The best recumbent bikes in 2025
Overview
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Table of Contents
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It's that time of year when we're all looking to get back in shape. And there are two very good reasons to do it via an exercise bike. Exercise bikes provide a great home cardio workout and put much less strain on your joints than running on a treadmill.
If your joints are a concern, or you're just getting started, why not try a recumbent bike? They suit beginners, seniors, or anyone who doesn't want to put much pressure or weight on their knees and hips.
For many of us though, fitness is a whole new world. It's hard to know where to start. Don't worry, we're here to help. Here's all the information you need to ride.
What is a recumbent bike?
An upright bike is what you typically think of when you picture a stationary bike. You ride it like a normal bicycle, with your body straight up and down. Think of a Peloton. A recumbent bike is an exercise bike that positions you in a reclined form while pedalling. Think of it sort of like a rowing machine, but your feet pedal instead of your arms pulling back a cord. And unlike a typical stationary bike, the pedals are in front of your body rather than underneath it. Because you are leaning back, a recumbent bike can feel a bit awkward before you master it.
What are the benefits of a recumbent bike?
A recumbent bike has a larger seat more like a chair, so you avoid that uncomfortable soreness you'd typically get from a bike seat. The reclined position of the seat is easier on the lower back. Plus, most recumbent bikes have seat backs for more support than you'd find in an upright bike. You won't be hunched over handlebars like you would be on an upright exercise bike.
What features do recumbent bikes have?
It really comes down to design and resistance. Look at the design of the bike and think about how it's going to work with your body. If you have a bad back, you'll want a bike with a more supportive seat. While on the topic of seats: Short people, make sure the seat will slide to a position where your feet can reach the pedals comfortably. An exercise bike is worthless if you can't use it properly and safely.
The levels of resistance are also important. They will determine how tough your workout is, using magnetic friction that makes it harder to pedal. If you're new to the world of stationary biking, you can probably stick with lower resistance, but if you're a regular cycler, you're going to want those extra levels of restraint to get the most out of your workout. Other features to know about include preset workout programmes, app and music connectivity, and real-time stats. These features vary model to model.
What is the best recumbent bike?
Selecting the right bike for you can be tricky. We've tried to make your life a little easier by lining up a selection of the best models from top brands. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this list.
These are the best recumbent bikes to add to your home gym in 2025.
Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Bike
Best For Beginners
The Good & The Bad
- Entry level model
- Small footprint
- Built-in pulse sensor
- Device holder included
- Very basic
- Limited resistance
Why We Like It
If you're just get started with home fitness equipment, this Sunny Health & Fitness recumbent bike is a reliable model — and for an affordable price.
It's a straightforward design but not without a few extra features. It has an LCD monitor for tracking time, speed, distance, and calories, as well as pulse sensors built into the handlebars for monitoring your heart rate.
And while there's no app connectivity, it has a shelf for adding a smart device, so you can follow online workouts — or stream videos to help pass the time while you work your way through its eight levels of magnetic resistance.
Details
NordicTrack r8.9b
Best For Premium Features
The Good & The Bad
- Touchscreen tablet
- Silent magnetic resistance
- Built in workouts
- WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Interactive coaching via iFIT
- Premium model, premium price
- Needs space in the home
- iFit subscription costs
Why We Like It
If you're willing to spend big on a recumbent exercise bike, the NordicTrack r8.9b is pretty much the best of the best — a studio quality machine with all the techy bells and whistles.
It comes with a 10-inch tablet, which gives you the option of 15 built-in workouts for weight loss, speed interval and race training, hill climbs, and heart rate. You can also access interactive coaching via iFIT, a workout app with thousands of workouts, plus live sessions with top coaches.
The only real drawback is the cost, which is way above other options on this list, but that also means a reassuring quality in its tech and 24-level magnetic resistance system. This could be your home fitness game changer.
Details
JLL RE200
Best For Coaching
The Good & The Bad
- Displays six key metrics
- Padded seat
- Transportation wheels
- Bi-directional flywheel
- Easy to assemble
- Not the best for bigger users
Why We Like It
The JLL RE200 comes equipped with magnetic resistance and eight levels of tension so you can keep making progress towards your fitness goals.
Best of all, you can keep tabs on every aspect of your progress, thanks to a helpful monitor that tracks time, speed, calories burned, current distance, total distance, and pulse. It's basic, but all the vitals are there to plainly see.
Users get an adjustable seat, plus wheels that allow you to move this bike around your home gym. Some reviewers note that it’s not quite as comfortable for larger-sized people. Worth remembering if you need maximum comfort.
Details
Sunny Health & Fitness Cross Training Bike
Best For Full Body
The Good & The Bad
- Eight resistance levels
- Pulse sensors
- LCD display for stats
- Cross trainer handle bars
- Pricier end of the scale
Why We Like It
The Sunny Health & Fitness exercise bike comes with an adjustable seat, self levelling pedals, and other standard features to keep you comfortable.
It pulls ahead of the pack with a set of moving, cross trainer-style handlebars. These allow you to work your arms in motion with your legs, giving you an upper and lower body workout at the same time.
You can also maximise your workouts with a magnetic tension system, as well as tracking your progress on the LCD digital monitor. It's a great option for pretty much everyone, from beginners to fitness die-hards.
Details
ProForm 325 CSX
Best For Cooling Down
The Good & The Bad
- CoolAire 3-mode fan
- 30-day iFIT subscription
- Monitor for live stats
- Space-saving design
- Cushioned seat
- Device needed for iFIT
Why We Like It
The ProForm 325 CSX is definitely at the pricier end of our lineup, but it's also no slouch when it comes to serious fitness. This gym-quality bike gives you stats in real time plus a 22-level resistance system.
It comes with a free 30-day subscription to IFIT, which means lots of workouts and world-class coaches at your fingertips. It doesn't have a built-in tablet for viewing iFIT, but there's a shelf for adding your own smart device.
It also has a CoolAire fan system, with three options — low, medium, and high intensity — for staying cool no matter how hard, and for how long, you push those pedals. Overall, an excellent recumbent bike that's worth the extra money.
Details
Topics Health Fitness Tech Fitness Equipment
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.
