If you're looking to buy an exercise bike, you're probably wondering whether you should buy an upright or a recumbent bike.
There are pros and cons to each one - and once you know these, you can decide which is best for you.
So here's a brief overview of the benefit of each type of exercise bike:
Upright Bike Benefits:
#1 More Similar to Outdoor Biking
If you're an avid outdoor cyclist, you may prefer the fit and feel of an upright bike. These bikes most closely mimic an outdoor bike in the design.
Plus, there's a newer kind of upright bike now - the indoor sports bike or indoor cycle. That's even more similar to an outdoor bike. Some of them have gear shifters, incline and decline, power output displays and more.
These kinds of indoor bikes can keep you in top cycling shape during the winter months when you can't get outdoors.
#2 More Compact
Upright bikes tend to be more compact than recumbent bikes. So if you have a smaller workout area or live in a condo or apartment, you may prefer an upright bike.
You can even get upright bikes that fold up now - although these don't tend to be very stable or sturdy. But if space is at a premium, you may want to consider it.
#3 Higher Calorie Burn
Some experts have said that you burn more calorie on an upright. This is because (in theory) you're also using more stabilizer muscles as well as leg muscles (vs sitting in a chair with back support).
I would debate this one - because really, you're going to burn the most calorie on the bike you feel most comfortable on (and therefore use for longer!).
Benefits of Recumbent Bikes
#1 More Comfortable
With the bucket-like seats on these bikes, they are much more comfortable than upright models. So, as stated above, you will probably stay on them longer and use the bike more.
This also makes them great for people with lower back issues since you can find some bikes with lumbar support to add even more comfort to your workout.
As you go up in price, seats tend to get even more comfortable. You'll find seats that adjust forward and back and even seats with tilt adjustment.
#2 Lower To The Ground
These bikes tend to be lower to the ground. So the risk of falling and injuring yourself is much less.
Older users or people recovering from injuries will also feel safer on these bikes as well, for this reason.
#3 More Toys
While this isn't always the case, recumbent exercise bikes do tend to have more "toys" like bright backlit consoles, weight loss workouts, iPod or even iPad jacks (where you can watch you iPad at eye level while you cycle).
So if you tend to get bored easily, these might be the right kind of bikes for you.
So those are some of the main differences between upright vs recumbent bikes. One last thing: new bike models tend to come out every 1 - 2 years. And the new models almost always have more than older models.
So if you want the most for your money, try to find a newer model on sale! And take your time to research all of your options before you buy!
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