Recumbent bike is a lockdown saviour
A feature of lockdown life has been home workouts, a trend which has led to a recumbent bike entering my life.
In layman’s terms, a recumbent bike basically looks like a more laidback version of your usual (upright) exercise bike.
A key benefit over these more familiar upright machines is a better targeting of the hamstrings, something I have issues with in the current colder weather.
I’ve seen them at the gym before and wondered – why not just get on a normal exercise bike? Recumbent bikes often seemed to be used by older customers and if anything, to me they look more difficult to use.
The recumbent bike that attracts birds
Keeping fit is harder when you’re required to think and not just head out to the local gym. But the recumbent bike is proving a real boon. It sits outdoors, which means my morning rides are often accompanied by birdsong and regular flights from a host of birds.
Replacing the care of a personal trainer is the female blackbird, dropping by to check whether my speed is good and that I’m not slacking off. A downside is there’s not much coverage when the rain and wind starts coming in.
Its relatively small stature means it would fit in your home if you didn’t fancy facing the elements.
It’s a pretty straightforward system to work out. Many fitness machines in gyms start by self-powering them. This recumbent bike is no different and the small on-board computer kicks in as soon as you get the pedals moving.
There is a range of incline challenges. Set the dial to one and you stay fast and flat. Moving up gradual increases to setting number six and you’ll be sporting Chris Hoy thighs in no time. Probably a bad back too. Incline use is definitely easier on a standard exercise bike.
Of course there are plenty of drills you can do to keep fit at home and I like to mix it up when not running through the winter chill.
Peloton is among many fitness equipment providers to have seen sales rocket during the pandemic. Their monthly subscription model can certainly be a motivator to make best use of it.
But let’s not knock the simpler items. For sheer ease, a recumbent exercise bike is a worthwhile addition to your no doubt already burgeoning home fitness equipment range.