Is It Worth Buying A Cheap Recumbent Exercise Bike?
Millions of people have used exercise bikes over the years to improve fitness, lose weight and tone up. Many people are familiar with the upright exercise bike but the latest development in fitness bike technology is the recumbent bike. These are available in a range of prices but even the cheapest is more expensive than a standard exercise bike, so the question is should you bother paying the little extra to achieve the same end goal?
A cheap recumbent exercise bike has some distinct advantages over other types of bike that make this type worth considering. A standard model requires a degree of balance to use. This means it is difficult to exercise the upper body at the same time. With a recumbent you are hands free meaning you can, if you choose, get a lot more out of your exercise time by doing some upper body exercises whilst cycling.
Many of the standard bikes on the market have a traditional shaped saddle that is really a one size fits all solution. For some these can be uncomfortable and for the lucky few they get a good fit. With a recumbent the saddle is a bucket saddle meaning you get good support no matter what size you might be. The other distinct advantage of this type of saddle is the amount of lower back support you get. If you suffer from a weak back and have to consider what type of exercise to take this type of bike can be ideal for you offering unparalleled support and lowering the risk of injury.
The drawback with these bikes is the amount of space they take and difficulty storing. A foldable upright is very easy to store in a closet but a recumbent usually has a larger more complicated frame meaning if you can find a folding version they generally won't fold as small. The extra framing also gives rise to the extra cost with these bikes.
Choosing a cheap recumbent exercise bike is a trade off, do you have the space, do you need to fold the bike? If space is not a consideration then the extra cost is probably worthwhile considering the extra activity and support this type of bike will give you. An upright might cost $100 whereas a recumbent will usually start at $150. Weigh up whether that $50 is a worthwhile investment. If you are serious about your exercise then a recumbent will probably steal the show for you.
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Comments
Very interesting points. I like the idea of having your upper body free for other exercises; however, I'm still a big advocate of the upright bike. Being an avid cyclist, I believe that upright bikes give you a better cardiovascular workout. I definitely agree that recumbent bikes are the best choice for universal fit and back support. Great article!
recumbent bikes work well if you have back issues. Great article!
I think having a recumbent bike is a good substitute for having an extra armchair at home.
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