedalling action, causing the crank arms to rotate about the axle, each crank arm having at least one pedal mounted thereon, wherein the each pedal is associated with a resilient member and is moveable, the arrangement being such that, in use of the apparatus, the pedals may be displaced from a rest position against a restoring force provided by the resilient member, the apparatus being arranged such that it can be placed in a configuration to allow the user to perform the pedalling motion while maintaining the displaced position of the pedals.
The apparatus may be used in a method of exercising using a pedal exercise apparatus comprising displacing at least one pedal from a rest position and holding the pedal under tension in a work position while performing a pedalling action.
The method may comprise performing the pedalling action with at least one hand or at least one foot. The method may further comprise setting and/or varying the tension force.
Any aspect of the invention described above may incorporate features of other aspects of the invention as appropriate and as will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an exercise apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the crank assembly of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a folded configuration;

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of an exercise apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of an exercise apparatus according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of an exercise apparatus according to the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an exercise apparatus 100 according to the invention. The exercise apparatus 100 comprises a hand-rotatable crank assembly 102. The crank assembly 102 comprises a right 104 and left 106 crank arm, an axle 108 and an axle support assembly 110. One end of each crank arm 104, 106 is attached to the axle 108, which extends through the axle support assembly 110. A bearing assembly (not shown), which is disposed inside the axle support assembly 110, rotatably supports the axle 108.
Each crank arm 104, 106 bears a pedal 112 which is slidably mounted on the crank arm 104, 106 such that the distance between the pedal 112 and the axle 108 can be varied along the length of the crank arm 104, 106, as will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2 below. The pedals 112 have a hand attachment device comprising a strap 114. In an embodiment, the strap 114 comprises a ‘hook and loop’ fastening material (such as Velcro™). Each crank arm 104, 106 also includes a hinge 105, about which the crank arm 104, 106 may be folded, as is described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3 below. The hinge 105 in this example is lockable in its illustrated unfolded position using a lock pin (not shown).
The pedals 112 are joined by a resilient member, which in this example is a first elastomeric band 116, which runs inside the crank arms 104, 106 and through the axle 108. The first elastomeric band 116 is shown as a dotted line in FIG. 1 as it will not generally be in view. Also running inside the axle 108 are three auxiliary bands 117. The auxiliary bands 117 may be attached to the pedal by a user to increase the resistance experienced in moving the pedal, as will be described in greater detail in relation to FIG. 2 below.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of a crank arm 104 with a pedal 112. The pedals 112 are mounted in a way such that, in use of the apparatus 100, the user can displace the pedals 112 along tracks 118 from a rest position 120 to a work position. Although the ‘work position’ could be anywhere along the track (the user could apply a force which feels comfortable/effective to him or her, resulting in the pedal travelling an associated distance on the track 118), the pedal 112 is shown in dotted lines in its extreme work position 121 on FIGS. 1 and 2 for the sake of example. The crank arm 104, 106 bears a scale 202 marked thereon, which allows the user to assess and monitor the force that he or she is applying to the pedal 112.
The user holds the pedals 112 in the work position 121 against a restoring force provided by the resilient band 116. Specifically, in this embodiment, the pedals 112 are mounted on non-rotating runners (not shown) arranged to run on the inside of the crank arm 104, 106. The pedals 112 are connected to the runners by a bearing (not shown) which allows the pedals 112 to rotate about their central axes. The runners comprise a hook 204, which is accessible to the user via a cut-out portion of the crank arm 104,106 and each of the first elastomeric band 116 and the auxiliary bands 117 comprises a ring 206. As shown in FIG. 2, the first elastomeric band 116 is attached to the hook 204 and the auxiliary bands 117 are held on securing pins 208 so as to be user accessible. The arrangement is such that, in order to increase the force felt in displacing a pedal 112, the user can remove a ring 206 associated with an auxiliary band 117 from a securing pin 208 and place it on the hook 204.
Of course, alternative arrangements for securing the bands 116, 117 in a user accessible position and for attaching the bands 116,117 to the pedals will be readily apparent to the skilled person.
In this embodiment all the bands 116, 117 provide the same restoring force, but in other examples, the bands 116, 117 may provide different restoring forces. Also, while the user may generally want to feel equal force on each pedal 112, the arrangement allows for the restoring force on one pedal 112 to be greater than that on the other pedal 112, which may be desirable for therapeutic or other reasons.
The user can rotate the pedals 112 in a cycling or pedalling motion whilst keeping the pedals 112 in their work position 121. The user provides a pressure against the restoring force of the resilient first elastomeric band 116 which will act to return the pedals 112 to the rest position 120. The user exercises by maintaining this pressure whilst performing a cycling action.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, the apparatus 100 comprises a waist support assembly 122. The waist support assembly 122 comprises a telescopic bar 124 which is secured to the axle support assembly 110 and a belt 125, which is an attachment device arranged to be strapped around a user's waist. The length of the bar 124 is adjustable to allow the apparatus 100 to be used by users of differing heights or other physical characteristics, and also allows the apparatus 100 to be minimised for storage and transportation. The belt 125 in this example is reasonably wide (for example, approximately 10 to 25 cm wide) which will spread the weight of the apparatus 100 and help avoid straining the user's back.
