I'm looking for a recumbent stationary bike for home use. Something good quality, approaching gym quality. The two big names I'm seeing are LifeFitness and Precor, both of which I've used regularly in gyms and seem well made. Precor seems the more expensive of the two. Any preferences one way or the other? Timeframe is a Christmas gift, so I'm still within lead times, at least at LifeFitness.

Those are the two main ones at most military gyms.

Personally I prefer the life fitness.

No real reason except it "feels" better. The precor bikes and treadmills feel cheaper to me.

I 100% choose the life fitness treadmills over the precor, way better run on those. The bikes I don't use as much but same sentiment.

FWIW, the trainers at Life Time Fitness (back when it was truly a fitness club) told me the upright stationary bikes produced a much better workout, a much higher calorie-burn-per-unit-time, than the recumbent bikes.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:
FWIW, the trainers at Life Time Fitness (back when it was truly a fitness club) told me the upright stationary bikes produced a much better workout, a much higher calorie-burn-per-unit-time, than the recumbent bikes.

I don't doubt it, but it's not a workout at all if I don't use it. Uprights in an exercise bike are just not comfortable for me.

one thing to check.

a lot of fitness gear manufacturers have a couple quality levels of product.

make sure you are comparing apples to apples. some of the lower levels are geared toward home / consumer use vs. commercial use

obviously the commercial use level product will be much better / heavier-duty constructed

fwiw i had a Precor elliptical for 10+ years we used multiple times per week. very solid product.

do some homework on specific models and don't be afraid to spend a premium on the higher level. IMO it really is investing in your health -- especially when you can use it 3x weekly.

is there any place nearby where you can try the various models?

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Agree about not being afraid to spend what's needed. Indeed, that's one of my "problem" with major purchases. I'm a buy once cry once kind of guy.

I'll try to find someplace to look at them, good idea.

Well, according to a local fitness place I talked to, Peloton bought Precor, and they are not thinking it's going to be a good thing. So that leaves me with LifeFitness. Not a bad option, I have used them in gyms and like them.