My wife is 4'10" and has a bad back. Her MD suggested that an exercise bike would be good for her. Foldable is desired.
Do you have a recommendation for less than $300?

Are you talking about a stationary one?

I don't know, if it's going to be for daily or frequent use for a length of time, I'd spend the bucks and get a decent one. Me, I'd get a quality stationary one suitable for spin class use. Also anything that's foldable, it gets to be a pain taking in and out and also tends to be wobbly. But I guess it depends how often your going to use it. You might also look for used, people buy with high hopes and when they find exercise is work, they sell it.

The really good gym quality spin bikes are very expensive. These are configurable all kinds of ways, including with triathlon and time trial bike type arm rests with aero bars.

You'd probably be better off trying some spin classes in gyms with good exercise bikes.

An alternative -- one I'm considering myself -- is a CycleOps Fluid trainer. These pop up on craigslist often for under $100, often nearly new because folks get 'em as gifts and lose interest. The manufacturer has a good reputation for customer support.

Add your own bike and you've got a good home spin bike that can be put up quickly and put away when not needed.

I also have a bum back and neck, with permanent C2 damage and frequent neck pain. So I rotate among three very different bikes depending on how my neck feels. I like my road bike for fast rides on smooth pavement, but it's literally a pain in the neck on rough roads. And 30 miles is my limit -- beyond that neck spasms quickly sap all the fun out. But it'd be a perfect bike for a CycleOps type trainer.

My other bikes are hybrids with a more upright ride. Both have quill stems which are easily adjustable for height. If I added an adjustable articulating stem I could also quickly adjust for reach to suit how I felt on any given day.

There are some good fitness/comfort hybrids with adjustable stems and handlebars. Check Trek, Specialized and several others. Or add an articulating stem to any other bike.

Also, some folding bikes from Dahon and many others offer fully adjustable stems. And those can be tucked away in a closet, then pulled out for a ride around the neighborhood or on a bike friendly trail.

If I'm interpreting the OP's needs correctly, either do a Google search on "Excercise Bike Reviews" or consider this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...nary-bike-2-20

We have one. My wife uses it, but I did as well recovering from a broken femur last winter before progressing to a trainer.

Hi Arlodog, hope you consulted with a good doctor. However, I want to tell you that riding an exercise bike in wrong way; your wife’s back pain should be increased. So you should understand the caution of riding exercise bike. I reviewed some of the foldable exercise bikes, and like Marcy Foldable Upright Exercise Bike NS-652. Hope you like it.

You can expect to get what you pay for, and paying $300 or less won't get you much. For under $300, you could get a low-end resistance unit and a cheap BSO from Wally World; but your wife's back might not like that. You could get her a *real* recumbent trike, but you can also expect to take your $300 number and sextuple it for a used one; so that's not likely to work for you. The Schwinn 230 recumbent bike is $399. It doesn't fold, nor does it go anywhere. It's a stationary trainer.

Lots of exercise bikes, like New Years resolutions are let go of after a short while..

and the exercise bikes end up in the Charity Shops, or just left on the curb.. Ive picked up some ..

done a little service on them and put them on consignment at the bike shop.. and got a few bucks out of them..


Maybe get a folding bike for that $300, and spend a bit more for a resistance trainer stand, they also fold..









.....

The vintage Schwinn Airdyne bikes are very nice, and gives a full body workout which might be good for your wife.

They show up regularly used on Craigslist relatively cheaply.

Unfortunately, I don't think they have a folding model

There are other bikes with folding models, but I'd think it would be something that would be better to find locally than to try to order online.

Janej, I may have misinterpreted your note. But it sounded like you are making a blanket statement that riding an exercise bike will increase back pain. I disagree (at least, for me). Riding a bike is one of the few exercises in which my back is comfortable.

I make the same point when I read anyone writing in with medical advice.

1) You are not a trained physician, chiropractor, physical therapist or fitness trainer (if you are, say so),
2) You have not done a physical exam or interview with the OP's wife
3) People are different

A trained and licensed physician who has the patient's medical data and has performed an exam is probably going to give better advice to the patient. Even if you are writing to say that you hurt your back on an exercise bike, the MD is going to have a broader view of different patients. And also, the MD should be aware of previous history.

If your point is that riding a bike in the wrong way can hurt your back, we agree. No harm in the OPs wife asking the Doc "Can I hurt myself with this exercise? How do I avoid injury?"

take look at this one, which I have and love it.
https://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-170-U...0+upright+bike

I have put over 3000 plus on my in 2 1/2 years in the off season( nov-March).
no noise at all. 25 levels of resistance.
I see they added Bluetooth which mine doesn't have.
an I found assembly was no problem.
an the price is within your range plus free s/h.
good luck on your search.

I have heard more than once that if the equipment you buy to work out with is el cheapo chances are good it wont get used much.

Hi, I had a similar back problem a few years ago and my gym trainer advised me to do my regular training on exercise bikes. After a few weeks, I had to move to another city and the local gym was far off so I decided to buy myself an exercise bike. Being alone in the new city, the only option I had was to do my research on the internet when I came across one site which suggested bikes on multiple reviews of people who have bought a bike so, maybe you can try looking at bikes on bestviewsreviews
I liked the bike as it is very easy to assemble and they give u extra screws for each part. it is the basic bike and just right for us. it has wheels so u can move it easily. the price is reasonable too.

+1

I am using vintage Schwinn and its quite good <3

Outdoor Gear Lab just did and article on stationary bikes.
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topic...-exercise-bike