Folding Exercise Bike, Micyox Magnetic F-Bike MX-600 Best Workout for Home Use
| Dimensions: | 68.58 x 40.64 x 109.22 cm; 18.6 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Micyox |
| Model: | MX-600 |
| Colour: | White |
| Batteries Included: | 2 AAA batteries required. |
| Colour: | White |
| Dimensions: | 68.58 x 40.64 x 109.22 cm; 18.6 Kilograms |
Wow this exercise bike is awesome love that it has a back rest and can do work out for arms upper body too seat is reasonable and not too uncomfortable also great that it can be folded when not in use. I can’t comment on the building putting together as my husband did it but built it without any problems. I actually prefer this to my vibration plate that I bought at the same time.
Overall for the price mark is is a fairly sturdy exercise bike, I’m 6″3 and it feels very stable when I’m using it which is one of the things I was worried about.
Only thing I would mark it down on is the mounted pedometer/computer is clearly very cheap and the silver sticker on the side of the bike peeled off but this doesn’t affect the functionality of the bike
Unlike my previous bike I use the bands on this one as the tension is just right and the handles on the side of the seat are very useful.
I originally ordered this bike as thought it was good value and had good reviews. Its arrived and unfortunately wasn’t working correctly. The customer service was excellent with quick communication and were as helpful as possible. I did have to return it for a refund unfortunately (luckily I had kept all the packaging) but I liked the bike so much and due to the service I had received from the suppliers, I did order another bike which arrived quickly and this time is working perfectly. its a really quiet bike and for home use I would definitely recommend i
Easy to assemble, the hardest tension is probably only a slight hill but will still get the muscles working.
Received this today. I was slightly concerned about putting it together but I took my time, followed the clear instructions and it was absolutely fine. Other reviews have said how quiet the bike is which I agree with, barely a whisper. For the money this really isn’t a bad buy, very impressed so far. Only issue I have is that I can’t get the support straps on to the peddles, any tips on how this can be done will be greatly appreciated
Very easy to assemble, I was able to put it together myself in about 30 mins without any problems as a lot of the fiddly bits are already assembled on the bike.
The peddling action is virtually silent, and the resistance controls are easy to use
The monitor showing speed, distance, time and pulse rate is very easy to use, everything is very sturdy and the saddle is wide and comfortable.
Easily folds away for storing and light to move around with the set of wheel on the front. It also comes with a sturdy plastic map to put the bike onto to protect your flooring.
I am retired and find this exercise bike perfect for my uses and at the moment I cannot fault it.
Brilliant exercise bike, was easy enough to put together. It’s comfortable with the option to lean back on the back rest or sit forward. The bike is very sturdy, quiet and easy to move around, just fold up and wheel it. The resistance bands are a great feature. There is resistance control for the pedals, heart rate monitor on handles and it will log distance and calories burned. Overall I highly recommend this bike…..excellent value for the money
There is a chrome peg that is supposed to hold the bike in its folded position but the resistance dial prevent the bike folding the last centimeter or two meaning the lin can’t locate into it’s hole. Otherwise fine.
Easy to construct and does all I want from an excerise bike!
You have to build the bike which takes quite a lot of time
Great bike for indoor cycling.
Mainly use for zone 2 aerobic heart rate zone training.
The heart rate monitor is excellent and the monitor screen is easy to read.
Sturdy well built machine that’s easily folds for storage.
Ideally needs 2 people to assemble but is very easy to put together.
Took about 30 minutes to put together and is absolutely silent when in use, which is great. Only issue is the resistance. My legs aren’t particularly strong, but I have to put the resistance up close to the upper limit to feel any resistance.
6 months in using it 4/5 times a week and no problems. Also took out the extra care cover for around 12 but haven’t had to use it.
This month of August it now makes a grinding noise, was fantastic and silent, purchased in June/July 2022. Trying to find out how to get in touch with sellers. Disappointed in an otherwise great exercise machine. I purchased for rehalibitation of my Stroke,so very necessary. Concerned it will break down.
Bought the bike to build up leg muscles before an op. I found the instructions a little confusing so watched the video that’s in review section where someone had asked if an elderly person could put it together- very easy to follow. I am not elderly though!
Does the job, seems sturdy enough. Only problem is when folding the bike, the pin does not go in to lock it closed so you need to be careful as you are rolling & storing it. Seems very strange that they would provide a pin to lock it closed but then the pin doesn’t work!!
