Upright verses recumbent exercise bikes.

 

There is great debate as too which style of bike is the better. The upright or the recumbent, the upright is of course modelled on a standard road bike and is the original style of exercise bike. The newcomer is the recumbent. There are disadvantages and advantages too both. The choice at the end of the day is down to which you feel most comfortable with.

Recumbent exercise bike.

The recumbent exercise bike is without doubt the most comfortable of the two styles. The traditional style of upright bike can leave you saddle sore, no matter how padded the seat is. On the other hand the recumbent is like sitting in armchair, no risk of a numb bum. 

The recumbent also benefits those people with back trouble as the seating position offers more support to your lower back, enabling them too cycle longer, than they would do on an upright, thus getting a better workout. Overweight people can often prefer to recline in the recumbent style seat.

Cycling in a reclined position works the buttock muscles more than cycling upright. If you're looking to improve the shape of your bottom, the recumbent is the way to go.

Cycling in an upright position also puts a lot of pressure on the hands and wrists and can leave your fingers numb after a while. Using a recumbent eliminates this as the your hands no longer support your body weight. As you are not hunched over on a recumbent your lungs are more open thus you are able too breath better making for a better workout.

The disadvantages with a recumbent is because you are lounging on the bike rather than sitting upright you may not work as hard.

 

Upright bike

On the opposite style the upright is less restricted, so you can choose to either sit down or stand up as you pedal. This allows you to exercise different areas of muscle. Many models also come with handle bars that allow the rider to either cycle in a sitting up position or in a more competitive, racing position.

If space is restricted then the upright bike may be a better option as it takes up less floor space. They are also generally cheaper than a recumbent, thus you can get a better bike for your money.

Most fitness experts tend to agree that you get a more physical and intense workout on an upright. If you are used to cycling on the road then the seating position of a recumbent is slightly strange.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both style of bike, in the end it comes down to personal preference and how fit you are too start with. It is definately worth testing both style in the store, before you buy.