We test and review fitness products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we may earn a commission. Read our disclosures.
Editor’s Note: The Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike is no longer in production. We suggest viewing the Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike as the best alternative, or view our list of the best recumbent exercise bikes for more options.
You may be landing on this Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike review because you’re searching for a low-impact and affordable cardio machine to use in your home gym. The Exerpeutic 400XL folding recumbent bike not only offers a low-impact pedaling motion, it’s also foldable and features a compact design.
The best recumbent bikes are especially practical for folks recovering from an injury or surgery, or who have limited mobility due to the traditional step-through design of recumbent bikes. While the Exerpeutic doesn’t offer the step-through design, it is a semi-recumbent bike and offers a little more height than a normal reclined recumbent seat, which you may prefer if you’re trying to build leg strength.
Over 20 Exercise Bikes Tested
At Garage Gym Reviews, our team is made up of fitness industry professionals with decades of collective experience. We’ve tested everything from the best budget elliptical to the best commercial treadmills and everything in between.
For this Exerpeutic 400XL recumbent bike review, Kate Meier, GGR senior director of content, put the bike to the test by assembling it herself and taking it for a spin. Kate is not only a cardio equipment expert, she’s also a competitive weightlifter, USAW-L1 coach, CrossFit Level 1 trainer, and a certified personal trainer with NASM.
During the testing process, Kate was tasked with testing and scoring 12 different categories on a scale of 1 to 5 using our fitness equipment testing methodology. A sampling of those testing categories includes:
- Durability: How stable does the bike feel during exercise? What is the weight capacity and the flywheel wheel weight?
- Adjustability and Ergonomics: Does it offer a padded seat and backrest? Can the seat adjust vertically and horizontally?
- Tech capabilities: What information does the console show? Are there Bluetooth options for connecting third-party apps?
Looking for an Alternative to the Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike?
Marcy Recumbent ME-709
Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Exercise Bike
Product Highlights
- Recumbent exercise bike
- 8 silent magnetic resistance levels
- Step-through frame
- LCD display to track time, distance, calories burned, and speed
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Step-through frame design
- LCD display
- Weighted counter-balanced pedals
- Free shipping
Cons
- Reviewers complain of uncomfortable seat
- Only 8 levels of resistance
- Short 2-year warranty
- Limited reviews
- Customers share it is difficult to change seat distance
Bottom Line
The Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike is a basic, affordable machine best for beginners.
The Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike is no longer in production but there are a variety of alternative recumbent bikes available. We think the Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike is a solid alternative.
The Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike is third in line on our list of best recumbent exercise bikes because it is super functional and also affordable. This recumbent bike will cost you about $200 which is similar in price to the Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike.
This recumbent bike is really simple and doesn’t include any bells and whistles, but for the price it provides you with everything you’re likely looking for in a recumbent exercise bike. The seat is quite wide at 40 centimeters and has a decent quality pad for comfort. According to Coop, the seat is a lot more comfortable than you’d experience on a normal bike.
While this recumbent bike does have a LCD window for tracking workout stats like time, distance, calories, and speed, it doesn’t do much beyond that. In order to view all the stats you’ll need to use the mode button to switch back and forth from one metric to the next. This is perfect for people who aren’t interested in a bunch of stats and prefer simplicity.
Coop tried this bike out and felt that it would be a good fit for a shorter person and noted that it is lightweight and easy to move from one spot to the next. Although it isn’t foldable, being so easy to move you can easily get it out of your way when needed.
Like the Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike, this exercise bike also has a 300 pound capacity and they both weigh under 65 pounds and have adjustable foot straps and 8 resistance levels. This is definitely a great alternative option.
A Quick Look at the Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike
Exerpeutic is a health and wellness brand focused on therapeutic-based exercise equipment with low-impact cardio options like ellipticals and a variety of exercise bikes including upright bikes, traditional recumbent bikes, and indoor cycling bikes.