Apart from that I am happy with the bike!
With two young children and working I found it hard to go to the gym regularly and was paying 35 a month for my membership. I saw this after lots of research on amazon. I wanted a bike that was sturdy, lightweight, had a back rest and a wide seat as I’ve gained 2 stone over lock down. I also wanted something that would fold so it wasn’t in the middle of a room as a permanent fixture. This bike is the best purchase I’ve ever made on amazon. Ive been using it for a month, I exercise every day for 45 minutes, fold it away and get on with my day. It is superb. East to put together and feels very sturdy. Comes with a slip mat but I haven’t needed it. The tension pulls for pilates on the bike are a huge bonus for toned arms. The tension wheel is exactly the same as the one at the gym, so I can cycle fast or do a hill climb with the spin of the wheel. So happy !
Bought it after doctor told me I had some arthritis in my knee. Used it 3 or 4 times and very pleased with it.
This bike is quite high to step through if you are on the short side like me but otherwise it does the job it is designed for.
Looked at much more expensive products but took the plunge with this after reading reviews. Bought for a family of three adults two of whom never use any gym equipment. Only had it a few days but the bike is already a big hit.
Surprised by the quality; the thought behind the way it is put together to help assembly. Very manoeuvrable as well. Fits easily in a small space. Full marks from us!
Did my research and this hasn’t disappointed me. Really pleased. Everything is perfect.
Dislike can’t fold bike up and put pin in because the seat hits tension dial so have to adjust the seat to fold up and put the pin in not a very good design.
Easy to assemble, love that it’s foldable and doesn’t take up too much space. Really easy to use, the adjustable seat is a godsend as I’m 5′ 4″ and my husband is 6′ 2″ so it suits both of us. All in all, an excellent bike and we can’t recommend it highly enough!
On arrival I noticed there were parts missing (nuts and bolts etc) however this was resolved swiftly and customer service was really good and was sent out the parts required swiftly. found it quite tricky to put together but that’s just personal to me as I struggle to assemble things. Really good bike. Folds up nicely if you don’t have a space to leave it up all the time. The front wheels help to move it about. Very happy with it.
Bought for my husband. Love the fact it just tucks away in a corner but can quickly be moved and used. Very sturdy. I was going to say very quiet, but actually I don’t think it makes any noise. My husband is delighted with it and would definitely recommend.
I’m going to try and buy a seat cushion to see if this helps.
Other than that the machine is quite quiet. Easy to fold up and wheel away. Good settings and clear display. Doesn’t let you input your height/weight so when it says 100 calories burnt unsure how many I have actually burnt but going to do the maths myself.
Dead easy to set up, most of the screws and bolts were already in place you just have to loosen them, place the part and screw them back in.
Thought about getting one of those gel seat covers too but no need. Feels well made and works great, very happy!
We had problems with this bike cos a part had not been drilled in the correct place and the wheels could not be placed at the correct angle, making it very hard to move around. This was NOT the fault of the seller and seems to have been a one off problem by the manufacturer. However the seller was very helpful and has refunded us in full without having to send the bike back. Apart from that problem I’d highly recommend this bike. I am very pleased with how the seller dealt with this.
Arrived next day, assembled in 20 mins. Sturdy and quiet. Struggle to reset settings tho
Great bike ,easy to assemble and very good body exercise given. Just a shame the bike monitor was faulty,the makers have said they will replace monitor. Looking forward to keeping fit and enjoying this machine.
It caught my eye cause it looked more sturdy compared to the more flimsy bikes I’ve seen on here and it’s not that badly prices either. I took the risk after it went on sale and yes it’s worth the original price.
Needed a tiny but of help with assembly due to not being strong enough. instructions are okay and made simple in 5 steps but I do think they could be improved a little.
The machine itself is easy to use, adjustable to your height and comfort but I have noticed a little cracking sound when I peddle. It might go away after a few uses.
Overall, a good bike to get!
A very sturdy,easy to assemble and safe
mechanism which does what is needed without fuss.Very reasonably priced too.
I find the magnetic resistance on this bike gives a really smooth movement with no jerkiness.
The seat is comfortable enough on my 30 minute workout and the height adjustment goes nice and low for small people like myself! I’m 5’5″ and setting 3 is good for me with another two even lower settings.
I wheel it between two rooms and it’s surprisingly easy to do so. I. wish it had something to hold a water bottle but you can’t have everything.
