NewComfortGlide R500 Recumbent Exercise Bike
A supportive, low-impact recumbent bike. Back-supported seat, step-through frame and quiet magnetic resistance, kind to knees and backs.
£549.00inc. VATIn stock
Chosen on fit
Exercise bikes for seniors, chosen on fit rather than fuss
The best exercise bike for seniors is the one that fits you and your room. That is the whole test, and if you are choosing for yourself you already know what you want out of it. For reference rather than instruction, the NHS guidance for adults aged 65 and over is to be physically active every day, even if it is just light activity, and to do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week[1]. A bike in the corner of a room makes the daily part considerably easier. Three of our five suit that job, and this page is straight about which one, and about what each of them costs you in floor space.
- Free UK delivery
- Interest-free instalments
- 2 year warranty
- 14 day returns
- Ships part-assembled, tools included
In stock now
The three that suit this best
New
NewDeskFit Mini Pedal Exerciser
A compact pedal exerciser for arms or legs, at your desk or by the sofa. Adjustable resistance, a small display, and it folds for storage.
£59.99inc. VATIn stock
NewCityRide U2 Upright Exercise Bike
A compact upright bike for steady home cardio. Smooth magnetic resistance, an adjustable seat, and a small footprint that fits a spare room or corner.
£149.99inc. VATIn stock
Listed in the order we would suggest looking at them, not in price order. Every price includes VAT, with free UK delivery and a 2 year warranty (12 months on the DeskFit Mini). You can spread the cost with interest-free instalments with Klarna or Clearpay, subject to status.
What actually makes a bike easier to live with?
Three things, and none of them are on the front of the box: how you get on it, whether the seat has a back, and whether it adjusts to you rather than the other way round. Everything else is detail.
A step-through frame is the big one. There is no crossbar, so you walk into the bike and sit down instead of swinging a leg over something at hip height. That is the ComfortGlide R500 in our range. Our owner Asif rode it and his note on the fit was simply that you can customise everything, which is the point: you set the bike to you. He also said he could sleep in the seat, which tells you what the back support is like over a longer ride. Those are his own first-hand notes rather than a lab test.
If you want the mechanics of the reclined riding position rather than the shortlist, that is a different question and it has its own page: how recumbent bikes work.
The honest catch: the R500 is a big machine
We would rather you heard this from us than from your hallway. The ComfortGlide R500 is the largest bike we sell. Asif measured it at about 4 feet by 6 feet once you allow room to get around it, and it took him an hour and a half to put together, because it is a full machine that needs care to assemble.
The most useful thing he said about it is that he would not buy it himself, and the reason is space rather than quality: he has not got the room at home. That is the owner of the shop declining his own most expensive bike. If you have the floor for it, it is the one we would point you at first. If you have not, the next two are better bikes for you, and that is not a consolation prize.
What if you have not got the space?
Then look at the CityRide U2 upright at £149.99. It folds down to roughly a 1 foot by 1 foot footprint, so it can live behind a door and come out when you want it, and it took Asif 15 minutes to build rather than 90. He found it stable and surprisingly quiet even at speed.
Two honest trade-offs. You climb onto it rather than stepping through, so it asks more of you at the getting-on stage than the R500 does. And its resistance stays gentle: Asif found that even at level 15, the top of its range, you will not feel the pain, and he was expecting a slap in the face. For steady daily riding that is a feature. If you want a bike that fights back, it is not this one.
Can you pedal from your own armchair?
Yes, and it is the option people tend to dismiss and then like. A mini pedal exerciser sits on the floor in front of a chair, so there is no bike to climb onto at all. Ours is the DeskFit Mini at £59.99. It was the genuine surprise of our range for Asif, in a good way: it is silent, it does not slide across the floor, and there is nothing to assemble, so it works about two minutes after the box arrives.
Be clear about what it is: a movement tool, not a full bike. You will not train hard on it. What it does is make pedalling something you can do while the television is on, without getting up, which for a lot of people is the difference between moving daily and not. Its manufacturer does not publish a maximum user weight, so we do not publish one either. There are more compact mini bikes on their own page.
