Has anyone used an indoor bicycle trainer, one of those contraptions that you connect your bike so you use it to excercise indoors? I was thinking of getting one as an alternative to getting an excercise bike and not sure if it's better to just get an excercise bike after all.

I have one. It's out in the shed... for no good reason, probably right next to the bike. I like mine but for reasons of space, I think it was, it got put out there. (A weight bench now occupies the spot we had it in and the weight bench gets used a lot more.) It's good if you will ride your bike outside. Once you learn how to get the bike on and off it's not that bad but don't be riding off road in the mud - you'll get mud in the house. If you're not an outdoor bike rider I would consider the stationary bike. I like the treadmill and my ipod. If you get a trainer, research them. Mine is called a Cycle Ops.
S