I was recommended by my orthopaedic consultant to use an exercise bike regularly to strength my knee muscles due to deterioration within the knee joint.
I looked at the various reviews before buying and this one looked right for me. It arrived promptly and, unusually for me, I put it together immediately.
As other reviewers have said, all the parts come with the screws, washers and bolts already in place, so you just take them out, install the piece, then re-apply the fixings. It took about an hour to assemble, a couple of bits I put in the wrong way up so had to back track.
Nevertheless, the next morning I was pedalling way nicely and am feeling the benefit. Because it folds away I can use it in my study, then park it out of the way. The footprint is about 1 metre square. Now come the HANDY HINTS:
a) Before folding it up you have to lower the seat to position “1”, otherwise the folded seat comes into contact with the resistance dial meaning you cannot insert….
b) …. the mysterious pin, item 19 I think it was. This is the securing pin that goes through the frames. On the sheet it is not identified, and there is no instruction about the arrangements for folding bike away. Again, common sense prevailed, in may case on day 2 because I was just puzzled and by the process of deduction I worked out what was going on with the seat.
Some reviewers have remarked about the digital display; I agree it is rather “cheap and nasty” and the instructions (2 different sets – one on the instruction sheet, the other on a bit of paper) you might just as well throw away because they are relatively unhelpful. If you use common sense you can work out by trial and error at the first session how they work. Note that the display has printed on it the various things that it reports. These are not in the same order as they are displayed. There is an “ODO” display which would have just kept a running total of mileage, but gets reset. From my point of view that is no problem because I am not interested in a running total of the miles pedalled.
Overall I recommend this. It is a pleasure to use, even for me as a 71 year old.
Easy to assemble, sturdy frame, uncomplicated and does the job. Only minor drawback is that it’s difficult to read display unless room well lit. Good value for money.
Firstly, I looked through every top 10 list sites and YouTube vids to find this and thank god I did. I’m 27 and used to be a daily gym-goer and weight lifter. With covid I stopped going to the gym and haven’t worked out properly in a year. Considering this isn’t a gym level bike the resistance is fantastic. On first use I can comfortably use resistance level 9 for half hour and quickly break a sweat. Will take me a while before I can use level 16 for more than 2 minutes!! The bands have a nice resistance for maintaining muscle rather than building it. The mat is a fabulous edition because I can imagine this causing damage to a floor without it. The bike looks sleek and folds up easily. Very very happy with my purchase.
Very easy to assemble and very sturdy.
Great for a good workout!!
Easy to put together, robust and can be moved around fairly easily.
Using this as cannot get out on road bike at the moment. Works well. Seems sturdy and quiet.easy to put together and move an folds to store in a corner if you want.
The piece of paper you get about the display is okay bu doesn’t show how to convert lies to kilometres or how to re-set the time and mileage easily (nor how to set an exercise time or distance). The resistance band# are good- again some info on how to use would be good. The slot for my iPad helps
However, that said it’s a good sturdy and compact machine and excellent for the price
This bike was bought for rehabilitation following ankle surgery (surgeon recommended stationary cycling after 4 weeks). I did some research and this seemed good value with all the features I need. My husband (a keen cyclist) was sceptical of it’s quality/use before it arrived, but now agrees it’s pretty good! It arrived in many pieces but they were all there and the instructions for assembly were clear. The bike feels sturdy yet is light and easy to move around (folds and has 2 wheels). The saddle is very comfortable. This bike is for seated workouts only (you cannot stand on the pedals to cycle, while off the seat, as in some spinning classes). You can adopt either a recumbent or more upright seated cycling position. I haven’t used the onboard monitor yet so can’t comment on that. Instead, I have used my phone as a simple timer as my focus has been on cycling duration. Also, I sometimes follow a seated cycling routine (online video), for a full cardio workout. Have not yet tried the resistance bands for arms either, but they are a nice feature to have. Am using this bike daily and have done so since purchase several weeks ago. As someone who has never been drawn to regular cycling, I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying it and benefitting from it’s use. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good quality and value basic bike for seated workouts.
This a great exercise bike. Easy to assemble and very well made. Highly recommended.
Good, basic exercise bike. Easy to assemble. Works well, good
I can get a good workout in on this one. It was fairly easy to put together. There was a misaligned hole that I had to force a screw into. The resistance knob piece arrived broken. I taped it together, but really should not have had to do that. I like the arm resistance bands. I use it while on long calls for work. It is quiet. It is easy to fold and roll. This is a great piece of equipment to complete a cardio/strength workout on cold days.
