A great place to start when improving your fitness level is by using exercise bikes for cardio. Aerobic exercises give you two huge benefits: improving cardiorespiratory health and burning a high number of calories to help you lose weight.
And, heavy-duty exercise bikes are an awesome choice for overweight, obese, or heavy persons because they don’t stress the joints and, thus, allow you to work out comfortably.
We love the Vigbody Exercise Indoor Cycling Bike because it can easily accommodate fat to fit-yet-heavy individuals in terms of build, resistance, and weight capacity. But, we will be reviewing more than just that so you can choose among the best exercise bike for heavy person.
Best Exercise Bike For Heavy Person at a Glance
A stationary bike that’s suitable for beginner to advanced fitness levels thanks to its thickened-steel frame, heavy flywheel, 330-lb high weight capacity, and multi-direction adjustable seat, handlebars, and floor levelers - you’ll never need another heavy-duty exercise bike.
It features a step-through design for easy mounting and dismounting, an adjustable ergonomic seat with handlebars, and an ultra-functional LCD screen that displays time, speed, distance, calories burned - for a heavy person on a tight budget, it covers the basics of recumbent bikes and then some.
This tech-packed exercise bike makes tracking your workouts and reaching your goals easier with its top-of-the-line console that has Bluetooth connectivity allowing you to sync with popular apps and even ‘explore the world’ with automatically adjusted resistance to match your chosen terrain.
Vigbody Exercise Indoor Cycling Bike – Best Overall
What we like
- Heavy flywheel for a wider range of resistance to meet beginner and advanced levels
- Solid frame construction that can support up to 300 lbs.
- Bottle and tablet holder for undisturbed long bouts of cardio
- Great value for its price
What we don’t like
- Some may find the saddle uncomfortable
- Cage pedals may not be able to accommodate larger foot sizes
- The felt pad – friction-based resistance – needs to be replaced periodically
This upright exercise bike is great for a heavy person looking to get the most out of each exercise session. It allows you to push hard and also get active rest when needed thanks to its heavy 35-pound flywheel and micro-adjustable felt-pad resistance system. For emergency braking, you simply need to push down on the resistance knob.
The robust frame can support up to 330 pounds. And, the adjustable 2-way handlebar and 4-way bike saddle will help you get into your most comfortable and optimal cycling position. This adjustability is especially important if you want to do long periods of cardio to burn as many calories as you can in a session.
Equipped with a performance monitor, you’ll be able to monitor and maintain your desired heart rate and track how many minutes or calories you have burned or have to burn. Overall, this upright exercise bike is heavy-duty and sturdy – ready to take on intense, long, and heavy workouts.
Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Exercise Bike – Best Budget
What we like
- Loaded with features you’d typically only find on pricier recumbent exercise bikes
- Can accommodate very tall individuals up to 6’4” thanks to the adjustable seat
- Wide range of resistance
- Magnetic resistance for whisper-quiet workout sessions
- 300 lbs. max weight support
What we don’t like
- Time-consuming seat adjustment if used by multiple people
- Some poor factory assembly as verified buyers reported
- Non-adjustable seat angle and handlebar distance
This compact recumbent exercise bike is easy on the wallet but gives you the same features that most only expect from its expensive counterparts. It has an adjustable, comfortable seat that allows you to find the proper stride length so pedaling does not inhibit your breathing or force you to extend your legs too far out during exercise.
This type of exercise bike is particularly beneficial for overweight or obese people because of its step-through design that does not require lifting yourself to be able to mount the machine. It also has a backrest, oversized seat pad, and contoured handles to help you feel comfortable and keep your balance while pedaling.
Thus, this is a great entry-level heavy-duty exercise bike for those seeking to begin their fat loss journey. But, it has eight resistance levels that can also challenge even experienced fitness buffs. With a sturdy steel frame that can hold up to 300 pounds, this recumbent bike is well-suited for gym noobs and gym rats.
Nautilus R618 – Best Splurge
What we like
- Super silent drive train
- Built-in resistance adjustment buttons in handles
- Adjustable backrest angle
Compatible with fitness apps like Explore the World
What we don’t like
- Can be pricey
- The backrest is not padded
- Pedals could have been designed better
This is arguably one of Nautilus’ best recumbent bikes. Packed with the company’s many innovations, it’ll make your cycling workouts less complicated and more goal-focused. It will give you the utmost comfort, easy adjustability, precise tracking, structured training, and wireless connectivity. All of which, of course, come at a hefty price.
It has a wide gel padded seat and a breathable backrest to keep you keep comfy and cool during cardio. The comfortable seat moves forward and down or backward and up in one smooth motion for an easy and ergonomic adjustment. And the console can be tilted to give you the best visibility of your workout metrics.
You’ll receive 29 Nautilus Training programs for heart rate, interval, or weight loss training and even customizable training options. Plus, you’ll be able to easily transfer workout data from the machine to your favorite apps to track your progress.
