Need advice on recumbent exercise bike!

[Dave K.]

I'm searching for a recumbent exercise bike for my 73-year-old
mother. She doesn't want to spend a lot on a deluxe model (can
she get a decent one for $200 or less?), and she doesn't
particularly want the fancy computer-controlled resistance
programs, just a manual knob to control the resistance is
fine. She also wants one where the flywheel is fully enclosed,
so it's quieter, which rules out "fan" bikes.

I know we want to avoid the ultra-cheap models. I've seen a
few of the models under $150 at Sears and SportMart and
have noticed that they don't pedal smoothly at all. We've
also checked the used sports equipment stores, but all of
their models seem super expensive or super cheap ...
nothing in between.

Does anyone have tips on what to look for on a recumbent
exercise bike?

I've heard I should look for a heavy flywheel, but most bikes
I've seen don't list the weight off their flywheels. For
smoothness of pedaling, I've noticed that on the better ones,
if you pedal with little resistance and suddenly take your
feet off the pedals, the flywheel keeps turning for quite some
time. Is this because the flywheel is heavier, bigger, or just
made better? Does the size of the flywheel matter? On the
cheap models that don't pedal smoothly, when you pedal and
then take your feet off, the flywheel stops turning almost
immediately. The cheap models also seem to have smaller
flywheels. Is it better to have a bigger flywheel, or is the
weight of it more important?

What other features should we look for in a recumbent bike? Is
magnetic resistance the only way to go?

What brands of bikes offer good quality that doesn't
break the bank?

Is there anyplace on the Internet that offers good
exercise bikes at prices that you can't get locally,
either used or new?

Lastly, I see that SportMart has a Linex G3 x5.48 recumbent
magnetic bike (see http://www.sportmart.com/product/index.jsp-
?productId=1113989&cp&searchId=10334194576&keywords=linex+rec-
umbent&parentPage=search) on sale for $190, regularly $250. Is
this bike a good one for the price?

Thanks in advance for your help and tips!!

Dave K.

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[Homefitnes]

I have a tip-

Take her to your local fitness retailer (not Sears or Sports
Authority) and have her sit on the bikes. None of them will do
any good if they are uncomfortable and she can't sit on them
long enough to benefit.

You should be able to find a specialty retailer under Exercise
Equipment in your local yellow pages.

Hope that helps. "Dave K." <dave@REMOVEcompanynewsletters.com>
wrote in message news:vsut3ohaeqlmf2@corp.supernews.com...
> I'm searching for a recumbent exercise bike for my
> 73-year-old mother. She doesn't want to spend a lot on a
> deluxe model (can she get a decent one
for
> $200 or less?), and she doesn't particularly want the fancy
> computer-controlled resistance programs, just a manual knob
> to control the resistance is fine. She also wants one where
> the flywheel is fully
enclosed,
> so it's quieter, which rules out "fan" bikes.
>
> I know we want to avoid the ultra-cheap models. I've seen a
> few of the models under $150 at Sears and SportMart and have
> noticed that they don't pedal smoothly at all. We've also
> checked the used sports equipment
stores,
> but all of their models seem super expensive or super cheap
> ... nothing in between.
>
> Does anyone have tips on what to look for on a recumbent
> exercise bike?
>
> I've heard I should look for a heavy flywheel, but most
> bikes I've seen don't list the weight off their flywheels.
> For smoothness of pedaling,
I've
> noticed that on the better ones, if you pedal with little
> resistance and suddenly take your feet off the pedals, the
> flywheel keeps turning for
quite
> some time. Is this because the flywheel is heavier, bigger,
> or just made better? Does the size of the flywheel matter?
> On the cheap models that
don't
> pedal smoothly, when you pedal and then take your feet off,
> the flywheel stops turning almost immediately. The cheap
> models also seem to have
smaller
> flywheels. Is it better to have a bigger flywheel, or is the
> weight of it more important?
>
> What other features should we look for in a recumbent bike?
> Is magnetic resistance the only way to go?
>
> What brands of bikes offer good quality that doesn't break
> the bank?
>
> Is there anyplace on the Internet that offers good exercise
> bikes at
prices
> that you can't get locally, either used or new?
>
> Lastly, I see that SportMart has a Linex G3 x5.48 recumbent
> magnetic bike (see
>
http://www.sportmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=111398-
9&cp&searchId=10334194576&keywords=linex+recumbent&parentPa-
ge=search)
> on sale for $190, regularly $250. Is this bike a good one
> for the price?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help and tips!!
>
> Dave K.
>
>
> --
> NOTE: Please delete the word "REMOVE" from my e-mail address
> when
replying.
> This is a spam guard.