Recumbent Vs. Upright Stationary Bicycle
Upright and recumbent stationary bicycles have each become home gym staples for different sets of customers. Some customers are motivated to buy an upright machine because of its typically lower price or because it fits more easily into a room corner. For other customers, the near impossibility of ever falling off of a recumbent bike is the deciding factor. Just as each bike is a little bit different from the next, so is each customer.
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Identification
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An upright stationary bicycle looks much like an ordinary road bike in that the seat is directly over the pedals and the hand grips are in front. A recumbent bicycle is built more like a chair, and the pedals are in front of the rider as he sits back. There are design variations with each, according to the brand and model, but the vertical and horizontal alignments between the pedals and the seats are what distinguish upright from recumbent stationary bikes.
Function
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Regardless of the style of the exercise bicycle chosen, doing moderate-intensity aerobic workouts several times a week will help keep you slim and fit and reduce your risk for heart disease. The advantage of riding without sharing the road with cars is that you can safely listen to your MP3 player or watch television while you pedal.
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Considerations
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Just as the overall design of an upright stationary bike follows the design of a standard bicycle, so does its seat. For someone unaccustomed to racing or mountain biking, the seat can become uncomfortable over the long ride, particularly if the exercise bike is a less expensive model. However, if the seat becomes a problem, gel seat cushions are an inexpensive fix. The seat of a recumbent bike is almost always comfortable because it's basically a padded chair.
Benefits
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Both bike styles have their individual benefits. Some experts maintain that an upright exercise bike offers superior cardiovascular benefit because it allows you to stand up on the pedals and pump up a virtual hill in the computerized terrain, just as you would when climbing a real hill on a regular bike. Proponents of the recumbent bicycle point to the added comfort this design gives to those with arthritis or injuries.
Solution
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The solution to the above debate is to try each one. You don’t buy a car before giving it a test drive, and the same reasoning applies to buying an exercise bike. If you do have arthritis or an ongoing back injury, a recumbent bike is probably the right choice. If, however, you are a younger person without chronic pain who wants to attain the best physical condition possible through home-based workouts, an upright stationary bike is probably for you.
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References
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- Photo Credit Young man on exercise bike image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com