RELATED: Stationary Bike vs Elliptical
If you decide to purchase this folding exercise bike, you’ll be able to perform low-impact cardio workouts with eight levels of magnetic resistance and track your target heart rate with the built-in heart rate monitor on the handle bars.
Before You Buy
- This recumbent exercise bike goes in and out of stock on Amazon.
- The Exerpeutic indoor cycling bike offers a semi-recumbent design that is somewhere between an upright bike and a traditional reclined recumbent bike.
- Take advantage of monitoring your heart rate with the built-in hand pulse sensors flanking either side of the large seat cushion.
Is the Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike Worth It?
Expert product tester Kate Meier says this is a low-cost, low-frills piece of gym equipment. “Essentially, you get what you pay for with this bike,” she says.
However, if you’re looking for something compact, affordable, and rather durable this might be the bike for you. It’s excellent for small spaces because it has a small footprint, it’s lightweight and portable, and it folds for easy storage.
But this will not be the right choice for you if you’re seeking a fancy high-quality touchscreen display and dynamic programming. This recumbent bike has an easy-to-read LCD display that tracks your distance, calories, time, speed, and heart rate—pretty much everything you need to know about your workouts and nothing extra.
RELATED: The Best Exercise Bikes With Virtual Courses
Great for:
- Small spaces
- Folks with limited mobility
- Anyone who needs low-impact exercise
Not recommended for:
- Avid cyclists
- Folks taller than 6’2” or over 300 lbs
- Exercisers who want dynamic programming
Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike Specs
| Price | About $200 on Amazon |
| Footprint | 33″ L x 19″ W x 46″ H |
| Product weight | 53 lbs |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs |
| User height range | 5’2″ to 6’2″ |
| Display | 3.3″ W x 1.5″ H LCD display |
| Resistance | Magnetic |
| Resistance levels | 8 |
| Warranty | 1 year frame, 90-day on all other components |
Workout on the Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike
GGR expert tester and certified personal trainer Kate Meier not only assembled the Exerpeutic 400XL, she tested it for several workouts. She even put the recumbent bike through interval training to see how things held up during high speeds.
A feature Kate noticed right off the bat: It’s a semi-recumbent bike, which sits a little more upright and is not as reclined as other recumbent bikes she’s tested (like the one we have featured in our NordicTrack Commercial R35 review).
However, in her experience of testing some of the best exercise bikes on the market, a folding exercise bike is a rarity. Although we have tested quite a few and ranked them in our best folding exercise bike roundup. But, if space-saving cardio machines are what you’re after, keep reading.
Footprint and Portability
The Exerpeutic 400XL folding exercise bike gets a 5-out-of-5-star rating for footprint and portability. It ticks a lot of boxes we use for scoring this category including the fact it has transport wheels, it’s lightweight (at 53 pounds), and it folds.
Even without folding the Exerpeutic, it has a relatively small footprint of 33 inches long and 19 inches wide. When using the folding mechanism, it shortens the length of the bike by about half for easy storage.
“It’s about 8 inches long when you fold it,” says Kate. “And because it has wheels, it rolls around super easy like a little suitcase.”
RELATED: Marcy Foldable Exercise Bike Review
Durability and Construction
Our testing methodology for exercise bikes outlines that our testers should look for a 275-pound user weight limit to earn at least a 3-star rating. User weight limit along with the flywheel weight and actual experience working out on the bike inform the final score.
Ultimately, Kate was blown away by how stable the budget-friendly, compact recumbent bike actually felt during use. She gives the Exerpeutic a 4.5-out-of-5-star rating in the durability category due to the 300-pound user weight limit and how well the leg stabilizers keep the bike locked to the ground.
“This is a solid bike for being so little,” says Kate. However, she docks a half-point because the flywheel weight is not disclosed. It’s only noted that there is a precision-balanced flywheel.
