Recumbent bike vs upright bike: Features & key differences

Recumbent bike vs upright bike is a common question asked by home fitness beginners and experienced gym-goers. They are similar in many aspects and picking between them can be really difficult.

We’ve put together this guide to help you choose the right exercise bike, no matter your budget or use case. Whether you prioritize performance, comfort, safety or something else, you should feel much more confident in your decision after reading this article.

Both upright bike and recumbent bike are popular for home fitness because they are low impact and good for muscle building and calories burning. Even a study found that 45-minute vigorous riding can increase metabolic rate for 14 hours.

What is a upright bike?

An upright bike is a type of stationary exercise bike that resembles a traditional road bicycle in terms of its design and riding posture. Users sit in an upright position with the pedals positioned directly below the body, much like a standard outdoor bike.

What is a recumbent bike?

A recumbent bike is a type of stationary exercise bike that features a reclining position. The seat is larger and more comfortable, with a supportive backrest. Users pedal from this reclined position, which distributes body weight more comfortably and reduces stress on the back and joints.

Recumbent bike vs upright bike

There are several key differences between upright and recumbent bike that can help determine which one is right for you. Here are a few key points to consider:

Riding experience

The main difference between these two seated bikes is the riding experience.

The upright bike forces you to ride like a regular bike, requires your core muscles to stabilize your spine and maintain balance. Holding yourself in an upright position on a small seat and lack of backrest may lead to discomfort.

The recumbent bicycle allows one to sit on it like an office chair. This makes it an ideal bike for those who suffer from back injuries; as you recline on the bike, you can use your feet to recycle. Therefore, you are unlikely to feel uncomfortable even ride for a long time.

Which bike comes with better riding experience depends on you’re after a vigorous session or a comfortable ride.

Winner: Tie

Comfort

The recumbent bikes feature a large, cushioned reclined seat and a backrest. The sitting position alleviates strain on the back and glutes effectively. Plus, because the seat is behind the pedals instead of above, you don’t have to hold your upper body weight.

On the other hand, the upright bike requires users to sit in an upright position and pedal similar to a road bike. Because the pedal is right down the seat, your core muscles have to support body weight.

Winner: Recumbent bike

Safety

You need to maintain good balance during the whole workout on the upright bike and there is no protection around the seat. Therefore, you must be especially careful while riding to avoid falling off.

However, thanks to the large seat and backrest, you can sit firmly on the recumbent bike. With the handles on both sides of the seat and near the console, you never have to worry about the risk of falling off the machine.

Additionally, since a recumbent bike sits closer to the ground, it also has a lower center of gravity, which can be beneficial to those with balance problems.

Winner: Recumbent bike

Size

The recumbent bikes are obviously bigger and take up more space than the upright bikes because of the design. It is critical to take space into account when purchasing one.

Winner: Upright bike

Price

The price difference between upright and recumbent bikes is quite close, as long as they are from same series. If we are comparing them from the same level, normally upright bikes tend to be cheaper because they are smaller in size and not as comfortable as recumbent bikes while exercising.

Winner: Upright bike

Workout intensity

Upright bikes position you similarly to a traditional bicycle, promoting a more intense workout because you can stand up on the pedals and put more force into your cycling, engaging more muscle groups, especially in the upper body and core.

On the other hand, recumbent bikes feature a reclined seating position with back support, which leads to no need to engage core muscles and tends to focus the exercise more on the lower body.

Winner: Upright bike

Console & Programs

Normally the upright bike and recumbent bike come with same console if the manufacturer launch them in the same series. That case the monitor will not be a factor to consider.

However, it’s very likely you are choosing bike from different brands, then the console can have big differences. Below you can find the main features of the consoles at different levels:

You need to choose the console you like and make sure you have extra room near the power socket in your house if you are not getting the entry-level bikes.

Winner: Tie

Resistance

Upright and recumbent bikes use magnetic resistance and it’s fully covered so you don’t need to worry about maintenance. The only decision you need to make is that you prefer adjust the resistance manually or let the computer do it for you.

Winner: Tie

Weight capacity

Whether it’s an upright or a recumbent bike, both offer good weight capacity. You can find bikes on the market that supports from 100 kg to 150 kg, depending on your budget.

Winner: Tie

Extra features

The is no extra features can be found on the upright bike and recumbent bike. Basically, the extra features depend on your budget because only those expensive bikes will come with nice speakers, wireless charger and a variety of on-demand and live online classes.

Winner: Tie

Recumbent bike vs upright bike: Verdict

Time is money, if you simply want to check which one is better in certain aspect, here’s the information you need!

Recumbent bike vs upright bike: Which is better?

Both recumbent bike and upright bike are popular home fitness equipment because they are low-impact, affordable and offer great cardiovascular benefits. You need to choose the one based on the available space, budget, physical limitations, etc.

Does upright bike or recumbent bike burn more calories?

Calorie burn is heavily determined by the intensity and duration of the workout.

An upright bike tends to burn more calories compared to a recumbent bike during the same workout period. This is because riding an upright bike involves more of the body’s muscles, including the core and upper body, as you need to maintain balance and posture. This full-body engagement results in a higher overall energy expenditure.

On the other hand, a recumbent bike provides a more relaxed posture with back support, focusing mainly on the leg muscles, and generally leads to a slightly lower calorie burn.

Overall, the actual calories burned can vary significantly based on the intensity and the individual’s body weight and fitness level. Surprisingly, the recumbent bicycle can be just as effective as the upright bicycle.

Should I buy an upright bike or a recumbent bike?

It is a personal decision that is greatly influenced by the type of things you are going to do with the exercise bike. Here are some examples to help you decide:

• If you are older adults or recovering from injury, suffer from balance problems, want to put less stress on the knee and hip joints or simply look for casual exercise experience, recumbent bike is the best choice.
• If you don’t have a big room to exercise, prefer natural riding position and more effective workout or have no back and knee issues, upright bike is the best choice.

Conclusion

Both stationary exercise bikes can be effective but each has their own purpose. It’s important to understand your goal and priority to determine the best bike to fit your needs.

Finally, keep in mind that either bike is better than doing nothing as long as you’re getting your body moving.