Best Exercise Bikes for Seniors

Types of exercise bikes

There’s a wide variety of exercise bikes to choose from, with the upright type being the most common. Its pedals are directly below the body, making the bike appropriate for prolonged cardio exercise. Unfortunately, an upright stationary bike tends to cause leg, hand, and wrist discomfort due to its positioning, making it less ideal for seniors with joint or back problems.

Indoor – or spin–bikes are similar, but the handles are further from the seat so that the rider leans forward while pedaling. Additionally, the rider can stand to stretch their legs, which is beneficial for seniors who experience numbness in their limbs. A significant downside is that this bike’s flywheel and pedals keep spinning after the rider stops pedaling, which can lead to injury for people with reduced mobility.

A recumbent bike is more advanced. Its seat is placed low down and further back, while it has handles both by the seat and in front. This makes for a flexible seating position and offers back support.

Finally, the air bike has a fan instead of a flywheel to imitate the wind while pedaling. This exercise bike is perfect for seniors needing to stay cool due to heart problems or because they live in a hot climate.

Features to look for in a senior-friendly stationary bike

Choosing a stationary bike may prove tricky but one feature that can help you decide is to look at types of resistance. Bikes with direct contact resistance use brake pads to produce high resistance. However, the resistance remains static, and the high maintenance it requires is a little discouraging. Magnetic and air-based resistance are highly advanced, using a magnetic field and a fan, respectively. In both cases, the harder you pedal, the greater the resistance.

Another means of choosing a bike is to look at whether the bike uses digital technology and apps to monitor heart rates. It’s also important whether the seat and handles are adjustable, preferably with an auto-adjust feature, so that they adapt to the rider’s height and weight. An exercise bike must be comfortable, too, since sitting can be downright painful if the seat is low quality. It shouldn’t be too heavy either, so it’s possible to easily put it away. Last but not least, it needs a water bottle holder, as well as a way of keeping your phone within close reach.

Safe exercise bike workouts with a fall alert button

No matter what sports a senior pursues, accidents can happen, and this is true for cycling in an exercise bike too. Even if they’re not particularly heavy, moving a bike can be a problem after a certain age, and the person may hurt their back or even fall. The latter can also occur while exercising, especially if the senior doesn’t stay well hydrated. Fortunately, you can count on medical alert systems to help. The most common is to have a wearable device, such as a necklace or bracelet, which allows seniors to get help with a button press. However, this feature can be improved by adding fall detection. The fall alert button comes with a sensor that detects when the user falls, calling the care team automatically. This way, seniors get help even if they lose consciousness. For people who don’t want to wear a medical alert button, it’s recommended to try out medical alert system smartwatches like MGMove. In addition to being more fashionable, these advanced medical alert system devices come with built-in apps like weather forecasts and messaging.