6 Best Recumbent Exercise Bikes: Reviewed, Rated & Compared

Recumbent Exercise Bikes Compared

There are basically three types of exercise bikes – Recumbent exercise bike, upright bike and spinner bike – each with its own set of pros and cons. So choosing the right gear for your fitness goals is all you need, before you hop on to a fitness ride.

Undoubtedly, cycling is an excellent form of exercise that comes with enormous health benefits, but simply going with the home exercise bikes as a potential alternative to gyms, jogging or outdoor cycling, is just the beginning.

As you’re totally aware that there are many different types of bicycles available in the market, which makes it even more difficult for you to choose the best fit. But at this time, we’re going to focus on just the recumbent home exercise bicycles.

We’ll try to keep it brief providing you with an overview, without getting too technical about the details. It has its benefits and limitations, and it would be great if you could get your hands on one.

6 Best Recumbent Exercise Bikes Reviewed

1. pooboo W258

One of the best recumbent exercise bikes that you can currently find on the market is made by pooboo. Pooboo is very well known by the quality bikes they produce and awesome customer support. They have tons of commercial and non-commercial standard spin bikes, but only a few recumbent ones. W258 pooboo offers a great combination of quality features and affordability.

This is a magnetic resistance bike with 8 different tension levels, switchable via a rotary knob. Thanks to the heavy-duty steel frame and ergonomic design, it supports up to 330 lbs of weight and is good for people with injured back or knees.

The seat and back-rest are padded with high-density foam with comfortable workout. It uses LCD display with basic stats and handles that are equipped with hand-pulses, so you can monitor your heart rate. This particular bike is one of the most desired bikes made by pooboo.

2. Exerpeutic 400XL

The very portable and compact Exerpeutic 400XL is just the kind of bike for you if you do not want your exercise equipment to take up much space in your homes. With this complete home exercise solution, you don’t have to worry about dealing with the hassle of storing or moving your heavy exercise equipment, because it can fold up to half of its original size.

Recumbent bikes are terrific workout accessories and are quite bulky, which make them inconvenient to move around, especially for the ones with small apartments or homes. But this bike here fits right into your closet or sits in a corner or any compact space.

The space-saving part aside, this bike’s high-torque crank system, its V-belt drive with double-drive transmission, magnetic tension control, and precision-balanced flywheel put it in the league of high-end recumbent bikes.

The semi-recumbent design is a cross between the recumbent and an upright bike, but this little arrangement ensures a more comfortable and effective workout, and at this price, it’s definitely worth considering for, especially for low-level cardio workouts at home.

3. Exerpeutic 900XL 

The Exerpeutic 900XL is a sturdy yet popular home fitness bike in the budget recumbent exercise bike segment, thanks to its extremely low-cost and basic setup. It’s your all-in-one fitness solution which makes working out just like your daily task at home and it also goes easy on your bank account.

Its user-friendly design with adjustable cushioned seat makes it easy to ride without having to strain your muscles, and the LCD display ensures you monitor your progress level at the same time.

With eight levels of magnetic resistance, you can adjust the settings as your workout progresses for challenging sessions, and it’s also quiet, so you don’t have to worry about disturbing others at home.

Built-in wheels make transportation hassle free and the large pedals with straps make for a comfortable ride with less chances of foot slippage. The fact that it’s a gym-grade recumbent exercise bike, it provides all the features of an outdoor bike, and it can also take up to 300 lbs of user weight to accommodate bigger users.

4. Marcy ME 709 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Burn your extra calories in no time while working on your cardiovascular workout at the same time with the very versatile Marcy ME 709 Recumbent Exercise Bike.

If running to the gym every day is not an option for you, then this budget-friendly yet efficient home exercise bike is an outstanding alternative for you. With the Marcy ME 709, you can stick to your fitness routine with complete peace of mind without compromising your regular work schedule.

This upright bike features a console with an extra-large display for better readability and counter-balanced pedals with adjustable foot straps for a more comfortable ride.

