Hi guys, I have been down this road before, hired an exercise bike and sent it back due to too much pain from spine/knees/ankles/wrists/shoulders etc etc, you know how it is!!!! Anyway, I have decided I am not going to give in as I like exercise and its benefits too much, my question is recumbent or upright exercise bicycle, they both cause pain but I guess I just do it at the best "lowest pain" time of the day! Opinions would be very welcome. I am swimming every other day so hopefully that may counteract the spinal pain too. I am about to have the rhizotomy (nerve burning) in the spine next week so that should help too! Thanks in advance, Janie.
Hi Janie...I have a recumbent bike that I try to use twice a day. For me, the worst part of being on the bike is boredom. So what I've done is have my bike right along side of my computer desk so I can go online and play some online euchre games or do some surfing online. The time goes by much faster for me when I have something to do while riding.
As far as pain goes, I never skip my biking when I'm sore. For me, I find I actually feel better when I bike through the pain.
Good for you with the swimming!
Thanks Kel, great ideas, I will give them a try. Do you reckon the recumbent is as good as the other type? Janie.
I definitely prefer the recumbent bike...plus, with the recumbent, it puts my arm at the right level to be on my computer desk. I wouldn't be able to with the upright type bike.I have a Schwinn 240 recumbent bike. Less than 50 miles on it. It sits in my home office in front of the television.
I actually bought the Schwinn 230 but a day before delivery I was told they had no more in stock and if I'd take the 240 [the newest version] they'd give it to me for the same price. I did. They delivered when I was away on business. I came home tried the bike out, and it seemed fine. I was going into flare mode so I wasn't really keen to exercise. Still, over a period of days I logged in maybe 25 miles.
Then I was deep into flare [not the bike's fault]. And my back was killing me and I blamed it on the flare. After all, I'm a "pro" on recumbent bikes as my physical therapist always warms me up on one.
So the flare subsided after a couple months. No back pain. So I got on the bike again. In a couple days I have the darned lower back ache again. I go to see orth surgeon and it turns out I have Degenerative Disc Disease, prdominantly in the lumbar region.
So at this point I'm still not sure it's the bike. Am at the physical therapist's office and she asked about the seat - how tall from the ground [with respect to the pedals]. Turns out pedal position is the same on both bikes. But the seat on my bike at home is almost 7" lower than the bike in the therapist's gym. No wonder my back is killing me - my lower back muscles are being stretched. So I go home and try to raise the seat. No way, no how.
I call Schwinn - sheesh, getting through to them is horrendous. Anyway, no they won't take the bike back. I let them have a good piece of my mind and blast of verbiage fit for a longshoreman. [It takes a lot to push my buttons but when they're pushed, look out!]
So here I have a 0 bike with 50 miles on it. What to do.
AHA! Stroke of genius. I bought a plank of 2X6 wood, had it cut in four pieces, stacked it, drilled a huge screw through the 4 pieces and put it under the rear axle. This lifted the seat to the desired height. And no, I don't slide off.
So my points:
~ Don't buy a model without test driving it, no matter what kind of deal.
~ Always get a recumbent - easier on the back [believe it or not].
~ always check to see that you can move the seat front and back and up and down.
Sam12342010-03-03 12:18:03Thanks Sam for the great info. I am actually hiring a new one from a local chemist and each rental payment comes off of the sale price, so I can pay in instalments and if its the wrong model while renting it, they will change it around until I find the right one, how cool is that? Plus they deliver for free!!!!! I am getting excited as I will be able to wear sports gear again!!!!Janie,
Such a deal! Wish I had had such an option. Get out the exercise clothes!
I think it depends on where you have pain. I ride an upright bike when my knees are achy. When my upper body is positioned over my legs it seems to put less pressure on my knees. However, I tend to lean on the arm rails and that bothers my elbows and shoulders. RA aside, I have a recumbent bike at home but prefer the upright at the gym.I just like the clothes part ;)
(good luck on the bike and exercise)
I know its late to add my 2 cents, but, ya know, I will anyway!
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