Recumbent exercise bikes have started gaining popularity in the UK. It’s about time, right?
Yes, it has. They offer some clear benefits and give you a much nicer experience than a traditional exercise bike. Plus, you can also comfortably lay in bed on your recumbent exercise bike and enjoy that new Netflix series, live sport, or whatever floats your boat on your TV.
With a traditional exercise bike? That will get uncomfortable pretty quickly…
Anyways, in this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best recumbent exercise bikes in the UK to help you find the right choice for your needs. Keep in mind, when it comes to choosing the best recumbent fitness bike, there isn’t a “one-size fits all” solution, so we recommend taking a close look at the details to find the best bike for you.
What Actually Is a Recumbent Exercise Bike?
A recumbent exercise bike is just like a normal exercise bike, with the only difference being that you’re in a laid back position instead of sitting.
There are also regular recumbent bikes that many cyclers prefer for riding around, as you may already know.
However, this article focuses on the best recumbent exercise bikes because that’s what you’re here for, right?
Thought so.
Benefits of a Recumbent Exercise Bike
You’ve probably heard quite a lot of complaints about traditional exercise bikes. Or, you’ve even complained about them yourself.
They can be very uncomfortable and put a strain on our hips and knees. Additionally, your posture isn’t in an ideal position either.
These issues get even worse the longer you spend on a traditional exercise bike.
And that’s exactly why there are recumbent exercise bikes. They allow you to exercise your thighs and calves with less strain while also keeping your back in a much better posture. Plus, it’s also easier to keep your balance on the bike, as your weight is evenly spread across a larger surface.
Overall, they provide a much better exercise experience than traditional exercise bikes, with notable differences that will lead to better performance.
To summarize:
- Much less strain caused on your hips and knees
- Better posture when exercising
- More comfortable
- Easier to keep your balance, weight spread across a larger surface
Things To Consider Before Buying a Recumbent Exercise Bike
We also wanted to quickly guide you through some factors you should consider before purchasing a recumbent exercise bike. Of course, also keep your budget in mind, but we figured you’ve probably already considered that, so we didn’t explain it below.
What are you looking for? – Some recumbent exercise bikes focus on having the best apps to provide you with a great experience. Others have special features such as built-in training for your arms or are more suited for extremely tall people. You’re likely going to have to choose between these factors, so it would be good to know what you’re looking for.
Resistance levels – Resistance levels are basically how much resistance you’re setting up while you’re pedalling. More resistance levels give you more options to choose how resistant you want the pedals to be. And, the more resistant they are, the more muscle you’ll build.
User weight/height limits – You don’t want to purchase a recumbent fitness bike that isn’t suited to your weight or height. So, make sure to keep an eye out for those as well.
Best Recumbent Exercise Bikes UK
Now that we have taken a look at the basics let’s dive into the list of best recumbent exercise bikes (UK).
Here are our top picks:
- Pro-Form 325 CSX (Best All Rounder)
- Nordictrack VR19 (Very close 2nd)
- JLL Re100 (Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bike)
- Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent exercise bike (Best For Cross Traning/Arms)
- Schwinn Recumbent 570R (Best For Workout Customization)
- Exerpeutic 900XL (Best For Tall Users)
Keep in mind which one of these is best for you will depend on your preferences and budget. That’s why we’ve explained them in more detail below.
1. Pro-Form 325 CSX (Best All Rounder)
The overall best recumbent exercise bike on our list is the Pro-Form 325 CSX plus. We rated this recumbent fitness bike the best all-rounder, as it has some great apps, powerful technology and is also extremely comfortable.
The cool thing about this bike is that you can use Google Maps to ride a route anywhere in the world. For example, you can use this bike to do a virtual ride in Paris which we thought was pretty cool.
It also comes with personalized nutrition guidance and an unlimited fitness library, so it really is a lot more than a cardio workout bike. This is also where it outperforms most others on this list, as it gives you so much more additional guidance.
And if you are looking for a bike that comes with an iFit membership included, the Pro-Form 325 CSX also meets that requirement.
Plus, the ProForm 235 CSX also has silent magnetic resistance levels. If you have ever used an exercise bike, you’ll know how loud and often annoying the resistance levels can be.
With the ability to ride anywhere globally, a selection of awesome apps, and a built-in fan, we think that the ProForm 325 CSX plus is the best recumbent exercise bike. And, it does all of this for under £500, which is impressive too.
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- 7 kg Flywheel
- Product Weight – 58 kg
- Max user Weight – 130 kg
- 22 resistance levels
2. Nordictrack VR19
Next on our list of best recumbent exercise bikes is the NordicTrack VR19. We rated this one just behind the ProForm 325 CX plus because of the apps’ differences. This was a close battle, but we felt that the ProForm 325 CSX plus options were slightly better because of the nutrition guidance and Google maps app.
But still, overall, the NordicTrack VR19 is also a great all-rounder. We were actually surprised at how similar both of these bikes are. It comes with some great technology such as the dual 2-inch speakers, or the multi-colour display, while also offering great comfort and convenience.
Just like with the Pro-Form 325 SSX plus a, it also comes with 24 Workout apps, and a 1-year iFit membership included helping you reach your fitness goals. It’s no surprise that iFit chose to partner with both of these bikes because they are similar.
The NordicTrack VR19 also impressively comes with a workout fan built-in. As you surely know, there aren’t many things that compete with a cool breeze from a fan after a hard workout.
The only thing we can think of which is better is, of course, water. And luckily, the NordicTrack VR19 also comes with a water holder, so you have easy access to it too.
