Ultrasport F-Bike, F-Rider Basics, Bike Trainer, Fitness
Ultrasport F-Bike, F-Rider Basics, Bike Trainer, Fitness Bike LCD Training Computer, Foldable Exercise Bike, Max. User weight 110 kg, pulse measurement, 8 resistance levels, trim wheel, Navy
Very easy to assemble and then your ready to go. Has several intensity levels which you can set up to suit your needs. Folds away very easily which makes it convenient to have anywhere and put away to store when not in use.
Dont expect a pro gym machine or trainer: HOWEVER: It still works proper after a month and do my exercise alone with music or a YT gym class. Decent solid bike and impossible to fall down (im 75kg but much more: Yesss) . To fold it, you need to move a pin and can store it. Im very happy with this bike. Value4money!
I ordered this exercise bike to aid me in recovering from a full hip replacement. I didn’t need anything too sophisticated, and I didn’t have the space to permanently site it, this bike has been perfect!
It was easy to build.
It is quite heavy but can be moved around, and takes up very little space width-wise.
It folds and unfolds in seconds with the insertion or removal of a metal safety pin.
The saddle, handle grips and pedals are all comfortable to use. I did purchase a separate gel saddle cover but that was because I thought I might need it because of my hip.
My only negative is that the computer is not very accurate, especially when it comes to pulse rate. This wasn’t a great concern to me as I use my smartwatch to time, track and log all my data. Having spoken to my son, this problem is not confined to this cheaper bike but is the same for his much more expensive one.
I’ve waited till I’ve done a few hundred kilometres to do a review and have not found anything in that time to lessen my enthusiasm for this excellent machine. A bold claim perhaps, but – apart from programmed rides which I never used anyway – the ride really is as good as gym bikes. OK, the data is a bit basic, and the pulse meter takes a while to catch on, but the functionality is there and the experience is the same.
The price has gone up quite a bit since I bought mine six months ago, but with excellent build quality, ease of assembly and the ride experience it’s still good value for money. I searched for a while till I found this – the 110kg load was a factor for me – and it is just as good as claimed in the description. I’m not much good at assembling stuff sometimes, but this was very easy and I did it alone without the need for any “can you give me a hand with this please?” Light enough to lift easily in and out of the corner in the spare room, it’s small enough that I’ve never even bothered to find out whether you can fold it up, but I think you can. Check out the description if you want to do that, but it is unobtrusive with a minimum footprint that won’t get in the way.
The sealed crank unit is smooth, and though I mainly want to “twiddle” (ancient cycle racing term) you can add to the difficulty and it still rides smoothly. Some older machines tended to be jerky when you did that, but this one remains silky smooth. I’ve tried – believe me I’ve tried – to find something I don’t like or that isn’t right to put in this review but I honestly can’t.
Brilliant – nice to buy something which meets expectation in reality and not just on paper!
I love this bike. It tells me the distance, time, calories burned, my heart rate. I will be using it every evening. I feel so accomplished when I use the bike
Update: Customer Services have now assured me they’ll improve the instructions on the points raised below – can’t say fairer than that, On the assumption that they do, I’ve increased my rating from 2 to 4 stars.
The bike is fine – the instructions & Customer Services aren’t. No mention is made in the assembly instructions of how to use the special nuts (see photo) to attach the saddle to the saddle plate. No doubt some of you reading this are DIY fans – but I’m not. For weeks I tried to get some sense out of customer services in Germany – it was like pulling teeth! Eventually (after I provided proof of my blood group & inside leg measurement) they sent a whole new pack of nuts & bolts – just the same as the ones I already had.
But Eureka! While waiting several weeks for the package to arrive, a friend solved the problem: identified them as Nyloc nuts, explained what they do & how to fit them. So then I was then able to attach the saddle without any problem. If only customer services had done the same weeks earlier, it would have saved me a lot of hassle & wasted time without a bike.
As well as that – if anyone thinks they might injure themselves trying to fit the rigid plastic toe straps onto the pedals – just soak the straps in hot water for a few minutes to make them more flexible. Another useful tip that the instructions fail to mention.
After 2 days of 1 hour exercise on this exercise bike I have found some small but annoying aspects. Firstly, the frame doesnt allow the ‘metal pin’ to fix it in place in its ‘foldable’ form as the design is slightly out by about 1mm and there is no way to alter this. I have to keep it on the next hole level, which stops me from putting it in a corner or cupboard. I have also noticed that after each revolution of the pedals there is a disctinct ‘click’ or ‘clunk’ – It does get quite annoying as you can feel it through your feet aswell.
On the plus side, it does seem quite sturdy and got good Which? reveiws. Seat is easily adjustable for someone 5 foot to over 6 foot and the control panel has clear and easy controls. I weigh 110kg and it seems to cope if I dont ‘go for it’ – just a steady, easy pace, watching a tv program for an hour or so.
Really pleased with the bike. Seems very well made, designed and sturdy. Comfortable to ride. I agree with
the negative comments about the monitor. If the monitor is important to you then do not buy this bike.
I had one of these for about 3 years until it broke (something internal, the pedal kept slipping so it was unusable). Got a new one 3 months ago and a few days ago it started knocking every time I pedal. The old one did this just before it broke, but that time it was intermittent. This time, it’s with every rotation of the pedal. I contacted the manufacturer who sent me a new set of pedals which resolved the issue. Also wish it had more than 8 resistance settings. I bought the first bike when I was really unfit and started on setting one. I now do an hour on setting eight and wish there was a nine or ten. Overall, a decent machine which has helped me lose over 20 kilos.
This bike has helped me so much! I have been kicked out of many gyms for getting naked and mounting the exercise bikes. This ‘at home bike’ let me be able to exercises with nothing on. I just need to remember to close the blinds (bloody nosey neighbours).
This bike is great if you are looking for a cheap exercise bike for at home. Obviously its not going to be a high quality bike like you would find at a mainstream gym. But for the money it is great. It took around 15 mins to set up, the set up instructions were clear and easy to follow. The bike folds up easy and take up minimal space.
Only negative to this bike and its the same with most other reviews, is the resistance settings are not very good, resistance 1 is very similar to resistance 5 and when you only have 8 settings, this could be a bit of an off put to experienced riders and people who want a hard workout.
I have now had 2 of these bikes because the first one “locked solid after 2 years of everyday use ,my second one is equally good but has now developed a suspicious “knocking every time the pedals go around 2 people who are engineers have looked at it and are baffled as to the source of the noise which is diconcerting when used Knock knock knock every time the pedals go around would love some technical advise as to how to deal with it .
Thanks .
James
I don’t normally do reviews, but thought it worthwhile in this case. I bought it as it had a very good review in WHICH? magazine, and I cross-checked reviews in various online sites. It was relatively easy to set up single-handedly, taking 30-45 minutes, and came with the necessary spanner and allen key. It looks very smart (I bought the navy blue handled one as it was cheaper!) and tucks neatly into the corner of the room, and so far seems to be working very well. There are some useful training tips in the handbook. It’s very smooth and quiet when in use. Other reviewers do mention the fact it’s worth buying a more padded saddle cover and I do agree with that – although the saddle it has is padded, it would definitely benefit from more padding and you certainly do feel that after ten minutes on the seat! It is probably a bit heavier than I was expecting in terms of what I’d read, but we’re not planning on carrying it round much. I guess it’s that solidity that makes it so sturdy though – which it is. It feels very safe to use. I’m no expert on exercise bikes but I think it looks and feels a lot more expensive than it actually was! I would recommend it, definitely. I will be buying a padded saddle cover!
The bike came on time
Easy to put together although doesn’t say which stablelizers to put on front or back but got there in the end.
The bike is quite, sturdy and easy to use.
It would be nice if there was somewhere to put your mobile or remote when using the bike.
The only thing I don’t like is the seat. Very uncomfortable seat and quite hard, if the seat could go down a little bit more I think it would be OK.
Would recommend i
As a basic exercise bike I find this great, so long as you don’t care for the screen/tracking features. I used to do 50 miles per week on a proper bike but fell out of routine over covid and put on a tonne of weight so got this to regain some fitness. The hardest settings on this aren’t as tough as a real bike but they’re still enough to get me sweating and my heart rate going.
It’s easy enough to collapse / open out when needed and light enough to move around (for me as a 35 y.o. man). When collapsed it takes up no more than a 50cm square of floor space so tucks nicely in to the corner of the room.
I find it quiet enough to comfortably watch tv when using it of an evening.
The screen and tracking features being battery powered are a hassle. The batteries don’t last long and are best removed when not using which adds a barrier to using it. Rather than deal with this I just don’t use digital aspect of it.
Let’s start with the good things:
Quite easy to assembly. I have done a lot more worse assemblies then this. If my memory is correct, there was only one place where the instruction was not too great, but it was just trying 1 thing out of 2.
It is quite light and compact when folded. It is just sitting in the room corner right now without taking much space. Similar to side bed drawer.
Really good for begginers whic want to train at home.
Now the not so great things:
This will only work for the beginners. The hardest difficulty is starting to get too easy just after 2 weeks. When you reach the speed of 30 and start to move sideways a lot more, the bike becomes a lot more unstable.
The menu on the screen does not go through the options in order (Neither vertically, neither horizontally). It’s not a big problem, just a bit confusing at first.
The seat is not the best. I’d be honest and say that it is quite hard one and buying something like a gel seat would be nice for it.
I will still give it 4 starts as I find it very convenient and as a first training bike, I am quite happy about it.
Yes, I hate it, so why a four-star review? Well, being old and overweight I needed to lose some flab. I stored my e-bike away before the bad weather set in and I needed to keep up the exercise levels. I’ve used exercise bikes before, and being stuck in the same place without enduring our British weather has somewhat less appeal that being outdoors in the real world. It’s exercise for its own sake, and I’ve always railed against it!
I assembled the Ultrasport very easily (It’s a 15-minute task at worst). On my e-bike I was doing 10 miles per day, and I stored it when I had covered exactly 1000 miles. The exercise bike only shows kilometers, so I decided to find an appropriate friction level that allowed me to do 10 kilometers per day with a fair bit of effort.
I’m up to 550Km now. The saddle, which some reviewers don’t like, is covered by a spare beach towel, and that makes it very comfortable. The riding position is fine too. I’m about 6 feet tall and it’s quite a good distance between saddle and handlebars. I do my morning 10Km whilst watching Breakfast TV, which SOMETIMES relieves the boredom, but there’s no getting away with it, it’s exercise for the sake of it, and I don’t enjoy it!
My dodgy cartilages are groaning in pain, but I’m at the level where I can do my 10Km without falling off. In reality, I like the machine: it’s doing the job and didn’t cost too much.
I can recommend it to those who need exercise on a regular basis.
Peloton this is not. On the other hand it is a twentieth of the price give or take. I had no difficulty in following instructions and putting it together and I am a woman in my 70s and do not consider myself to be a very handy person. It is heavy, but not unmanageable while one puts the stabiliser bars on, but that was the only small drawback. People have remarked negatively on its being ‘plasticky’, which the computer and the housing of the drive etc are. The drive housing is slightly apart at the base on this one, but one cannot see that once put together so cosmetically it looks ok. I don’t think it affects performance in any way. for the price It is excellent and it has a stylish, attractive design and is heavy and stable with most of it steel, I think. It is easy to fold for storage as well. So far I have found it comfortable to get on and off, enjoyed an initial ride and look forward to being able to ‘cycle’ safely in all weathers, important as walking is not comfortable for me (injuries from long ago). If one wants to use it seriously to train I do not offer an opinion as I will have to see what it is like, also what I’m like when it comes to being serious about fitness.
I saved a lot of money and got the lime green colour which was my preferred choice by going for a returned and refurbished bike. I want to support Amazon in their new effort not just to throw away perfectly good items but to sell them on at reduced cost. Win win – I think this had been returned without even being put together. It seems absolutely new and unmarked, all present and correct, repackaged.
Firstly I am absolutely hopeless at assembling flat pack furniture or pretty much anything else so I almost opted for the installed in your home option. But after some reviews said it wasn’t too difficult I thought I’d give it a go. Followed each step while also having a YouTube video of someone assembling it playing and I did it! Great sturdy bike, very smooth and virtually silent during use. I use it with a Cadence Sensor, the Quest 2 VR headset and the Holofit VR app and the combination is fantastic. I have room in a spare bedroom to leave it out but I’m sure if a guest was staying the fold up option would be handy to give more space. Only quibble is the seat hurts after 30 minutes on it. I bought a padded gel cover but doesn’t seem any better so not sure what the solution is there.
The bike has 8 levels of resistance and I am using levels 6 & 7 after less than 2 weeks’ use. As my fitness improves I expect to quite soon be using Level 8 and then there will be nowhere further to go. So, if you are already quite fit and powerful this bike may not be for you.
The display shows elapsed time, current speed, trip distance, calories and pulse. It also has an odometer (total distance since last re-set). However, only one value can be displayed at a time. The display can be set to scan through all the values or you can manually set a single value to display, or toggle through the values. This is limiting as I would like to see several of the values simultaneously (e.g. speed, time, calories). Instead, I use my Garmin watch to monitor pulse and tend to just display calories. I then do a form of interval training alternating between Levels 6 & 7 (10 calories on each) with Level 6 used for recovery and Level 7 for maximum effort. Towards the end I switch to Level 7 and do a flat-out phase for around 60-80 calories looking to maximise the anaerobic aspect. I then download the Garmin data to review on a smartphone or pc. Without the Garmin watch I would struggle to set a meaningful training session.
So, in summary:
Good value. Compact when folded. Easy to assemble.
Limited in resistance.
Lacking display options or any data download.
But, for <130 it is a hit, for now at least.
I’ve had the heavy version for nearly a week now, I’ve used it for about 20 minutes a day. Assembly was a little tricky but it did come with all the tools required and all nuts and bolts etc. it is easy to adjust the seat and pedal straps.
A word of note is it doesn’t come with batteries for the computer, it takes two AAA ones. The computer is good with a big display, and it’s auto power on and off, you have a button to flip between the different screens and reset the readings.