The apparatus 100 is supported by a supporting leg assembly 126. The supporting leg assembly 126 comprises two telescopic legs 128, 130 (again of adjustable length), each leg 128, 130 having a foot 132, 134.
Each leg 128, 130 is secured to axle support assembly 110 to extend at an angle to the telescopic bar 124. The angle between the legs 128, 130 and the bar 124 in this embodiment is approximately 60°, but in other embodiments may be a different angle or may be variable. The arrangement is such that, when the belt 125 is attached to a user's waist, the legs 128, 130 and the bar 124 may be adjusted such that, when the feet 132, 134 rest against the user's thighs, the pedals 112 are at a convenient height for the user to perform a pedalling action with his or her hands and arms. The user may be sitting or standing. The supporting leg assembly 126 and the waist support assembly 122 therefore act together to provide a support assembly which allows the apparatus 100 to be supported by and braced against a user's body.
FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a folded configuration. When the apparatus 100 is in a folded configuration, the crank arms 104, 106 are folded at their respective hinges 105 along the sides of the axle support assembly 110. Similarly the telescopic legs 128, 130 of the supporting leg assembly 126 and the waist support telescopic bar 124 are minimized. In the illustrated embodiment, portions of the first elastomeric band 116 and the auxiliary bands 117 are now visible at the location of each hinge 105.
A second embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to FIG. 4. Features in common with the embodiment of FIG. 1 are labelled with like numbers.
In this embodiment, the apparatus 100′ comprises crank arms 402, 404 which may be rotated about the axle 108. In particular, the crank arms 402, 404 mounted on substantially cylindrical collars 406, which are rotatable about the substantially cylindrical axle 108, and which comprise holes cut therethrough. The axle 108 comprises, at each end, two diametrically opposed sprung metal catches 408 which cooperate with the holes in the collars 406. The arrangement is such that a metal catch 408 can be depressed by a user, who can then rotate the collar 406, and attached crank arm 402, 404 about the axle 108 until the other catch 408 engages with the hole. In this way, the crank arms 402, 404 can be adjusted between a position where they both extend away from the axle 108 in opposite directions (i.e. in a standard pedalling orientation, in which case the apparatus can be used as the apparatus shown in FIG. 1) and a position where they extend in the same direction, as is shown in FIG. 4. In such a configuration, the axle 108 can rotate such that the crank arms 402, 404 can face away from the use or towards the user's chest. When facing the user's chest, the pedals 112 can be grasped and pulled towards a user's chest to perform bicep curls and to exercise the upper back. When the crank arms 402, 404 face away from the user, the pedals 112 can be pushed to exercise muscles such as the triceps and pectorals.
It will be appreciated that only one adjustable crank arm 402, 404 is required to achieve this effect. However, providing two adjustable crank arms 402, 404 in the manner described above allows for more complete user disassembly and assembly of the apparatus 100′, which may have another advantage of minimising storage and transport space.
The embodiment of FIG. 4 also shows an alternative type of resilient member, in this case a spring 410 which provides a restoring force against its compression. Further, the legs 128, 130 are provided with attachment device in the form of thigh straps 412, which are arranged to be secured, in this example using Velcro™, about a user's thighs to support the apparatus 100′. Further, the apparatus 100′ is arranged to attach to a user's belt using an attachment device in the form of a belt loop 414, rather than with an integral belt as was shown in FIG. 1.
In this embodiment, the crank arms 402, 404 are rigid and so do not comprise a hinge.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention comprising a stationary bicycle 500. The illustrated embodiment comprises a crank assembly 102′ substantially as described in relation to FIGS. 1 to 3 above (although without the hinges 105 in the crank arms), mounted on a pair of legs 502 which provide an A-frame support for the crank assembly 102′, a seat post 504 on which is mounted a saddle 506, and a riser bar 508 on which is mounted a pair of handle bars 510.
In this example, the pedals 112 comprise attachment devices in the form of foot straps 512. In use, a user performs the pedalling action with his or her feet, aiming to push the pedal 112 or pull against the foot strap 512 throughout the pedalling cycle in order to keep the pedal in its work position against a restoring force provided by a resilient means.
Although the stationary bicycle 500 and other pedal exercise apparatus shown is relatively simple in design, other embodiments could include any of the features which will be familiar to the skilled person from known stationary bicycles, such as electronic monitoring equipment, variable resistance to the pedalling motion, adjustable height saddles or handle bars, screens, audio equipment, mechanisms for varying the resistance to the motion of the pedals (so as to provide the user with a varied work out), etc.
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention comprising a crank assembly 600 mounted in a housing 602, which may be placed for example on the floor or a table, wall mounted or the like. Although crank assembly 600 of this embodiment has many features in common with the crank assembly 102 described above, there is a single band 116 which is fed through a slot 604 in a cylinder 606 mounted within the housing. The cylinder 606 can be rotated using a dial 608, which will cause the band 116 to be wound around the cylinder 606, which will in turn vary the restoring force provided by the band. The cylinder 606 is then held in its rotated position, with the band 116 round about it. The cylinder 606 therefore provides a resistance control mechanism.
The apparatus of FIG. 6 could be used with the hands (for example if placed on a table) or the feet (if placed on the floor in front of a seated user, for example).
Features of one embodiment described above may be incorporated or interchanged with features shown in any other embodiment.
Alternative embodiments which are within the scope of the invention will be apparent to the skilled person.
