Does either of these bikes offer a better workout?

Question

My question is if a stationary uprigt bike offers a better workout than doing the same thing on a recumbent bike or vice versa?  Or does that bike just offer different levels of comfort?  I have included pictures of the 2 bikes I am considering, price is not important just which one offers the better work out.  Picture #1 is the upright bike and Picture #2 is a recumbent bike.

#1 = http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00621600000P?vName=Fitness+%26+Sports&cName=Cycles%2C+Steppers%2C+%26+Specialty+Machines&sName=Cycles

#2 = http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00621521000P?vName=Fitness+%26+Sports&cName=Cycles%2C+Steppers%2C+%26+Specialty+Machines&sName=Cycles

Room_101 · Accepted Answer

I would really prefer that you bought the real thing. But if you must buy one of them, go for the recumbent. My reasons...?

You want to exercise in comfort, if it becomes too much of a discomfort for you, you will give it up and it will lay in the garage for the next ten years!

Begin as you mean to go on. Take the time to set it up properly for yourself so that you get the best out of it. Start gradually and bit by bit add to the workout by increasing the resistance. Decrease the resistance as you near the end of your work-out. Do your work-out at least once daily for a pre-detrermined amount of time, whether it is  ten minutes or an hour and ten minutes. Play some of your fave music while you ride. 

Enjoy the experience.

Happy cycling ;= )

Scootyre · Answer

We own a recumbent similar to the one you are looking at, I have two issues with it:
1) My butt goes numb after 15 minutes,
2) It's cumbersome to adjust for different rider sizes.
My wife uses it semi-regularly, I've not played with the programmed workouts - I am much more comfortable on my road bike on a trainer, if I have to ride indoors.

Does either of these bikes offer a better workout?

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