So, you’ve decided to start cycling with the aid of a bike trainer, but where to start?
We’ve done the research and tested some of the best exercise bikes on the market. Read on to learn what to look for when you buy a bike trainer, a list of our top picks, and our buying guide.
There are very few exercises as healthy, fun, and low-impact as riding a bike for heavier people.
Problem is, if you’re a big person, only a heavy-duty exercise bike will suffice…
All the rest cannot support your extra pounds and could even be dangerous to ride.
If you’re looking for a good quality exercise bike for a heavy person, I have some good news:
I have been scouring the markets and I have narrowed it down to the best 5 heavy-duty exercise bikes for big and heavy people.
| Exercise Bike | Capacity | Resistance Levels | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exerpeutic Gold Exercise Bike | 400 lbs | 8 | View |
| Schwinn 170 Upright Bike | 300 lbs | 20 | View |
| Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Bike | 300 lbs | 8 | View |
| Exerpeutic Gold 575 XLS | 400 lbs | 16 | View |
| Nautilus Upright Bike | 300 lbs | 25 | View |
Read on to meet them plus my eye-opening shopping tips to help you select an ideal exercise bike for your needs.
First up, the basics for the benefit of beginners to exercise bikes for big and tall people.
Best Exercise Bike for Heavy Guys Reviews
Consider the following best heavy-duty exercise bikes if the idea of visiting a crowded gym gives you a cold sweat.
As mentioned earlier, I spent some time looking at what the market currently offers before arriving at this shortlist.
Take a look:
Exerpeutic Gold Foldable Exercise Bike with 400 lbs. Weight Capacity
The first exercise bike to get my heart pumping for all the right reasons was this foldable option from Exerpeutic, one of the fastest-growing brands in the health equipment industry.
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The upright bike has 20% more steel than peers and is designed to help you get 100% out of every session.
It’s my most recommended choice for those looking for a bike with 400 lbs weight capacity.
Features
This has everything to become an effective personalized home gym.
The steel frame constructed exercise bike features an 8-level magnetic tension control system so you get to choose an easier/more challenging workout depending on your workout goals.
Its ultra-large and super comfortable seat will cushion your tooshie.
Plus, you can easily adjust it to fit your taller frame (it supports guys between 5’1 -6’5 inches tall).
Your workout will be more productive because you can track everything- calories burned, time, speed, distance covered, pulse rate, and more from the large LCD display.
I also loved that the best exercise bike for an obese person folds to about 1/2 its size for easier storage.
Pros
- Quite big and tall.
- A breeze to set up.
- High-quality product.
Cons
- A bit heavy to move around.
Related: Best Plus Size Waist Trainer for Weight Loss
Schwinn Upright Bike Series
This upright exercise gem by Schwinn bikes is popular with heavier people, who praise this quiet equipment for its contemporary design.
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In fact, very few of the big man exercise bike comes near this when it comes to modernization.
It works well for guys up to 350 lbs.
Features
A couple of features make the Schwinn heavy-duty exercise bike stand out.
First, is its impressive programming- it comes with 22 thrilling workout programs!
And the screen is a dual-track (two screens) meaning you will follow the programs from the backlit LCD display along with the crucial stats.
You can as well track your performances from the Schwinn Trainer App.
Still, on its trendy features, it comes with extras such as a USB port and speakers for your cellphone/MP3 music input.
Then, it has a high inertia drive system that’s quieter than your usual bike- you could even watch TV as you ride.
Let’s talk comfort now and you’ll love this- you get a nicely padded (contoured) seat, padded handlebars (adjustable), smooth-riding pedals, and more.
A sturdy frame provides makes it a stable workout platform for large guys.
Pros
- Easy to assemble.
- Good price.
- Tons of user-friendly features.
Cons
- Wish the console had a touch screen instead of buttons.
Related: Best Elliptical Machines for Heavy Persons
Marcy Magnetic Recumbent heavy duty Bike NS-716R
This is hands down the best heavy-duty recumbent exercise bike for those that tip the scales at about 300 pounds.
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The unit features a fully adjustable seat to accommodate taller legs and a step-through frame that’s makes getting onto the bike less stressful.
Features
The highlights are foam-covered handlebars for maximum comfort and a steady grasp while you exercise.
