Upright Or Recumbent Bike ?
I’m looking into getting an exercise bike. I’m wondering which one is better – the upright or recumbent. What have you liked better? Does one work better than another? Your opinions are appreciated.
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Tags : Bike, Recumbent, Upright
Recumbent is so much better. You can bike and watch TV, if you use upright, it will be sheer pain sitting for long periods of time and you won’t want to exercise anymore. Get the recumbent.
November 13, 2009 8:27 am | #1Are you looking for a stationary bike or road? There are differences in the two. If this is a stationary bike then the question that must be asked is what kind of riding are you going to be doing? Are there any joint problems? Starting with the last item first. If you have problems with your back, hips, or knees then a recumbent might be the way to go for you. The seat is more in the traditional seat configuration and not the slim road bike seat. This means that you will be able to lean back into the seat and feel more comfortable. The amount of stress imparted to the back is spread out over a larger surface area making it more comfortable. Since the legs are in a more horizontal position there is more of a pushing forward movement and that can reduce the stress to the knees significantly. If on the other hand you are looking for a bike that will increase your aerobic capacity and make it more like road riding then a upright bike is the way to go. Here there is the ability to stand and sit while riding and to put more force into the riding. You can get a spinning bike that would allow you to follow a cadence program that will push you as if you were in a gym. If you have problems with your hips, back, neck, or knees this is not the bike for you. Now if you are talking about riding on the road the differences are extreme. Recumbents are very fast bikes that are at their best on level or nearly level ground. They have a very wide range in gears that allow you to climb hills but very slowly to gears that allow you to sprint at fast speeds. If you have any of the problems that were outlined before this bike is for you. If you are in an area that has hills or is mountainous you might want to go with the more traditional upright. The gear selection on the traditional bike can be very wide and will allow you to climb with easy pedaling to the ability to sprint at high speeds. Again road bikes are ones that are going to need a bike shop to fit the bike to you. You never want the opposite to happen. I happen to perfer the traditional road bike but either is great.
November 13, 2009 8:42 am | #2