Here’s Why You Should Add A Recumbent Bike To Your Home Gym

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Fitness equipment has always been a no-brainer investment. Buying a new addition for your at-home gym can have countless benefits for your wellbeing, but it can also be fairly expensive—which is all the more reason to really weigh your options. This is especially the case for recumbent bikes.

ICYDK, a recumbent bike allows you to rest your back in a full seat as opposed to the saddle on a standard indoor bike. Your feet are also out in front of you, which is different from a cycling bike, where your legs are peddling beneath you. The mechanics of it all means it requires more hip flexion, says Hayden Steele, CPT, a strength coach, muscle activation techniques therapist, and creator of the Shock fitness app.

But why would someone buy one of these bikes in the first place? "It's best used for casual riders or [physical] therapy," says Steele. Peddling the bike requires less intensity, which can potentially mean longer rides at a steady pace. This also makes them ideal for older people or those with limited mobility, since using the bike often qualifies as a low-impact workout, too.

If you're here, you're probably already convinced that your home gym needs a recumbent bike ASAP. So to save you the time and stress of comparing endless options, here are the 12 best recumbent bikes you should shop right now, per reviews.

Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike

This recumbent bike from Harison weighs just 77 pounds—which is not bad for bulkier home gym equipment. The bike has 14 levels of intensity and comes with an LCD screen and tablet holder. Keeping comfort in mind, it's designed with a supportive adjustable chair so that you can lock into your comfiest position for working out.

Rave Review: "I love this bicycle. The adjustments [make it] so easy to position the seat and keep track of distance and time riding. It’s very sturdy. I put my iPad on the bracket in the middle and usually watch something. It makes the time go so quickly. It is really helping to strengthen my knees."

Recumbent Exercise Bike

A great battery-powered option, this 53-pound recumbent bike has an adjustable seat, an LED monitor, and a padded cushion seat. Bonus: It also comes with a free fitness app that will keep a record of your progress.

Rave Review: "It's fairly easy to assemble and very quiet. I had a total knee replacement and needed a recumbent bike. I am glad I purchased this one. It's a good product that I would highly recommend to others."

230 Recumbent Bike

If you've ever wished you could sit back and lock in on a ride without having to change gears, you're in luck. This bike from Schwinn Fitness comes with 100 plus global routes that auto-adjust in real time while you're riding. It also offers 13 programs and is compatible with the Zwift fitness app.

Rave Review: "This is a great bike. It is practically noiseless, offers several workouts, and is quite easy to move. I frequently move it into the next room for use if the rec room is occupied. It is used and enjoyed by everyone in the family. We’re impressed with the quality and ease of use. I’m very glad to have chosen this one."

Recumbent Exercise Bike

Aside from its comfortable seating and sleek design, this bike also comes with eight resistance levels and an LCD screen. The screen displays everything from time, speed, and distance to calories burned in a way that's easy to read for those with poor vision. At less than $200, it's also a pretty affordable option.

Rave Review: "I bought this to help with my upcoming knee replacement surgery. It came packaged well and was easy for my husband to assemble. The ease of riding and tension changing is great. It's quiet and comfortable. It takes up less space than I thought, and it is very sleek and aesthetically-pleasing. The bike is a great value for the price and easy for anyone to use."

Recumbent Exercise Bike

Some bikes can be loud, but this bike promises a quiet and productive workout. It also comes with a bottle cage to help you keep your hydration levels top of mind while you break a sweat. Plus, it has Bluetooth, so you can track your stats using the Merach app.

Rave Review: "This machine is a marvel of engineering! I could not be more pleased with any product!! Do not hesitate to buy this marvelous product!! 🙏👍🤗❤️"

Indoor Recumbent Exercise Bike

With 16 levels of resistance, this recumbent bike keeps super quiet while you work out. It connects to two different workout apps, Zwift and Kinomap using Bluetooth. As a bonus, it arrives at your door halfway built. So you can ride without worrying about a complicated installation process.

Rave Review: "Quality, quiet, and comfort. I have been riding this awesome bike daily for about a month. I was impressed by the quality out of the box—so nice! [It's] very comfortable, so I look forward to my daily rides. It's simple tech, and that was exactly what I wanted—no plugging into the wall."

Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike

If you prefer to workout without a big screen front and center, consider this bike from Sunny Health & Fitness. While it still comes with a monitor for you to see your stats, you won't be tempted to turn to distractions during your session since it falls on the smaller, more basic side.

Rave Review: "My husband wanted a stationary bike, and I wanted a machine that would work my arms along with my legs. So I needed to find a compromise...best compromise ever. Not only does the Sunny Health Magnetic Fitness Exercise hold his weight, but he also really appreciates the extra wide seat. I get to workout both my arms and legs. We love it."

Stationary Exercise Bike

Why just work one part of your body when you can target multiple? This bike comes with complimentary arm and leg resistance bands, so you can ride and transition to strength-training after. Bonus: It folds up, making it easy for storage.