Using the bike is easy, it’s certainly been working out my legs!
A word on quality, the sticker with the numbers for the resistance on the dial to adjust it is coming off on one end, but a bit of superglue should fix it, and when I got the bike their was a rattling in one pedal and it would be stiff to move. I popped of the plastic end cap and found an extra nut that was loose, I just took it out and it’s been fine since. I could moan and send it back but it’s an easy fix and it saves a lot of hassle sending things back. Plus it’s 140, not dirt cheap but no where near a Peloton!
So overall I’m pretty pleased with it, it’s easy enough to fold up and then setup for use and gives you a workout. And it was nice to see all the tools needed to assemble it in the box.
I have been looking for an exercise bike for home for a while now, as I’m too self conscious to go to the gym and like the fact this bike is for the curvier figure, not many are unless you are paying through the nose for a gym style exercise bike, so this is a steal at this price! My sister recommended this to me after purchasing one herself.
I have only given 4 stars due to a BIG safety issue! When I input the two triple A batteries into the control panel, it switched on but as I was working through the programme, it all of a sudden went off, when I removed the back of the control panel and went to check the batteries, one was that hot to touch I had to get pliers to remove it! The other battery was fine but one in particular was dangerously hot! They are a cheap make, and/or potentially faulty, which could have very easily caught fire had the panel not switched off and carried on draining the battery! I would advise anyone buying this, don’t use the batteries that come with it and buy some decent branded ones! I have since put in Duracell and these are fine and no overheating.
I bought this back in 2019 for 83 as I wanted to cycle indoors. You do have to assemble it but it is not super complicated and can be done in about 30 minutes providing it comes with everything. It is super sturdy and comes with a nice display that tracks certain things but you have to cycle through them with the display button. It is powered entirely by your pedalling so nothing else is required. You can fold it a bit but not as far as you would expect.
There are some issues with this. Exercise bikes are not normally cheap so what your getting for 100 or less is a very basic bike just to help you get started with cycling indoors. The tracking on the display is very basic and doesn’t have any options or any ways of tracking progress over time. It will only display approximations of your current progress on time of use. The seat can be very uncomfortable after a while as it is just some cheap rubber material prompting you to buy a seat cushion. The seat can’t be adjusted enough for shorter people. I have a friend who is 5 ft who couldn’t get her legs onto the pedals while sitting down on the lowest setting. Finally the resistance settings are not very strong. You might find you can do no.8 which is the max it can go with no issue.
I still use this for a basic workout but thats the key word here – basic. If your serious about cycling then this isn’t the product for you. It’s a cheap basic exercise bike.
12 Month update: The belt failed. I was prepared for that after the use it has had. But I mistakenly thought it would be an easy task to replace. Firstly, a replacement belt is nearly a fifth of the cost of the whole bike when postage is factored in. Make sure you order the correct one, there are 2 belts, mine had the part number printed on them. To get at the belt you have to remove the plastic covers, the pedals which requires a crank puller, and you need to undo a few bolts. It is not a quick task. I’m pretty good at fixing stuff but found that I easily stripped a couple of threads, including the one on the tensioner, I couldn’t manage to rethread it with a die easily. Not a great example of an item if you are looking at the Right to Repair. Still been a great purchase, but this episode has disappointed.
Update: I have just completed 1000 km on this and it is working as well as when I first started using it.
I needed to find a different way to get my exercise and decided the best solution would be an indoor bike. I had no idea about what to choose but after research decided on this. For me, this is one of the best products I have ever bought. I am not fit and can appreciate that if you are an advanced user, it is unlikely to give you a hard workout, but for me it is perfect. I have used it every day for three weeks so far. It does not take up much space and is quiet so no one else is disturbed when it is in use. I am 6ft tall and at the upper limit for the weight specified, yet it is stable and comfortable enough for 20 minute sessions, with the saddle as supplied. Although I am not convinced about the accuracy of some of the data displayed, for an entry-level purchase I am more than satisfied with it. The five stars are based on its ability to meet my personal needs and value for money.
I wanted to give the bike a good go before I wrote this review. The F-Bike was delivered on 6th July 2020 and it’s the 27th August.
With coronavirus and furlough I wanted to find something to keep me active and lose some of the extra weight I’d but on through lockdown.
I’d heard pretty poor things about bikes which looked similar to this, but with a small budget and a bit of research I took the plunge and I’m pretty pleased I did.
I’m 42, 6ft and float around 90kg. The bike is pretty stable for me and I generally use it on settings 6 or 7 (out of 8). I build up a good sweat and heart rate. For me, it’s convenient to jump on for a quick 30 mins to an hour and the seat is comfortable-ish. I occasionally have to stand up to rearrange various parts of me.
I’ve gone to the effort of making a shelf for a book/iPad which helps with boredom if I’m in for a long ride.
The bike is also used by the rest of my family. My youngest who is 10yrs and 150(ish)cm tall loves it. He uses it on the lowest seat setting and I use the highest.
Since last month we have done 820km on the bike and it’s used every day.
I’ve not folded it much as it’s constantly in use. Both the rubber pedal straps have torn, but I do think this is through misuse by my sons rather than due to quality. I will be making something more robust which I don’t think they’ll get through so quickly!
I’m really pleased with the bike and find it an easy way to grab some exercise when busy. It was cheap and might not be good for the serious cyclist, but for the average person it’s great. Would happily buy another, but I think this one will last is quite a long time.
The seat is not comfy and frankly it could use with a privet joint because depending on how far back you unfold it the seat gets more and more unparalleled with the ground. I tend to use a folded towel or something and it makes it a lot better. There is no drink or phone holder or anything of the sort, but you can keep a drink between the two bars that jet off to the handles quite easily. A design flaw, but with an easy work around. The pedals themselves are great, but could have done with a wider arch as sometimes it feels like you’re on a child’s tricycle. I’ve seen a couple of people criticising the resistance settings, but again it’s relative and you could just get some ankle weights if the top resistance setting is below your fitness/strength threshold. It’s pretty high for the average person and I can’t see many people cycling at that level for more than / minutes at absolute tops.
I bought this because the gyms are closed and along with my Bluetooth Ghettoblaster you can have a fantastic workout. It’s not perfect and it has some flaws, but for the price you can get 75% of the gym experience in your own home. Recommended.
This fitness bike arrived sooner than stated and was well packaged.
The assembly instructions were concise and easy to follow.
Completion can be achieved with the enclosed tools but should you have a socket set to hand, the process will be much easier, especially when you come to tightening the 3x nyloc nuts under the seat.
I am presently around 12 and a 1/2 stone and the bike is sturdy, stable and quiet.
For stowing away in the folded position, it is light enough to carry, even up the stairs.
Many people have complained about soreness caused by the seat and after completing the assembly myself, the reason was clearly evident.
Due to the seat being bolted directly to the triangular plate at the top of the seat post, the position is fixed, causing the front section to be higher than the rear, which in turn results in chafing and the early onset of soreness.
Unfortunately, there is no adjustment to lever the front of the seat down, such as you find on a bicycle, so a simpler if not perfect fix, would be for the manufacturers to alter the angle at which the triangular plate is welded to the seat post.
For me to overcome this problem, I would fit ‘spacer’ washers to the two threaded studs at the rear of the seat, thereby raising the back of the seat so that it is slightly higher than the front but alas, the threaded studs are too short.
My final concern occurred when attempting to install the two AAA batteries in the rear housing of the computer.
When compressing the spring terminal by the Negative end of the first battery, I could then push the Positive end into position and the battery was secure.
Repeating the process with the second battery was not so straightforward. Again, with the spring terminal compressed by the Negative end of the battery, the positive end could not be pushed home securely. With my finger keeping the battery in place, the computer functioned but as soon as I removed my finger, the battery fell out.
After a number of attempts, I have had to slightly force the battery housing cover shut, which in turn is holding the batteries in position.
The resistance range of the machine seems adequate for my needs and I intend to use it daily, when watching the 6 o’clock news.
Had this bike for 3 years now and its done 2000km, based on its built in computer. It started to make a knocking noise so I checked inside (you can see inside through the top cover with a torch) and one of the two drive belts on the fly-wheels has started to fray and has split. I contacted Ultrasport and they are sending me a replacement belt, with instructions on how to replace it for free.
This is outside of warranty, and they said they will do this for any bike that needs a belt replacement. That’s excellent customer service!
(If you want to replace the belt yourself, there are two within the bike, and they are standard size and pretty cheap to find on eBay or elsewhere. The 230J attaches to the metal flywheel, and the 240J attaches to the larger plastic drive wheel. About 6 each.)
A decent exercise bike for a good price. Easy to assemble and seems to be pretty robust, though we’ve only had it a month, so too early to tell.
Until now we’d only had a small floor exercise bike – the kind that doesn’t have a seat and you place under a chair. It was pretty rubbish with practically no resistance.
This proper, magnetic bike has a decent amount of resistance at level 7 and 8. It’s very subjective, though, and if you’re a keen cyclist you might disagree.
For us, it’s perfect. Quite small, easy to fold up and with enough resistance to give me a decent bit of exercise after working from my home office all day.
(Note that if you are under 5ft3 or so, you may struggle to reach the pedals comfortably. My wife is 5ft and I had to saw a couple of inches off the bottom of the seat post so she was at the correct height to use it when sitting. Not a big deal, easy with a hack saw and some elbow grease, and I can still use it at the higher seat settings.)
Having never owned something like this before, I was a little wary about when I ordered it and when it came. However, I found it easy to assemble (with the odd screw that didn’t want to go into the hole for some reason) and overall, I am happy with my purchase. The bike is good, it holds my weight well, and it is very easy to set up in my home office so that I can watch Netflix/other streaming platforms while doing my daily exercise.
Pros:
*Easy to assemble.
*Easy to use.
*Easy to store and is small enough to be set up almost anywhere.
*Gives you a good work out. I’m always left exhausted after my hour long sessions (in a good way of course).
*Its light and easy to maneuver around when I’m done using it (I store it in a corner of my home office).
*The screen is great at keeping track of how far you’ve “traveled” and what calories I’ve burnt.
*It is very easy to lose track of time while on the bike. It can feel like 5 minutes have passed but its actually been closer to an hour.
*Came quick and in perfect condition. The instructions were very clear on how to assemble and use.
Cons:
*The seat is slightly uncomfortable. As a larger person, I found the seat highly uncomfortable at first (and it left me a little sore on my behind for a day or so) and still do. Its very hard but I fixed the problem by putting a pillow on the seat and it makes it much more comfortable to sit on. Would suggest also using a pillow and/or something thick and comfy to sit on (could be a pillow, a thick blanket, etc, etc). You could also buy one of those padded bike seats that you would buy for a normal bike but I’m on a budget so a normal pillow works just fine.
*The top speed doesn’t feel all that challenging to me (this will differ from person to person though so not much of a con).
*The plastic/rubber ends to the stabilizers seem to come off rather easily even when the bike is lifted off the ground (I however fixed this with a bit of duct tape so again, not so much of a con).
*The seat is still slightly too high for me but I have managed to work around it easily. Could do with one more hole to make the seat a couple inches lower.
*The rubber strips for your peddles (that keeps your feet on the peddles) can be difficult to get on and off but with a little force and a bit of bending, I managed to get them on fine. They do stay in place once they’re on so this is both a pro and a con.
NOTE: I HAVE THE F-BIKE HEAVY
I’ve now had this bike for a week and I’ve used it every day (I was already fit anyway but I can’t get out much now so I bought this). I usually do pretty short reviews but considering this is 100+ I decided to go through some of the questions and give some answers and recommendations. Here’s some things people may find helpful:
– I’m 5’2 / 157cm and weigh 54kg / 119lb. I use the lowest seat setting and it’s perfect for me, if anything I can even use it when the seat is one notch higher.
– It’s very easy to assemble for one person but obviously it’s quicker with two people, one on each side!
– Attached is a photo of the bike: the bike when it’s folded in a reasonably small space in my lounge which is where it stays until I get it ready to go in the evenings.
– The bike came as it looked in the photo. It has the console and the handle bars. There’s no laptop table or anything.
– The pulse sensors can be temperamental. At the beginning they’re fairly accurate but as you progress and start sweating it effects the sensors a bit and the readings are inaccurate. For me this isn’t an issue as I track it all on my Fitbit anyway.
– There’s 8 settings on the bike. I usually use levels 2 and 3 for a warm up and cool down and then about level 5 for my actual workout. It’s handy to have a TV or music playing so you don’t get bored after a couple of days.
– When you’re attaching the phone holder, put it as high up as you are able but make sure you’re still able to put your phone in before you tighten it completely. The reason for this is because the bike doesn’t have a bottle holder so what I do is put my bottle of water lying on the two bars under where the phone holder goes! I thought that tip might be helpful!
– It’s very sturdy. I was on the bike a few days in to having it and realised I’d left my towel on the sofa, I leaned over a fair bit to get it and the bike didn’t even move, let alone tip over!
– I would highly suggest getting a gel seat cover like I have if you plan on using it more than a couple times a week but make sure it’s from Ultrasport and that you order the right size! It takes a couple of mins to stretch it on but it’s supposed to be like that! Otherwise the cover could just slip off. I’ve left the link to the one I have at the bottom of this review.
– You can’t change the distance. It’s preset to kilometres. I’m just going by km now but if you really want to calculate miles then a quick google search will do the trick!
– The console turns itself off after about 4 minutes of inactivity. When you go for your next workout the previous workout results will appear (distance, calories, time etc). If you want to start a new workout then hold down the button on the console (there’s only one!) and it’ll reset rather than carry on from your last workout. The only thing that doesn’t reset is the odometer which just tells you how many kilometres you’ve done in total from all your workouts.
– No noise!! The only sound it really makes is a very slight humming. You can still keep the TV at a normal level and it doesn’t disturb anyone. I live on the top floor of a block of flats so this was important for me.
– No plugs. No pesky wires. All you need is 2 AAA batteries to power the console.