RELATED: Stationary Bike Workouts for Beginners
Ergonomics and Adjustability
Our product testers go through the ergonomics and adjustments to see how well products will suit a variety of people of all shapes and sizes. The first thing our tester Kate noticed was the extra large seat. “It’s not like a regular bike seat at all, it’s ultra-cushioned and wide,” says Kate.
While this seat will work for a ton of different exercisers, there are limited adjustments on this Exerpeutic bike. You’ll have the ability to adjust the height with a pop-pin and adjust the straps around the pedal to secure your feet, but this bike doesn’t have any front-to-back adjustments for the seat. That means if you’re someone with a particularly short (or long) torso, lacking these extra adjustments may hinder your riding experience.
Kate also notes the handlebars don’t adjust and the seat cannot be swapped out. For this reason, the Exerpeutic recumbent bike earns a 3.5-out-of-5-star rating for ergonomics and adjustability.
Similar to the adjustability category, our testers score exercise bikes on a customization category, too. Again, the Exerpeutic earns a middle-of-the-road 3-star rating in this category. Our testers are typically looking for 12 levels of resistance. While the Exerpeutic recumbent bike only has eight levels of magnetic resistance—which is manually adjusted with a dial tension knob—Kate says, “You will still have some amount of customization on such a budget bike.”
RELATED: Recumbent Bike vs Upright Bike
Technology and Conveniences
When it comes to technology and conveniences, this $200 bike won’t get you much in this category. You can expect a basic LCD screen measuring just over 3 inches wide for an easy-to-read display of your time, distance, and speed. Tester Kate appreciates the fact that this Exerpeutic bike has pulse grip sensors to measure your heart rate. For this reason, she gives the bike a 3.5-out-of-5-star rating for technology features.
For conveniences, we’re typically looking for features that elevate your workout experience. The Exerpeutic 400XL gets a 1-star rating in the category. “It has a small phone holder, but no media shelf or water bottle holder,” says Kate. “However, the console is low enough that it won’t get in your way if you want to throw on a movie or show while you pedal.”
RELATED: Best Exercise Bike With a Screen
Exerpeutic 400XL vs Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike
Marcy Recumbent ME-709
Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Exercise Bike
Product Highlights
- Recumbent exercise bike
- 8 silent magnetic resistance levels
- Step-through frame
- LCD display to track time, distance, calories burned, and speed
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Step-through frame design
- LCD display
- Weighted counter-balanced pedals
- Free shipping
Cons
- Reviewers complain of uncomfortable seat
- Only 8 levels of resistance
- Short 2-year warranty
- Limited reviews
- Customers share it is difficult to change seat distance
Bottom Line
The Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Bike is a basic, affordable machine best for beginners.
While the Marcy ME-709 is not a folding exercise bike, both the Marcy and the Exerpeutic recumbent bikes offer similar price points and were both featured on our best budget recumbent bike roundup. Neither bike is a must-have piece of equipment among our product testers, both earning middle-of-the-road ratings. However, we understand that both bikes provide beginners, seniors, and folks recovering from injury an affordable way to get exercise at home.
Because both bikes are priced under $200 on Amazon, you can expect a small LCD screen to display basic workout metrics including speed and distance. The Exerpeutic 400XL has pulse grip sensors, which allows you to get a read on your heart rate while working out, which the Marcy bike does not offer.
Another difference is the fact that the Exerpeutic needs to be plugged in, whereas the Marcy ME-709 can be used anywhere because the display is powered by two AA batteries. Although it might not fold, it can be put anywhere in your house without worrying about extension cords (and it has transportation wheels).
You can read all the details in our Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Exercise Bike review.
| Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike | Marcy ME-709 Recumbent Exercise Bike | |
| Footprint | 33″ L x 19″ W x 46″ H | 58″ L x 20″ W x 38” H |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Display | LCD screen | LCD screen |
| Adjustable seat | Yes, 27” to 37” inseam range | No |
| Pulse grip sensor | Yes | No |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 2-year limited |
Customer Experience
You can purchase Exepeutic cardio equipment on Amazon for fast delivery and free returns with a 30-day return window. That means if you decide the Exerpeutic recumbent bike isn’t the right machine for you, you can navigate to the “Returns and Orders” button on the top right corner on Amazon for instructions on returning your item.