Sunny Health & Fitness F-RB4708 Magnetic Recumbent Bike – Best for Full Body Workouts
What we like
- Great for cross-training
- Oversized and adjustable seat and backrest
- 350-pound maximum weight capacity
- Cheap compared to fan-driven assault bikes
What we don’t like
- The backrest angle is not adjustable
- Outdated design
- Handlebars cannot be adjusted
If you are looking for a heavy-duty exercise bike that is capable of giving you a full-body workout, this is the best choice for you. You can program upper body or lower body-focused training days to allow you to recover quicker. Thus, you’ll be able to do more workouts in a span of a week, resulting in quicker fat loss and better body composition.
What this product has over other whole body assault bikes is that the resistance is flywheel driven instead of a fan. It has 8 levels of resistance, making it ideal for both beginner and advanced cardio bunnies. Thus, it can be used for low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
The moveable handlebars, along with the pedals, can help you burn more calories in one workout. Its magnetic flywheel allows for quick adjustments and makes it virtually silent for training at any time or in any setting.
Schwinn IC4 – Best High-Performance Spin Bike
What we like
- Dual-link pedal, use clips or toe cages
- Includes 1-Year JRNY Membership
- Perimeter weighted flywheel
- Easy-access dumbbell cradles and dual bottle holders for spin classes
- 330lb. Weight capacity
What we don’t like
- Requires additional app subscriptions, in the long run, to fully enjoy its features
- The saddle is not ideal for very heavy individuals
- It may be hard to mount for shorter users
This is a top-notch indoor upright bike that is equipped with a heavy 40-pound flywheel, the heaviest on this list. Thus, it provides the highest resistance for those that want to challenge themselves and blow past just “losing fat” as a fitness goal. This upright exercise bike offers 100 levels of magnetic resistance.
It is designed to work with world-class cycling apps like Peloton, JRNY, and Zwift, among others. So, you’ll be able to immerse yourself digitally in virtual races, trails, and terrains. With its Bluetooth connectivity, you can easily set goals and monitor your progress using app-based fitness tracking tools.
It has a 4-way adjustable race-style padded seat, and a multi-grip handlebar dipped in urethane for better grip and comfort. It also has a full-color, backlit LCD display for your exercise metrics such as heart rate, speed, time, distance, calories burned, and RPMs.
Cyclace Exercise Bike – Best Mid-Range
What we like
- Belt driven 36-pound heavy flywheel
- 330 lbs. weight capacity
- The thick steel frame makes it very sturdy and stable
- Extra wool pad in package
What we don’t like
- Tablet may slip out from the media rack
- Some users report issues with the belt drive
This indoor cycling bike provides you with the basics you’ll be needing for your journey towards fat loss and better cardiovascular endurance. It has all the essential features you need without the fluff: a great resistance system, adjustable seat and handlebars, heavy-duty steel frame, LCD monitor, tablet holder, and a bottle holder.
It has a 4-way adjustable wide and thickly padded seat suitable for a heavier person that tends to get pain from slim upright exercise bike saddles. And its frame design makes it very stable and not prone to flipping. The multi-grip handlebars are height adjustable and allow for different cycling postures.
This upright bike offers a great mid-range price to value ratio. It gives you the bare-bones features of a heavy-duty exercise bike, and for some of you, it can be all you need.
DeskCycle Under Desk – Best Compact
What we like
- Portable and compact for discreet use and frequent travels
- Great for very sedentary individuals or the elderly
- A good option for lower body rehab
- Magnetic resistance makes using it unnoticeable
- 500 lb. maximum weight recommendation
What we don’t like
- Offers very little resistance
- Poor for calorie burning when compared to true exercise bikes
- May move around when used
This cycling machine may not help you burn as many calories compared to the upright exercise bikes on this list, but it will help pump blood and keep you active, especially if you are recovering from an injury or sedentary.
It would fit under most desks, and using it won’t be a disturbance in the office thanks to its magnetic resistance system. It also has more than twice the stride length of other under-desk cyclers and offers a better range of motion, meaning more muscle activation.
With 8 resistance settings and a removable LCD display, you’ll be able to track your progress and recovery on it. For heavy persons that carry more fat than they’d like, this product is best used as a supplement to a restricted diet and regular exercise routine. This is also great for the elderly and those recovering from lower-body injuries.
Schwinn Fitness AD7 Airdyne Bike Series – Best Calorie Burner
What we like
- Stable and heavy-duty build with a 350-pound maximum weight capacity
- Great for conditioning and body recomposition
- Effective and efficient calorie burner
- High-intensity workout from start to finish
What we don’t like
- It can be hard to mount due to its high saddle height
- No adjustable resistance
- It may be too hard to use for beginners
If you’re looking for an exercise bike that will get you the most out of every exercise session, then this is the bike for you. It will require from you high effort from the beginning up to the end of your workout. The reward is a ton of calories burned in a small amount of time. Thus, with consistency, you’ll reach your fitness goals quicker.
This bike uses fan resistance, unlike most flywheel-based bikes you’ve read about. This product’s optimized fan offers high resistance yet reduced noise which assault bikes are known for, so be warned. It is durable exercise equipment not only because of the thick steel construction but also because of the powder coat finish making it corrosion resistant.
