Queen had an entire song about wanting to ride a bicycle, so it’s no surprise that these devices are popular exercise machines for people around the world. Unfortunately, bicycle riding outside is not always an option.
Short winter daylight hours, inclement weather, and route safety concerns all impede your ability to safely bike for exercise. When this happens, you can turn to stationary exercise bikes to fulfill your biking desires.
Since these machines are so common, a lot of different companies manufacture exercise bikes.
Exerpeutic 900xl vs 1000 – The Differences Explained
Among them are Exerpeutic, a fitness company which produces recumbent bikes. Two of their best-selling models are the 900xl and 1000, which will be reviewed below.
Before we do though, I want to quickly break down the importance of having a recumbent bike and the benefits. If you would rather skip the detailed info, below is the TOO LONG, DIDN'T READ where I point out the differences.
What's the Differences?
Bicycling for Health:
The act of cycling engages a lot of muscles throughout the body, making it one of the healthiest, yet lowest impact, activities available for individuals seeking to become stronger and healthier.
The Exploratorium, an educational website, notes that the most affected muscles are the quadriceps and hamstrings, but the shoulders, abdominals, and even triceps can also receive a workout since people must hold themselves up.
Some of the most notable health benefits of regular cycling include building muscle, increasing bone density, and improving the health of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
Many of these make sense, but increasing bone density? According to Harvard University, the force of muscles pulling on bones while pedaling actually encourages the bones to become thicker and stronger to handle the impact, which is great news for people lacking in vitamin D.
Cycling is also easy on the joints, making it a popular activity for individuals who suffer from arthritis or muscular weakness around their hips, knees, and ankles.
Activities like running are much higher impact, so cycling is often seen as a great way for people to exercise while giving their joints a break.
What is a Recumbent Bike:
However, sometimes regular cycling isn’t enough. Manufacturers make two different styles of exercise bike to suit athletes: upright and recumbent.
An upright bike is the type most people imagine – a bike with a high seat and low handlebars where the person riding must bend over slightly to maintain their posture.
A recumbent bike -- like the Exerpeutic models we’re reviewing below -- is different. On these, you sit significantly lower than the handlebars and have a wider seat to lean into.
This style causes less stress on the user’s back, spine, and even the hips, shoulders, and wrists.
You don’t have to watch the whole video, but this is an example of what a recumbent exercise bike will look like, as well as details on a few of the benefits.
Recumbent bikes are not a new invention; they have actually existed as long as the bicycle has.
Bicycle History explains that these designs took a long time to gain popularity, and once they started to break speed records, they were banned from monitored sporting events.
Although a stationary recumbent bike won’t break any records, it can make you more comfortable and ease a significant amount of pain.
What to look for in an Exercise Bike:
So long as the machine has pedals and a comfortable seat, there isn’t too much to look for in a bike.
However, you should consider your individual needs when purchasing a machine.
As you can see, there are relatively few things to consider when selecting your perfect exercise bike.
Now, let’s see what the primary differences are between the Exerpeutic 900xl and Exerpeutic 1000, two of the most popular stationary recumbent exercise bikes on the market today.
Exerpeutic 900xl Review
In corner one, standing at 54 x 22 x 34 inches and weighing 63lbs, is the Exerpeutic 900xl, a popular recumbent bike. Some of its most notable features include:
Overall, the Exerpeutic 900xl is a sturdy, reliable, budget-friendly option for individuals who want a simple exercise bike.
The one downside is that it lacks some of the benefits of a more technologically advanced model, like easily tailored resistance levels.
Exerpeutic 1000 Review
In corner two, standing at 54 x 22 x 34 inches and weighing 63lbs, is the Exerpeutic 1000, which is the newer model of the 900xl recumbent exercise bike.
The price is very comparable to the 900XL. If you think that the 900XL and 1000 look exactly the same, you are right. In many ways, the Exerpeutic 1000 is similar to its predecessor.
- Sliding Desktop: large fully adjustable desktop with tilt, forward, back, up and down adjustability for sitting or standing positions. 3 angle adjustments (0, 16 and 33 degrees), 5 height adjustments 41" up to 45". Storage Drawer. Arm rest. LCD Computer
- Patented XBike Desk and Exercise Semi-Recumbent Bicycle. 2.5" Thick large AirSoft seat with extra comfort. Adjustable to fit 51 to 63 user height
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs. Semi-recumbent design for comfortable, effective workouts
- Folds up for storage. The bike can still fold up when fully assembled, with a foot print of 21.3" L x 25.5" W
- An 8 level Magnetic Tension control system allows the user to adjust the tension level for an easier or more difficult workout. The actual work surface is 24 inches (W) x 16 inches (H) and it can hold objects up to 44 pounds
The exercise bike does come with wheels for easy transport and can be adjusted a little bit to suit riders of different heights and sizes.
The Exerpeutic company have marketed the 1000 version as a model perfect for seniors.
In reality, either option would be just fine for not only seniors, but anyone.
The seat is oversized and comfortable for the user and comes with leg stabilizers, pedal straps, and large pedals.
Exerpeutic 900xl vs 1000 - Comparison
Honestly speaking, there is almost no difference between these two recumbent bike models.
They even cost the same amount and have the exact same dimensions. The only real plus side to the Exerpeutic 1000 is that the technology is slightly newer, meaning the screen is brighter and slightly easier to navigate.
So you would be fine selecting either model…talk about an easy decision.
Conclusion
Overall, a recumbent bike is a great idea for any individual who struggles with joint and back problems but would like to exercise regularly.
Both of these models are comfortable, easy to use, and worth their money while still being affordable.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API