There’s also the ergonomically designed seat (mold-injected) that supports your lower back to enable you to sweat it out for as long as you want.
Even your ankles and knees will be less stressed thanks to the bike’s smooth magnetic resistance wheel.
You can, of course, crank up the intensity – you have eight magnetic resistance levels- in a snap with the preset tension-adjustment knob.
Moving the bike around is not an issue either- it comes with freely-spinning transport wheels for this purpose.
Like the previous models, it has an LCD panel to help you keep an eye on all the key data during your workouts: speed, calories, time, distance, and more….simply touch the button to access them all.
In a nutshell, the bike is designed to give you a fun and hassle-free cycling experience.
Pros
- Nice built-in cup holder for beverages.
- Super soft handlebars.
- Easy to transport.
Cons
- Instructions not very clear.
Related: Best Spin Bike for a Heavy Person
Exerpeutic Gold 575 XLS Folding Upright Exercise Bike, 400lb
Exerpeutic makes another appearance with this crazily sturdy and strong bike (400-pound capacity).
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It’s has been attracting raving reviews from heavier users and after checking it out, I agree that this is one of the most delightful bikes to come from Exerpeutic.
Features
The collection of magical features in this bike makes it a compelling choice.
To name but a few, the heavy-duty folding exercise bike boasts of 21 preset training programs, a 16-level magnetic control tension system, 3-goal workout settings, and an amazing backlit LCD computer.
Most importantly, it includes a smart Bluetooth technology app (free) to help you monitor your workout results from the phone.
The other attractions are a space-saving folding design, an easy-to-get on/off the frame, a high resilience steel frame construction (again with 20% more steel), and a massive, cozy seat (nicely cushioned).
And I should add that it comes with a precision-balanced flywheel together with a V-belt drive so you’re guaranteed a silent operation (you don’t want to wake up the kids when working out at dawn).
Easy transportation wheels and a built-in tablet/smartphone holder rounds off what is a very thoughtfully designed bike.
Pros
- Folds for Storage
- Simple set-up.
- Free app.
Cons
- Not much to complain about.
Related: How Long Should I Use an Exercise Bike For
Nautilus Upright Bike Series
A tech-savvy alternative, this lets you ride around the World app digitally and immerse yourself in some of the most stunning cycling courses, trails, and exotic locales across the globe.
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It’s another useful option for those hunting for an ideal exercise bike 300 lb weight capacity.
Features
The Nautilus Upright Bike provides 29 cracking training programs so you can pursue a healthy mixture of weight loss programs, interval training, and cardiovascular exercises.
This programmable exercise bike even lets you create a training program geared to your unique fitness goals- maybe you want to shift calories faster, build endurance, or tone muscles.
You can do much more if you pay for the World app subscription including exploring fun adventures interactively.
The enhanced Bluetooth connectivity lets you set and watch your scores from the intuitive app-based tools.
This time you get even more workout intensity options to help you quickly smash your goals– it offers an eye-catching 25 resistance levels, more than everyone else on this list.
As always with bikes at this level startup is smooth and easy and you have the high-speed, high inertia drive system to thank for this.
Pros
- Saves and recalls session data.
- Small footprint.
- Highest number of resistance levels.
Cons
- Some directions not clear.
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What is an exercise bike?
An exercise bike is simply a special bike that won’t move to mean you can exercise right in your apartment.
Notably, these types of bikes are easier to use than conventional bikes or equipment like heavy-duty treadmills.
Besides, they nowadays come with advanced features such as built-in heart rate monitors, customizable fitness programs like iFit, cooling fans, and more for your convenience.
Next, I disclose the biggest advantage of owning an exercise bike.
Related: Heavy Duty Mats for Treadmills
Why consider an exercise bike?
Now, as hinted above, you can use this bike indoors.
And that’s big news because unlike the gym, nobody will be eyeballing you in the privacy of your home just because you’re overweight (it’s deplorable but it happens out there!).
Something else: you get to escape the traffic or weather stress that makes traveling to the gym a pain.
Of course, cycling regularly is a fantastic way to get rid of the harmful sedentary lifestyle.
Indeed, according to Harvard University medical school, riding is one of the most beneficial heart exercises…it’s good for your heart, muscles, bones, endurance, etc.
