When you’re ready for cardio at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, what’s your favorite machine to use? Do you head straight over to the treadmills for a run? Or maybe you love the elliptical machines. Or perhaps you prefer the rowers, climbers, stair steppers, or something truly unique like Jacobs Ladder.

For many AFAC members, stationary bikes are a top choice to get in a good cardiovascular workout. And since our Thornton gym strives to offer the widest array of workout equipment possible, we have several different types of stationary bikes at our gym for our members to use, including recumbent bikes and upright bikes.

Read on to learn the differences between upright bikes and recumbent bikes and the advantages that each type of bike offers for your workout sessions.

How Are Recumbent Bikes and Upright Bikes the Same?

Let’s start by exploring how these bikes are similar. Both recumbent and upright bikes resemble moving bicycles except they don’t have tires. They do have handles, a seat, and pedals that are attached to a solid base that keeps the bike grounded while the rider pedals in a circular motion. Recumbent and upright bikes also have digital monitors that show the user’s speed, calories burned, and heart rate. There are also settings to adjust the resistance on the pedals and the angle of the incline, which gives you a way to increase the intensity of the exercise. Some exercise bikes also have preset riding programs that users can follow to ensure their workout will align with their fitness goals.

What Are the Differences Between Recumbent Bikes and Upright Bikes?

The main difference between these bikes is revealed by their names. The word “recumbent” means “reclining” and that’s a fairly good depiction of how a user sits in a recumbent bike, as opposed to sitting straight up on an “upright” bike.

How else are these exercise bikes different?

On a recumbent bike:

The rider sits in a reclined position
The pedals are positioned in front of the body
The seat is larger and has full back support, similar to the design of an office chair
The sitting position is comfortable for the rider which can result in a longer workout
There is reduced stress on the lower back and upper body which can result in less tension and fatigue
The workout is focused on the lower body

On an upright bike:

The rider sits in an upright position, exactly how they’d sit on a traditional bicycle.
The pedals are directly beneath the rider
The seat is small and similar in design to a traditional bicycle, which can cause soreness in the saddle area
The rider hunches over and slightly bends the back and neck to reach the handles in front
There is no upper body support which can cause tension and fatigue in the back, shoulders, and arms
The workout is more consistent with riding an outdoor bicycle
The user gets both an upper and lower body workout

What Are the Advantages of Using Recumbent Bikes vs. Upright Bikes at Our Thornton Gym?

Now that we have an understanding of how these bikes are different, which one is better for your gym workout?

Both recumbent and upright bikes provide effective workouts — and both put less impact on your joints than other types of cardio equipment like treadmills — so deciding which one is “better” depends on a few factors.

Advantages of a recumbent bike

The first advantage of a recumbent bike is pretty straightforward — some people simply like them better because they’re more comfortable to sit on for a long period of time, providing a more enjoyable workout.

Other advantages of recumbent bikes include:

Ease of use — Recumbent bikes are great for beginners to get used to riding and cardio workouts in general, since they are so comfortable to ride.
Safety — Due to their ease of use and supportive seat, recumbent bikes are beneficial for those with cardiac, balance, and neurological issues. You can’t stand and pedal on a recumbent bike and the chances of falling off one are extremely low.
Customization — More advanced users can make recumbent cycling more challenging by varying the pedal speed, increasing the resistance, changing the incline settings, and pedaling backward. The ride can be completely customized to your fitness level and goals.
Spine and joint health — Since you’re not hunched over handlebars, recumbent bikes promote better posture which reduces the chance of back pain. Recumbent bikes also place less stress on all the joints, particularly the lower back, which makes them an ideal choice for people with lower back pain and injuries.
Strength training — In addition to providing a challenging cardiovascular workout, recumbent bikes work many lower-body muscle groups including the glutes, calves, shins, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Several studies have shown that recumbent cycling offers the same, if not better, lower-body strength training as upright cycling because more muscle groups are engaged.
Range of motion — Recumbent bikes have been shown to improve users’ range of motion in their hips even better than other therapies like heat packs and whirlpool treatments. This is probably because recumbent bikes increase circulation and elasticity in the lower body.
Entertainment — It’s easier to watch TV or read while exercising on a recumbent bike compared to other machines. That reduces boredom and encourages users to stay on them longer to get a better workout.

Advantages of an upright bike

While recumbent bikes come with a long list of benefits, that doesn’t mean they’re better than upright bikes. Many fitness enthusiasts prefer upright bikes for a variety of reasons.

It’s like riding a bike — Riding an upright bike gives you a similar experience to riding a traditional outdoor bike, particularly in your body positioning. That means you can use an upright bike to maintain or even improve your outdoor cycling prowess.
You can change your position — Upright bikes give you the freedom to ride the bike while sitting or standing up, which works different muscle groups and can increase the intensity of the workout.
It’s more of a whole-body exercise — In addition to working your lower body, an upright bike also works your abs because you have to stabilize yourself in an upright position as you ride. And, because you’re gripping handlebars on an upright bike, you’re also engaging your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and neck.
They burn more calories — While this topic is up for debate, it’s believed that upright bikes burn more calories because you engage more muscle groups while riding them. That said, the bike you’re most comfortable on will be the one that burns the most calories, since you’ll work out longer and put forth more effort.

Try Out All the Bikes at Our Thornton Gym

Still can’t decide which stationary bike is best for you? No problem! If you’re a member of our gym, you have access to every major type of exercise bike available, so you can use them all to give yourself a fitness program that challenges you both mentally and physically. Our amazing variety of fitness options is how we remain the best gym in Thornton, CO. After your workout, we have a hydro massage bed and cryotherapy chamber to help you relax your muscles, reduce inflammation, and recover. To learn more about all our stationary bikes, including our recumbent and upright bikes, feel free to talk to one of our personal trainers. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.

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