Archive for 'Exercise & Fitness'

NICE
Nice bike! rides great. Easy to move around with the wheels on the front. I read lots of reviews before I purchased this bike. It paid off because I have no regrets. Just wish I would exercise now like I thought I would when I bought it. lol

Great value
I agree that this spin bike is a great value for what you get, as other bikes are easily 0-00. A few kinks that can be easily remedied, though. The height of the bike seat was definitely too high for my 5'2" frame (almost have to pedal on my tip toes), so I will take the advice of other users and have the hubby drill another hole. I also purchased a more comfortable bike seat - the Schwinn Pillow Top seat for about . Schwinn Pillow Top Cruiser Bicycle Seat Nice resistance levels, very sturdy but easily moved around the room on the front wheels. Love being able to get my work out on at home when I don't have time for the gym or when there's inclement weather. Highly recommended.

Awesome deal - so happy!
This is a great bike for [$....] bucks!!! It really feels just like the ones they have at spin classes at my old gym. There is really no need to spend more money then this. Read mixed reviews about the seat but I think it's nice... I do plan on swapping out the pedals for the clip on kind at some point, but the ones it came with do just fine for now. Also may want to look for a water bottle holder attachment. Was very quick and easy to put together. My only warning is that it stinks when it's fresh out of the package (plastic-y smell?), so plan on airing out your room for a few days.

But it and get fit
My husband bought 1 of these bikes for my birthday and also bought him one at the same time. We both do a lot of road bike riding during the summer and planned to use the spin bikes for warm ups and for use during inclement weather.
Both bikes were extremely easy to put together. All parts were packaged to prevent damage and there was no damage to either bike. My husband used to be a Spinning Instructor and we both use to take spin classes in a local fitness center. These bikes easily rival the quality of a bike that costs much more. They are sturdy and sit firmly on the floor. They don't rock while riding. We are both very pleased with the price and quality of the bikes. We recommend them to anyone wanting to get fit.

4 Star Product 5 Star Value
Take a minute and look at the Schwinn spin bikes of a year ago. Pay attention to the chain guard, forks and flywheel. Look at the spinner brand bikes chain guard and forks. The name (Sunny) is random and typical of Chinese company names. This HAS to be the Chinese company that makes for all the US companies, selling thier own model. Sorry if it was made in America I would buy American but if is made in China, go direct to China. On to the review.

PROS:
Solid, well made and arrived in perfect condition despite some corner damage to the box.
I assembled it in less than 30 minutes
Lots of adjustment for handlebars, seat (back/forth and up/down) and I easily found the perfect riding position
It is quiet and rock solid on the foundation
I disagree with some reviews on "tall people" as I am 6'-1" and have plenty of room for comfort and action
The tension knob is perfect: 1/4 turn for is noticeable, 1/2 turn more so, full turn, get up on the pedals, 3/4 turn drop down, etc. Very easy to work

CONS:
I agree with all other reviewers, the seat IS horrible. Buy the Schwinn Pillow Top Schwinn Pillow Top Cruiser Bicycle Seat
The pedals are okay for regular pedaling, if you prefer the stability of strapping in, get new ones (this is typical on most models under B002CVU2HG,000)
Some reviewers alert to wiggly handlebars, the handlebars are rock solid in lower positions for shorter people
The handlebars do wiggle at the top setting (for tall people) the higher setting does not leave enough tube down in the neck for stability. I plan on welding a length onto it
Some "singing" at hard pumping speed but may be because it is new and needs to break in.

All in all, this is an incredible value. Just beware that this is made in China (like most of them) and this is a Chinese company so you will not likely find much help if you have an issue as there is no US company behind this product. There may be, I am just putting the pieces together on my own and have accepted that risk.

Wonderful!
I bought this to help me shed those baby pounds. So far so good. It took about 30 minutes to assemble and it's nice and quite. It also moves smoothly. The seat is a little uncomfortable but that's to be expected. It slides together and takes up very little space. I've been using it 5 days a week for 3 weeks so far and love it. Great value for what you pay!

Terrific bike
Bought the bike as a tool in my exercise program. Great value, easy to assemble. Love my bike!

Simple Assembly Process and Worth the $$$
I was very pleased with this bike after assembling the parts in less than an hour. You are getting a 0 bike, not a 0 bike, so forget the bells and whistles. I needed to exercise my arthritic knee and strengthen the surrounding muscles in hopes of avoiding partial knee replacement surgery, so we'll see what happens, but it serves the purpose nicely, especially if room for the bike is an issue. It is sturdy and worth the time and expense, and the folding option is one of the reasons It was purchased.

If some of the bolts seem to not fit through the pre-drilled holes just use the enclosed tool and they will land where they are supposed to; it's no big deal. I did use my own wrench to attach the handrail behind the seat because there is no law that says you have to use the enclosed tool. If you are handy this is not a big deal assembly. If you are not just take your time and READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!

The one process that can be time consuming for someone without any arm strength is adjusting the seat using the adjustment knob. It is a snug fit for a reason and you have to use some finesse and power. This would be an issue if different sized people were using this bike, but it is not the end of the world. If there is one person there are no issues.

Worst customer service and bike ever!!!
This is the worst bike ever! Worked for only 2 weeks then belt broke. Called and e-mailed customer service at at Stamina since Jan 2010! Still is broken. It was past the refund for Amazon since I bought it for X-Mas in Nov for a gift for my wife.