– For those who want to start some kind of weight loss, this is a good start for FITNESS. Of course it’ll help you lose weight but 80% of weight loss is down to DIET. So you won’t be losing any weight if you’re still eating fatty sugary stuff all day.
I hope this helped and I hope I answered a lot of the questions people were asking. I also hope some of the tips I’ve recommended will help! If you want to know where I got my gel seat cover for my F-Bike Heavy then go to this url and make sure you select the right size!! A lot of people say it doesn’t fit as expected but I don’t know how many of those people just didn’t have the experience of being able to put right fitting gel covers on bike saddles and who genuinely had a cover too small!! Mine fits like a glove: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01EV6XCYE?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_yo_pop_mb_pd_t2
My wife and I bought this bike as a way to keep active even whilst we are both very busy and with two kids so often unable to leave the house and go to the gym. I am 5ft11 and she is 5ft 3.
Comfort
We were both immediately very impressed with the comfort of the bike. Very comfortable seat and handlebars. Crucially, the seat height is very quickly and easily adjusted so suit both of us which is very important because of our height difference.
Noise
With 2 sleeping kids in a small house noise was an important factor is choosing a bike. I’m amazed at house quiet this bike is. I was worried that I would need to put the volume on the TV quite high to hear it over the bike noise but it’s actually not really necessary to put the volume up at all.
Resistance
This was a big concern for me when buying because I am a lot fitter than my wife, albeit it’s been a few years since I’ve regularly exercised. Many reviews complained it barely gave them a workout. The main thing is to make sure you understand what you’re buying and don’t expect the bike to offer resistance similar to an exercise bike at a gym. You don’t get anything like an uphill sensation. But as a fit 26 year old man I find the top level gives me a good workout at a level I can maintain for a long time. My wife will probably prefer to use a lower level.
Computer
I find the computer very simple. Just one button to move between the different options to avoid any confusion. Tracking distance and calories and time all make it very easy to set clear goals which is ideal when starting a program.
Storage & Weight
First question is how easy/quick is it to fold and unfold. It’s as simple as pulling out a pin and then re-inserting it. If , like us, you’ll need to move it before and after using it then you’ll need to consider weight too. Most men will find this easy to carry around. Many women will probably find it a little on the heavy/uncomfortable side like my wife. However it’s certainly not too heavy for the vast majority of women to move around.
Appearance
Appearance is probably low on your priority list, but it might come into consideration especially if it is going to be left out. We find the white colour of the bike and the curved design makes this a very attractive bike which fits in well with out mainly white furniture. After all most other bikes are black and fold in an X shape.
Assembly
Putting the bike together is very easy and won’t take you long at all. It took me about 20-25 minutes and can be done faster than that.
The bike is easily assembled using the instructions and tools supplied.
The LED display can be set to an individual mode that monitors heart rate or time exercised or calories burned or distance travelled, etc., or it can be set to scroll through all the modes so you can keep an eye on everything without having to change the setting.
The data given is useful as an indicator on how you are doing and offers a benchmark for fitness level improvement but it is not necessarily medically accurate, but no exercise machine producing this kind of data is going to be.
At 5′ 10″ I find the lowest seat setting is right for me, taller people will prefer one of the higher seat settings.
Overall I am happy with the bike and could recommend it with one caveat, the seat. It is as awful as others have testified. The seat cover “Velo 137657 Anatomic Gel Saddle Cover” as a recommended pairing with the “Ultrasport F-Bike Home Trainer with Hand Pulse Sensor” doesn’t seem to fit according to other reviewers. I went for the “Ultrasport Comfort Saddle Cover with Gel Insert” (www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasport-Comfort-Saddle-Insert-Bicycle/dp/B00KX3SGOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487675840&sr=8-1&keywords=Ultrasport+Comfort+Saddle+Cover+with+Gel+Insert) which does fit.
Ultrasport will tell you that they have different home trainer models and the cover will not fit all their saddles but this cover is also supposed to fit their Ultrasport Racer 600.
However, the cover didn’t seem to make any difference to the seat comfort. I think the seat shape is wrong possibly more suited to women because their pelvises are larger and wider than male pelvis. The padding is not required on the top, in my view, but at the sides.
A comfortable saddle is conducive to longer exercise time. Nobody wants to suffer discomfort while trying to exercise. For this reason I have dropped one star off the rating.
Well, where do I start? Firstly it’s a stationery bike and it folds saving space for less than 80 …bonus! What it’s not is a 1000 professional spinner….bummer
I bought this bike because it folded and there was some accessories that I could add, which I did as I live in a tiny itty bitty cottage and space is limited. Secondly I bought this bike for the price as I haven’t been on a bike for years and riding one on the roads would risk my life by either drivers on the road or pedaling up the hills that surround my house. And the last reason I bought it was to get off my dead backside to get into shape. Now back to the bike, if it said that it’s a two man job to put together then it should only take one woman…tah dah! Took me about a half hour to do so, I read the instructions. I jumped on it in anticipation to cycle for an hour but my lazy self screamed to get off after 30 mins. There is 8 resistance settings which I could only do 6 as the other two were like riding up hill and yes…I worked up a sweat and a massive thirst. There’s a spot to cradle my water bottle nicely. I bought a holder for my ipad so I could torture myself watching spinners on YouTube which for an extra 18 was worth it. My only gripe is you can’t stand and cycle comfortably so this is more of a “in the saddle” kinda bike because of where the pedals are located hence it only getting 4 stars. If you’re looking for a entry level bike that won’t break the bank then this bike should suit you just fine but if you’re wanting to train for a race such as tour de France than my I suggest that 1200 bike. Overall I’m pleased with it, it gives me a workout, I work up a sweat, easy to setup, 8 resistance settings, options to add accessories and it folds to save space.
Just a little bit about me, before I bought this I didn’t do exercise. My thumbs and brain get a lot of exercise because I play a *lot* of video games but not the rest of my body! Since I’m now of an age that I should be looking after myself better and I’ve enjoyed cycling outdoors,( but only when the weather is good) this bike – which has already had many positive reviews here – appeared to be ideal. And it is. It’s sturdier than I was expecting at this price and it folds away in a spare room nice and tidy taking up little space, far less space than my dad’s treadmill does.
This bike has a computer that measures speed (km), time spent on current session, calories burnt and your pulse rate.it also features an odometer to tell you how much distance (km) you’ve covered since you began using the bike.The computer takes 2xAAA batteries,which were included too! It took me about 30-40 minutes to assemble the bike, if you pay close attention to the manual you’ll be fine. Also the only tools you’ll need to assemble the bike are all in the box.
POSITIVES
– It’s a bargain.
– Its better quality than you might expect at around 90.
– It appears to be of German design (but built in China).The bike is well stabilised,its never tipped up in any direction whilst in use.
– The manual is better than I expected, better than a friend’s manual for their Everlast exercise bike of similar value from Argos.This manual has recommended stretches that you can do before and after your sessions. And it has an (albeit fuzzy) graph that gives you idea of what your ideal heart rate you can aim for based upon your age. Mine is approximately 108-113bpm. But I tend to use cycling speed as my benchmark, see my negatives list below for the reason why.
– I wasn’t expecting the computer to have that many features,but these are useful for keeping tabs on your progress
NEGATIVES
– My partner is about 5’4″ tall,and despite what some have said amongst these reviews, I don’t think she would be comfortable on it,( I was hoping that we both might get some use out of this bike). I set the saddle height on the second notch of three safe positions – I’m about 5’9″ tall . for my partner she could have the saddle set as low as it will go, which is without the peg in place,but so far she hasn’t used it so I can’t absolutely confirm that this bike might not be suitable for ladies of below average height. I’ve just looked at the saddle stem notches and there are five in total,but two of those are above the Max safety mark, this seems bit daft I guess but if you’re tall and you’re careful(!) not to make the bike tip backwards, this bike might suit you too.
– The pulse rate sensor seems crazy,either I’m working too hard, or its really sensitive. It takes a good minute to settle on a value,and even then it seems too high…. Or maybe I’m sort of super athlete! Unlikely. I’m thinking of purchasing one of those Bluetooth heart rate wristbands instead.
4.0 out of 5 stars This bike is cheap, sturdy and folds up small and tidy.
This is an affordable ok bike for gentle home use, with a couple of caveats.
First the good news : it is quiet, it looks pretty good,, and it is easy enough to assemble. It will cope with a rider slightly over the 100kg limit (and possibly quite a bit over, but i havent stress tested it).
And it tracks your pulse rate, distance, speed, etc…. and folds up quite small into about a 40 x 45 cm corner in your lounge, bedroom etc.
Limitations:
One: the saddle is quite uncomfortable – superficially soft but actually quite hard after you have been on it for fifteen minutes. The nose sticks up a bit.
Two : The resistance levels are gentle. eight levels , 1 to 8, even at level 8 its about the same as modest paced riding on a regular smooth-tyred bike on the flat. So its good for encouraging the unfit, but it wont get you into tip top shape.
If you can spare the time, you’ll removing the saddle and sticking a regular, tilt-adjustable, bike seat post snugly inside the existing square seat post… then you can add your saddle of choice. And/or you may need to drill another hole or two to widen the range of heights that the bike can serve.
If anyone has succeeded in adjusting the resistance levels, I’d be interested to hear from them…
Update, after 4 years:
I carried on using this from time to time but the lack of any middling (or severe) resistance levels limited its value. Better to get out and about and ride up a few gentle hills on a normal bike…
The screen on the trip computer has largely given up the ghost; when it is working at all, the LCD characters are only displaying about 50% of their lines.
At its sub-100 price tag I’d rate it as being worth 3.5 stars – if you arent sure whether you will use an indoor exercise bike (most of them end up neglected in the garage or loft) then this is way better than shelling out 500 for a good one, buy this and find out how good your motivation is!
I’m not one for writing reviews but in this instance I think one is warranted!
—Background—
I’ve been wanting to get fit for some time but I’m the sort of person who is reluctant to pay through the roof for gym membership or brave the cold, wet and dark to go jogging around the local area. As I live in a flat an exercise bike was out of the question as space is a premium and it would just get in the way. I then stumbled across folding exercise bikes and spent a good few hours reading reviews and trying to find the best one. In the end I settled for this one – what a right decision that was!
—Delivery & Set-Up—
As a Prime member I ordered it on Saturday and had it the next day. I was a little worried about getting it up three flights of stairs on my own but it is not as heavy as it seems. I don’t think I have ever seen anything wrapped and packaged as much as this product – it even as throw away plastic caps to protect the end of the metal struts before you put it together!
Putting it together was simple and stress free. My only criticism is that the pictures in the instruction booklet are a bit small. Each part is also numbered in the booklet but there are no corresponding numbers on the pieces of the bike. Not the end of the world as there aren’t that many pieces so you can figure out which ones are which. Batteries are supplied but I decided to use some Duracell ones I had spare. I found that I had 4 spare washers which I couldn’t work out where they were supposed to go as every screw had washers already! Bit of a mystery…
TIP: Put the straps onto the pedals BEFORE putting the pedals onto the bike. I made the mistake of doing it the wrong way round and as the straps are a bit tricky to get on you don’t want to be fighting to stop the pedal spinning as well. I put the straps on the 3rd one up but I might changed that to the 2nd one so I can get more of my foot on the pedal.
—Usage—
The bike folds nicely away and sits in the corner by the TV. Unfolding it is straight forward as you just pull out a pin, unfold it, and put the pin back in. If you are worried about the bike being heavy to move then don’t! I store it in the corner and then move it into the centre of the room to use it. Two hands make light work of it.
When you are using it the bike as all the usual settings – timer, calories burned, pulse etc. but for my purposes I just use the timer – it’s nothing fancy, it just counts up but that’s all I want from it. The bars are angled just right so you can rest a Kindle on it to read whilst pedalling. When using it you can’t even hear it! It is the quietest bike I have ever used. Maybe it makes more noise when the tension is higher but I certainly don’t hear anything with the TV on. The instruction booklet comes with some easy warm up and warm down exercises which I would recommend doing before you start and when you finish a session.
NOTE: I don’t know if it is just me, being super unfit, or the seat itself, but I find that after using it the tops of my inside legs can become really stiff from where it makes contact with the seat.
—Tension—
Like most people I was worried about the maximum tension not being that great but so far I don’t have any issues with it. I’ve only been using it a week, slowly building up the time I spend on it from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. I’ve been using setting 1 to start as I’ve not ran/done any exercise in a long time. This has been adequate to get my body used to the motion. Once I reach 30 minutes I plan to crank up the tension to actually get a bit of a workout and burn some calories.
—Conclusion—-
I think this bike is great for those who:
– Don’t have much space
– Want to get fit and lose some weight – perfect for beginners
– Want a cheap product that is great and easy to use
I wouldn’t recommend this for any serious fitness people as you probably won’t get out what you need. If you’ve got the money, and the space, go for an exercise bike as they generally have higher tension than folding bikes and you can do more with them.
I found that a lot of the other reviews were not that helpful – hopefully this will help:
1. The bike takes up very little space – less so than a chair. When folded, it’s like one of those 4ft vases with plants in it that your mother for some reason insists on putting in the corner of every room in the universe. It’s also not too heavy (for me). I imagine that if you’re a small, elderly woman, that it might be a bit tough to put together yourself.
2. The bike is exceptionally quiet. I can barely hear it when I am on it, unless I am going very fast with a lot of resistance. Used at a moderate pace, it is close to silent; at a vigorous pace, you will probably not hear it outside of the room. In comparison, my PC is louder.
3. There are 8 resistance levels. I think the gradations are excellent. If your knees are weak, all you need do is adjust the height to lower than normal, and lower the resistance.
4. The computer and screen is very rudimentary. I don’t trust the calorie counter, because it does not take into account your weight. I also don’t know how much I trust the HRM, but I have not checked. I like to read whilst I cycle and it’s difficult to get my e-reader to stay in place – maybe this is a consideration for some.
5. You can use this thing whilst you lie down. I can peddle at a pace of around 16km/h (about 10mph) whilst lying on my bed, reading until I feel sleepy.