What’s more, a 2010 study discovered that indoor cycling is effective in burning body fat and reducing body weight when combined with low-calorie diets.
In short, a heavy-duty exercise bike can be your one-stop workout shop.
Types of Exercise Eikes
Several types of these stationary bikes exist as I explain below:
Heavy-duty Upright exercise Bikes
This adopts a design that’s very close to traditional bicycles.
You actually sit upright – just like in normal bikes- and hold onto its handlebars as you ride. Because of this construction, they give you a whole-body workout.
Heavy-duty Recumbent exercise Bike
This exercise bike for a heavy person is uniquely built to have you sit closer to the ground when cycling- the seat is set lowly – for more comfort.
Additionally, you can recline on the back of the seat for enhanced support.
You easily reach the pedals because they’re in front of the rider and not below.
On the whole, it’s considered to be the most comfortable and supportive type of exercise bike.
Heavy-duty Fan/Air Bikes
These are unique in that they make you remain cool as you pedal harder because of the air resistance system (have fans).
Most of them let you adjust the tension level with the resistance knob meaning you can set your desired exercise intensity.
Heavy-duty Indoor Cycles
These are nearer to upright bikes than recumbent bikes but have a few construction differences.
For instance, you sit more forward as the handlebars are a bit farther than in upright exercise bikes.
The other outstanding thing about them is that some allow you to stand while biking to accelerate fat burning.
Overall, this construction helps your sweat more and get into shape faster.
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Exercise Bike Buying Guide
So, you’ve decided to start cycling with the aid of a bike trainer, but where to start? We’ve done the research and tested some of the best exercise bikes on the market. Read on to learn what to look for when you buy a bike trainer, a list of our top ten picks, and our buying guide.
Apart from choosing an ideal type of exercise, there are other things that matter when shopping for a heavy-duty exercise bike.
Here is a summarized explanation of these essentials.
Ergonomic features
Things like an ergonomically designed seat, pedals, and handlebars will keep strains such as stiffness of your back and muscle aches at bay as you sweat it out.
Contemporary features
Vitals like an easy digital monitor, customizable workout plans, pulse sensor, and the like makes the bike friendlier to use and more convenient.
It’s a good idea to settle for a bike with niceties like USB charging ports (for your devices)
MP3 input (you can listen to your favorite playlist while working out), and even a supporting workout phone App (needs Bluetooth connectivity).
Safety considerations
Look for additions such as anti-slip handlebars and footpad platforms unless you want to slip and fall when pedaling hard.
Also useful could be extras such as leg stabilizers- the bike won’t tip, rock, or sway dangerously on carpets or hardwood floors.
Bike dimensions
A compact unit makes more sense if your apartment is pretty constrained.
Some are so small they fit easily into any tiny space including bedrooms.
A small-sized model is also obviously much easier to pack away.
Related: Best Rowing Machines for Heavy People
Weight limit
Another thing that’s so crucial is its recommended weight limit.
This depends on your weight and it’s pretty straightforward… Go for the best exercise bike for a heavy person with a 350 lb weight capacity if you’re 350 lbs (or thereabout).
Likewise, pick an exercise bike with 450 lb capacity if you’re at that range. And so forth.
I should add that I have seen a few giants capable of supporting over 650 lbs. if you’re looking for an exercise bike with 600 lb capacity.
Overall construction
The last question that arises is how heavy duty is the construction?
To be sure of maximum support and comfort for your plus-size body, look out for features like a reinforced (and oversized) seat, wide platform pedals, a strengthened frame, etc.
Related: Best 300lb Man Bike
Final word
Although an exercise bike might seem like a simple gift, it is actually one of the best gift ideas for a fitness-minded person in your life. A person who has a gym membership or goes to workout classes regularly may not have the time to exercise optimally, but the best exercise bike for plus size can allow him or her to bring a high-intensity training routine to their home, and work out for as long as time allows.
Whatever your goal -maybe you want to shift calories, blitz fat, or just get into top shape- cycling could be the best starting point because of its low impact.
Having a heavy-duty exercise bike in your home is a superb way to get into cycling because you can do it right from your apartment meaning you escape the stressful gym trips (and of course, the monthly subscription).
This guide should point you in the right direction and help you get a bike with a track record of performance, durability, and hopefully, fun to ride.
It could be a priceless investment.