For example, in the above embodiments, the resilient member was provided by elastomeric bands 116, 117 and by compression springs 410. However, the resilient member in other embodiments may be provided by an extension spring, a rubber material, bungee cords, a pneumatic chamber, magnetic means (which may be an electromagnetic mechanism), or the like. The first elastomeric band 116 described above is stretched to provide a restoring force, but in other examples the resilient member may, for example be compressed or expanded to provide the restoring force.
In some embodiments described above, the restoring force of the resilient member can be adjusted by connecting further resilient member(s) such as elastomeric bands 117. In the above embodiment, these were provided within the apparatus but in other embodiments, these may be added by a user, may be used to replace an existing resilient member, may be external to the apparatus, etc. In some embodiments, the axle may have a non-cylindrical cross section which provides channels through which the resilient members may run. The cross section may for example be in the form of a cross and the resilient member(s) may run in the channels formed between the arms of the cross. Other cross sectional shapes may also provide channels, and may provide the axle with additional strength. Such axles may, in some embodiments, comprise an outer sleeve, which may be cylindrical.
One embodiment described above includes a resistance control mechanism which allows a user to control the tensioning of the resilient member. Other resistance control mechanisms, which may be selected depending on the type of resilient member used in the apparatus, will be readily apparent to the skilled person. For example, if the resilient member is a spring or band which is extended by a user, the mounting of the end of the spring/band which is not attached to the pedal may be moved such that it is further from the pedal in the rest position (or closer for a compression spring). Alternatively or additionally, some of the coils could be locked. Where an electromagnet is used, the current could be varied to vary the resistance provided. The air pressure inside a pneumatic chamber could be altered to vary the resistance provided, or the like.
In the first embodiment described above, a resilient member is linked to both pedals 112. However, alternatively or additionally, each pedal 112 may be independently associated with one or more resilient member (as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4), which may provide substantially the same or different restoring forces, or may allow one pedal to move freely. Providing differing restoring forces may be advantageous for, for example, therapeutic use where the desired exercise or development of one leg or arm is different from the other. In addition, the apparatus described above has two pedals but other embodiments may comprise a single pedal for exercising one arm or leg individually.
The embodiments described above are adapted for exercising the arms or legs of a user in order to achieve either aerobic or anaerobic exercise through use of the apparatus.
The apparatus 100, 100′, 500, 600 may comprise monitoring equipment, arranged to measure the time spent exercising and/or the rotations of the crank arms. Such equipment may be arranged to convert such measurements to estimate the energy used by a user. The apparatus 100, 100′, 500, 600 may additionally comprise resistance to the pedalling motion (which may be variable), screens, audio equipment, mechanisms for varying the resistance to the motion of the pedals (so as to provide the user with a varied work out), etc, as will be familiar from other pedal exercise equipment.
In the above embodiments, the support arms and legs are telescopic, but in other embodiments, these arms may be of fixed length, may be foldable, or arranged in some other way. Any support mechanism may be detachable, for convenience of storage or transportation. In addition, if no support mechanisms are provided or used, the user will have to support the apparatus him or herself, and this may utilise and strengthen muscles, and this may be desirable in some embodiments.
The above embodiments comprise attachment devices for attaching the user's hands and/or feet to the pedals. It will be readily appreciated that these may not be required in all embodiments as a user could grip the pedals. In embodiments which are arranged to exercise a user's legs, some form of foot attachment device may be desirable in some embodiments. In some embodiments, such attachment devices may comprise straps, pedal clips, cleats which interlock with the user's shoes or the like. In some embodiments, the attachment device(s) may be detachable.
In the above embodiment, the pedals 112 were arranged to slide along tracks 118. However, in other embodiments, other arrangements are possible. For example, a pedal 112 may be rigidly fixed to a portion of a crank arm and the crank arm may be for example telescopic or otherwise compressible or extensible against a restoring force.
In the above examples, the pedals 112 moved along the longitudinal axis of the crank arms. However, in other embodiments, this may not be the case. The rest position of the pedals may for example be lying along the side of a crank arm and the work position may comprise holding the pedals against a restoring force in a position which extends away from the crank arm. In other embodiments, the pedal may be mounted on an extendible axis, which may be held away from, or compressed towards, a crank arm against a restoring force.
The ‘catch-and-hole’ assembly described above in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 4 could be replaced with any other means which allows the crank arms to move from extending in opposite directions to extending in the same direction. For example, other catches may be used, or the axle may be in two or more parts which are relatively rotatable.
In this description, the term ‘pedal’ is used. This term encompasses traditional bicycle pedals (i.e. substantially cuboid structures rotatably mounted on bearings) and all other fixtures which could be pressed by a user to rotate the structure, for example a bar, which may be rigidly attached to a crank arm or rotatably mounted thereto. A rigid attachment may be suitable if the user's hand or foot could rotate about the bar, for example if it were a cylindrical bar. The term ‘pedal’ as used herein refers to hand and foot pedals
Equally, the term ‘pedalling’ is used to describe the cyclical motion through which a pedal is moved. Therefore, ‘pedalling’ may be performed with one or both of the user's hands or feet.