6. The pedals are comfortable – they have contoured grooves to help grip, and you can use them without shoes on and there is no discomfort (and I use this thing for hours).
7. It is not magnetic – it’s a belt.
8. Batteries, which are AAA, come included with your purchase.
9. Setting up. This took me around 20-30 minutes. The instruction manual is a little poor in that it assumes you know what the hell jargon terms for screws are. Don’t fret. Come back to the Amazon page and zoom in on the bike – you can easily see what goes where. They provide the spanner and Allen/Hex key.
10. Height settings etc. I’m 6’1. I tend to use the lower setting so that I put less stress on my cartilage and ligaments. I imagine that this machine is suitable for someone as tall as around 6’8 and as short as around 5’0.
11. My one major gripe. I cannot stand whilst I use it! For some reason, the pedals are, by rough estimation, several miles ahead of the seat, such that when I stand up to cycle, my knees hit the monitor thing. Maybe if you’re around 5’5 you can get away with it, but it’s probably still uncomfortable.
Is it worth it? Well, I don’t like that the monitor is so rudimentary and that I cannot stand up on the bike. However, it’s cheap, so I think that, for the price, it probably is worth it.
I bought this machine as it seemed good value for money. it certainly is. sturdily constructed. I weigh 161/4 stone & this is so well made that it would cope with more without a problem. seller being cautious over max weight. others have dealt with mod for saddle height & low setting for serious workout. however after 5 weeks of use at 10 mins. per day to tone myself up a bit I found that setting 8 was not challenging enough. It was to start with but I was very unfit. As soon as my leg muscle tone improved setting 8 was too easy & no way was I going to do any serious “burning”.
I removed the cover screws on each side of the pedal unit to reveal the same arrangement as on a cycle to adjust the brakes. If you wind back the nut on the cable to near the end of the cable cover, not the cable end, & raise the bolt on the other side of the cable head bracket this allows the magnet? to move nearer to the flywheel which increases the tension. If you hear any scraping noise you have raised it too far & need to screw it back down a bit- I suggest 1/2 turn at a time until there is no scraping sound.
This is relatively easy for a DIY person & would be even easier if you removed the Right Hand Crank so the cover could be totally removed ( thus making it easier to get spanners on the nuts w/o fouling the case ). Make sure you refit the parts of the cover back together properly before doing up the screws & securely tighten the locking bolts on both cable adjusters.
This adjustment has now made setting 8 setting 4/5 & setting 8 is like going up a very steep hill. just right for some serious work once I am reasonably fit. Interestingly settings 1,2,3 do not seem to be any harder so are ideal for the unfit or weaker muscled people. Of course if this adjustment is too much you can always screw the second bolt in a bit to reduce the max. setting a bit but if you find setting 5 is now hard work you know that you have 3 more settings to go as you improve your muscle tone. BUT do not over do it early on. Work up slowly.
This may affect your guarantee although I don’t see why & please be careful not to exceed your capabilities early on. I am 71 & very unfit but 10 mins. a day for 5 weeks has made a world of difference & I am now ready to start burning off my fat at a higher level probably setting 5/6 for the next few weeks.
This is an excellent machine for the money & amazon deserve full credit for sponsoring such a machine at the price.
This is one of the easiest-to-assemble exercise bikes I have ever come across. The X frame arrives pre-built, so all that’s left to you is adding the stabiliser bars, pedals, saddle, handlebars and computer unit. There aren’t a mass of pieces either, and it’s pretty clear which ones go where. You need two sizes of spanner and an allen key to compete the build, but these are included.
The bike is easy to fold/unfold: a procedure that requires the removal/insertion of a locking pin – take the pin out, position the bike to be either open or closed, reinsert the pin to hold it in place. It’s that easy. The bike is small – it doesn’t take up much storage space, and is lightweight enough that it’s easy to move around. Despite its small form, this does feel reassuringly sturdy.
The bike is incredibly quiet – whispering away at all tension settings when in use. I tend to watch TV shows while using my exercise bike and don’t find I need to adjust the volume at all to compensate for bike noises!
Tension-wise, this isn’t the most impressive: even at the highest level of tension, I find this very easy to use (as opposed to my old, York, bike – which, at the highest setting was murder on my legs). The trip computer puts itself into standby mode after a few minutes of disuse and doesn’t save data from one session to another when it wakes. Thus, you can’t do multiple sessions in one day and simply use the bike’s display to keep track of the cumulative total of e.g. distance travelled/ calories burned. The saddle isn’t nice – but then neither was the one on my old bike, and that had a much higher RRP.
As others have commented, this bike is a bit problematic for shorter users. I’m 5’5″ and have not been graced with particularly long legs. With the saddle set to the lowest level, I can only JUST touch the tips of my feet to the floor. For my mother, who is 5’2″, this bike is simply too tall.
Overall, I’m reasonably pleased with this. It’s not the most intensive of workouts, but it’s something I can commit to doing regularly and doesn’t take up too much space.
PROS
– Very easy to store
– Small size
– Surprisingly robust build quality
– Easy to assemble
– 2-Year Warranty
– Quiet to run
CONS
– Not much variation in tension
– Trip computer loses your data after a few minutes disuse
– Awkward for shorter people
I bought this bike because (a) I have gotten far fitter riding my actual bike this year, than I ever have before (I am not claiming to be fit, I should say; just fitter by my lame standards) and so was not willing to abandon this progress over winter and (b) it is both foldable, which is essential in my tiny flat, and above all cheap! I read reviews of many similar products on Amazon and elsewhere before opting for this one, which seemed most likely to meet my needs.
The delivery service was fantastic. I paid exactly nothing (super saver) for a 3 day delivery. Excellent! The delivery guy placed my package where I wanted it (inside the flat) without a problem. Also excellent (I’ve had delivery persons refuse to carry items over the threshold, not the case here).
When I unpacked the bike, I was presented with all relevant parts and tools, and an instruction booklet, which on investigation turned out to be written in Gernglish (German-english) or similar. It was understandable, just about. This booklet was replete with pictures (all extremely tiny, but I can put on my reading glasses when I need to 🙂 ) with part numbers of all necessary assembly components, handily labelled with their precise usage order. That was nice. NOT so nice was the fact that exactly zero physical parts were labelled with these numbers. The larger parts are fairly obvious; the smaller – screws, washers, nuts etc. – well you are on your own, none of them have part numbers, so you have to wing it. The instruction manual did not make it clear, for instance, that the saddle’s securing nuts are packed already attached to the underside of the saddle (so you have to remove them from the saddle and then re-secure them to attach the saddle to the seat post). Nor are there any labels to indicate how other small parts relate to the illustrations. There was also a reference to a ‘pulse cable’ as if were a separate element from the computer connection to the bike; this is just wrong, there is only one cable.
In other words, the purchaser is left to use their native wit to determine which part connects to what.
I’ve assembled many flat-packs in the past, so I could cope with this. However, I suggest that this ‘feature’ might present a challenge to first-timers, or to those who are not so accustomed to the vagaries of this type of ‘user manual’.
Having said all that, I now have the bike assembled and working, and I am very impressed with it so far! Yes, the computer display is probably a tad, ah, idiosyncratic (my calorie usage jumped from 4 to 30 and then back to 27 within the space of about 20 seconds) but I am not a professional sportsperson or even a serious amateur, I am a leisure cyclist, and if you are more interested in time and distance than heart-rate and calories, then it seems to be useful (frankly, it wouldn’t bother me if the computer stopped working, but I guess it would bother some. So far so good though). The build is extremely solid and sturdy, given the very low price; the levels of resistance provide ‘cycling’ from very easy to very challenging for a person of my age and (lack of) fitness level, and the overall feel is actually enjoyable and quite realistic for my level of riding. I am undoubtedly going to get more training miles in this winter than I ever had before.
One caveat though – I am 5ft 4in tall, though I have long legs for my height at 31″ inside leg. I have the saddle on the lowest setting, and that’s just about right for me (I could cope with about an inch higher, but the saddle positions are further apart than that). If you are smaller than me, or if your legs are shorter, you may struggle with this machine, it’s not small and only adjustable within certain limits.
Oh and by the way – I do not understand the problem others have reported with the saddle. It is quite comfortable, and I do not feel any need to obtain a gel cover or similar. Perhaps the manufacturer has modified the design since previous reviews were written?
I may update this review if I run into technical problems later, but for now it’s all good – especially the price. The only reason I have docked this item a star is because of the almost entirely useless assembly instructions.
I purchased this for 79.99 (free delivery) and received it within a couple of days of the purchase.
It was easy to put together (from what I saw!). It doesn’t make much noise (sounds like a bike outdoors in the wind), if at all. The seat is comfortable as it is wide (no need for a cover). The tension is decent given that I’ve only started back into my exercise routine (started tension level at 5 as lower is too easy). I can see me reaching tension 8 within a couple of months and then needing more. I saw a comment (then I researched the internet!) that I could add on leg weights Everlast Adjustable Ankle Weights – 2 x 5lb, Black to get the tension I am looking for and will probably purchase the weights above in a couple of months. It folds up decently that I can put it behind my twister chair in the corner of the living room and it not be in my way (although it stands up behind the chair… willing to live with that!). I’ve had it about 2 weeks, so it’ll be interesting to see if it lasts more than a year. You may want to consider purchasing floor mats ( York Interlocking Floor Guard ) as the bike will put a dent in your carpet/could scratch your wooden floors as it is of decent weight (but not too heavy to move around the living room!). The computer is very useful in determining how far you have biked and how long it took you to bike the distance. Don’t use the other features that much. It’s pretty sturdy bike that doesn’t feel/look like it will fall apart any time soon.
Overall, great bike to purchase if you are wondering if you would actually use the bike at home. Maybe consider purchasing a different bike if you’re serious about exercising on static bikes as the tension could be better.
——————–Introduction:
The summer of 2010 saw me in my mid-twenties, watching the world cup and enjoying the deals on beer, pizza and coke. For the first time in my life I put on weight. My god-given right to not exercise, eat anything I want and stay slim and looking good had been rescinded. A year later and a whole 2inces on my waist, I decided it was time to get some regular exercise, hence the f-bike. Bought for 90 and bought because it had the best reviews.
Some questions:
——————–Who is the `Ultra fit’ f-bike for?
Well oddly it’s definitely not for the Ultra fit. Even on the hardest setting it is unlikely to give the ultra-fit an adequate workout in a reasonable amount of time.
The f-bike is for people who are fit and want to stay that way or for people who are unfit and want to get fit.
——————–Will its size suit all?
Nope… it seems that the bike is aimed at the tall to average and would not be suitable for people who are short. On its smallest setting my lover who is 5.4 sayys that she can’t go at full speed as she is too short. I note another reviewer had to drill another hole to make it suit her size better.
——————–Max weight?
Is 100 kg; that’s 15st 10.5lb
——————–How quiet is the f-bike:
It’s not totally totally silent, as when you’re on it you can hear a whisper of the belt but it is quiet enough that others can watch TV, while I use it in the same room, the neighbours are totally unaware it exists and I can use it late at night without anyone hearing it. When in normal use it make no vibrations to the ground so is fine for use in any flat… even with Mrs Knock Knock downstairs.
——————–How easy is it to use:
Really easy. Resistance is controlled by one simple knob 1-8. The digital system is all controlled by one button, giving details of speed, distance, time, calories, pulse, ODE, and a scan button that moves through them all. After peddling details are held for 5mins before the system switches itself off. Holding down the button clears data. There are no user profile or courses. It takes 2x AAA batteries but the bike works on your steam.
——————–Does Pulse work?
On the handlebars are two metal strips when hands are placed it gives a pulse reading. Some are critical of the correctness of it. So far my system appears to be right but only after cycling for 2mins with my hands on the right place. If measuring your pulse is essential then check with the makers or buy a separate device.
——————– How portable is it and how much space does it use up?
It’s really not that portable, as it is heavy and fairly large. While it does fold up, meaning it could be stored in a wardrobe this is not ideal and I doubt a regular user could be bothered folding it up and unfolding it every time it was in use. This said it is much more portable are less bulky than a fixed bike; so it’s `foldability’ is appreciated.
——————–How fun is it
It’s fun for the first 5mins then it’s just a tool. This does not make exercise easier nor fun but it does make it more accessible. Watching the TV while exercising is a luxury.
——————–What’s the Wow factor?
The what? It’s just a cheap little bike made out of the same welded together silver metal as most exercise equipment has. It feels sturdy but without any frills.
——————–How complicated is it to build:
Not complicated; easier and more intuitive than IKEA,. It’s basically just securing things. It’ll take 20 mins max . It’s a one person job but will be faster with two.
The instructions are fine but offer little reassurance. Bellow is a little bit of commentary to give you an idea of what needs to be done and a bit of reassurance.
NOTE: all the tools needed come in the box. A wee spanner and a alan-key.
1, unfolding it
Pull the grenade like pin. Unfold the bike and replace the grenade pin. No tools needed.
2. Screwing on its floor stands:
Note the floor stands have an indented side for where the bolts should start from. Screw into the bike. Tighten with spanner.
3. Screwing in its pedals
Screw in the pedals. Note you need to hold the pedal itself still and crew in the bit with the track. Tighten with the spanner.
4. Securing the seat bracket
Place the bracket to the right seat height secure with the ratchet thing.
5. Screwing the seat to the bracket
Screw the seat onto the bracket. Use the spanner to tighten. IT should not wobble at all.
6. Screwing the handlebars to the bike.
Screw the handlebars to the bike using the alan-key. It should not wobble at all. Connect the two wires.
7. Check to make sure everything is tight, secure and stable.
Cycle.
8. Every once in a while you may want to tighten up certain bits and pieces.
I am sorry to write this message here. I can’t find an option to ‘contact seller’ about the product. his is problem with the courier driver under DPD UK courier service. I am leaving this message that I sent to the customer service of DPD UK because the delivery man wasted my time today for his convenience.
