Recumbent exercise bikes

[HEthePrimate]

Chai, y'all!

I'm overweight, and thinking of getting a recumbent exercise bike so I can exercise at home. One of my problems is motivation--the idea of exercise is very daunting, and I've got it in my head that I'll never be able to lose weight! Another problem is that when I exercise (like walking, etc.) I get really bored. I'm thinking that if I get an exercise bike, I could watch TV, read, or listen to podcasts or music while I exercise, and thus solve the boredom problem. I sometimes walk with a friend of mine, but he's started commuting out of town every week, and is not often available any more. Exercising at home with something to keep my mind occupied could be a great help. Plus, I could exercise regardless of what the weather is like outside, and would not have to worry about the embarrassment (or monthly fees) of going to a gym.

Two models I'm looking at, that have received good reviews, are the Schwinn 240, which costs around $440, and the less expensive Marcy ME 709 (around $190). Even though I understand that you get what you pay for, I'm still leaning towards the Marcy, as I'm really short on funds, and the reviews are good. It just doesn't have all the bells and whistles. Haven't decided for sure yet, though!

Do any of you have thoughts/ideas/advice about recumbent exercise bikes, or exercise in general for a less-than-highly-motivated person?

Thanks!

[pam]

Why not join our group as well? Groups » Weight Loss 2011 » LDS Social Network

[Connie]

I would highly encourage you to get one. We have the Schwinn 220, and it's great -- a really nice low impact workout. We got ours through walmart.com and did the site to store shipping which was free, then we just picked it up at our local Walmart. Worked out really well. I think you'd probably even be okay to get the cheaper one. It looks like a good bike. Happy choosing!

[CookieC]

I've got a Schwinn 220 and I love it! It's been great during the winter when there are days when I just couldn't get to the gym (we also have a gym membership.) It is a great low impact workout IF you turn up the resistance some.

For me, the bike is a great part of my exercise routine, but I think I'd get bored if that's all I did. So I change it up with walking, dance classes, and an occasional workout on the gym's elliptical machine. As you get stronger from riding the bike, you might be more motivated to try different types of exercise.

And just to provide a little motivation for you, HEthePrimate, by following my exercise plan and a reasonably restricted diet, I've lost 26 pounds since the first of the year. I feel better than I have in a long time! You can do it!

[Soulsearcher]

If you are serious about losing weight and that's the main motivation for this purchase, don't do the recumbent bike.

I'm in the same place, i lost my job and bulked up a bit, not going out and doing as much activity, so around December i really started pushing myself. I've lucked out in having a friend who's a personal trainer so i get lots of free advice and coaching :)

If you want something at home that will help you most and still let you do the TV watching(same motivation for me) you are best off with the Elliptical machine. The recumbent bikes are nice and some what relaxing as you work out, but they don't tend to have nearly the calorie burn unless you really go at it and they allow you to relax parts of your body you really shouldn't be relaxing as you work out. I used to use them due to my back being bad and both my friend and the gym trainer pointed out that all i was doing was letting my back stay bad instead of trying to build it up .

The elliptical has become my favorite machine. No impact workout, it works a large portion of the body all at once, can be a very easy to an all out work out and the calorie burn is great. On an easy day 30 min = 300 calories, harder days 30 min=600 calories. Also something to consider is weights. They can burn a lot and help shape and tone as you do things like watch tv. I don't have room for an elliptical at my place right now , but i have an old stationary bike from the 80's and while it works it's no where near what the elliptical does, i have to add workouts to get the same results.

Also one of my tricks is i buy tons of tv series on dvd. I set an episode as my minimum work out time for my bike or weights, ect ect. most episodes are 42 min or so, so that's a good basic start for your work out. Also even though it's hard, if you do 30 min of cardio first thing in the am then eat a protein heavy breakfast, you'll start to notice even better results as you've jump started your body. If doing the bike daily make sure you do interval training. 1 min all out a min or two relaxed, then a min all out. it raises the body's rate of burning while you do the work out.

Edited March 26, 2011 by Soulsearcher

[dahlia]

I saw a TV ad for a spinner bike. I gather the big difference between spinners and the bikes in gyms is that you can stand up on the spinner. This allows you to work the whole body, rather than just the lower body as with a bike.

Does anyone here do spinning? I belong to a gym but would find the money for a spinner if I thought that would do the trick. The infomercial was certainly convincing; but I've learned to put a hold on my itchy phone finger when I see these infomercials.

[john doe]

My fitness center has both recumbent and regular exercise bikes. My view? It's better than doing nothing, but not much. Yes, you're burning a few calories, and that's good, but sitting on your behind pushing pedals probably won't do much to reduce it unless you combine that with reducing caloric intake and other exercises.

You also won't see much, if any, muscle building. To me, muscle building is one of the keys to burning fat and keeping the weight off. Aerobic exercise will give you a good caloric burn, but it generally doesn't last much beyond the time you stop and your heart rate goes back down. Weight training and muscle building can raise your metabolic rate for as long as 8-10 hours after you do it. And muscle, even while at rest, burns more calories than fat.