The AD7 will give you a total body cardio workout as you’ve never done before. It comes equipped with telemetric heart-rate sensors and an interactive multi-display LCD console. You’ll be able to track calories, watts, time, distance, speed, and RPM, as well as choose your interval times for HIIT.
Labodi Exercise Bike – Best Beginner Spin Bike
What we like
- Thickly padded, wide, comfortable saddle
- 3.54-inch LCD monitor
- Big gadget or book holder
- Cage pedals with adjustable foot straps
- 330 lb. weight limit
What we don’t like
- Thin wool pad for the friction-based resistance system
- The LCD monitor is not backlit
This is a great upright bike for starters who are a bit tight on budget but want to get the most bang for their buck. It carries all the basic features you would need, plus two water bottle and tablet holders for easy hydration and peri-workout entertainment during your bouts of cardio.
Its large flywheel and belt drive train allows for smooth resistance changes from easy to all that you can handle and more. The resistance knob also functions as an emergency brake that you can use if you plan to make periodic sprints to help you avoid injury.
You can adjust the bike saddle in 4 ways and the handlebar up and down to help make your ride most comfortable while standing up or sitting down. Having a high weight capacity of 330 pounds, this bike will feel sturdy and remain stable during exercise.
NordicTrack S22i – Best High-Tech
What we like
- 350-pound weight limit
- Automatic trainer control
- Displays more advanced workout metrics
- 10-year frame warranty, 2-year parts warranty, and 1-year labor warranty
What we don’t like
- Is definitely pricey
- Could include a longer free subscription on iFIT
- Small and shallow bottle holders
This is a digital feature-packed, high-tech stationary bike for our more affluent fitness enthusiasts that are looking to shed fat. The only manually adjustable aspects of this exercise bike are the saddle and handlebars – everything else is done electronically and even automatically by following the programs on the free 30-day iFIT.
It is equipped with motors for its incline and decline functions. Plus, it has a built-in 22-inch smart HD screen that serves as its control module and is used for watching live or on-demand interactive spin classes. It has WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth, allowing you to connect your wireless earphones for a more immersive training sesh.
Designed for an interactive cycling experience from the comforts of your own home, it can take you through breathtaking landscapes or make it seem like you’re attending a studio spin class. This upright bike provides an unmatched home exercise experience that’ll make sure you are excited about every cardio workout.
Final Verdict
The best exercise bike for heavy, overweight, or obese people is the one that you will look forward to using every single time. So, choose an exercise bike that can accommodate your current fitness level, fits your fitness goals, and lets you exercise in the training mode that you love doing most. Some cardio machines are built for HIIT and some for LISS.
And our Top Pick, the Vigbody Exercise Indoor Cycling Bike, can help you do both cardio exercise types, from doing sprints down to an easy pace. With a heavy flywheel capable of 100 micro adjustments and a 330-lb weight capacity, it is the exercise bike for all heavy folks at any fitness level.
Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Heavy Duty Exercise Bike
Durability and Weight Capacity
Since you are reading this article and have made it this far, it would be safe to assume that you are a heavy person in need of a heavy-duty exercise bike. And if so, this feature shall be your biggest consideration.
Choose a bike that’s built with thick gauge steel with mostly steel hardware (the pedals especially) and always go for a high weight capacity rating, ideally 300 pounds and up.
Comfort
Cardio workouts, especially for fat and weight loss, are meant to be done for periods of at least 30 minutes or longer. And if you are a heavyweight, you might experience higher degrees of discomfort than those at an average body weight when sitting down for extended periods.
Thus, for seats, make sure you go for wider ones. If those aren’t a choice, at least opt for a thickly padded saddle. If you suffer from back issues, go for a bike with a backrest like recumbent ones. Also, consider the adjustability of the saddle and handlebars.
Type of Bike
You can choose from under-desk cyclers, recumbent bikes, spin or upright bikes, and full-body assault bikes. In that order, they offer low to high-intensity cardio sessions. Don’t just consider workout intensity but also your personal preference of the types.
The most important part of any fitness journey is adherence and consistency, and any type of bike will help you reach your fitness goals. So, be sure you pick that type that you’ll want to use over and over again.
Resistance Level
The best choice for any heavy-duty exercise bike for this feature is one that offers the most resistance levels. This is because you’ll be able to progress on them easier due to the incremental increases, as opposed to jumps in exercise difficulty.
The harder a piece of exercise equipment can push you, the better. A wider range of resistance will allow you to use the principle of progressive overload longer, thus ensuring you are always inching toward your goals.
Adjustability
The three most important things to look at when it comes to this feature are resistance, saddle/seat position, and handlebar position. For resistance, dials or knobs are best since they are easy to use and offer micro-adjustments.
When it comes to the bike saddle, you’d want it to be 4-way adjustable – up, down, forward, and back. With handlebars, height adjustment is what you need to look at. Overall, you’d want to choose from exercise bikes that put you in an optimal cycling position with their adjustment buttons and levers being easily within reach.