Just to be clear – This NOT about the product itself and NOT about Amazon. I have not received the product yet. This is about the DPD UK delivery man who did not do his job properly.
“I just phoned your customer service just now about this delivery. I was advised that an email is sent 1 hour before the delivery but this did not happened. I have been waiting for this delivery this morning because the buzzer downstairs in the main door was not working. I left a note in the letter box to ring me when the delivery comes with my number on it. This did not happen.The problem I think, was that the driver did not enter the main door and left the ‘ sorry we missed you’ note by the buzzer and NOT into the designated letter, He stucked the note outside the main door where the buzzer is, this has the risk of getting blown by the wind or missing for any reason. It is not the correct place to leave a note. For me, this is not acceptable practice because there is am allocated letter box for all mails. I have seen other note like this from DPD outside the door. I think this is very unprofessional and unproductive practice. Please remind the driver assigned to this area to STOP doing this because it is irritating. I am willing to speak to him in person if he has problem with this email. I get lots of deliveries from Amazon and I am not sure if this will happen again if they use your service.
It is simple to enter the main door as all postman does this. Press the T button and the door opens. Insert the note in the appropriate letter box. (He should know this obviously as part of his job description). In my opinion, this is laziness. I have been running up and down this morning to catch this delivery and I just missed the competent delivery man by 15 minutes. IF he went in and left the note into the letter box, he could have read my note to phone me. In fact the note is visible from the outside if he bothered to peep by the glass wall. A huge glass wall for god’s sake – the note is visible. This only mean I have to cancel my activities tomorrow and wait for the delivery because of the delivery man’s own convenience. Please do something to correct this guy. Also, please send me an email 1 hour before the delivery guy comes as advised and promised by your customer service this morning over the phone.
I think your company has a good reputation but only this delivery messed it up and that is probably why you are getting lots of redelivery in this area based on my opinion and observation only because I have seen notes around the building.
I hope you look into this matter carefully even how small this detail could be, for me it is something to taken action because every customers are affected. Every customer has standards and requirements. In my case, I am NOT asking EXTRA or Special. All I suggest/ask here are all within and part of your regular service so I do not see any reason why this can’t be delivered appropriately. This delivery needs some training on customer service, customer care and a reminder of his duty in my own opinion. I just feel disappointed.”
Fairly easy to assemble, though some weight and some bits are fiddly. i could have done with a hand for the first 5 mins to get the stabiliser bars on.
Nice to ride, I started at resistance level 3 and went up to 4 in less than two weeks.
Computer is basic and calorie counter seems to take time into account more than resistance and speed. Pulse monitor takes ages to catch up, so I stopped using it.
ADDITIONAL: After about a week the cycle started to clunk a little on every pedal turn, from about 15 minutes into a session. I’m using it four hours a week, so nothing too excessive. It seems to be getting worse – the clunking starts after about 10 minutes now. It doesn’t seem to affect performance or the computer readings, but is annoying, especially over 10 minutes or more. I’ve used it less than 12 hours altogther.
The batteries supplied lasted about 10 hours, and the display dims a long time before the batteries conk out, so there’s plenty of warning and it doesn’t interrupt a session. When the batteries are taken out you lose the cumulative “mileage” (in km).
ADDITIONAL 2: Amazon sent a replacement very quickly, but when I started unpackaging it I found a loose screw in the box which came from the magnetic resistance part of the cycle, and couldn’t be put back because the casing is cracked. Waiting to hear about a replacement replacement, and in the meantime have two boxed up cycles and a painful back – getting them back in the boxes is less than fun. Also means my exercise regime is interrupted, and I’m not getting the first one back out due to the pain I’m in from all the packing and unpacking today.
The upside is, I have been losing weight in the last three weeks.
ADDITIONAL 3: Third cycle arrived and I’ve done 2 x 25 minutes on it. Should have stuck with the first one – this one is way noisier. It clunks, groans, rattles, growls, sometimes goes quiet for short time then starts again. You definitely wouldn’t be watching TV using it! But I’ve given up and am keeping it, assuming it doesn’t actually grind to a halt within a month. I just can’t be bothered with more returns and interruptions to my exercise regime.
I think the magnetic resistance element may be too delicate to cope with being transported and assembled.
MY ADVICE WOULD BE: spend a little more on something more robust – when I can afford it that is likely what I will be doing.
FINAL COMMENT: The noise has drastically reduced over a week, and now the cycle is mostly very quiet, with some rattling occasionally from about 15 mins onwards. All else is well with it.
Very easy to assemble and then your ready to go. Has several intensity levels which you can set up to suit your needs. Folds away very easily which makes it convenient to have anywhere and put away to store when not in use.
Dont expect a pro gym machine or trainer: HOWEVER: It still works proper after a month and do my exercise alone with music or a YT gym class. Decent solid bike and impossible to fall down (im 75kg but much more: Yesss) . To fold it, you need to move a pin and can store it. Im very happy with this bike. Value4money!
This is a fabulous item and more than worth what I paid for it.
Really liking this bike. Was easy to build and I use it everyday.
Works well worth the price all pieces correct and fit perfectly thank you
It was easy to build.
It is quite heavy but can be moved around, and takes up very little space width-wise.
It folds and unfolds in seconds with the insertion or removal of a metal safety pin.
The saddle, handle grips and pedals are all comfortable to use. I did purchase a separate gel saddle cover but that was because I thought I might need it because of my hip.
My only negative is that the computer is not very accurate, especially when it comes to pulse rate. This wasn’t a great concern to me as I use my smartwatch to time, track and log all my data. Having spoken to my son, this problem is not confined to this cheaper bike but is the same for his much more expensive one.
Great value for money.
Really pleased with this as didn’t want to spend a lot. Sturdy bike, easy to assemble. Folds up neatly.
The price has gone up quite a bit since I bought mine six months ago, but with excellent build quality, ease of assembly and the ride experience it’s still good value for money. I searched for a while till I found this – the 110kg load was a factor for me – and it is just as good as claimed in the description. I’m not much good at assembling stuff sometimes, but this was very easy and I did it alone without the need for any “can you give me a hand with this please?” Light enough to lift easily in and out of the corner in the spare room, it’s small enough that I’ve never even bothered to find out whether you can fold it up, but I think you can. Check out the description if you want to do that, but it is unobtrusive with a minimum footprint that won’t get in the way.
The sealed crank unit is smooth, and though I mainly want to “twiddle” (ancient cycle racing term) you can add to the difficulty and it still rides smoothly. Some older machines tended to be jerky when you did that, but this one remains silky smooth. I’ve tried – believe me I’ve tried – to find something I don’t like or that isn’t right to put in this review but I honestly can’t.
Brilliant – nice to buy something which meets expectation in reality and not just on paper!
I love this bike. It tells me the distance, time, calories burned, my heart rate. I will be using it every evening. I feel so accomplished when I use the bike
The bike is fine – the instructions & Customer Services aren’t. No mention is made in the assembly instructions of how to use the special nuts (see photo) to attach the saddle to the saddle plate. No doubt some of you reading this are DIY fans – but I’m not. For weeks I tried to get some sense out of customer services in Germany – it was like pulling teeth! Eventually (after I provided proof of my blood group & inside leg measurement) they sent a whole new pack of nuts & bolts – just the same as the ones I already had.
But Eureka! While waiting several weeks for the package to arrive, a friend solved the problem: identified them as Nyloc nuts, explained what they do & how to fit them. So then I was then able to attach the saddle without any problem. If only customer services had done the same weeks earlier, it would have saved me a lot of hassle & wasted time without a bike.
As well as that – if anyone thinks they might injure themselves trying to fit the rigid plastic toe straps onto the pedals – just soak the straps in hot water for a few minutes to make them more flexible. Another useful tip that the instructions fail to mention.
On the plus side, it does seem quite sturdy and got good Which? reveiws. Seat is easily adjustable for someone 5 foot to over 6 foot and the control panel has clear and easy controls. I weigh 110kg and it seems to cope if I dont ‘go for it’ – just a steady, easy pace, watching a tv program for an hour or so.
Just lost a star due to small niggles.
Really pleased with the bike. Seems very well made, designed and sturdy. Comfortable to ride. I agree with
the negative comments about the monitor. If the monitor is important to you then do not buy this bike.
I had one of these for about 3 years until it broke (something internal, the pedal kept slipping so it was unusable). Got a new one 3 months ago and a few days ago it started knocking every time I pedal. The old one did this just before it broke, but that time it was intermittent. This time, it’s with every rotation of the pedal. I contacted the manufacturer who sent me a new set of pedals which resolved the issue. Also wish it had more than 8 resistance settings. I bought the first bike when I was really unfit and started on setting one. I now do an hour on setting eight and wish there was a nine or ten. Overall, a decent machine which has helped me lose over 20 kilos.
This bike is great if you are looking for a cheap exercise bike for at home. Obviously its not going to be a high quality bike like you would find at a mainstream gym. But for the money it is great. It took around 15 mins to set up, the set up instructions were clear and easy to follow. The bike folds up easy and take up minimal space.
Only negative to this bike and its the same with most other reviews, is the resistance settings are not very good, resistance 1 is very similar to resistance 5 and when you only have 8 settings, this could be a bit of an off put to experienced riders and people who want a hard workout.
Thanks .
James
Easy to put together although doesn’t say which stablelizers to put on front or back but got there in the end.
The bike is quite, sturdy and easy to use.
It would be nice if there was somewhere to put your mobile or remote when using the bike.
The only thing I don’t like is the seat. Very uncomfortable seat and quite hard, if the seat could go down a little bit more I think it would be OK.
Would recommend i
It’s easy enough to collapse / open out when needed and light enough to move around (for me as a 35 y.o. man). When collapsed it takes up no more than a 50cm square of floor space so tucks nicely in to the corner of the room.
I find it quiet enough to comfortably watch tv when using it of an evening.
The screen and tracking features being battery powered are a hassle. The batteries don’t last long and are best removed when not using which adds a barrier to using it. Rather than deal with this I just don’t use digital aspect of it.
Quite easy to assembly. I have done a lot more worse assemblies then this. If my memory is correct, there was only one place where the instruction was not too great, but it was just trying 1 thing out of 2.
It is quite light and compact when folded. It is just sitting in the room corner right now without taking much space. Similar to side bed drawer.
Really good for begginers whic want to train at home.
Now the not so great things:
This will only work for the beginners. The hardest difficulty is starting to get too easy just after 2 weeks. When you reach the speed of 30 and start to move sideways a lot more, the bike becomes a lot more unstable.
The menu on the screen does not go through the options in order (Neither vertically, neither horizontally). It’s not a big problem, just a bit confusing at first.
The seat is not the best. I’d be honest and say that it is quite hard one and buying something like a gel seat would be nice for it.
I will still give it 4 starts as I find it very convenient and as a first training bike, I am quite happy about it.
I assembled the Ultrasport very easily (It’s a 15-minute task at worst). On my e-bike I was doing 10 miles per day, and I stored it when I had covered exactly 1000 miles. The exercise bike only shows kilometers, so I decided to find an appropriate friction level that allowed me to do 10 kilometers per day with a fair bit of effort.
I’m up to 550Km now. The saddle, which some reviewers don’t like, is covered by a spare beach towel, and that makes it very comfortable. The riding position is fine too. I’m about 6 feet tall and it’s quite a good distance between saddle and handlebars. I do my morning 10Km whilst watching Breakfast TV, which SOMETIMES relieves the boredom, but there’s no getting away with it, it’s exercise for the sake of it, and I don’t enjoy it!
My dodgy cartilages are groaning in pain, but I’m at the level where I can do my 10Km without falling off. In reality, I like the machine: it’s doing the job and didn’t cost too much.
I can recommend it to those who need exercise on a regular basis.
I saved a lot of money and got the lime green colour which was my preferred choice by going for a returned and refurbished bike. I want to support Amazon in their new effort not just to throw away perfectly good items but to sell them on at reduced cost. Win win – I think this had been returned without even being put together. It seems absolutely new and unmarked, all present and correct, repackaged.
The display shows elapsed time, current speed, trip distance, calories and pulse. It also has an odometer (total distance since last re-set). However, only one value can be displayed at a time. The display can be set to scan through all the values or you can manually set a single value to display, or toggle through the values. This is limiting as I would like to see several of the values simultaneously (e.g. speed, time, calories). Instead, I use my Garmin watch to monitor pulse and tend to just display calories. I then do a form of interval training alternating between Levels 6 & 7 (10 calories on each) with Level 6 used for recovery and Level 7 for maximum effort. Towards the end I switch to Level 7 and do a flat-out phase for around 60-80 calories looking to maximise the anaerobic aspect. I then download the Garmin data to review on a smartphone or pc. Without the Garmin watch I would struggle to set a meaningful training session.
So, in summary:
Good value. Compact when folded. Easy to assemble.
Limited in resistance.
Lacking display options or any data download.
But, for <130 it is a hit, for now at least.
I’ve had the heavy version for nearly a week now, I’ve used it for about 20 minutes a day. Assembly was a little tricky but it did come with all the tools required and all nuts and bolts etc. it is easy to adjust the seat and pedal straps.
A word of note is it doesn’t come with batteries for the computer, it takes two AAA ones. The computer is good with a big display, and it’s auto power on and off, you have a button to flip between the different screens and reset the readings.
Using the bike is easy, it’s certainly been working out my legs!
A word on quality, the sticker with the numbers for the resistance on the dial to adjust it is coming off on one end, but a bit of superglue should fix it, and when I got the bike their was a rattling in one pedal and it would be stiff to move. I popped of the plastic end cap and found an extra nut that was loose, I just took it out and it’s been fine since. I could moan and send it back but it’s an easy fix and it saves a lot of hassle sending things back. Plus it’s 140, not dirt cheap but no where near a Peloton!
So overall I’m pretty pleased with it, it’s easy enough to fold up and then setup for use and gives you a workout. And it was nice to see all the tools needed to assemble it in the box.
