Top 5 Recumbent Exercise Bikes

JTX Cyclo-5R Review - Our Number 1

We begin our list with a super slick, gym standard, bike. The JTX Cyclo-5R features a step-through design, well considered full ergonomic back support and an 8.5kg flywheel offering professional specifications for domestic use. The high spec on board computer, with Bluetooth, combines all the stats you need with iConsole app connectivity to ensure every workout is tailormade to suit your needs.

• Lifetime frame warranty for peace of mind and extended machine life
• 3 year home use warranty covering at home fix with specialist engineer
• A wealth of motivational features to inspire longer and more creative workout routines
• Polar heart rate chest strap will help strive for optimum body responses
• 12 pre programmed routines for guided exercise
• Watt training, heart rate controlled and bespoke options to tailor your workout to you

The stable seating position and potential for intense resistance recommends this as an injury comeback machine or an athlete’s choice. However, there are a range of abilities accommodated making it a good all rounder too.

Summary

Features: Customisable programmes - Lifetime frame warranty - Bluetooth enabled - Commercial gym specifications - 8.5kg flywheel

Pricing: High end

Kettler Review - Number 2

A low entry height and frame make the Kettler Premium recumbent exercise bike a fine safeguarding option for older or injured users who may have impaired mobility and balance. A dozen workout programmes and 16 stages of electronic resistance will see you through anything from gentle stamina building to intense bursts of cardiovascular sprint. The seated posture is, of course, the thing which sets recumbent bikes apart. And the seat on the Kettler Premium is comfortable, supportive and able to be adjusted down a sliding slope. The back is fixed.

• LCD display gives a clear and accurate read out
• The comfortable adjustable seat gives users a relaxed posture and good back support
• Generous proportions and good weight bearing allow taller users to move freely
• The pedalling action is smooth encouraging increased resistance and speed
• Hand pulse sensors keep users apprised of their level of exertion
• A wired ear pulse reader is also included as an additional pulse monitoring option

A long term investment in your heart health, muscle strength and mobility will prove one of the best investments you ever make. The Kettler Premium is a solid investment and a solid machine which brings together the best advantages of technology with a disability friendly design, conscious of the potential physical hurdles older or injured users might face. A chunky build and high back support ensure that taller users are not excluded from enjoying this excellent bike.

Summary

Features: LCD display - Polar compatible receiver - 16 resistance levels - 12 programmes

Pricing: High end

Nordic Track R65 Review - Number 3

For a fairly priced mid range model the Nordic Track R65 certainly doesn’t lack appealing features. This is a smashing bike for an intermediate user or for anyone with long term fitness goals in mind. Creatively stocked with multiple workout apps (and iFit Live compatibility for the option to add over 1,000 more) you need never run out of ways to keep the cardiovascular challenge exciting on this smart looking recumbent exercise bike.

• 9kg inertia enhanced flywheel for a smooth and quiet ride
• Molded adjustable seat offering exemplary support and correct body posture
• Extra wide ergonomic pedals with adjustable straps aid stability, reassuring users
• 32 workout apps offer a wealth of fresh new routines to progress through
• The backlit 5” display is iFit Live compatible should you choose to add additional inspiration
• The flywheel design helps replicate a natural feeling ride

A low bar and careful seat positioning make the Nordic Track R65 another good choice for users who have compromised or limited mobility. However, this is also a nice option as a machine for ongoing use through injury and beyond. Even the ultra fit will find sufficient lures to tempt them into buying. And they would be choosing well. That 9kg of inertia allows plenty of room for personal growth and pretty much guarantees enviable quads, glutes and abs in anyone prepared to put in the hard work!

Summary

Features: 32 workout apps - Extra wide pedals - iFit Live compatibility - 9kg flywheel

Pricing: Mid range

V-fit BST-RC Review - Number 4

Everyone loves a song and dance routine at this time of year. But all singing, all dancing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to home exercise equipment. The reassuring sturdiness and reliability of a more pedestrian machine can bring home users equal benefit simply by cutting out the faff. The V-fit BST-RC is one such machine.

