Recumbent Exercise & Fitness Bike Benefits vs. Upright
Bikes
Upright Stationary Exercise Bikes vs. Recumbent
Stationary Exercise Bikes
 |
.vs |
 |
|
Upright Exercise Bike
Compared to Recumbent Exercise Bike |
Upright stationary exercise bikes have been around a
long time but recumbent stationary exercise bikes have
become very popular. And there is no doubt that you can
readily find someone willing to debate which type of
exercise & fitness bike is the "Best
Exercise & Fitness Bike."
While each type of exercise & fitness bike has its'
advantages and/or disadvantages I believe it depends on
your personal riding needs and fitness & rehab needs.
Personally, I put my Physical Rehabilitation and
Physical Therapy (PT) needs ahead of my thoughts about
what a bike should look like. This is why I prefer the
recumbent exercise and fitness bikes over the upright
exercise bikes; recumbent exercise bikes are better
suited to help me achieve my fitness, PT and Rehab
goals.
Let's go over a few benefits of
recumbent exercise bikes:
The recumbent exercise and
fitness bike is far more ergonomic
& bio-mechanically correct frame and handlebar
design:
Recumbent
exercise bike riders train in
the optimum training position for maximum fitness
results. For example; our
XTerra Fitness SB-540R
recumbent fitness bike is also equipped
with an anatomically designed saddle for peak comfort at
all times which in turn leads to a more comfortable
cardiovascular & rehab workout.
Look at the diagram below and
you'll see the benefits of recumbent exercise bikes;
the ergonomics, the bio-mechanics and anatomical design:
For the sake of
comparison, we'll take a brief look at the two different
types of stationary indoor bikes; the upright stationary
exercise bike compared to a recumbent stationary
exercise bike.
 |
.vs |
 |
|
Bike Frame in
Gray
Seat & Pedals in Red
Rider Position in Blue
|
|
Bike Frame in
Gray
Seat & Pedals in Red
Rider Position in Blue
|
|
Upright Exercise & Fitness Bike
- Rider sits
well above the bike frame
Designed
like a more traditional road bike, the
seat is located almost directly over the
pedals.
The rider
has a very high center of gravity making
the bike a bit less stable.
Sitting
upright and leaning forward causes some
riders to experience sore hands, wrists
and arms as a result of the weight and
resulting stress put on them by leaning
forward on them while riding.
"Glutes" -
the gluteal muscles of your butt do not
get the same workout benefit on an
upright bike unless the rider is
standing.
- Seat Position
Rider must
lean forward (over the bike frame) and
bend neck and back slightly.
Saddle Sore
- is the term used by many upright bike
riders. No matter how comfortable the
seat padding or thickness is in the
showroom - riders get saddle sore while
riding.
Cycling in
a less natural position of body
alignment produces fatigue that
is of no benefit to the rider. That is;
it is not normal fatigue from the
workout itself.
People who
have lower back issues find upright
bikes to be far less comfortable or
enjoyable.
People who
have neck pain issues complain they are
far less comfortable from the way their
head and neck must be bent or even
"hanging" to workout.

- The "Q Factor"
Simply put,
the Q factor of a bicycle is the
distance between the pedal attachment
points on the crank arms.
Many
upright bikes (and even some of the
recumbent bikes) tend to have a wider Q
Factor to allow for the braking
mechanism, pulleys, drive components and
cosmetic covers. Since those bikes are
wider, so is the distance between the
pedals - the Q Factor.
Upright
bikes having wider Q Factors are less
ergonomically correct as they force the
rider to pedal at a wider angle from the
hip than the natural in-line movement of
the legs and feet as we walk normally -
taking steps in a narrow and more
natural pattern.
|
|
Recumbent
Exercise & Fitness
Bike
- Rider sits
into the bike frame
Designed
like a recumbent bike, the seat is
located almost in-line with the pedals.
The rider
has a very low center of gravity making
the bike and rider very stable.
Sitting
reclined, leaning back with the arms
hanging naturally to your sides
eliminates sore hands, wrists and arms
because there is no weight or stress
stress put on them by leaning while
riding.
"Glutes" -
the gluteal muscles of your butt get a
better workout in a reclined position
naturally working the gluteus maximus.
- Seat Position
Rider is in a natural, reclined position
without need to bend head or back.
Naturally comfortable seat - described
by many as similar to sitting in a piece
of comfortable furniture. Less aches and
pains in the butt, resulting in a more
comfortable workout.
Cycling in a more natural position of
body alignment reduces fatigue
and increases both the ability and the
desire of the rider to continue the
workout.
People who
have lower back issues find recumbent
bikes to be far more comfortable and
enjoyable.
People who
have neck pain issues are far more
comfortable without having to bend
their neck or hang their head throughout
the workout.

- The "Q Factor"
Simply put,
the Q factor of a bicycle is the
distance between the pedal attachment
points on the crank arms.
While some
of the recumbent exercise bikes may have
a wider Q Factor to allow for the
braking mechanism, pulleys, drive
components and cosmetic covers. Through
research performed with a leading sports
scientist and physical rehabilitation
expert the engineers at XTerra have
developed a breakthrough in pedal
design. The result is the XTerra Fitness
SB540r has the smallest Q Factor on the
market today. A narrower Q-Factor is
ergonomically superior because it more
closely matches the nearly inline
pattern of human footsteps.
|
Now, this is not to say that upright exercise bikes are
without merit. Upright bikes still have their place in
the exercise and fitness market.
There are those who would argue that upright stationary
bikes offer a more "intense" workout simply because
recumbent stationary exercise bikes are more
comfortable. The thinking behind this argument is that
if a rider is more comfortable on a recumbent bike; they
may not push themselves as hard to achieve the desired
fitness levels.
I would say this in response to that theory...
Riders who desire to push themselves to the maximum
level of performance can and will do so no matter
what type or style of exercise equipment they choose to
use.
Why not be comfortable while
you are exercising so you can
do your very best toward
realizing your fitness and rehab goals?
In fact, whether you are:
 |
An athlete
in training looking for a stamina building recumbent bike,
|
 |
An off
season cycling enthusiast looking for a fitness
cycle, |
 |
A PT - Rehab
patient recovering from an injury or surgery looking
for a belt driven, magnetic recumbent exercise bike
for smoothness and reliability,
|
 |
Or just
trying to lose some weight and tone your body
|
The support and
comfort offered
while sitting in a a reclined - recumbent seat position
may very well enable you to cycle for longer than you
might do on an
upright, thus getting a better workout and achieving
your fitness and/or rehab goals.
No matter which
type of bike you are considering - test ride if at all
possible and take your time doing so. The more
comfortable you are with your stationary exercise bike ~
the more comfortable you will be using it. And
that is what matters most.
The Bicycle Man
carries two lines of recumbent exercise bikes:
The XTerra Fitness SB 540r Indoor Stationary Magnetic
Recumbent Exercise Bike
Limited Time Offer XTerra
SB540r Sale Price is Only $899.00*
* Plus
Shipping
* Plus
Sales Tax for NY Residents
And the
LeMond Fitness G Force RT which is on sale for a
limited time.
What are you waiting for!
Contact us today to Order Your
XTerra Fitness SB 540r Recumbent
Exercise Bike!
Lyle is our online exercise equipment manager
and you can reach him in any of the
following ways:
Phone: 877-376-5158
Cell: 760-330-6552