I really like this product as it is very comfortable and sturdy enough to complete exercise. I knocked off 1 star because this is not a spin bike (not like a Peleton) though there is a photo of the model out of the saddle in position 3 as in spin/soul cycle. It is well made and very sturdy if you remain seated and was also easy to assemble. I also wish there was more resistance as it only goes up to setting 16 and I just need more. Love the resistance exercise bands and the bike is very quiet. The display is somewhat cheaply made but I don’t use it and prefer to use my app on YouTube. If you keep in mind that this is NOT a spin bike, you will be very happy with your purchase as I am.
This Folding Exercise Bike is great! Nice quality! Nice and compact! Easy to use! easy to install and assemble! Nice and sturdy! Comfortable to use! Nice grip! Good value for money
Excellent bike and quiet with good resistance. Very easy to put together with two people. Perfect for any room or corner. And best of all doesn’t cost $2,000+ like some other ones these days and does the exact same thing
Love this bike so far. Easy to assemble and quality is nice! Definitely worth i
I use this product for keeping fit as I had a knee replacement and it is helping build my muscles up again in my legs.
Assembly was straightforward enough but I noticed an relatively quiet “click” when pedalling. Others would tell me they cannot hear it, but I narrowed it down: When the click occurs, the LCD display updates. It doesn’t sound like it’s something mechanical that’s broken, so I won’t be returning it unless it shows signs of something worse.
This was probably the most easy assembly I have ever put togather. All small parts were already screwed into the proper areas so all you needed to do was unscrew and attach the appropriate pieces. This might not be applicable to a lot of you, but I am too short for this to be comfortable. I am 4’11” and I did some hunting to find an exercise bike I would fit into. I believe the description claims that it would fit me, but I really have to sit at the edge on the smallest setting. After 15 minutes I am sure you can imagine the pin setting in. I had to shift around a lot to do my 45 minute ride. Keeping it regardless but just something worth mentioning. It also came with a floor mat so that was a nice surprise
So far so good. Just arrived today , and is sturdy.
This product is very good, easy to install and operate! Very good fitness equipment! The amount of exercise can be adjusted at any time according to your own situation, and can be folded and stored, which does not hinder the place and is very comprehensive! You can exercise at home in the future, and you can also exercise while watching TV. Perfect!
I bought this bike because I needed an exercise bike that was quiet. My old bike was very loud, I couldnt hear the TV or anything else over it. This bike is completely silent.
Assembly is easy and straightforward, though I recommend a piece of gaffers tape or other dampening where the seat folding mechanism meets the frame – it removes the only squeak I could find on the unit.
It folds up nicely, i can roll it out of the way, and move it back easily.
With 1-16 tension control a person is assured a good workout.it can actually give you a good workout. After 30 minutes at medium resistance, I’m usually pouring sweat!
The seat is bigger than most bicycle seats, which I appreciate! It is well padded. I will say that it gets uncomfortable after about 30 minutes on it, but then I just stand up for a few seconds and get back on. Not a big deal, and for sure the most comfortable seat you could get on a bike.
All in all, I highly recommend this exercycle. Initially, it can’t be beat for the price. I’ve only had it a short while, but will report again if any issues arise.
My wife is short, 4′ 10″; I am taller 5′ 11″. This bike is fine for both of us. It seems very well made. It is not difficult to put together if you are reasonably “handy.” Be sure to tighten everything very well with the include wrenches. It also comes with a mat which is a nice addition.
The Exercise bike is outfitted with arm resistance bands that allow you to work out your entire body. With the help of this indoor cycling cycle. It have big LCD panel records heart rate, speed, distance, time duration, and calories burned. With the phone/pad holder design, you may watch workout videos and shows while cycling. It have a 16 levels of adjustable resistance, you can tailor your exercise to your specific demands. The 7-level adjustable seat height is appropriate for men, women, and seniors with heights ranging from 4’9″ to 6’1″ and a weight of 265 lbs. When not in use, the exercise bike may be folded upright to half its unfolded size for simple storage. It can be readily moved because it is equipped with transport wheels. The exercise bike is appropriate for both beginning and advanced athletes.
Monitor 7 Functions
The monitor measures time, speed, distance, calories, pulse, odo, and features a scan mode that allows you to follow each step of your workout.
Monitoring of Pulse Rate
With the simple pulse sensor handrail design, you can monitor your real-time heart rate while exercise.