• Oversized self-presenting pedals provide correct foot positioning and extra stability
• A 5kg cast iron flywheel provides a mild to moderate challenge for newer users
• The 7 function exercise monitor has all the stat basics covered
• The 8 level adjustable magnetic resistance is dial operated, keeping things nice and simple
• Contemporary black and silver finish
• Hand pulse readings monitor your body’s responses in real time

Demanding no advanced computing skills to persuade stats from its monitor and little fiddling to achieve correct posture or find your footing. Reach and height are adjustable with a few straightforward actions while those self-presenting pedals are a pleasingly high end touch.

Summary

Features: 5kg flywheel - Simple computer monitor - 8 levels of resistance - Classic look

Pricing: Affordable

Technovita YF93 Review - Number 5

If a gentler ride on a recumbent bike seems more your speed but you have put off making the decision to buy because space is at a premium in your home you should definitely read on. The Technovita YF93 by BH combines some of the advantages of a recumbent bicycle with the compact convenience of a classic folding exercise bike. Users gain no less benefit from the relaxed posture enabled by that seat position and low impact or cycling movement but they lose the hefty footprint of a static machine.

• Magnetic braking system for smooth transitions and gently increased intensity
• Lateral support handles for security and ease of user transfer
• Adjustable height saddle with backrest for comfort and correct posture
• DT pedal system with double drive for a quiet and enjoyable ride
• LCD monitor displaying time, distance, speed and calories burned
• 8 manual load regulation points to help kick up that intensity

Unlike the majority of models we’ve explored today, the Technovita YF93 is not an ideal choice for less active senior users or users with impaired mobility. Lacking the reassuring stability of a classic recumbent bike, requiring a higher leg swing to climb aboard and the dexterity to manually adjust resistance and featuring a saddle and backrest combo rather than a seat, this is more a relaxed take on a typical exercise bike than a typical recumbent. It also presents fewer opportunities for long term gain than the machines above. Nevertheless, the exceptional health benefits of cycling do not go away when the gadgetry does and the Technovita YF93 will let you take a stimulating ride at a mild to moderate pace with better back support than a standard folding bike.

Summary

Features: Lateral support handles - Good back support - Easy of storage - Functional design - 8kg equivalent flywheel

Pricing: Affordable

Verdict

It is essential to shop for home exercise equipment with your own needs and aims at the forefront of your mind. This Top 5 represents a wide range of recumbent exercise bikes out there on the market today and each holds unique appeal for a particular user demographic. That being said, our winner is a true all rounder. A recumbent bike with sufficiently impressive specs and design to tempt the super fit yet the well considered, tailored guidance a beginner needs to set them on the path to fitness. 32 workout apps (with the potential to add on more) and that realistic ride feel set this bike apart as a stimulating home exercise solution that will repay your investment with results.

Recumbent bikes are becoming a popular and increasingly mainstream cycle choice for recreation and home exercise. The relaxed riding posture is ideally suited for users whose neck, back or shoulder weakness or injury restricts their range of movement. They allow that all important cardiovascular exercise without putting strain on vulnerable areas. The obvious differences between recumbent and traditional bikes is the seat position and that posture. Recumbent bike riders sit back and pedal with their feet before them.

When it comes to stationary bikes, a recumbent, like the majority of cardiovascular exercise equipment, can offer a rewarding workout IF you put the effort in. If that relaxed posture inspires a leisurely pedal along to an engrossing episode of a brand new box set, you are unlikely to see dramatic results. If you commit to increasing the resistance and intensity of your regime and keep to a consistent and challenging pace, a recumbent bike will reward your efforts with better heart health, a toned lower body and significantly improved strength.

Though you will be getting an aerobic workout, those lower body advantages are significant. The muscles engaged by the riding motion include calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes and last but not least your abs. Abdominal muscles stabilise the upper body to help maintain balance as you ride. And a strong core is key as you ratchet up the intensity of your recumbent rides to maximise calorie burn and see your body alter. You will also enjoy reading our reviews on magnetic exercise bikes.