As we age, our activity levels begin to decline. This is seen as a natural process, but in some ways, it is more of a vicious cycle. We move less, therefore our metabolism slows our muscles atrophy and our fitness drops. If you can interrupt that cycle, you can completely reverse it. One way to do this safely is to use an exercise bike. Low impact, highly effective, and excellent for those with mobility issues, exercise bikes are ideal. In this article, we will attempt to find the best exercise bike for seniors.
What Makes an Ideal Exercise Bike for Seniors?
If you look at the list of exercise bikes we’ve recommended, you will see that all five are recumbent bikes. In our opinion, the recumbent exercise bike is the ideal cardio machine for seniors. They are comfortable, are easily accessible, and place no strain on your joints. We have assessed each recumbent bike based on the following criteria.
- Value – How much does the recumbent bike cost? How worthy is the bike of that price tag? It’s not just about finding the lowest priced option. An expensive recumbent bike that will last you decades is going to be better value for money than a cheap bike that falls apart after three uses. The bikes on our list represent a range of different prices, but each one represents (in our opinion) good value for money.
- Durability – How stable is the bike? How well can it withstand a high intensity cardio session? What is the max user weight capacity? How long will the exercise bike last? All of these questions are very important when reviewing an exercise bike, and all contribute to our durability score.
- Mobility – How easily can you move the bike? Not everyone can store their exercise bike in the same space as they use them. Meaning that a bike that can be transported across your home is going to be beneficial. We’ve rated each bike on how easy it is for a senior to move around the home.
- Installation – How easy is it to set your exercise bike up? There’s no point in spending money on an exercise bike if it is too difficult to install. No exercise bike is “easy” to set up, particularly if you have mobility issues of your own, but there are certainly bikes that are easier than others to set up straight from the box.
- Comfort – How safe and secure do you feel on your bike? Is the seat comfortable? Do you feel comfortable while riding the bike? It is vital for any exercise bike to be comfortable, otherwise the purchaser is not going to use it. We rate each bike on how comfortable they are to cycle for 30 minutes or more.
We have assigned a score out of five for each criterion, with a total score of twenty-five to judge the best stationary bike for seniors. Below we have our rankings table, where you can see how each bike does. After the table, we will go into detail on each stationary bike for seniors, helping you to make an informed decision.
Comparison Table
| Best Exercise Bike for Seniors | Value | Durability | Mobility | Installation | Comfort | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PooBoo Recumbent Bike | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 19/25 | Check Price |
| SNODE Recumbent Bike | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 19/25 | Check Price |
| Harison Recumbent Bike | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 22/25 | Check Price |
| Marcy Recumbent Bike | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 19/25 | Check Price |
| JEEKEE Recumbent Bike | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 19/25 | Check Price |
As you can see, the Harison Recumbent Bike is the highest scoring exercise bike for seniors on our list. It scores particularly well in value for money and durability. However, it is also the most expensive bike on this list. Check out the others if you have a lower budget.
We will now go into more detail on each bike, which should help you to find the perfect exercise bike for your specific needs.
Best Exercise Bike for Seniors #1: PooBoo Recumbent Bike
PooBoo are a fitness equipment company that focus on the lower priced end of the market, yet their products consistently punch above their weight. They aren’t fancy, but they get the job done. This is a well-constructed recumbent bike, with a stable frame.
We’ve scored it highly for value as we believe it is well worth the price tag. The only area where we marked it down was in mobility. While it is certainly possible to move it, thanks to wheels on the base, there is no handle to make this easy.
Installation is fairly easy, with clear instructions. Obviously, there are some large parts to move around, and you may need assistance. But the instruction manual is easy to follow, and the diagrams are pretty straightforward.
The seat is comfortable, and you should enjoy a comfortable ride even for long cycles that last an hour. Considering the price, this is a remarkably good product, and an excellent choice for seniors.
Best Exercise Bike for Seniors #2: SNODE Recumbent Bike
The SNODE recumbent bike is very similar to the PooBoo bike, but somehow it is even lower in price! There are a couple of things that are irritating about this bike. The fact that there is no slidable seat, so you have to adjust the whole machine is aggravating to say the least. But once you get the hang of it, this isn’t too big a deal. If you’re the only one using it, then it won’t affect you at all.
Transportation is another sticky area, with no handle to wheel your bike around the home. But it is still mobile, hence the 3/5 score. Those issues aside, this really is great value for money. It has a weight capacity of 300 lbs, which is around the industry average. It has 8 resistance levels, and iPad holder, and a decent 3PC crank.
The digital display is nothing special, but gets the job done, and considering the price it is pretty reasonable. We’ve given it a low score for comfort, as the seat is okay but nothing special, but overall the bike gets top marks for value for money. Simply down to its very low price and its high durability. If you are on a budget and want something that rides well, then the SNODE recumbent bike is an excellent choice.
Best Exercise Bike for Seniors #3: Harison Recumbent Bike
The Harison recumbent bike is the outstanding bike for seniors on our list, with perfect scores in value for money and for durability, and 4/5 scores in mobility, installation, and comfort. Yes, it is the most expensive bike on this list, but that’s mostly due to the other bikes being such bargains. Compared to most models, the Harison bike is mid-range.
The bike has a maximum user weight capacity of 350 lbs, and it also offers a decent 12-month warranty with free replacement if the bike is damaged. Their customer service also promises responses to any issue within 24 hours.
The seat is well made and comfortable, it is also fully adjustable, with heart rate monitors in the handles to help give you a better idea of how hard you are working. There are 14 levels of resistance, which allows you a much better variety of intensities to work out at.
It’s even fairly easy to transport around the house after use, with a well-placed handle making it much easier to carry. Installation is fairly easy, with a handy installation video provided, making it a lot easier to follow along with than the usual pictographs that most exercise equipment come with.
Overall, the Harison Recumbent Bike absolutely deserves to be our number one pick. Yes, it is more expensive than the other models, but it is still an absolute steal, and will last you a very long time.
Best Exercise Bike for Seniors #4: Marcy Recumbent Bike
The Marcy recumbent bike is a great low-budget recumbent bike that is well suited to seniors who want to get into exercise safely. It’s superb value for money, with a low price and excellent durability. Like the SNODE, it isn’t flashy, but does its intended job well.
There are 8 levels of resistance, a pretty decent LCD monitor, and the seat is both easily adjustable and comfortable. You can spend a little bit more and get a much nicer looking model from Marcy, but actually, the more boring looking bike actually has better durability, offering a 300 lb max user weight capacity, compared to 250 lbs.
It’s a little awkward to transport, no useful handle on this machine, but light enough that most seniors should manage it once they work out the best technique (lift with your knees or find someone to do it for you!).
Installation is straightforward, with a few confusing diagrams to decipher, but we’ve seen much worse from other bikes! This is overall a nice bike that is excellent value for money, will survive constant use, and doesn’t do anything flashy. A sensible choice for many people.
Best Exercise Bike for Seniors #5: JEEKEE Recumbent Bike
The final exercise bike on our list is the JEEKEE recumbent bike. It’s a decent product, at a very reasonable price. We’ve scored it 4s across the board, except for mobility which is a 3 due to the (now familiar) complaint that there is no handle to carry this bike by.
This is a highly durable bike and represents excellent value for money. It’s also surprisingly comfortable with a well-constructed seat, offering a lot of comfort and a decent heart rate monitor in the handles. There are 8 levels of resistance, and a max user capacity of 300 lbs. Overall this is a great bike for the price, and an excellent exercise bike for elderly users.