Using Resistant Bands
The arm resistance bands on the Micyox exercise bike work out your arms, shoulders, chest, and other muscles.
Padded Foldable Backrest
Padded and backrest are foldable for simple storing. Seat dimensions: 10.6 x 7.8in
Size of the backrest: 11.8 x 7.6i
Really well made, great exercise bike. Folds up for easy storage
I am really impressed by this bike. First of all, it’s easy to assemble, although the instructions aren’t particularly clear. Indeed the handles aren’t mentioned at all so I’m not quite sure what to do with them! Also it would be handy if they told you to unfold the seat before screwing it all in together – I’m sure brainier people than me would do this without thinking but I am not blessed with a sense of the practical.
The bike is sturdy and quite comfortable. It’s easy to adjust the seat and to adjust the tension to make your workout harder or easier. The digital readout is handy and when you’re done with your cycle you can wheel it away and fold it in two.
I have no dislikes. The bike was easy to put together. My wife says that it is very comfortable and will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a very sturdy bike at a good price.
I admittedly am a bit of a gym freak and have been building my own mini gym area at home too for the times when I cant get to the gym. I have wanted a bike with the idea of setting up in front of Netflix and pound the miles that way.
The obvious selling point to me was that it folds up so its not taking up all the space in my living room. The bike is smooth and very steady especially with the floor matt that comes with the bike (a very nice touch) and was very simple to build up. The bike comes with all the basic functions you would expect to give you good feedback on your workout.
The heart rate sensors are accurate compared to my smart watch and it gives you speed, time, distance and calories burnt info. For me this is plenty of information. The flywheel comes with 16 levels of resistance which are very smooth and responsive. The resistance towards the higher end is hard which is good, it really gives me a good workout.
The seat is easily adjustable but for me its just me using it so once I found the right height I don’t need to move it.
This has been a good edition to my home gym and im very impressed with it compared to expensive branded bikes.
Absolutely fabulous. Easy to assemble, took me about 2 1/2 hours. No separate packs of fittings where you have to work out what goes where. Instead, all the screws are already in the right place, so all you have to do is take them out, fit the part to the correct piece, put the screws back in and tighten. Very quiet to use. The wheels make it easy to move around. I’m 5′ 1″ and the lowest setting suits me well. The arm pulls are really good. All seems to be strong and well made. Easy to see console with pulse rate, etc. Can’t fault it.
With limited space in a house, it’s been hard to set up a whole gym so decided to upgrade something portable and found this foldable bike, did arrive well packed and easy to assemble too with the instructions well illustrated and all parts well defined. Strong quality, nice built and no sharp edges make it safer in the conjured house too. With two positions Open or close, open for doing the workout’s and closed position for when not in use.
To do workout’s open positions sit at good height along with height adjustment too. Set’s are comfortable for long workouts and adjustable dial for hard resistance. All the bars are well gripped for better friction and come with two resistance bands for more options. Have LCD monitor with heart rate sensor along with speed & additional info display’s. Overall one machine for a variety of workouts with minimal space & foldability makes it a must-have bike at every home.
A bike of quality, superbly made with an excellent finish. A very comfortable ride with read-out dial that is larger than most other bike makes. Exceedingly satisfied with this purchase
I’m creating my exercise corner in the garage, this is very practical, when I finish with my exercise I folding it and bye bye.
For the price I paid I was expecting something a bit less professional than this exercise bike.
It’s very silent and smooth, even a tal person like me can exercise conformable on this bike.
I love the seat and the fact that you can add your ipad or phone for some entertainment during your exercise.
+++++++++
The Micyox folding exercise bike is a good quality device at an affordable price. It’s great for home users trying to maintain core strength while isolating and good for burning off those festive calories that we all put on. The bike is very easy to assemble, the instructions are clear and simple to follow and the fully assembled bike is sturdy and of good quality.
The bike is very easy to adjust resistance, it comes with a built in computer that gives you essential workout stats and it even has pulse sensors on the handlebars to factor in your cardio rate and better calculate the calories burned.
The bike is stable but I do recommend a non slip mat if using it on a hard floor otherwise it may move slightly.
I found this bike very easy to put together it’s better than the other bike I got because you can sit back and watch something on the tablet while you’re training Also it has a lot more features on it like heart rate speed timer it’s a much better bike in my opinion better than the one in my gym anyway I would recommend i
The seat has 7 levels of adjustment so it can be used by people of most heights (4’9″ — 6’1″), it also easily supports up to 120KG of weight so I never feel unsafe when operating the bike.