It’s also equipped with eight preset levels of magnetic resistance in a convenient reclined position so that you can track your progress level at each point while enjoying your ride at the same time. Durable design with powder-coated finish ensures a long life.

5. Schwinn 230

The Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike delivers a variety of challenging workout sessions, ideal for almost anyone with serious fitness goals. So if you’re looking for an excellent mid-range home exercise equipment that provides maximum comfort while exercising and that has everything you need to get in good shape, then the Schwinn 230 is the best bet for you.

This bike features a new large console that makes tracking that makes monitoring your progress easier than ever, with 22 workout programs, 20 levels of resistance, 9-course profiles, in-built speakers, and contact heart rate monitor.

The large ergonomically designed seat makes for a comfortable ride with a plethora of exercising possibilities, and at 96 pounds, it is fairly easy to move around the house. The sturdy frame gives the user a feeling of stability which makes sure you can exercise for hours without having to stress your joints and knees.

The mounted fan is a plus, and the vented seat back is specially designed for the users with lower back pain. The completely padded cushioned seat can accommodate users of all body types.

6. Stamina 1350 Magnetic

An ideal bike for low-level aerobic workouts in the comfort of your own home, the Stamina 1350 Magnetic Resistance Bike is an excellent choice for people with lower body pain and limited workout space. This is a solid entry-level recumbent bike at a terrific price but provides all the required features you need to pedal your way to an advanced fitness level.

This comfortable reclining bike is also smooth and quiet so that you can listen to music or watch television while working out. The battery-powered built-in monitor keeps you motivated while tracking your progress level by displaying speed, distance, time elapsed and calories burned.

This is extremely lightweight and sturdy at only 58 pounds fully assembled, making it easy to move around, and it has a seating capacity of 250 pounds, only a few pounds lower than most of the full-features recumbent bikes in the market.

 The adjustable tension knob makes you increase or decrease the workout intensity, and the heavy-duty flywheel resistance makes your pedal action smooth and relaxing. The oversized foot pedals keep your feet secure and the adjustable seat accommodates any type of rider.

Should You Go For Recumbent Exercise Bike?

If you’re one of those who like to make their workout sessions more comfortable, no matter how long the session would be, you’d totally love using a recumbent bike. Recumbent bikes are specially designed to provide extra comfort to its users during workout sessions.

High-end models are usually more comfortable than their lower-end counterparts, thanks to the industry-grade materials used, but in general, an average recumbent bicycle tends to be much more comfortable than other standard home exercise bikes.

Many find recumbent bikes a little strange, but these bikes are surely as efficient as other exercise bikes. The main advantage of using a recumbent bike over other conventional models is that it places less stress on your lower extremities and also produces comparatively less strain on your arms, wrist, and neck.

Its chair-like seating – the backrest with the pedals out in front – provides outstanding support for your back and as far as the reclined body position goes, you won’t be able to feel any strain during the workout.

It offers hours of comfortable riding, thanks to its innovating seating, which is evident of the fact that comfort is the number one priority when it comes to recumbent bikes.

The reclined positioning alone is user-friendly and efficient than the conventional upright bikes, and most of the models are equipped with many different accessories and attachments to accommodate all kinds of riders with different heights and weights. Shorter than average riders can also ride recumbent bikes with ease and utmost comfort.

Though a recumbent bike is less effective when it comes to cardiovascular workout, you’ll burn equal number of calories and shed those extra pounds as you would with an upright bike. They are so comfortable you might want to extend those workout sessions of yours, which eventually lets you burn more calories.

From custom seating position to added foam back support and hand grips, comfort is the one thing you can bet on. They take up less space as well, making them an ideal choice for those with limited workout space or the ones with small apartments or houses.

Conclusion

No matter how efficient and comfortable these bikes are, getting in the best shape is entirely up to you. These fitness machines can help you to some extent, but you have to do all the hard work.

Exercise bikes can be pricey as well, so choosing the best fit is the key. That being said, a recumbent bike would be an ideal choice for those who prefer comfort over cardio, but you’ll burn the same amount of calories as other home exercise bikes would, without getting stressed or strain your muscles.

After all, you’re the author of your own health.