any recommendations for preferred cycle trainer?

[Atorrante]

I've decided we need an indoor cycle trainer. The permanent kind-not the one you put your bicycle in.

My suggestion is the Tectrix BikeMax. You can buy a remanufactured one in ebay for $1000.00, but they guarantee it is like new. I have used it in the gym and it feels good and has good monitor.

[johnlvs2run]

Yukon John,

Yes I find the same thing, that the recumbent can work my legs much more than the upright, and the resistance can get quite tough indeed. I have a great appreciation for making the exercise easier to handle, especially as we keep getting older and all are going to be in the situation some day where it is not so easy any more, at least hopefully if we make it that far. My mom is 86 and hasn't gotten around well for the last few years but she refuses to get in a wheelchair. So she moves along on a walker, pulling herself along with her with her arms, stopping to drag her legs up and then doing the same thing again, very difficult work. Anything I can do to help people make more use of their bodies, so they can get around better or more easily is a blessing.

A friend of mine hasn't been able to drive for a few years due to epilepsy, and rides his bicycle to work and back every day. I will mention the recumbent to him, perhaps for home use if he's interested.

As a side note, in Rod Freed's training it is mentioned that he has hammered 40 minutes once a week on an indoor recumbent.

[Yukon John]

I'm not sure personally John if the recumbent gives a harder workout than a upright bike. I've had some very hard sessions on the upright!

A point of interest on the individual that I support that has epilepsy. This could all be coincidence, but I started working with this person 9 years ago. At the time his doctors didn't think he would live out the year because of the severity and the large numbers of seizures that he was faced with on pretty much a daily basis. Of course, you could imagine the depression that would come along with this too.
I set up a workout routine at the gym, had it approved by his doctors and a physio-therapist and waited for a day when he didn't have a seizure. We went that day and on other days that he didn't have a seizure. Soon we were able to go two to three times / week. It's interesting, from that time till now, he has never had a seizure on the day after working out. He still has seizures, but his body is now able to recover faster than back in the early days and he doesn't have as many seizures as before. So instead of looking at end of life scenarios, he can now look at things he wants to try in the future. He also has a good self image and the depression I mentioned above, has mostly faded away. I've always been a firm believer that exercise can improve most peoples lives. This individual really made that clear for me! John

[johnlvs2run]

Yukon John,

You have helped that person a lot and that's great.

Yes, one can certainly get just as hard of a workout either way. I feel when I push on the pedals on the upright it's quite dependent on my body weight and the weight of my legs, whereas on the recumbent you can push beyond that against the back of the seat. So I can get a lot more strength going directly to the pedals from the recumbent position, which is what I mean that it works my legs a lot more.

Perhaps the upright uses more of the whole body, and the recumbent is more focused on the legs. Either way it's a good session.

[AtlantaCyclist]

I haven't read this entire thread, so I apologize if I'm repeating something. But, the OP was asking about an indoor bike. In the cycling world the LeMond RevMaster and CycleOps bikes are considered the best. The are others (European brands) that are also good, but they're hard top come by. Both the LeMond and CycleOps offer base units with no electronics or bikes with power meters, etc. You can spend $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the features you desire.

A cheaper alernative is to search CraigsList for a used "spin" bike from a gym or private owner.