Advantages of Recumbent Bikes

As we mentioned earlier in Guide to Exercise Bikes, most physicians and personal trainers recommend recumbent bikes because they are suited to people of all different fitness levels. Also, you are more likely to keep up a recumbent bike routine over time as the bikes are safer, more comfortable and fun to use,  plus there are different benefits for both men and women.

Recumbent Bikes are Suited for All Fitness Levels

Even the most sedentary person will find a recumbent exercise bike easy to use.  You can adjust the settings to offer little or no resistance as you pedal.  People who are overweight will definitely find the seat much larger and more comfortable than other exercise bikes.

Athletes will find the recumbent exercise bike a challenge.  The resistance can be set with higher difficulty levels.   The bike can simulate pedaling uphill.  Most recumbent bikes offer various programs that will require you to sprint and tackle hills.  If you want an upper body workout as you pedal, you can easily add weights and do repetitions as you sit back in the recumbent bike seat.

Recumbent Bikes Offer a Sustainable Workout

The programs offered by most recumbent exercise bikes definitely keep the workout from becoming boring.  You can simulate a course that is easy or difficult, flat or hilly.  Our tip: when shopping for exercise bikes, it’s better to get a bike with as many variations as possible so that you won’t regret your purchase.

The fact that a recumbent bike is suitable for all levels will keep you getting back on the bike and keep you challenged by your exercise workouts.  If you’re feeling particularly tired or lazy one day, you can have an easy workout where you can read a book or newspaper.  If you really want to test your limits, you can set the machine to more difficult levels, add some weights for an upper body workout amd crank up the music.

Recumbent Bikes are Safer

Because you sit back and lower to the ground in a recumbent bike, it is better for your body.  Most exercise bikes force you to hunch over, causing a stiff back while it can be said that some dual action bikes are “back injuries waiting to happen.”  Recumbent bikes, on the other hand, require that you sit with good posture as you pedal.

Recumbent bikes also offer one of the few cardio workouts that put no pressure on your knees and other joints.  You can’t “cheat” on a recumbent bike and stand up when you’re finding it more difficult to pedal.  Standing like that on other types of exercise bikes puts unnecessary pressure on your knees and ankles.  Recumbent bikes let your body exercise at an angle where your body weight is not stressing your joints.  Even people with back and knee problems will find a recumbent bike easy to use.

Why Men Should Choose Recumbent Exercise Bikes

So many men neglect their lower bodies when they workout, especially in strength training.  It’s common to see buffed out men with giant biceps and spindly legs.  That’s because it’s easier to get an upper body workout at home.  If you just invest in a recumbent bike, you can set the machine to high resistance.  You will build leg muscle, and you can even do curls while pedaling.

Recumbent bikes can also allow men to get a great cardio workout without the discomfort that only a man knows on regular bikes or other types of exercise bikes (hint: it has to do with the seat).  With the large, comfortable, bucket seats of recumbent bikes, you are much more likely to enjoy your workout pain-free.

If you move the seat of a recumbent bike up a bit to bring your legs higher, you can even target the lower abs and have to do less crunches to get the bottom of your six-pack abs!

Things Women Should Know About Recumbent Bikes

Two words, ladies:  legs and bottoms.  Recumbent exercise bikes are so comfortable and easy to use that eventually you can do workouts giving you results as if you spent hours a day on a stair-stepper.

Recumbent bikes give you a fat burning cardio workout with enough resistance to help you build long, lean muscle –   picture sexy Tina Turner legs!  Recumbent bikes also are great for the inner thighs, too.  Using different programs and settings, you will be able to target different muscle areas in your legs for longer looking, leaner legs.

According to most polls, women claim in higher numbers to not have time for exercise because of more responsibilities in the home.  With the positioning of a recumbent bike, you can multi-task to more easily fit in a workout.  You are able to read a book or a magazine, catch the news, and even use a smartphone or your handheld organizer.

Finding a Good Recumbent Exercise Bike

With prices between $150 and $3000, there is quite a wide variety of recumbent bikes available.  The internet is used by most folks to find the best deals (including free shipping most of the time).  Because the recumbent bikes are great for any fitness level and help you to finally be able to stick with a safe and effective workout routine, you can splurge a little as you will be using the same fitness machine for a long time.

We have included above the top-selling recumbent bikes so you can have a closer look at what is available in the market with full details and product descriptions and, more importantly, read what folks who have actually bought and use them say about each product.

One thing we can guarantee is that a recumbent bike is definitely one of the best investments you can make for your health.