Apart from that, the seats are fully adjustable and padded, which means you will be able to sit back comfortably.
All of these factors contribute to why this recumbent exercise bike is so popular in the UK. In fact, when it was released this year, it sold out in a matter of days.
Overall, we have to say the NordicTrack VR19 is a great combination of quality, performance and affordability.
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Other Information/Specs:
- 7kg Flywheel
- 22 Digital Resistance Levels
- Product Weight 48kg
- Boxed Weight 53kg
- 125kg Max User Weight
3. JLL Re100 (Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bike)
By far, the best budget recumbent exercise bike is the JLL RE100 Recumbent Home Exercise Bike. While it doesn’t offer the same number of luxurious benefits as the NordicTrack or ProForm does, it still comes with the essentials, and it’s priced under £200.
For example, the built-in monitor mainly displays data such as speed, time and distance, and there aren’t any apps. However, what did impress us about the JLL RE100 Recumbent Home Exercise Bike is that it can track your heart rate.
This allows you to adjust the workouts to your body.
The bike also has 8 levels of resistance, which is also quite impressive for a recumbent exercise bike in this price range. If you’re looking for a budget recumbent fitness bike that comes with all of the essentials and can provide a nice addition to your home gym, the JLL RE100 is a great choice.
Interestingly, it actually offers similar specs to some of the more expensive bikes that we’ll cover later on. So, you really can’t go wrong with the JLL RE100, especially if you’re on a budget.
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Other Information/Specs:
- 8 resistance levels
- 5Kg Flywheel
- Item weight 24 Kilograms
- Max User Weight: 100 Kilograms
4. Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent Bike (Best For Cross Traning/Arms)
Our fourth best recumbent exercise bike is the Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent bike. Interestingly, this is the only recumbent exercise bike on this list with arm exercisers built-in, which meant we had to include it. The handlebar movement for your arms allows you also to build strength in your arms and upper body, giving you much more than just a cardio workout.
Additionally, it also performs pretty nicely in other areas. Again, it comes with 8 adjustable gears like some of the others on this list. It also comes with built-in pulse sensors, so you can always adjust the workouts to your body.
We also like the Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent exercise bike because it comes with a tablet/mobile device holder. So, if you are looking to watch some YouTube or Netflix during the workout, that’s also possible.
Plus, it’s also perfect for heavy users, as it allows a maximum user weight of 158kg. Not bad.
However, the built-in monitor is rather basic compared to the other recumbent exercise bikes that we covered earlier on. But, with the built-in tablet/mobile device holder, that shouldn’t be too big of an issue, especially since you have training for your arms, which none of the others provide.
Overall, we think this is a great recumbent exercise bike for anyone looking to lose weight; tone up or stay healthy. And with the cross-training, it has a beneficial feature that the other options on this list don’t have.
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Specs:
- Item weight 43kg
- Maximum weight recommendation 158kg
- Number of resistance levels 8
5. Schwinn Recumbent 570R (Best For Workout Customisation)
Next, is the Schwinn Recumbent 570R, which we rated the best recumbent exercise bike for workout customisation. It comes with a whopping 25 resistance levels to help you customize your workouts so that they are challenging and suited to you. Additionally, it also has 29 training programs built in that you can choose from.
These are displayed on a dual-track display, making it easy for you to keep an overview of your workouts. And, just like with the Nordictrack VR19, it also comes with a built-in fan.
Another thing that makes this recumbent exercise bike great is the RideSocialApp. Using this app, you can connect to other riders around the world and train with them. As you can imagine, this can make the workout a lot more fun and even give you some motivation.
This, combined with the built-in sound system, will provide you with a great workout experience. If you’re looking for a recumbent fitness bike that does a lot more than just let provide you with a cardio workout, the Schwinn Recumbent 570R is a great choice.
Specifications:
- Item weight 40 Kilograms
- Material VAT User weight 136 kg
- Flywheel 3.5kg
- 25 Resistance levels
6. Exerpeutic 900XL (Best For Tall Users)
Another excellent Recumbent exercise bike is the Exerpeutic 900XL.
This recumbent exercise bike is designed for people over 6 feet tall and even allows a maximum user weight of 136kg. It also comes with an oversize seat for added comfort during exercise, as you can move around with no issues.
It also has 8 magnetic resistance levels and displays useful data, meaning you can have challenging and insightful workouts. Some of the insights the bike shows you include distance, calories burned, heart rate and more.
The way the bike measures the heart rate is through the pulse rate monitors on the handlebars.
While it doesn’t quite beat the NordicTrack that we discussed earlier in features, it’s still a great option for tall people. The Exerpeutic900 XL can handle users up to 6ft 6 inches and is probably the only recumbent exercise bike that can do so. Therefore, we wanted to include it on this list in case you fall into that category.
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Specs:
- Item weight 28.58 Kilograms
- Number of resistance levels 8
- Maximum User Weight 136.078
- 8 kg flywheel
Final Verdict – What Is The Best Recumbent Exercise Bike?
As you have seen throughout this article on the best recumbent exercise bikes UK, it depends on your needs to make the best choice. While some users may want to focus on experience, others will want to have cross-training available or have a bike that can handle their size.
To summarize, the article below is a short list of what each bike is best at.
- Pro-Form 325 CSX (Best All Rounder)
- Nordictrack VR19
- JLL Re100 (Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bike)
- Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent bike (Best For Cross Traning/Arms)
- Schwinn Recumbent 570R (Best For Workout Customization)
- Exerpeutic 900XL (Best For Tall Users)