I have been looking for an exercise bike for home for a while now, as I’m too self conscious to go to the gym and like the fact this bike is for the curvier figure, not many are unless you are paying through the nose for a gym style exercise bike, so this is a steal at this price! My sister recommended this to me after purchasing one herself.
I have only given 4 stars due to a BIG safety issue! When I input the two triple A batteries into the control panel, it switched on but as I was working through the programme, it all of a sudden went off, when I removed the back of the control panel and went to check the batteries, one was that hot to touch I had to get pliers to remove it! The other battery was fine but one in particular was dangerously hot! They are a cheap make, and/or potentially faulty, which could have very easily caught fire had the panel not switched off and carried on draining the battery! I would advise anyone buying this, don’t use the batteries that come with it and buy some decent branded ones! I have since put in Duracell and these are fine and no overheating.
I bought this back in 2019 for 83 as I wanted to cycle indoors. You do have to assemble it but it is not super complicated and can be done in about 30 minutes providing it comes with everything. It is super sturdy and comes with a nice display that tracks certain things but you have to cycle through them with the display button. It is powered entirely by your pedalling so nothing else is required. You can fold it a bit but not as far as you would expect.
There are some issues with this. Exercise bikes are not normally cheap so what your getting for 100 or less is a very basic bike just to help you get started with cycling indoors. The tracking on the display is very basic and doesn’t have any options or any ways of tracking progress over time. It will only display approximations of your current progress on time of use. The seat can be very uncomfortable after a while as it is just some cheap rubber material prompting you to buy a seat cushion. The seat can’t be adjusted enough for shorter people. I have a friend who is 5 ft who couldn’t get her legs onto the pedals while sitting down on the lowest setting. Finally the resistance settings are not very strong. You might find you can do no.8 which is the max it can go with no issue.
I still use this for a basic workout but thats the key word here – basic. If your serious about cycling then this isn’t the product for you. It’s a cheap basic exercise bike.
Update: I have just completed 1000 km on this and it is working as well as when I first started using it.
I needed to find a different way to get my exercise and decided the best solution would be an indoor bike. I had no idea about what to choose but after research decided on this. For me, this is one of the best products I have ever bought. I am not fit and can appreciate that if you are an advanced user, it is unlikely to give you a hard workout, but for me it is perfect. I have used it every day for three weeks so far. It does not take up much space and is quiet so no one else is disturbed when it is in use. I am 6ft tall and at the upper limit for the weight specified, yet it is stable and comfortable enough for 20 minute sessions, with the saddle as supplied. Although I am not convinced about the accuracy of some of the data displayed, for an entry-level purchase I am more than satisfied with it. The five stars are based on its ability to meet my personal needs and value for money.
With coronavirus and furlough I wanted to find something to keep me active and lose some of the extra weight I’d but on through lockdown.
I’d heard pretty poor things about bikes which looked similar to this, but with a small budget and a bit of research I took the plunge and I’m pretty pleased I did.
I’m 42, 6ft and float around 90kg. The bike is pretty stable for me and I generally use it on settings 6 or 7 (out of 8). I build up a good sweat and heart rate. For me, it’s convenient to jump on for a quick 30 mins to an hour and the seat is comfortable-ish. I occasionally have to stand up to rearrange various parts of me.
I’ve gone to the effort of making a shelf for a book/iPad which helps with boredom if I’m in for a long ride.
The bike is also used by the rest of my family. My youngest who is 10yrs and 150(ish)cm tall loves it. He uses it on the lowest seat setting and I use the highest.
Since last month we have done 820km on the bike and it’s used every day.
I’ve not folded it much as it’s constantly in use. Both the rubber pedal straps have torn, but I do think this is through misuse by my sons rather than due to quality. I will be making something more robust which I don’t think they’ll get through so quickly!
I’m really pleased with the bike and find it an easy way to grab some exercise when busy. It was cheap and might not be good for the serious cyclist, but for the average person it’s great. Would happily buy another, but I think this one will last is quite a long time.
The seat is not comfy and frankly it could use with a privet joint because depending on how far back you unfold it the seat gets more and more unparalleled with the ground. I tend to use a folded towel or something and it makes it a lot better. There is no drink or phone holder or anything of the sort, but you can keep a drink between the two bars that jet off to the handles quite easily. A design flaw, but with an easy work around. The pedals themselves are great, but could have done with a wider arch as sometimes it feels like you’re on a child’s tricycle. I’ve seen a couple of people criticising the resistance settings, but again it’s relative and you could just get some ankle weights if the top resistance setting is below your fitness/strength threshold. It’s pretty high for the average person and I can’t see many people cycling at that level for more than / minutes at absolute tops.
I bought this because the gyms are closed and along with my Bluetooth Ghettoblaster you can have a fantastic workout. It’s not perfect and it has some flaws, but for the price you can get 75% of the gym experience in your own home. Recommended.
The assembly instructions were concise and easy to follow.
Completion can be achieved with the enclosed tools but should you have a socket set to hand, the process will be much easier, especially when you come to tightening the 3x nyloc nuts under the seat.
I am presently around 12 and a 1/2 stone and the bike is sturdy, stable and quiet.
For stowing away in the folded position, it is light enough to carry, even up the stairs.
Many people have complained about soreness caused by the seat and after completing the assembly myself, the reason was clearly evident.
Due to the seat being bolted directly to the triangular plate at the top of the seat post, the position is fixed, causing the front section to be higher than the rear, which in turn results in chafing and the early onset of soreness.
Unfortunately, there is no adjustment to lever the front of the seat down, such as you find on a bicycle, so a simpler if not perfect fix, would be for the manufacturers to alter the angle at which the triangular plate is welded to the seat post.
For me to overcome this problem, I would fit ‘spacer’ washers to the two threaded studs at the rear of the seat, thereby raising the back of the seat so that it is slightly higher than the front but alas, the threaded studs are too short.
My final concern occurred when attempting to install the two AAA batteries in the rear housing of the computer.
When compressing the spring terminal by the Negative end of the first battery, I could then push the Positive end into position and the battery was secure.
Repeating the process with the second battery was not so straightforward. Again, with the spring terminal compressed by the Negative end of the battery, the positive end could not be pushed home securely. With my finger keeping the battery in place, the computer functioned but as soon as I removed my finger, the battery fell out.
After a number of attempts, I have had to slightly force the battery housing cover shut, which in turn is holding the batteries in position.
The resistance range of the machine seems adequate for my needs and I intend to use it daily, when watching the 6 o’clock news.
Edit:
Had this bike for 3 years now and its done 2000km, based on its built in computer. It started to make a knocking noise so I checked inside (you can see inside through the top cover with a torch) and one of the two drive belts on the fly-wheels has started to fray and has split. I contacted Ultrasport and they are sending me a replacement belt, with instructions on how to replace it for free.
This is outside of warranty, and they said they will do this for any bike that needs a belt replacement. That’s excellent customer service!
(If you want to replace the belt yourself, there are two within the bike, and they are standard size and pretty cheap to find on eBay or elsewhere. The 230J attaches to the metal flywheel, and the 240J attaches to the larger plastic drive wheel. About 6 each.)
A decent exercise bike for a good price. Easy to assemble and seems to be pretty robust, though we’ve only had it a month, so too early to tell.
Until now we’d only had a small floor exercise bike – the kind that doesn’t have a seat and you place under a chair. It was pretty rubbish with practically no resistance.
This proper, magnetic bike has a decent amount of resistance at level 7 and 8. It’s very subjective, though, and if you’re a keen cyclist you might disagree.
For us, it’s perfect. Quite small, easy to fold up and with enough resistance to give me a decent bit of exercise after working from my home office all day.
(Note that if you are under 5ft3 or so, you may struggle to reach the pedals comfortably. My wife is 5ft and I had to saw a couple of inches off the bottom of the seat post so she was at the correct height to use it when sitting. Not a big deal, easy with a hack saw and some elbow grease, and I can still use it at the higher seat settings.)
Pros:
*Easy to assemble.
*Easy to use.
*Easy to store and is small enough to be set up almost anywhere.
*Gives you a good work out. I’m always left exhausted after my hour long sessions (in a good way of course).
*Its light and easy to maneuver around when I’m done using it (I store it in a corner of my home office).
*The screen is great at keeping track of how far you’ve “traveled” and what calories I’ve burnt.
*It is very easy to lose track of time while on the bike. It can feel like 5 minutes have passed but its actually been closer to an hour.
*Came quick and in perfect condition. The instructions were very clear on how to assemble and use.
Cons:
*The seat is slightly uncomfortable. As a larger person, I found the seat highly uncomfortable at first (and it left me a little sore on my behind for a day or so) and still do. Its very hard but I fixed the problem by putting a pillow on the seat and it makes it much more comfortable to sit on. Would suggest also using a pillow and/or something thick and comfy to sit on (could be a pillow, a thick blanket, etc, etc). You could also buy one of those padded bike seats that you would buy for a normal bike but I’m on a budget so a normal pillow works just fine.
*The top speed doesn’t feel all that challenging to me (this will differ from person to person though so not much of a con).
*The plastic/rubber ends to the stabilizers seem to come off rather easily even when the bike is lifted off the ground (I however fixed this with a bit of duct tape so again, not so much of a con).
*The seat is still slightly too high for me but I have managed to work around it easily. Could do with one more hole to make the seat a couple inches lower.
*The rubber strips for your peddles (that keeps your feet on the peddles) can be difficult to get on and off but with a little force and a bit of bending, I managed to get them on fine. They do stay in place once they’re on so this is both a pro and a con.
NOTE: I HAVE THE F-BIKE HEAVY
I’ve now had this bike for a week and I’ve used it every day (I was already fit anyway but I can’t get out much now so I bought this). I usually do pretty short reviews but considering this is 100+ I decided to go through some of the questions and give some answers and recommendations. Here’s some things people may find helpful:
– I’m 5’2 / 157cm and weigh 54kg / 119lb. I use the lowest seat setting and it’s perfect for me, if anything I can even use it when the seat is one notch higher.
– It’s very easy to assemble for one person but obviously it’s quicker with two people, one on each side!
– Attached is a photo of the bike: the bike when it’s folded in a reasonably small space in my lounge which is where it stays until I get it ready to go in the evenings.
– The bike came as it looked in the photo. It has the console and the handle bars. There’s no laptop table or anything.
– The pulse sensors can be temperamental. At the beginning they’re fairly accurate but as you progress and start sweating it effects the sensors a bit and the readings are inaccurate. For me this isn’t an issue as I track it all on my Fitbit anyway.
– There’s 8 settings on the bike. I usually use levels 2 and 3 for a warm up and cool down and then about level 5 for my actual workout. It’s handy to have a TV or music playing so you don’t get bored after a couple of days.
– When you’re attaching the phone holder, put it as high up as you are able but make sure you’re still able to put your phone in before you tighten it completely. The reason for this is because the bike doesn’t have a bottle holder so what I do is put my bottle of water lying on the two bars under where the phone holder goes! I thought that tip might be helpful!
– It’s very sturdy. I was on the bike a few days in to having it and realised I’d left my towel on the sofa, I leaned over a fair bit to get it and the bike didn’t even move, let alone tip over!
– I would highly suggest getting a gel seat cover like I have if you plan on using it more than a couple times a week but make sure it’s from Ultrasport and that you order the right size! It takes a couple of mins to stretch it on but it’s supposed to be like that! Otherwise the cover could just slip off. I’ve left the link to the one I have at the bottom of this review.
– You can’t change the distance. It’s preset to kilometres. I’m just going by km now but if you really want to calculate miles then a quick google search will do the trick!
– The console turns itself off after about 4 minutes of inactivity. When you go for your next workout the previous workout results will appear (distance, calories, time etc). If you want to start a new workout then hold down the button on the console (there’s only one!) and it’ll reset rather than carry on from your last workout. The only thing that doesn’t reset is the odometer which just tells you how many kilometres you’ve done in total from all your workouts.
– No noise!! The only sound it really makes is a very slight humming. You can still keep the TV at a normal level and it doesn’t disturb anyone. I live on the top floor of a block of flats so this was important for me.
– No plugs. No pesky wires. All you need is 2 AAA batteries to power the console.
– For those who want to start some kind of weight loss, this is a good start for FITNESS. Of course it’ll help you lose weight but 80% of weight loss is down to DIET. So you won’t be losing any weight if you’re still eating fatty sugary stuff all day.
I hope this helped and I hope I answered a lot of the questions people were asking. I also hope some of the tips I’ve recommended will help! If you want to know where I got my gel seat cover for my F-Bike Heavy then go to this url and make sure you select the right size!! A lot of people say it doesn’t fit as expected but I don’t know how many of those people just didn’t have the experience of being able to put right fitting gel covers on bike saddles and who genuinely had a cover too small!! Mine fits like a glove: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01EV6XCYE?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_yo_pop_mb_pd_t2
Overall, great bike for the price you pay.
Comfort
We were both immediately very impressed with the comfort of the bike. Very comfortable seat and handlebars. Crucially, the seat height is very quickly and easily adjusted so suit both of us which is very important because of our height difference.
Noise
With 2 sleeping kids in a small house noise was an important factor is choosing a bike. I’m amazed at house quiet this bike is. I was worried that I would need to put the volume on the TV quite high to hear it over the bike noise but it’s actually not really necessary to put the volume up at all.
Resistance
This was a big concern for me when buying because I am a lot fitter than my wife, albeit it’s been a few years since I’ve regularly exercised. Many reviews complained it barely gave them a workout. The main thing is to make sure you understand what you’re buying and don’t expect the bike to offer resistance similar to an exercise bike at a gym. You don’t get anything like an uphill sensation. But as a fit 26 year old man I find the top level gives me a good workout at a level I can maintain for a long time. My wife will probably prefer to use a lower level.
Computer
I find the computer very simple. Just one button to move between the different options to avoid any confusion. Tracking distance and calories and time all make it very easy to set clear goals which is ideal when starting a program.
