
Several of us said enough is enough. We joined Weight Watchers and started walking around the office building once a day. I knew I needed to burn more calories and after a long day, the last place I want to be is at a gym. An exercise bike seemed like the perfect solution. I started looking for the best recumbent bike for home use so that I could exercise within the comfort of my own home.
There are many advantages to having a recumbent bicycle. It is easy on the back, hips, and knees, provides a great cardio workout while you watch tv or listen to music, does not take up too much space, and is affordable.
I discovered that cost is a big factor in selecting this type of exercise equipment. You can literally spend thousands or under $100 depending on the bells and whistles that you want. Some manufacturers have newer versions of the same model. Newer does not necessarily mean better according to the reviews.
I researched many brands at various prices, read customer reviews and ratings before narrowing my selection to the top 5. Listed are my recommendations. 4 models are under two hundred dollars. The product that offered the most features for the money and my favorite is priced just under $400. This brand also offers the best higher priced models, for those on a bigger budget.
You really can not go wrong with any of these, but you must decide what features that you want!
Marcy ME 709 Magnetic Resistance Recumbent Exercise Bike For Home Use
The Marcy brand has been around for over 50 years. This particular model offers 8 level of resistance, a display console that tracks speed, distance, calories, and time. It has adjustable seating. It is very quiet because it uses magnetic resistance and does not have an electric motor. It is compact and has transport wheels for portability. What I really like is that it has a 2-year warranty and has a 300-pound weight capacity.
The ME709 does not have features like pre-programmed workout routines or heart rate pulse monitoring. But for the money,
this is a great option. There are over 1500 customer reviews available with an average 4.2-star rating.
Exerpeutic 900XL Extended Capacity Recumbent Bike
The 900XL comes with pulse sensors in the handles that measure your heart rate zone. It has an oversized seat and back cushion for a comfortable workout and has a 3-year warranty.
This model is ranked #6 in exercise bikes by Amazon with over 2,100 customer reviews. At this price point, there are no preprogrammed workout routines.
PROGEAR 555LXT Magnetic Tension Recumbent Bike
The 555LXT has 14 levels of resistance and includes a built-in smartphone and tablet holder as well as a built-in bottle holder. The LCD display is larger and displays current speed, distance cycled, calories burned, rpm, time elapsed, odometer. It also has an easier seat adjustment than the 900XL. In addition, it is more compact with a slimmer design even though it weighs more.
I like that it has a built-in computer where you can program workout goals for distance, time and calories burned. I do not like that weight capacity is only 250 pounds, that there is not a pulse sensor and that there is only a 1-year warranty.
Sunny Health & Fitness SF RB4616 Recumbent Bike
I really like its easy seat adjustment feature. You can change positions while still sitting on the bike. It has an extended weight capacity of 300 pounds.
Schwinn MY16 230 Recumbent Bike For Home Use
This bicycle comes with 2 LCD displays (DualTrack) to measure 13 different statistics. It comes with a charging USB port where you can not only charge your tablet but also sync up your statistics via SchwinnConnect, a media shelf, and a water bottle holder.
With 20 different levels of resistance as well as 22 pre-programmed exercise routines, you will be able to enjoy a very varied workout.
Additional features that I really like are the built-in speakers, 3-speed fan to keep you cool, the easy sliding adjustable seat, and vented seats. The back is ergonomic and great for lumbar support.