In my opinion you would be better off committing yourself to aerobic exercise combined with weight training along with changes in your diet and lifestyle than just buying a recumbent bike to pedal in front of the TV. I also think your money would be better spent if you invested in a home gym than a recumbent bike. I think a treadmill would be a better option unless your knees can't take the pounding. If you walk on a treadmill you can try not holding on to the support rails, and this will help strengthen your core. The bike is great for low-impact aerobics if you pedal hard enough, but low-impact also means low return.

[claygirl]

get a rd bike

[Alvine]

Hi HEthePrimate,

Never tried Marcy ME 709 but had experience of using Schwinn 240.

It worth its price as it is very effective in losing weight quickly. Put it in your TV lounge and do exercise while watching your favorite TV program. The best way to exercise more.

bootcamp san antonio

Edited June 18, 2011 by Alvine

[claygirl]

Hi there "bike people"

I dont know how we got on to bikes but...... DO NOT GET A BIKE THAT GOES NO WHERE.

You will get bored and stop.

Get a real bike (craigs list) and start easy. 2 miles maybe for alwhile-and of course you can get a fluid trainer for indoor work.

For bike gear; I get all of my gear through Competitive Cyclist (on line)-NQA policy-you can even returns bibs that you have used-try that at a bike shop.

I am a road bike human. You need to move to stay fit. But for me it is more for my PTSD than the body.

start off slow and in a year ........ wow

I love the sport. Give it a shot.

take care

[claygirl]

hi again

I read the bike post again.

I FEEL |MOVED

When it comes to ex. equip. You get what you pay for. Cheap stuff does not work well and you will stop. Trust me. Any stat. "bike" under $500 is crap. Period.

Craigs list. You can find good gear.

Now when it comes to recumbents-get on that moves-you can go with trikes or high racers.

check it out-I would think about a trike-I am sure you can get a used one for 500 and a new intro model for around 1500-I have a trike. I like it. They are heavy and slower than a rd bike.

But they are fun and you will not get bored. If you do.-try mountain climbing.:)

[applepansy]

I have a Reebok CYC6. I love it. My sister gave it to me after she hurt her back and couldn't use it anymore. An upright stationary bike works better for her now. I also have a Schwinn Airdine (old) which my husband loves and it helps exercise his core too because the handles move back and forth and you pedal. The uprights make my rear end hurt which is a big deterrent for me. I'm already in pain, don't need more. Bikes that go somewhere other than where they are sitting are dangerous for me because of balance issues.

I don't know about cost. But I love the recumbent. I would love to have a treadmill some day too. When I can walk on a flat surface where I don't have to watch where I'm stepping or worry about balance my body relaxes and I can fell my shoulders fall back where they belong and my spin lengthen into its natural position. My posture is noticeable improved when I'm on a treadmill.

I understand the motivation issues. I think we all have them. Mine biggest motivation issues are fatigue and pain. Its really hard to make myself exercise after chasing my grandson all morning. Or if I'm having a bad pain day. I do know that when I push through it and do it anyway I'm stronger and have less pain.

Finding the benefits and keeping them foremost in my head helps keep me motivated.

P.S. My sister didn't hurt her back because she wasn't strengthening it. She fell at work on a unmarked wet floor.

[NeuroTypical]

One of my problems is motivation--the idea of exercise is very daunting, and I've got it in my head that I'll never be able to lose weight!

From where I'm standing, these two things (motivation and attitude) are the things to overcome. If you overcome them, you're good no matter what you end up picking. If you don't overcome them, well, America's homes are full of dusty unused exercise equipment, and our credit cards are full of bills for gyms we never go to, and few diets ever last.

I've been you for most of my life. The last 6 months changed for me. I'm now using exercise equipment, going to gyms, and my diet is improving somewhat. Why? Dunno. There are lots of possible reasons. I had shoulder surgery and was given a specific set of exercised to do so I could do things like hug my wife and pick up my kids. But I kept exercising after I had back what I wanted. Why? Did I do it long enough to make it habit? Did I start to enjoy it? We all start out zealous and then fall into apathy - why didn't I? Is it because I hit 40, and worry that my kids will see me as fat and useless when they become teens? Maybe. Have I seen specific progress, and want more? Yes, but that happens with us then we fall back into apathy.

So I dunno. I wish I could tell you what is working for me, so you could duplicate it. I will tell you this - I don't care what I weigh. Muscle weighs more than fat, so adding 1/4 inch to muscles is taking inches off of less desirable places. I am not dieting or trying to lose weight. But I find myself eating much less on days when I know I'm going to go have to do 20 crunches and 30 pushups to keep up with the rest of the class, and I can't do that without barfing now.

Dunno. My best guess for why it's working for me, is I found real motivation beyond "I wanna", stuck with it until it became habit, and didn't spend a second thinking about my weight.

Best of luck to ya!

[Guest ahmedgamalahmed]

The exercise bikes can save time getting to fitness as soon as