Storage & Weight
First question is how easy/quick is it to fold and unfold. It’s as simple as pulling out a pin and then re-inserting it. If , like us, you’ll need to move it before and after using it then you’ll need to consider weight too. Most men will find this easy to carry around. Many women will probably find it a little on the heavy/uncomfortable side like my wife. However it’s certainly not too heavy for the vast majority of women to move around.
Appearance
Appearance is probably low on your priority list, but it might come into consideration especially if it is going to be left out. We find the white colour of the bike and the curved design makes this a very attractive bike which fits in well with out mainly white furniture. After all most other bikes are black and fold in an X shape.
Assembly
Putting the bike together is very easy and won’t take you long at all. It took me about 20-25 minutes and can be done faster than that.
The LED display can be set to an individual mode that monitors heart rate or time exercised or calories burned or distance travelled, etc., or it can be set to scroll through all the modes so you can keep an eye on everything without having to change the setting.
The data given is useful as an indicator on how you are doing and offers a benchmark for fitness level improvement but it is not necessarily medically accurate, but no exercise machine producing this kind of data is going to be.
At 5′ 10″ I find the lowest seat setting is right for me, taller people will prefer one of the higher seat settings.
Overall I am happy with the bike and could recommend it with one caveat, the seat. It is as awful as others have testified. The seat cover “Velo 137657 Anatomic Gel Saddle Cover” as a recommended pairing with the “Ultrasport F-Bike Home Trainer with Hand Pulse Sensor” doesn’t seem to fit according to other reviewers. I went for the “Ultrasport Comfort Saddle Cover with Gel Insert” (www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasport-Comfort-Saddle-Insert-Bicycle/dp/B00KX3SGOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487675840&sr=8-1&keywords=Ultrasport+Comfort+Saddle+Cover+with+Gel+Insert) which does fit.
Ultrasport will tell you that they have different home trainer models and the cover will not fit all their saddles but this cover is also supposed to fit their Ultrasport Racer 600.
However, the cover didn’t seem to make any difference to the seat comfort. I think the seat shape is wrong possibly more suited to women because their pelvises are larger and wider than male pelvis. The padding is not required on the top, in my view, but at the sides.
A comfortable saddle is conducive to longer exercise time. Nobody wants to suffer discomfort while trying to exercise. For this reason I have dropped one star off the rating.
I bought this bike because it folded and there was some accessories that I could add, which I did as I live in a tiny itty bitty cottage and space is limited. Secondly I bought this bike for the price as I haven’t been on a bike for years and riding one on the roads would risk my life by either drivers on the road or pedaling up the hills that surround my house. And the last reason I bought it was to get off my dead backside to get into shape. Now back to the bike, if it said that it’s a two man job to put together then it should only take one woman…tah dah! Took me about a half hour to do so, I read the instructions. I jumped on it in anticipation to cycle for an hour but my lazy self screamed to get off after 30 mins. There is 8 resistance settings which I could only do 6 as the other two were like riding up hill and yes…I worked up a sweat and a massive thirst. There’s a spot to cradle my water bottle nicely. I bought a holder for my ipad so I could torture myself watching spinners on YouTube which for an extra 18 was worth it. My only gripe is you can’t stand and cycle comfortably so this is more of a “in the saddle” kinda bike because of where the pedals are located hence it only getting 4 stars. If you’re looking for a entry level bike that won’t break the bank then this bike should suit you just fine but if you’re wanting to train for a race such as tour de France than my I suggest that 1200 bike. Overall I’m pleased with it, it gives me a workout, I work up a sweat, easy to setup, 8 resistance settings, options to add accessories and it folds to save space.
This bike has a computer that measures speed (km), time spent on current session, calories burnt and your pulse rate.it also features an odometer to tell you how much distance (km) you’ve covered since you began using the bike.The computer takes 2xAAA batteries,which were included too! It took me about 30-40 minutes to assemble the bike, if you pay close attention to the manual you’ll be fine. Also the only tools you’ll need to assemble the bike are all in the box.
POSITIVES
– It’s a bargain.
– Its better quality than you might expect at around 90.
– It appears to be of German design (but built in China).The bike is well stabilised,its never tipped up in any direction whilst in use.
– The manual is better than I expected, better than a friend’s manual for their Everlast exercise bike of similar value from Argos.This manual has recommended stretches that you can do before and after your sessions. And it has an (albeit fuzzy) graph that gives you idea of what your ideal heart rate you can aim for based upon your age. Mine is approximately 108-113bpm. But I tend to use cycling speed as my benchmark, see my negatives list below for the reason why.
– I wasn’t expecting the computer to have that many features,but these are useful for keeping tabs on your progress
NEGATIVES
– My partner is about 5’4″ tall,and despite what some have said amongst these reviews, I don’t think she would be comfortable on it,( I was hoping that we both might get some use out of this bike). I set the saddle height on the second notch of three safe positions – I’m about 5’9″ tall . for my partner she could have the saddle set as low as it will go, which is without the peg in place,but so far she hasn’t used it so I can’t absolutely confirm that this bike might not be suitable for ladies of below average height. I’ve just looked at the saddle stem notches and there are five in total,but two of those are above the Max safety mark, this seems bit daft I guess but if you’re tall and you’re careful(!) not to make the bike tip backwards, this bike might suit you too.
– The pulse rate sensor seems crazy,either I’m working too hard, or its really sensitive. It takes a good minute to settle on a value,and even then it seems too high…. Or maybe I’m sort of super athlete! Unlikely. I’m thinking of purchasing one of those Bluetooth heart rate wristbands instead.
First the good news : it is quiet, it looks pretty good,, and it is easy enough to assemble. It will cope with a rider slightly over the 100kg limit (and possibly quite a bit over, but i havent stress tested it).
And it tracks your pulse rate, distance, speed, etc…. and folds up quite small into about a 40 x 45 cm corner in your lounge, bedroom etc.
Limitations:
One: the saddle is quite uncomfortable – superficially soft but actually quite hard after you have been on it for fifteen minutes. The nose sticks up a bit.
Two : The resistance levels are gentle. eight levels , 1 to 8, even at level 8 its about the same as modest paced riding on a regular smooth-tyred bike on the flat. So its good for encouraging the unfit, but it wont get you into tip top shape.
If you can spare the time, you’ll removing the saddle and sticking a regular, tilt-adjustable, bike seat post snugly inside the existing square seat post… then you can add your saddle of choice. And/or you may need to drill another hole or two to widen the range of heights that the bike can serve.
If anyone has succeeded in adjusting the resistance levels, I’d be interested to hear from them…
Update, after 4 years:
I carried on using this from time to time but the lack of any middling (or severe) resistance levels limited its value. Better to get out and about and ride up a few gentle hills on a normal bike…
The screen on the trip computer has largely given up the ghost; when it is working at all, the LCD characters are only displaying about 50% of their lines.
At its sub-100 price tag I’d rate it as being worth 3.5 stars – if you arent sure whether you will use an indoor exercise bike (most of them end up neglected in the garage or loft) then this is way better than shelling out 500 for a good one, buy this and find out how good your motivation is!
—Background—
I’ve been wanting to get fit for some time but I’m the sort of person who is reluctant to pay through the roof for gym membership or brave the cold, wet and dark to go jogging around the local area. As I live in a flat an exercise bike was out of the question as space is a premium and it would just get in the way. I then stumbled across folding exercise bikes and spent a good few hours reading reviews and trying to find the best one. In the end I settled for this one – what a right decision that was!
—Delivery & Set-Up—
As a Prime member I ordered it on Saturday and had it the next day. I was a little worried about getting it up three flights of stairs on my own but it is not as heavy as it seems. I don’t think I have ever seen anything wrapped and packaged as much as this product – it even as throw away plastic caps to protect the end of the metal struts before you put it together!
Putting it together was simple and stress free. My only criticism is that the pictures in the instruction booklet are a bit small. Each part is also numbered in the booklet but there are no corresponding numbers on the pieces of the bike. Not the end of the world as there aren’t that many pieces so you can figure out which ones are which. Batteries are supplied but I decided to use some Duracell ones I had spare. I found that I had 4 spare washers which I couldn’t work out where they were supposed to go as every screw had washers already! Bit of a mystery…
TIP: Put the straps onto the pedals BEFORE putting the pedals onto the bike. I made the mistake of doing it the wrong way round and as the straps are a bit tricky to get on you don’t want to be fighting to stop the pedal spinning as well. I put the straps on the 3rd one up but I might changed that to the 2nd one so I can get more of my foot on the pedal.
—Usage—
The bike folds nicely away and sits in the corner by the TV. Unfolding it is straight forward as you just pull out a pin, unfold it, and put the pin back in. If you are worried about the bike being heavy to move then don’t! I store it in the corner and then move it into the centre of the room to use it. Two hands make light work of it.
When you are using it the bike as all the usual settings – timer, calories burned, pulse etc. but for my purposes I just use the timer – it’s nothing fancy, it just counts up but that’s all I want from it. The bars are angled just right so you can rest a Kindle on it to read whilst pedalling. When using it you can’t even hear it! It is the quietest bike I have ever used. Maybe it makes more noise when the tension is higher but I certainly don’t hear anything with the TV on. The instruction booklet comes with some easy warm up and warm down exercises which I would recommend doing before you start and when you finish a session.
NOTE: I don’t know if it is just me, being super unfit, or the seat itself, but I find that after using it the tops of my inside legs can become really stiff from where it makes contact with the seat.
—Tension—
Like most people I was worried about the maximum tension not being that great but so far I don’t have any issues with it. I’ve only been using it a week, slowly building up the time I spend on it from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. I’ve been using setting 1 to start as I’ve not ran/done any exercise in a long time. This has been adequate to get my body used to the motion. Once I reach 30 minutes I plan to crank up the tension to actually get a bit of a workout and burn some calories.
—Conclusion—-
I think this bike is great for those who:
– Don’t have much space
– Want to get fit and lose some weight – perfect for beginners
– Want a cheap product that is great and easy to use
I wouldn’t recommend this for any serious fitness people as you probably won’t get out what you need. If you’ve got the money, and the space, go for an exercise bike as they generally have higher tension than folding bikes and you can do more with them.
I hope you find this review useful.
1. The bike takes up very little space – less so than a chair. When folded, it’s like one of those 4ft vases with plants in it that your mother for some reason insists on putting in the corner of every room in the universe. It’s also not too heavy (for me). I imagine that if you’re a small, elderly woman, that it might be a bit tough to put together yourself.
2. The bike is exceptionally quiet. I can barely hear it when I am on it, unless I am going very fast with a lot of resistance. Used at a moderate pace, it is close to silent; at a vigorous pace, you will probably not hear it outside of the room. In comparison, my PC is louder.
3. There are 8 resistance levels. I think the gradations are excellent. If your knees are weak, all you need do is adjust the height to lower than normal, and lower the resistance.
4. The computer and screen is very rudimentary. I don’t trust the calorie counter, because it does not take into account your weight. I also don’t know how much I trust the HRM, but I have not checked. I like to read whilst I cycle and it’s difficult to get my e-reader to stay in place – maybe this is a consideration for some.
5. You can use this thing whilst you lie down. I can peddle at a pace of around 16km/h (about 10mph) whilst lying on my bed, reading until I feel sleepy.
6. The pedals are comfortable – they have contoured grooves to help grip, and you can use them without shoes on and there is no discomfort (and I use this thing for hours).
7. It is not magnetic – it’s a belt.
8. Batteries, which are AAA, come included with your purchase.
9. Setting up. This took me around 20-30 minutes. The instruction manual is a little poor in that it assumes you know what the hell jargon terms for screws are. Don’t fret. Come back to the Amazon page and zoom in on the bike – you can easily see what goes where. They provide the spanner and Allen/Hex key.
10. Height settings etc. I’m 6’1. I tend to use the lower setting so that I put less stress on my cartilage and ligaments. I imagine that this machine is suitable for someone as tall as around 6’8 and as short as around 5’0.
11. My one major gripe. I cannot stand whilst I use it! For some reason, the pedals are, by rough estimation, several miles ahead of the seat, such that when I stand up to cycle, my knees hit the monitor thing. Maybe if you’re around 5’5 you can get away with it, but it’s probably still uncomfortable.
Is it worth it? Well, I don’t like that the monitor is so rudimentary and that I cannot stand up on the bike. However, it’s cheap, so I think that, for the price, it probably is worth it.
I removed the cover screws on each side of the pedal unit to reveal the same arrangement as on a cycle to adjust the brakes. If you wind back the nut on the cable to near the end of the cable cover, not the cable end, & raise the bolt on the other side of the cable head bracket this allows the magnet? to move nearer to the flywheel which increases the tension. If you hear any scraping noise you have raised it too far & need to screw it back down a bit- I suggest 1/2 turn at a time until there is no scraping sound.
This is relatively easy for a DIY person & would be even easier if you removed the Right Hand Crank so the cover could be totally removed ( thus making it easier to get spanners on the nuts w/o fouling the case ). Make sure you refit the parts of the cover back together properly before doing up the screws & securely tighten the locking bolts on both cable adjusters.
This adjustment has now made setting 8 setting 4/5 & setting 8 is like going up a very steep hill. just right for some serious work once I am reasonably fit. Interestingly settings 1,2,3 do not seem to be any harder so are ideal for the unfit or weaker muscled people. Of course if this adjustment is too much you can always screw the second bolt in a bit to reduce the max. setting a bit but if you find setting 5 is now hard work you know that you have 3 more settings to go as you improve your muscle tone. BUT do not over do it early on. Work up slowly.
This may affect your guarantee although I don’t see why & please be careful not to exceed your capabilities early on. I am 71 & very unfit but 10 mins. a day for 5 weeks has made a world of difference & I am now ready to start burning off my fat at a higher level probably setting 5/6 for the next few weeks.
This is an excellent machine for the money & amazon deserve full credit for sponsoring such a machine at the price.
I
The bike is easy to fold/unfold: a procedure that requires the removal/insertion of a locking pin – take the pin out, position the bike to be either open or closed, reinsert the pin to hold it in place. It’s that easy. The bike is small – it doesn’t take up much storage space, and is lightweight enough that it’s easy to move around. Despite its small form, this does feel reassuringly sturdy.
