The Best Recumbent Bikes for Comfortable Cardio at Home

If you’re looking for the recumbent bike that best balances elements of simplicity and capability, we wager you’ll find it in Schwinn’s 290. Not only does this bike come with a crisp seven-inch display for tracking all your favorite metrics, but it also comes stock with hundreds of virtual courses that auto-adjust your bike's resistance for an immersive, hands-free experience.

Neat finishing touches include USB charging ports, bluetooth speakers, and even a ventilated seat, and the whole package sits well below the $1,000 mark.

Just because you’re on a limited budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of a recumbent bike. This Sunny Health & Fitness bike is inexpensive, but it still provides useful features like a pulse sensor, self-leveling pedals, and eight levels of resistance.

The lightweight frame and its integrated wheels make it easy to roll around, whether you’re wheeling it into a closet or moving it behind the couch. This bike isn’t as durable as heavier-duty models, though, so if you’re looking for something to tackle daily long-distance rides, you may need to spring for a more expensive option.

Want an exercise bike that pulls out all the stops, giving you everything you need on one crystal-clear display? The R35’s 14-inch screen is stuffed to the gills with workouts that auto-adjust your resistance on the fly, and it’s flanked on the top and bottom by a large Bluetooth speaker and a built-in fan, respectively.

This bike is also dead quiet thanks to its top-tier magnetic resistance system, making it a perfect option if generating lots of sound is something you’d prefer to avoid (looking at you, fellow apartment-dwellers!).

If you’re not interested in the bells and whistles of higher-end models and you just want a basic bike for simple workouts, this Marcy model could be the perfect fit. Its stripped down controls—just three buttons—are great for users who don’t like to decode cluttered control panels.

Despite its simple setup, this model still provides a good amount of data, including workout time, speed, distance, calories burned, and an odometer—more than enough for the casual user. Plus, at 86 pounds, it’s still relatively easy to assemble and move around.

If you’re short on space or simply want to stow your bike away when you’re done using it, consider this Ativafit folding bike. Its X-shaped design provides a sturdy foundation while you exercise while also allowing for an extra slim profile when folded up.

A pair of front wheels, combined with a low 42-pound weight, makes it easy to roll from room to room if you like. Keep in mind, though, that the maximum user weight of this bike is just 265 pounds, which is lower than most of the other options on our list.

Looking to add some upper-body resistance to maximize the efficiency of your cycling workout? The revolving handlebars on this Sunny Health & Fitness model allow you to pump your arms as you pedal, and they feature adjustable resistance settings, just like the lower half.

If you like, you can also forgo the pedaling altogether and simply plant your feet on the floor to specifically target your arms and shoulders. A digital monitor provides up-to-date workout info, and a handy device holder allows you to easily watch movies or TV shows on your phone or tablet.