Hi AnnieQ:
I have a Vision Fitness R2200 recumbent bike. It is a very good 'home based' recumbent bike. I also live in Canada, so the price I paid, taxes included was $1200CDN. I paid in installments.
I went hunting around and checked quite a few out and test rode them all. I have chronic back pain.. and the uprights are too painful to continue on after 10 minutes. The one I really wanted was the 'LifecycleFitness Recumbents' but as you may know they are very very expensive..almost $4,000. You see them in the professional gyms. The Vision Fitness R2200 was the next best thing in my opinion. It has 8 progam levels and is good for anyone/any size. I used it alot but also fell off the wagon many times. My daughter uses it and adjusts it to fit her legs. Like any machine, it is only as good as the one that uses it! These past two weeks I have been going to the gym, where my dghtr runs on an indoor track, and I used an elliptical cross trainer for the first time.. and being niave and brash, I set it to 30 minutes on medium level... well I tell you I almost died! After 3 minutes I knew right away that this was not going to be a walk in the park. So I decided I would stop at 10 minutes..and then 15 minutes..and eventually huffed and puffed my way to 30 minutes. I did it.. but subsequent walks on that equipment were set to 15 minutes. I have to agree with KiraK, I felt I got a far better workout on the elliptical after 30 minutes than a full hour on the bike. It was not painful, not hard on the back or joints..and becuase I was so out of shape, my cardiovascular system felt it more than anything else. I have a membership now at this gym...and I wonder how my bike is going to fair without me.
Well that is my two cents..and in Canada that is as good as a wooden nickel! Good luck
Outback