What does the guidance actually say?
Describing it rather than prescribing it, because we sell bikes and are not qualified to do anything else. The NHS guidance for adults aged 65 and over is to be active every day, even if it is only light activity, and to work on strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days a week. Cycling covers the daily movement; the balance and strength part it does not, so it is worth knowing a bike is one piece of it rather than the whole thing.
It is also worth saying what the barrier usually is not. Sport England reports that 42% of people aged 55 and over are inactive, against 29% of the adult population[2], and the reasons it gives are work, family and caring commitments, and social attitudes. Not decline. Plenty of people in their seventies train harder than anyone at this shop does. Equipment that suits you removes one of the excuses, and that is all a bike is here to do.
One thing we will not do is tell you whether riding is right for you. If you are managing a health condition, recovering from an injury, or coming back after a long break, that is a conversation for your GP or a physiotherapist, not for a shop.
Which one suits which situation
| Bike | Why it suits | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| ComfortGlide R500 | Step-through frame, back-supported seat, and the riding position adjusts in every direction | The biggest bike we sell: roughly 4 feet by 6 feet with room to move, and 90 minutes to build |
| DeskFit Mini | Pedals from your own chair, silent, nothing to assemble | A movement tool, not a full bike. Its maker does not publish a maximum user weight |
| CityRide U2 | Compact and quiet, folds to about 1 foot by 1 foot, 15 minutes to build | You climb on rather than step through, and the resistance stays gentle at the top |
Compare the whole range
Every bike we stock, side by side. All prices include VAT.
| Model | Type | Resistance | Max user weight | Folds | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FoldFit X1 Folding Exercise Bike | Folding | Magnetic, 16 levels | 120 kg | Yes | £179.99 | View bike |
| CityRide U2 Upright Exercise Bike | Upright | Magnetic | 120 kg | Yes | £149.99 | View bike |
| Studio Pro S3 Indoor Spin Bike | Spin | Weighted flywheel | 150 kg | No | £279.00 | View bike |
| DeskFit Mini Pedal Exerciser | Mini pedal | Adjustable knob | To be confirmed | Yes | £59.99 | View bike |
| ComfortGlide R500 Recumbent Exercise Bike | Recumbent | Magnetic | 150 kg | No | £549.00 | View bike |
| AirStorm A1 Air Bike | Air | Air / fan, unlimited | 150 kg | No | £449.00 | View bike |
All prices include VAT. Max user weight is taken from the supplier specification. Where a figure still reads "To be confirmed", we will publish it as soon as the supplier confirms it.
Questions we get asked
What is the best exercise bike for seniors?
For most people it is a recumbent, because you step through the frame instead of climbing over it and the seat has a proper back. In our range that is the ComfortGlide R500 at £549. The honest caveat is that it is the largest bike we sell, so if the room is tight the CityRide U2 or the DeskFit Mini may suit you better.
Is a recumbent bike better for older adults?
It is easier to get on and off, and more comfortable to stay on, which is usually what decides whether a bike gets used. You sit back into a supported seat with the pedals in front of you rather than perching over them. Whether it is better for you depends on your space and how you like to ride, not on your age.
Can you use an exercise bike sitting in a chair?
Yes. A mini pedal exerciser sits on the floor and you pedal from your own armchair, so there is no bike to get on at all. Ours is the DeskFit Mini at £59.99. It is a movement tool rather than a full bike, and its manufacturer does not publish a maximum user weight, so we do not publish one.
Which exercise bike is easiest to get on and off?
The ComfortGlide R500, because of the step-through frame: there is no crossbar to swing a leg over. Our owner also found the riding position adjusts in every direction, so you set it to you rather than fitting yourself around it.
How often does an older adult need to use an exercise bike?
The NHS guidance for adults aged 65 and over is to be physically active every day, even if it is just light activity, and to do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week. A bike helps with the daily part. It is guidance for everyone in that age group, not a prescription for you.
Is an exercise bike safe if you have a health condition?
We sell bikes, we are not a medical service, so we will not answer that one. If you are managing a condition, recovering from an injury or returning after a long break, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist first.