The magnetic resistance can be easily adjusted by rotating the dial, it has 16 levels to adjust between depending on the strength of the user and the intensity of the workout required.
ideal for small space as it fold away quite easy
This is a great bike for working out at home. It comes in a box that thankfully is not that heavy. It is protected well inside the box by its packaging and comes with the manual and relevant tools needed to put together. The instructions are scary at first but I soon realised that most of the items had been done for me. The main items were the handles, seat and back and the foot pedals.
Putting it together was quite simple. It was easy to do on myself with no help needed from my husband. Each part fitted nicely apart from the left foot pedal was a bit tricky to get in at the right angle needed. Apart from that all other parts fitted well and I had no problems putting it together.
When using the bike, it’s super quiet and easy to use whilst watching TV. It comes with the rubber mat to protect my floors which is great. I did find my legs got caught easily on the handles of the resistance bands. I tried tuck them in as much as possible so that helped slightly. The display was also a bit tricky to reset in between workouts. The bike resistance was great and provided a good workout. At 5ft 3 the lowest height setting was great for me and my 6ft husband was able to use by adjusting as needed.
A couple of improvements I think are needed are the back rest would be great if it was adjustable and it’s leans too far backwards for me. The seat height needed to be moved the the highest setting before I could fold the bike as the pin wouldn’t fit otherwise. This is frustrating as I have to change it every time.
The bike is lightweight and easy to move into storage. It folds up to a nice compact nature so it can be stored in the corner of the room.
TLDR; this is an impressive, inexpensive, sturdy, semi-versatile, folding exercise bike for home use, which is easy to assemble, and can support anyone from the rough heights of 4’9″ to at least 6’2″ (page says 6’1″, but I’m around 6’2″ with shoes and fit totally fine), and is a great way of getting a workout in from the comfort of your own home!
To preface this review, I’m a roughly 6ft, 115kg/250lbs man who isn’t in the best shape, but can still run a 5K in around 30 minutes (just..), but more importantly, I find ‘typical cardio’ workouts to be mind numbingly boring. So, because of my growing waist line and my tendency to get bored of doing the same workouts after a month or so, I’ve been buying more and more ‘budget’ home gym equipment to give me less excuses to not burn off some excess L-Bs..
Whether you’re trying to lose any extra flab that has magically appeared over the past year or so, or if you’ve simply had enough of paying steep gym fees to basically only use a single machine, then this stationary exercise bike is an excellent value-for-money option, which is sturdy under your weight and movement whilst still comfortable for long sessions.
The price of exercise bikes can range significantly, and other than paying loads for certain ‘brand names’, sub 200 tends to be a mixed bag.. Thankfully, this exercise bike is signicantly more affordable than most ‘named brands’ yet the construction is entirely metal and feels sturdy, durable and robust.
There are several levels of height adjustment in both the seat, allowing you to adjust the seat position for your height, riding style and/or specific exercise/workout on the bike.
The included floor mat is an lovely addition to the purchase; the mat is non-slip to reduce movement from the bike on the floor. And, the mat is thick enough to withstand the weight of the exercise bike and the user peddling away, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the floor underneath the mat!
We think it’s fairly priced for the quality and we’re happy.
He was right. Whilst the box and its contents feel initially weighty, it’s stamped at 19.5Kg so is quite manageable. The carton is sort of long, thin and narrow so is easy to humph up stairs without knocking chunks out of the walls. Inside, all of the parts are very well wrapped and packed, with the main tubular bits being protected with polystyrene mouldings. There are actually very few parts to unpack as it happens, just the main bike frame, floor supports, the seat and handlebars and a cardboard wrap containing the pedals. There’s also a sealed bag with the tools, frame locking pin and seat height adjustment knob. Still, it took me 10 minutes to unpack and unwrap it all, ready for assembly. You also get two instruction manuals. The main, large one contains the assembly instructions and it’s very well written in plain English and with clear diagrams. The smaller one concerns the operation of the display screen and it errm….isn’t and hasn’t!