Rave Review: "I love this bike. The setup is not “easy,” but it’s also not hard. Just be sure to follow the book closely. It's very stable. I enjoy the functions, and the arm bands are great."

Studio Bike Pro 22

The iFIT trainers on this Studio Bike Pro 22 will change resistance levels for you as you pedal, depending on your program. While it may be pricy, subscribing for $39 a month will give you access to live events, on-demand workouts, and studio classes without you having to trek across town to get to them.

Rave Review: "I am really just so pleased with everything so far on this bike! The variety of workouts is amazing, and the trainers are all so positive and supportive. The bike was pretty easy to put together, too!"

Folding Three-In-One Exercise Bike

If you're concerned about storage, you'll fall in love with this folding bike from Yosuda. Aside from how easy it is to store away, you'll also have a machine that can help you get in a full-body workout thanks to the extra resistance bands it comes with.

Rave Review: "Oh wow, this is just perfect. It's easy to assemble, not too big, and I can move it wherever. You can easily adjust the tension, which is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something I could put anywhere and exercise. I would recommend this. It’s not an intense workout, but it is enough if you’re looking for something to get you going."

400XL Folding Recumbent Exercise Bike

Desk treadmills are nice, but what about desk bikes? This simple yet effective option from Exerpeutic is compatible with height-adjustable desks, allowing you to become a true multi-tasker. WFH while getting some sweat in? Why not. It comes with eight resistance levels and a small monitor to track your progress.

Rave Review: "The bike was delivered as promised, the packaging was excellent, and the assembly took 30 minutes. It operates quietly and is very easy to maneuver–high quality build for a little money."

FreeStep Recumbent Cross Trainer and Elliptical

Bike riding alone can be a form of cross-training, depending on what your other forms of fitness looks like. Still, you can put in double the work with this recumbent bike that meshes with an elliptical. This way you're working both your arms and legs without having to leave your seat.

Rave Review: "This is a great piece of exercise equipment. It is very well-made and sturdy. It was easy to assemble and all the parts fit together without any problem. I have followed some of the routines on their website, and I have had nice workouts with absolutely no knee or back pain."

How Our Team Chose The Best Recumbent Bikes

For the past few weeks, Women’s Health editorial assistant Sabrina Talbert researched the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated recumbent bikes. Our team consulted strength coach and personal trainer Hayden Steele and evaluated thousands of customer reviews and ratings to narrow down the 12 best recumbent bikes for a wide range of needs and preferences.

What muscles does a recumbent bike work?

While a recumbent bike and a standard indoor cycling bike will work the same muscles, you'll have to use more hip range on a recumbent bike. Therefore, you're going to hit your glutes and hamstrings a bit more than you would otherwise.

"It comes down to the technicals. You may get a little bit more from your glutes or your hamstrings on a recumbent bike, but that doesn't mean you're not getting that on an upright bike," says Steele.

How often should I use a recumbent bike?

The good news is recumbent bikes are really easy on the joints. So technically, you could use it every day if you wanted to. However, Steele stresses that rest days are still Important.

"You can use it for duration and intensity. Depending on the goal, somebody could do it four to six days a week. But I would probably recommend it three days [a week] if somebody's trying to add some cardio in," says Steele.

As for time limit, you should go for as long as you can maintain the intensity. This also means you'll have to be mindful of the kind of workout you want to have. For example, if you're doing HIIT training, you should cap it at about 15 to 20 minutes. If you're going for distance, you can go for 45 minutes to an hour so long as you don't push the intensity.

Is a recumbent bike better than a treadmill?

Unfortunately, comparing a bike to a treadmill is like comparing apples to oranges. Is a recumbent bike different? Yes. Is it better? No, not necessarily.

Still, it can certainly be beneficial to certain groups who are rehabbing from an injury or who are currently dealing with an injury because there's less stress on the joints, says Steele.

"With running, it all comes down to wear and tear because there is a lot more joint force on your knee, hip, and ankle. So you're going to be able to ride a recumbent bike a lot more frequently than you're going to be able to run," explains Steele.

Instead of choosing one over the other, he suggests incorporating both into your routine. For example, you can run for two days and bike for two days to get the best of both worlds.

Can you lose belly fat on a recumbent bike?

In short, no. You cannot spot-treat fat on any location of your body.
"A recumbent bike is going to help you in overall caloric expenditure, but your overall caloric intake and everything else is going to [determine] whether you lose belly fat," says Steele.

In other words, exercising using a recumbent bike can help with overall calorie burn, which in turns leads to weight loss, but it isn't a miracle piece of equipment for losing belly fat.

Is it okay to use if you have arthritic knees?

For those with arthritis, Steele recommends a recumbent bike over other forms of cardio for joint-related issues. "It's one of the best forms of cardio to reduce joint stress on your knees and your hips," he says. "That's why it's used in therapy so often."

Between the back support, how easy it is to get on and off the bike, and the flexibility in intensity, it's easy to give recumbent bikes the green light.

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