Exercising with a recumbent bike

ttorres

Any thoughts on these? I've got problems with my knees and walking is just not cutting it. Wanted to get some feedback before I jump in an go purchase one.

Thanks, Traci

HappyElizabeth

I really like using the recumbent bike and it definitely gets my heart rate up, and my legs working. It's not really a whole body exerciser so that's a downside. It is very low impact and can be used at all levels - my 97 year old grandmother does half an hour every day on her recumbent bike!

bwogilvie

I'm a cyclist, and when I travel, I'll sometimes use a recumbent exercise bike in the hotel gym. They give you a good workout. Compared to a standard upright exercise bike, they are more comfortable if properly set up. You will probably need foot straps to help keep your feet on the pedals, since gravity doesn't help with that. All the recumbent exercise bikes I have seen have them.

I'm a cyclist in part because I had to stop running due to knee problems. Cycling is easy on the knees if you have your seat positioned correctly: with your feet on the pedals in pedaling position, your knee should be just slightly bent when the pedal is furthest from you. You don't want your knees to lock. Start by putting your heel on the pedal and adjust the seat until your leg is straight, then put your foot in pedaling position (with the ball of your foot over the pedal spindle) and check whether it's OK. Many beginners have their seat too close to the pedals, which is less efficient and puts more strain on the knee.

The other tip to spare your knees when cycling is that you need to keep up a high cadence--the number of pedaling revolutions per minute. "Mashing" with heavy resistance and a low cadence (under 60 pedal revolutions per minute) puts strain on the knees. Spinning at a higher cadence (70-80 rpm for beginners, higher for experienced cyclists) and a lighter resistance is better on the knees, and gives you just as good a workout.

Is there a gym or health club nearby where you could try one out?

ttorres

Thanks for the info. There is a gym nearby and a friend of mine has done really well with weight loss using one that was given to her. I just know that this is probably going to be the best bet for my knees right now and wanted to see what people are saying about them.