If the first thing you do is open the instruction manual and see the exploded diagram for the bike, you could be forgiven for thinking ‘what have I got myself in to!?’ Don’t worry. In actual fact, 90% of the parts you see on the diagram are already fitted to the bike. It’s best to just get stuck in and proceed straight to step 1. All you need to do is systematically remove the bolts and washers from the various bits of the un-built frame e.g. the bare handlebar stalk, attach the required parts e.g. the handlebars and then replace the bolts into the same holes to secure the parts together. Fortunately, this way you don’t have to hunt through a gigantic bag of nuts and washers to find the correct ones. The bike comes with all the tools you need to put it together – namely a spanner and a dual-purpose Allen key with screwdriver. It took me a further 30 minutes to build the bike single-handed. Honestly, it’s a piece of cake (which you could burn off later on the bike….) In fact, the only time I swore at it was whilst fitting the pedal straps, which I found to be slightly fiddly. The only part I noticed I was missing was one of the handlebar bungs. No big deal.
So, once assembled, I stood back and admired my handywork. I was immediately struck by how much more compact this bike is when compared to my old one. When folded up, it’ll fit nicely into the box room or in fact, into most hall cupboards. Much of this is down to the much smaller pedal/pulley mechanism which is controlled by magnetic force and not friction bands. The tubular frame welding seems to be tidy too and the bolts all seem robust. The handlebar is more compact than the one on my previous bike but there’s no downside to that as it translates into a more streamlined appearance. I particularly like the castors which you can use to wheel the bike around and they’re not so hard that they’ll easily score wood or tiled floors. Downsides? Only a couple. The front plastic cover is a bit on the flimsy side and got slightly scratched as I was assembling the bike. The display unit also feels ‘uber-cheap.’ I mean really cheap compared to the one on my last bike. (2 x AAA batteries required, not included) It weighs next to nothing and the button covers are so thin you can feel the contacts underneath them. Do you remember the Sinclair ZX81 computer? Thought not. Well, they feel just like the keys on that! (I’m not still using mine, by the way….) Fortunately, you can cover up this vintage technological throwback with the hi-tech equipment of your choice and as you can see, a 10 inch tablet will fit in the handlebar holder quite nicely and you can can use it to sync your smart watch with its web app to check on your vitals as you cycle over the imaginary French Alps. If you do choose to use the on-board display you’ll actually find it quite easy to use and you can set the distance/ calorie functions to either count up from zero or down from a pre-set target.
What really makes the difference for me is the drive mechanism. The magnetic resistance is so much smoother to pedal and quieter than my old resistance band bike. Because of this, I find it much easier on my dodgy knee. If you live in a flat or (like me) get moaned at for making too much of a rumbly noise whilst on the bike, then this one is definitely for you. I tried to make a video of the bike being used but all you could hear were my shorts rustling and the odd bit of heavy breathing. I was concerned that viewers might think that the bike made those noises so decided not to to upload it. The bike’s volume measures only 47 decibels at head height or ‘quiet library’ according to my phone’s app. Actually, it may be my rustling shorts that sound like a quiet library! The bike mechanism really is very quiet though – almost silent. The resistance adjustment knob is firm, accurate and makes a satisfying ‘clack’ as you move it through the various levels. Whilst there’s an excellent range of resistance settings, there’s not much to choose from between the first four but from thereon in, you can select anything from ‘too easy !’ to ‘I think the pedals must be stuck!’
It’s quite comfortable too; as comfortable as I find any bike saddle to be! It’s geared to provide support for upright and recumbent riding positions and the foldable backrest definitely helps with the latter. I have the seat height set at ‘maximum.’ Now, I’m 5ft 10in and the bike is supposed to suit those up to 6ft 1in, so taller individuals may find it a little on the short side. My size 9 and a half feet fit comfortably into the pedal straps and the pedal surface is nice and grippy. I certainly haven’t slipped off them and catapulted the pedals into my shins…..yet. The arm pulleys are only operable at one resistance level and to be honest, I’m not so much of a glutton for punishment as to haul on them whilst attempting to pedal at a reasonable speed. Those of you who are will find them to be smooth in operation.
What else would you like to know? Reliability. Well, its early days in that regard and I suppose its overall longevity will be determined by how often it’s used and whether constantly unfolding and re-folding the bike and trundling it across floors will have a detrimental effect on it. On the face of it, display unit aside, this appears to be a very well-made bike. It’s no top-of-the-range professional gym bike but in operation, it does feel like a step up from my previous exercise bike (which was a well-known branded one.)
I’m reviewing this on the basis of what it is and how it operates and not on price. Prices go up and prices go down but if you find that it falls within your budget when you’re looking to buy, I’d recommend that you consider this one.