Buying a used recumbent exercise bike for your home is a major decision. This a large piece of equipment with a large price tag.
If you are considering a used recumbent exercise bike for home use, your first consideration has to be space. It is essential that you have sufficient room to use the bike safely. If your space is at all tight, check your measurements carefully and compare the size of different models.
The major brands of used recumbent exercise bike are Nautilus, Tunturi, Life Fitness, SportsArt and Kettler, with prices ranging from around ?700 - ?2000. All of these models are good quality, reliable brands, so the principal differences are going to be in riding position and programmes.
This means it is essential to test ride a number of different models. An investment of this level should last you for years, so you want to be sure that you are as comfortable as possible, and that the range of programmes is appropriate for your exercise needs.
When you test ride a bike you need to adjust it for your size, then ride for a while - ten minutes rather than 30 seconds - to be sure that it remains comfortable. While you are riding, check out the display panel - you want something that is easy to read, with clear instructions for use - and listen to the noise level. Some can be quite noisy, which is not ideal for home use.
Just what sort of programmes you need will depend upon your fitness and your goals. If you are only going to ride 30 minutes a day while watching TV, then a less expensive model makes sense.
But if you want top spend longer sessions on the bike, doing intense workouts, then a bike with a range of programmes will encourage you to ride. Top end models will offer hill workouts, interval workouts, and a heart rate monitor, all of which can make your workouts more enjoyable and more effective.
