| Consumer ratings and reviews of recumbent exercise | | | | The Nordic track comes with an acceptable 10 levels |
| bikes seem to vary wildly. But how can one person's | | | | of resistance. It also comes with heart rate monitor |
| view be the total opposite of another's? I believe it's | | | | and 10 Personal Trainer workout programs that will |
| because people forget to contrast before they | | | | automatically adjust the resistance to keep your heart |
| compare. By this I mean they don't compare like for | | | | rate at the optimum rate. The console is large and fun |
| like; instead, they compare a very expensive | | | | to use and you can plug in your mp3 player into it. |
| recumbent like the LifeCycle to a cheap model such | | | | Overall, it's a nicely designed, quite, robust machine that |
| as the Stamina. With this in mind I have selected what I | | | | is perfectly suitable for all but the most serious of |
| believe to be some of the best models in the low-, | | | | cyclists. |
| mid- to high-price category. | | | | The Schwinn 231 bike comes with more resistance |
| A review of the best cheap recumbent exercise bikes | | | | levels; 16 to be precise. There are 10 preset and 10 |
| I've selected two models; the Stamina Resistance | | | | profile workout programs and you also get a fan. Like |
| Magnetic bike and the Weslo 4.5R. They retail for | | | | the NordicTrack, its weight capacity is 300 lbs. |
| around $250 and $200 resp. Both of these machines | | | | Of the two, I would recommend that you buy the |
| share similar features. They both have a smallish LCD | | | | Schwinn exercise bike if you can afford the extra |
| monitor that provides basic feedback readings such as | | | | $150. |
| speed, time elapsed, distance, heart rate etc. They | | | | A review of the best recumbent exercise bike |
| both provide heart rate monitors in the hand grip | | | | Top-end machines come with every feature you'd |
| (beside the chair) and the user weight capacity of both | | | | ever want. You can expect wireless heart rate |
| machines is 250 lbs. | | | | monitors and user programmable workouts and a very |
| When buying a machine for under $350 you're going | | | | large selection of preset workouts. The build quality will |
| to find a lot of shortcomings. Many would say that it's | | | | also be excellent, with very generous warranties and |
| pointless buying a machine for under this amount as it | | | | user weight capacities. |
| won't give you a good workout and will fall apart | | | | I have selected the Lifecycle R1 and Tunturi E60R bike |
| sooner rather than later. I disagree. For people doing | | | | retailing at $1,500 and $1,000 resp. The Lifecycle |
| exercise for the first time, or for the occasional user, | | | | comes with 20 resistance levels, hand grip and |
| both the Stamina and the Weslo recumbent exercise | | | | wireless heart rate monitors, 10 workout programs, 3 |
| bike are more than adequate. | | | | goal workouts, 2 user profiles, 2 custom workouts and |
| Of the two bikes, I prefer the Weslo 4.5R recumbent. | | | | a race mode. The Tunturi exercise bike comes with 8 |
| The only reason being the placement of the LCD | | | | scalable workout profiles and 8 user profiles. There's a |
| display. On the Stamina, the display is immediately | | | | T-Scale function that allows configuring and |
| above the fly-wheel so it's some distance away and | | | | adjustment of the preset profiles even when |
| with its smallish size it can be somewhat difficult to | | | | exercising. You also get hand grip and Polar wireless |
| read. Also, there is no hand grip in front of the cyclist. | | | | heart rate monitors. |
| With the Weslo, the display is mounted in a hand grip | | | | Some might argue that the Lifecycle is slightly the |
| arrangement that is directly in front of the cyclist | | | | better bike, but I would buy the Tunturi exercise bike. |
| making it much easier to read. | | | | Not only is it cheaper, but I prefer the console and the |
| The biggest negative point about both bikes is that for | | | | overall styling of the machine is very aesthetically |
| people over 6 feet tall or who weigh over 250 lbs, | | | | pleasing. |
| these bikes aren't going to be suitable; you have little | | | | The above are my personal choices but there are |
| option but to upgrade to a mid-priced machine. | | | | plenty of other good machines. The secret in finding |
| A review of an affordable, quality recumbent exercise | | | | the perfect one for you is to first decide on budget |
| bike | | | | and feature-list. Then read as many consumer |
| The mid-priced machine is by far the most competitive | | | | reviews of recumbent exercise bikes as you can; but |
| sector and it's difficult to pull out a few models that are | | | | remember, contrast before you compare. |
| better than all the rest. However, I have chosen the | | | | Follow the links for more detailed recumbent exercise |
| NordicTrack AudioRider 400 and the Schwinn 231 | | | | bike reviews on models like the Tunturi exercise bike |
| recumbent. They retail for around $500 and $650 resp. | | | | and the Schwinn exercise bike and many more. |