What is a Good Exercise Bike for Seniors?

You're never too old to exercise. In fact, the older you get, the more important it is to stay active. Bicycling is a great cardiovascular exercise, but it can be a bit dangerous for seniors. One wrong turn and you could end up with a broken hip. That's not to say, however, that seniors can't get exercise on a bike. They just have to be especially careful. When someone asks me what a good exercise bike for seniors is, I always tell them a recumbent bicycle is the best choice.

Recumbent Bicycle

A recumbent bicycle is a bike you ride in a reclined position. Think paddleboat. In fact, it's almost exactly like riding a paddleboat, just on wheels. If you're really looking for the absolute safest option, I recommend a station recumbent bike. But if you're after the open air and a little adventure, a regular recumbent is still a safe option, too.

Pros

Recumbent bicycles offer many pros for seniors. For one, the chance of falling on a recumbent bike is minimal. The chance of fall of a stationary recumbent bike is nada, zip, zero, zilch. This is all because of the fact that you are in a reclined position instead of an upright one. In the reclined position you don't have to balance yourself. Many recumbent bikes also have three wheels - one in the front and tow in the back like a tricycle. This further eliminates the need for balance and the risk of falling. I should also mention most recumbent bikes also have a deep bucket seat that also keeps securely on, or should I say, in the bike.

Another pro that recumbent bikes have is that they are a low-impact form of exercise, which means there is little chance of you injuring your knees - something seniors should always be concerned about.

Cons

There really aren't many cons to list when talking about recumbent bikes. Pedaling in the reclined position might feel a little bit awkward at first if you're only used to riding an upright bicycle. You have to try not to get carried away on a recumbent bike. What I mean is, because you can push your back against the seat, it is easy to start pedaling with too much force, and that's when you'll run into knee problems. But as long as you take it east, you have nothing to worry about. Lastly, going up steep hills can be a bit of a challenge.

Sources:

http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7789

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/FancyBikes.htm

http://www.allexercisebikes.net/recumbent-exercise-bikes.html