The bike is incredibly quiet – whispering away at all tension settings when in use. I tend to watch TV shows while using my exercise bike and don’t find I need to adjust the volume at all to compensate for bike noises!
Tension-wise, this isn’t the most impressive: even at the highest level of tension, I find this very easy to use (as opposed to my old, York, bike – which, at the highest setting was murder on my legs). The trip computer puts itself into standby mode after a few minutes of disuse and doesn’t save data from one session to another when it wakes. Thus, you can’t do multiple sessions in one day and simply use the bike’s display to keep track of the cumulative total of e.g. distance travelled/ calories burned. The saddle isn’t nice – but then neither was the one on my old bike, and that had a much higher RRP.
As others have commented, this bike is a bit problematic for shorter users. I’m 5’5″ and have not been graced with particularly long legs. With the saddle set to the lowest level, I can only JUST touch the tips of my feet to the floor. For my mother, who is 5’2″, this bike is simply too tall.
Overall, I’m reasonably pleased with this. It’s not the most intensive of workouts, but it’s something I can commit to doing regularly and doesn’t take up too much space.
PROS
– Very easy to store
– Small size
– Surprisingly robust build quality
– Easy to assemble
– 2-Year Warranty
– Quiet to run
CONS
– Not much variation in tension
– Trip computer loses your data after a few minutes disuse
– Awkward for shorter people
The delivery service was fantastic. I paid exactly nothing (super saver) for a 3 day delivery. Excellent! The delivery guy placed my package where I wanted it (inside the flat) without a problem. Also excellent (I’ve had delivery persons refuse to carry items over the threshold, not the case here).
When I unpacked the bike, I was presented with all relevant parts and tools, and an instruction booklet, which on investigation turned out to be written in Gernglish (German-english) or similar. It was understandable, just about. This booklet was replete with pictures (all extremely tiny, but I can put on my reading glasses when I need to 🙂 ) with part numbers of all necessary assembly components, handily labelled with their precise usage order. That was nice. NOT so nice was the fact that exactly zero physical parts were labelled with these numbers. The larger parts are fairly obvious; the smaller – screws, washers, nuts etc. – well you are on your own, none of them have part numbers, so you have to wing it. The instruction manual did not make it clear, for instance, that the saddle’s securing nuts are packed already attached to the underside of the saddle (so you have to remove them from the saddle and then re-secure them to attach the saddle to the seat post). Nor are there any labels to indicate how other small parts relate to the illustrations. There was also a reference to a ‘pulse cable’ as if were a separate element from the computer connection to the bike; this is just wrong, there is only one cable.
In other words, the purchaser is left to use their native wit to determine which part connects to what.
I’ve assembled many flat-packs in the past, so I could cope with this. However, I suggest that this ‘feature’ might present a challenge to first-timers, or to those who are not so accustomed to the vagaries of this type of ‘user manual’.
Having said all that, I now have the bike assembled and working, and I am very impressed with it so far! Yes, the computer display is probably a tad, ah, idiosyncratic (my calorie usage jumped from 4 to 30 and then back to 27 within the space of about 20 seconds) but I am not a professional sportsperson or even a serious amateur, I am a leisure cyclist, and if you are more interested in time and distance than heart-rate and calories, then it seems to be useful (frankly, it wouldn’t bother me if the computer stopped working, but I guess it would bother some. So far so good though). The build is extremely solid and sturdy, given the very low price; the levels of resistance provide ‘cycling’ from very easy to very challenging for a person of my age and (lack of) fitness level, and the overall feel is actually enjoyable and quite realistic for my level of riding. I am undoubtedly going to get more training miles in this winter than I ever had before.
One caveat though – I am 5ft 4in tall, though I have long legs for my height at 31″ inside leg. I have the saddle on the lowest setting, and that’s just about right for me (I could cope with about an inch higher, but the saddle positions are further apart than that). If you are smaller than me, or if your legs are shorter, you may struggle with this machine, it’s not small and only adjustable within certain limits.
Oh and by the way – I do not understand the problem others have reported with the saddle. It is quite comfortable, and I do not feel any need to obtain a gel cover or similar. Perhaps the manufacturer has modified the design since previous reviews were written?
I may update this review if I run into technical problems later, but for now it’s all good – especially the price. The only reason I have docked this item a star is because of the almost entirely useless assembly instructions.
It was easy to put together (from what I saw!). It doesn’t make much noise (sounds like a bike outdoors in the wind), if at all. The seat is comfortable as it is wide (no need for a cover). The tension is decent given that I’ve only started back into my exercise routine (started tension level at 5 as lower is too easy). I can see me reaching tension 8 within a couple of months and then needing more. I saw a comment (then I researched the internet!) that I could add on leg weights Everlast Adjustable Ankle Weights – 2 x 5lb, Black to get the tension I am looking for and will probably purchase the weights above in a couple of months. It folds up decently that I can put it behind my twister chair in the corner of the living room and it not be in my way (although it stands up behind the chair… willing to live with that!). I’ve had it about 2 weeks, so it’ll be interesting to see if it lasts more than a year. You may want to consider purchasing floor mats ( York Interlocking Floor Guard ) as the bike will put a dent in your carpet/could scratch your wooden floors as it is of decent weight (but not too heavy to move around the living room!). The computer is very useful in determining how far you have biked and how long it took you to bike the distance. Don’t use the other features that much. It’s pretty sturdy bike that doesn’t feel/look like it will fall apart any time soon.
Overall, great bike to purchase if you are wondering if you would actually use the bike at home. Maybe consider purchasing a different bike if you’re serious about exercising on static bikes as the tension could be better.
The summer of 2010 saw me in my mid-twenties, watching the world cup and enjoying the deals on beer, pizza and coke. For the first time in my life I put on weight. My god-given right to not exercise, eat anything I want and stay slim and looking good had been rescinded. A year later and a whole 2inces on my waist, I decided it was time to get some regular exercise, hence the f-bike. Bought for 90 and bought because it had the best reviews.
Some questions:
——————–Who is the `Ultra fit’ f-bike for?
Well oddly it’s definitely not for the Ultra fit. Even on the hardest setting it is unlikely to give the ultra-fit an adequate workout in a reasonable amount of time.
The f-bike is for people who are fit and want to stay that way or for people who are unfit and want to get fit.
——————–Will its size suit all?
Nope… it seems that the bike is aimed at the tall to average and would not be suitable for people who are short. On its smallest setting my lover who is 5.4 sayys that she can’t go at full speed as she is too short. I note another reviewer had to drill another hole to make it suit her size better.
——————–Max weight?
Is 100 kg; that’s 15st 10.5lb
——————–How quiet is the f-bike:
It’s not totally totally silent, as when you’re on it you can hear a whisper of the belt but it is quiet enough that others can watch TV, while I use it in the same room, the neighbours are totally unaware it exists and I can use it late at night without anyone hearing it. When in normal use it make no vibrations to the ground so is fine for use in any flat… even with Mrs Knock Knock downstairs.
——————–How easy is it to use:
Really easy. Resistance is controlled by one simple knob 1-8. The digital system is all controlled by one button, giving details of speed, distance, time, calories, pulse, ODE, and a scan button that moves through them all. After peddling details are held for 5mins before the system switches itself off. Holding down the button clears data. There are no user profile or courses. It takes 2x AAA batteries but the bike works on your steam.
——————–Does Pulse work?
On the handlebars are two metal strips when hands are placed it gives a pulse reading. Some are critical of the correctness of it. So far my system appears to be right but only after cycling for 2mins with my hands on the right place. If measuring your pulse is essential then check with the makers or buy a separate device.
——————– How portable is it and how much space does it use up?
It’s really not that portable, as it is heavy and fairly large. While it does fold up, meaning it could be stored in a wardrobe this is not ideal and I doubt a regular user could be bothered folding it up and unfolding it every time it was in use. This said it is much more portable are less bulky than a fixed bike; so it’s `foldability’ is appreciated.
——————–How fun is it
It’s fun for the first 5mins then it’s just a tool. This does not make exercise easier nor fun but it does make it more accessible. Watching the TV while exercising is a luxury.
——————–What’s the Wow factor?
The what? It’s just a cheap little bike made out of the same welded together silver metal as most exercise equipment has. It feels sturdy but without any frills.
——————–How complicated is it to build:
Not complicated; easier and more intuitive than IKEA,. It’s basically just securing things. It’ll take 20 mins max . It’s a one person job but will be faster with two.
The instructions are fine but offer little reassurance. Bellow is a little bit of commentary to give you an idea of what needs to be done and a bit of reassurance.
NOTE: all the tools needed come in the box. A wee spanner and a alan-key.
1, unfolding it
Pull the grenade like pin. Unfold the bike and replace the grenade pin. No tools needed.
2. Screwing on its floor stands:
Note the floor stands have an indented side for where the bolts should start from. Screw into the bike. Tighten with spanner.
3. Screwing in its pedals
Screw in the pedals. Note you need to hold the pedal itself still and crew in the bit with the track. Tighten with the spanner.
4. Securing the seat bracket
Place the bracket to the right seat height secure with the ratchet thing.
5. Screwing the seat to the bracket
Screw the seat onto the bracket. Use the spanner to tighten. IT should not wobble at all.
6. Screwing the handlebars to the bike.
Screw the handlebars to the bike using the alan-key. It should not wobble at all. Connect the two wires.
7. Check to make sure everything is tight, secure and stable.
Cycle.
8. Every once in a while you may want to tighten up certain bits and pieces.
Hi,
I am sorry to write this message here. I can’t find an option to ‘contact seller’ about the product. his is problem with the courier driver under DPD UK courier service. I am leaving this message that I sent to the customer service of DPD UK because the delivery man wasted my time today for his convenience.
Just to be clear – This NOT about the product itself and NOT about Amazon. I have not received the product yet. This is about the DPD UK delivery man who did not do his job properly.
“I just phoned your customer service just now about this delivery. I was advised that an email is sent 1 hour before the delivery but this did not happened. I have been waiting for this delivery this morning because the buzzer downstairs in the main door was not working. I left a note in the letter box to ring me when the delivery comes with my number on it. This did not happen.The problem I think, was that the driver did not enter the main door and left the ‘ sorry we missed you’ note by the buzzer and NOT into the designated letter, He stucked the note outside the main door where the buzzer is, this has the risk of getting blown by the wind or missing for any reason. It is not the correct place to leave a note. For me, this is not acceptable practice because there is am allocated letter box for all mails. I have seen other note like this from DPD outside the door. I think this is very unprofessional and unproductive practice. Please remind the driver assigned to this area to STOP doing this because it is irritating. I am willing to speak to him in person if he has problem with this email. I get lots of deliveries from Amazon and I am not sure if this will happen again if they use your service.
It is simple to enter the main door as all postman does this. Press the T button and the door opens. Insert the note in the appropriate letter box. (He should know this obviously as part of his job description). In my opinion, this is laziness. I have been running up and down this morning to catch this delivery and I just missed the competent delivery man by 15 minutes. IF he went in and left the note into the letter box, he could have read my note to phone me. In fact the note is visible from the outside if he bothered to peep by the glass wall. A huge glass wall for god’s sake – the note is visible. This only mean I have to cancel my activities tomorrow and wait for the delivery because of the delivery man’s own convenience. Please do something to correct this guy. Also, please send me an email 1 hour before the delivery guy comes as advised and promised by your customer service this morning over the phone.
I think your company has a good reputation but only this delivery messed it up and that is probably why you are getting lots of redelivery in this area based on my opinion and observation only because I have seen notes around the building.
I hope you look into this matter carefully even how small this detail could be, for me it is something to taken action because every customers are affected. Every customer has standards and requirements. In my case, I am NOT asking EXTRA or Special. All I suggest/ask here are all within and part of your regular service so I do not see any reason why this can’t be delivered appropriately. This delivery needs some training on customer service, customer care and a reminder of his duty in my own opinion. I just feel disappointed.”
Many thanks,
John Reyes
Nice to ride, I started at resistance level 3 and went up to 4 in less than two weeks.
Computer is basic and calorie counter seems to take time into account more than resistance and speed. Pulse monitor takes ages to catch up, so I stopped using it.
ADDITIONAL: After about a week the cycle started to clunk a little on every pedal turn, from about 15 minutes into a session. I’m using it four hours a week, so nothing too excessive. It seems to be getting worse – the clunking starts after about 10 minutes now. It doesn’t seem to affect performance or the computer readings, but is annoying, especially over 10 minutes or more. I’ve used it less than 12 hours altogther.
The batteries supplied lasted about 10 hours, and the display dims a long time before the batteries conk out, so there’s plenty of warning and it doesn’t interrupt a session. When the batteries are taken out you lose the cumulative “mileage” (in km).
ADDITIONAL 2: Amazon sent a replacement very quickly, but when I started unpackaging it I found a loose screw in the box which came from the magnetic resistance part of the cycle, and couldn’t be put back because the casing is cracked. Waiting to hear about a replacement replacement, and in the meantime have two boxed up cycles and a painful back – getting them back in the boxes is less than fun. Also means my exercise regime is interrupted, and I’m not getting the first one back out due to the pain I’m in from all the packing and unpacking today.
The upside is, I have been losing weight in the last three weeks.
ADDITIONAL 3: Third cycle arrived and I’ve done 2 x 25 minutes on it. Should have stuck with the first one – this one is way noisier. It clunks, groans, rattles, growls, sometimes goes quiet for short time then starts again. You definitely wouldn’t be watching TV using it! But I’ve given up and am keeping it, assuming it doesn’t actually grind to a halt within a month. I just can’t be bothered with more returns and interruptions to my exercise regime.
I think the magnetic resistance element may be too delicate to cope with being transported and assembled.
MY ADVICE WOULD BE: spend a little more on something more robust – when I can afford it that is likely what I will be doing.
FINAL COMMENT: The noise has drastically reduced over a week, and now the cycle is mostly very quiet, with some rattling occasionally from about 15 mins onwards. All else is well with it.