Recumbent exercise bikes are one of the best pieces of home gym equipment for seniors. The beauty of recumbent exercise bikes for seniors is that they are very low-impact, yet they help seniors burn calories and maintain muscle mass. In this guide, we share our five best-rated recumbent bikes for seniors, tips on how to select the right bike for you or your loved one, and reviews of each bike.

Our collection of bikes includes standard recumbent bikes and our top bike with arm movement. Arm movement allows seniors to get a decent arm workout with minimal resistance while riding the bike. The movement is similar to what you’ll find in a tabletop arm exerciser, except the machine combines that function with a bike. We really like this type of recumbent for seniors to ensure they get a total-body workout while putting minimal stress on their joints.

Below, we share a helpful table of our five top picks that lists the most important specs to consider for each model. After the table, you’ll find our more in-depth reviews and the pros & cons to consider before making your final decision.

Top 5 Recumbent Exercise Bikes for Seniors

Recumbent Bike for Seniors Reviews

The five bikes in our guide offer you a wide price range from very affordable to well-priced commercial-quality. When it comes to basic home exercise equipment that’s reliable, we like Exerpeutic, Sunny Health & Fitness, and Marcy products.

As you move up the price ladder, you’ll find recumbent bikes that are loaded with more features for seniors who plan to use their bikes often. It’s also important to consider whether you’re buying the bike for an elderly relative or a fresh senior who still has some pep in his or her step.

Below, we share our reviews of each bike from the chart above to give you a clearer idea of what to expect from each model before you make your final decision.

#1) Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike with Resistance

Of the five bikes in this guide, Marcy’s recumbent is the most affordable at the time of this writing, and it’s enough bike to get the job done for most seniors. For seniors who don’t require or desire all the bells & whistles offered by 3G or PhysioCycle, Marcy’s budget recumbent bike is an excellent choice. The bike itself is basic, easy to use, easy to move around, and offers enough functionality to get a good workout.

Several of the features we like the most for seniors and the elderly are the step-through design that makes the bike very easy to mount/dismount, the basic onboard computer with easy-to-read numbers, the large comfortable seat with side handles, and the simple tension control knob.

Additional highlights are the lightweight frame compared to heavier duty bikes, transport wheels, and the easily-adjustable seat offers an inseam range of 27″ to 37″ to accommodate both short and tall folks. However, seniors who are 5’2″ or shorter will most likely find that this bike does not accommodate them depending on inseam length.

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#2) PhysioCycle XT Recumbent Cycle & UBE Trainer

We really love the PhysioCycle XT. Overall, it’s the best recumbent bike with arm exercisers for seniors. The very first thing you’ll notice when you sit on this bike is just how comfortable it is compared to a budget recumbent bike. Unlike the Marcy bike, PhysioCycle’s XT-800 uses an angled seat rail for adjustments. We really like this feature because it accounts for vertical and horizontal changes between users in a single adjustment.

Next, similar to the Marcy bike, the PhysioCycle features a step-through frame that makes getting on and off the seat easier for seniors and the elderly. Once the user mounts the seat, the sturdy handlebars feature pulse sensors to ensure the user’s heart rate stays within the recommended target heart rate during the duration of the exercise.

Several of the premium features we like in this machine are the onboard training programs, the LCD display that’s closer to the user’s face, and of course, the arm exercisers with verticle handles that turn this workout into an excellent full-body cardio workout for seniors.

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#3) Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike

If you’re in the market for a good mid-range option, the SF-RB4616 model by Sunny Health & Fitness is the best recumbent bike under 300 (at the time of this writing). A couple of features that you may like more in this bike than the Marcy recumbent are the larger padded seat and the onboard pulse sensor.

One key difference between this bike and the Marcy bike to consider is the minimum inseam length. The Marcy bike offers a minimum inseam length of 27″ while this bike is 29″ minimum. Considering the Marcy bike is too big for some people who are 5’2″ or shorter, this bike is not the best option for users 5’2″ or shorter. However, one advantage for shorter folks is that the seat rail does slightly decline as you adjust the seat, unlike the Marcy seat that remains the same height for all users.

Lastly, the Sunny bike is the lightest bike in our guide, and the transport wheels make it easy to move. Also, it features a step-through frame similar to the two bikes above to make it easier to mount for seniors. Although, we don’t like it as much as the Marcy and PhysioCycle bikes because of the positioning of the vertical support bar beneath the seat.

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#4) 3G Cardio Elite RB Recumbent Bike

The 3G Cardio Elite recumbent bike is about as close as it gets to owning a commercial-quality recumbent bike without forking out thousands of bucks. Of the five bikes in our guide, this bike offers the widest variety of options and premium features, which makes this machine a good choice for families with seniors who want to share and seniors who are looking for a better overall workout.

The most important highlight of this bike outside of its features is the level of comfort. Of the bikes in this guide, the 3G and PhysioCycle models are easily the most comfortable. Additionally, this bike accommodates the widest range of heights from 5′ to 6’4″. Considering it’s hard to find a good cheap recumbent for folks under 5’2″, this bike is also one of the best recumbent bikes for short people.

Several of the features that make this bike great are the contoured seat, the narrower Q factor (distance between pedals) for a comfier ride, pulse sensors w/ included wireless heart rate strap, and last but not least, the adjustable backrest. One minor drawback is the frame – while being low-height step-thru – is not as easy to pass through as the three bikes above.

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#5) Exerpeutic 5000 Magnetic Recumbent with Airsoft seat

The final recumbent bike in our guide is the Exerpeutic 5000. Overall, this is a really great bike for the money, and you’ll most likely find that it gives you the most bang for your buck of the bikes in this guide. The structure of the bike is very similar to what Marcy offers, though, this bike does feature a hand pulse sensor for heart rate monitoring.

A couple of things that are worth noting are the seat and user height range. Of the five bikes in this guide, the Exerpeutic 5000 seat is one of the most comfortable. Also, the minimum user height is 5’3″, which is higher than the Sunny and Marcy budget recumbent bikes.

One thing we do love about Exerpeutic exercise bikes is the reliably smooth and quiet cranking system. The V-belt drive system makes this bike a good choice for seniors who want a quiet recumbent to use while watching TV or listening to music. Finally, we like the step-through frame in this bike more than the Sunny Health & Fitness model because there’s no vertical support bar poking out.

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Bottom Line

These five models are currently our best-rated recumbent bikes for seniors. Marcy, Sunny Health & Fitness, and Exerpuetic are all great budget brands that stand behind their equipment. The models featured in our guide all feature step-through frames, they’re lightweight, and all the controls are easy to use for seniors.

For families who desire a bike for the whole family to use including senior and elderly family members, the 3G bike is a tough one to beat for the money. Lastly, the PhysioCycle is an excellent option for seniors who want a recumbent bike with arm exercisers to get a low-impact, total-body workout.

Return to Our Top 5 Chart