On Amazon, the warranty is listed as a one-year limited warranty policy, but after more digging through the Paradigm Health & Wellness parent company website, the policy covers one year on the structural frame and only 90 days on all other components, which includes the display, electronics, upholstery, foam, V-belt double-drive transmission system, and all other internal mechanisms.
Ordering and Assembling the Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike
Ordering the Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike is as simple as one-click checkout on Amazon. But, be aware that Exerpeutic products go in and out of stock on Amazon so you may need to check back if you can’t find a purchasing option.
Once that bad boy is in your cart, it’s smooth sailing from there. Our tester Kate ordered and assembled the folding bike on her own. She rates the delivery and set-up process a 5-out-of-5-star experience saying, “It only takes about 25 minutes to assemble.”
Kate followed the instructions laid out in the user manual and reported the Exerpeutic features, “Super simple instructions and wiring.”
Customer Reviews
On Amazon, the Exerpeutic 400XL folding recumbent bike has a 4.5-out-of-5-star rating based on over 5,000 customer reviews. After scouring through these reviews, Kate noticed a common pattern of folks saying things like “good for the price” or “you get what you pay for.”
She also read several critiques of the pedal straps wearing or snapping, issues with the magnetic tension control system, and the fact the console resets at 999 miles. Although, for under $200 we’re not surprised to read more than one review on mechanical problems.
Final Verdict of Our Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike Review
The Exerpeutic 400XL folding recumbent bike certainly won’t break the bank, but that’s not to say it’s the best choice for all home gym owners. Our experts agree this recumbent bike is best for folks new to exercise or returning to exercise after an injury because it doesn’t offer a ton of resistance options to challenge intermediate or advanced exercisers. We also have this recumbent bike as our top pick for best exercise bike for seniors because it’s both stable and affordable.
Full Rating
Exerpeutic 400XL
This recumbent bike is surprisingly sturdy, lightweight, and folding exercise bike. It does not require a power outlet and can be used at an adjustable height workstation desk.
Product Brand: Exerpeutic
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 199.00
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.3
Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike: FAQs
Who is the manufacturer of Exerpeutic?
Paradigm Health & Wellness is the manufacturer and parent company of Exerpeutic.
What is one disadvantage to riding a recumbent bike?
The potential disadvantage of a recumbent bike is the fact that you’ll have less overall muscle engagement. Because you are seated in a slightly reclined position with a backrest, your core, back, and upper body are more at rest during a recumbent biking session versus an upright bike or indoor cycling bike.
What is the number one recumbent bike?
In our best recumbent bike roundup review, our product testers selected the following exercise bikes as our top picks:
-Best Overall Recumbent Exercise Bike: NordicTrack Commercial R35
-Best Value Recumbent Exercise Bike: Schwinn 290 Recumbent Bike
-Best Budget Recumbent Exercise Bike: Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Bike
-Best Recumbent Exercise Bike for Seniors: Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike
-Best Foldable Recumbent Exercise Bike: Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike
-Best Adjustable Recumbent Exercise Bike: Sunny Health & Fitness Recumbent Exercise Bike
-Best Adjustable Recumbent Exercise Bike for Small Spaces: LEIKE X Bike Ultra-Quiet Folding Exercise Bike
Further reading
Bit off more than you could chew on a squat? Now worries! Knowing how to bail out of a squat mitigates the risk and saves your skin! Find out how here. Read more
Wondering when the best time to take ashwagandha is? Our registered dietician expert weighs in. Read more
Creatine has many science-backed benefits to performance and muscle growth. However, does its effectiveness change whether you take it before or after exercise? Read more
An endurance athlete rounds up the best running gels for powering you through your next long training session or race. Read more