Claims

1. A pedal exercise apparatus comprising at least one pedal mounted on a crank arm, wherein the pedal is associated with at least one resilient member, the arrangement being such that, in use of the apparatus, the user may displace the pedal from a rest position to a work position and hold the pedal against a restoring force provided by the resilient member and held in the work position while performing a pedalling motion.

2. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises a crank assembly, the crank assembly comprising an axle and two crank arms, each crank arm having a pedal moveably mounted thereon, wherein the crank arms extend in opposite directions and arranged such that, in use, a user performs a pedalling action, causing the crank arms to rotate about the axle.

3. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 2, which is arranged to be adjustable into a second configuration, in which the crank arms extend in substantially the same direction.

4. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which is arranged to be pedalled by a users hands and/or by a user's feet.

5. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least one pedal is moveably mounted on a crank arm such that it can be displaced along the length of the crank arm.

6. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 in which the resilient member(s) comprise one or more of: an elastomeric band, a bungee cord, a compression spring, an extension spring, a magnetic means, a pneumatic chamber, a resiliently deformable object.

7. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises at least one attachment device arranged to allow the apparatus to be attached to a user thereof.

8. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 7 in which the attachment device(s) comprises one or more of the following: belt, belt loop, thigh straps, hand straps, foot straps, shoe cleats.

9. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises a support assembly arranged to support the weight of the machine.

10. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 9 in which the support assembly comprises one or more of the following: bars, arranged to brace the apparatus, a housing, supporting wires.

11. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1, arranged such that resilient members may be added and/or exchanged such that the restoring force provided by the resilient member(s) may be varied by a user thereof.

12. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises a resistance control mechanism arranged to vary the restoring force on a displaced pedal.

13. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 12 in which the resistance control mechanism comprises a pre-tensioning mechanism arranged to tension the resilient member.

14. A pedal exercise apparatus according to claim 1 which is arranged to be foldable for storage and/or transportation.

15. A pedal exercise apparatus comprising a crank assembly, the crank assembly comprising an axle and two crank arms extending in opposite directions and arranged such that, in use, a user performs a pedalling action, causing the crank arms to rotate about the axle, each crank arm having at least one pedal mounted thereon, wherein each pedal is associated with a resilient member and is moveable, the arrangement being such that, in use of the apparatus, the pedals may be displaced from a rest position against a restoring force provided by the resilient member, the apparatus being arranged such that it can be placed in a configuration to allow the user to perform the pedalling motion while maintaining the displaced position of the pedals.

16. (canceled)