They did send parts - yes parts (needed a new belt) with no instructions. Figures it out and got it reinstalled - lasted 2 days! Pulleys were wielded incorrectly! That was the whole issue.


It is now the middle of June. They keep telling me they will call back. Nothing. Keep e-mailing with no response. Asked for a whole new front unit and was told NO.

I hate giving 0 (at the time) for something that does not work!

You have been warned!

QUIET, EASY TO USE
I LOVE THE STAMINA 1350! IT MAKES EXERCISING EFFORTLESS AND I NOW LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THE BIKE WAS EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND IS VERY QUIET. I ALSO LOVE THE PADDED BACK & SEAT. I WOULD BUY THIS ITEM AGAIN. THE ONLY SUGGESTION: ADDING WHEELS THAT ACTUALLY ROLL.

Smooth but loud, and with limited resistance
I have owned several mag trainers over the last decade and I have no doubt that this is the best one on the market as far as sturdiness, but it is not without its limitations. Briefly, like all mag trainers, it is still loud and it doesn't generate a lot of resistance. I have never used a fluid trainer before and can't afford one, but if it actually is significantly quieter and you have the money I'd recommend it, particularly if you live in an apartment or shared dwelling.

Here are the reasons why it compares favorably with all the other mag trainers I've owned: (1) It was easy to set up. I have read some reviews to the contrary and I simply can't agree. I think it took me all of 10 minutes. I suppose if you have never used one before and seen how the resistance unit is meant to fit and function, it could be less intuitive. (2) It feels sturdy, with no noticeable rocking back and forth, even when standing and/or applying quite a bit of force. Unlike some trainers I've owned, I don't feel afraid that I'm going to go rocketing across the room if I try to stand up and sprint. (3) Many of the surfaces I use it on are slightly uneven, but by extending and/or shortening the "feet" as needed (done simply by twisting them in or out) it is quite easy to make the trainer level and stable. In these three respects it performs exactly as expected.

That said, this one didn't meet my admittedly high (by virtue of the price and the manufacturer's reputation) hopes, in two key respects. (1) Make no mistakes about it, mag trainers are loud and this one is no exception. While spinning at low resistance and high cadence the vibration and noise are tolerable, about as loud as, say, a stand mixer; but when turning the big ring at about 70 RPMs in an enclosed space -- my 1 bedroom apartment -- it throws off enough noise that I need to turn the pumping house music on my closely fitting headphones all the way up to the max to drown it out. Using it on a weeknight -- the purpose for which I bought it -- is absolutely out of the question without probably drawing complaints from my upstairs and downstairs neighbors. It's perhaps 5-10% quieter than mag trainers I owned 3-5 years ago, but still not quiet enough that I would feel comfortable using it in an apartment without concrete walls, in a single-dwelling house, or in a basement or garage. (2) It just doesn't generate very much resistance. I am not a particularly strong cyclist, but even on the highest setting, I have to put it in the fourth or third hardest gearing to generate enough resistance to get a zone 4-5 workout while spinning at 70 RPM. I'm not sure I could even get the resistance up high enough to really "grind," i.e., 50-60 RPMs. It doesn't matter so much for me right now but if I got significantly stronger I could see it really being an issue.

I don't know how much I'll end up using this. If I had the extra money and knew that a fluid trainer would be significantly quieter, I'd go that way instead.

Impossible to set up
Cycle Ops spent a lot of money developing the product then apparently scrimped on the instructions. Thanks a lot. After four hours of swearing and sweating, I am giving up on attaching my bike to the trainer. The instructions say: Lift up bike by the seatpost and position the left side of your bike skewer into the left cone. Pull down the quick release handle to capture the right side of your bike skewer. Adjust fixed cone by loosening the lock ring and turning cone as needed.

Sounds simple enough. But the skewer does not lock into the trainer and there is a gap on the other side. The result is that the bike falls out of the trainer. The instructions do not consider this as a possibility and there is no advice about what to do if you experience a problem. There is no phone number listed either to call for help. I would make another hole in the quick release handle if I had the tools.

Unless you are particularly mechanically inclined and have your own set of metal-working tools, find another trainer.

Very Good Trainer
I sold my nearly 12 years old Cycleops mag trainer over the winter, and picked up this new model recently. The new one has noticably more resistance at the higher resistance setting than my old model did. Also, the price was significantly less, if I remember correctly (I think the 1998 model was in the neighborhood of 5). The extra skewer is a nice touch so I don't have to scratch up the black one that come with my road bike. The external cable shown in the above picture was not included in the box, so perhaps it is an option or generic picture. I hadn't really noticed it until now, several weeks later, anyway. The price was right, and the product works well. I also recommend the block for the front wheel to level the bike. Otherwise, you'll be riding constantly downhill. With the free Amazon shipping, this is a very good deal in my book.

Solid basic trainer
I should say first that this is my first trainer so I have no real basis of comparison to other models/makes. This is just my experience with the Cycleops Mag Trainer. I have had this trainer for about 6 months now and use it regularly (about 5 days a week). It was easy to assemble and it is easy to attach my bike to it. The trainer is solid and stable even for me at over 200 lbs. I use it in the basement of our house with my ipod so I am not as sensitive to noise as if I was in an apartment, with the ipod I can't hear the trainer. I'm sure there are quieter models out there, but I can't say I've tried them. As may be typical for mag trainers the resistance is not the smoothest getting up to speed, but once you are riding at your work-out pace its fine.

The trainer has been great for me since it rained alot in the fall and spring and I was not able to ride outside many days. It's also very convenient to be able to train at night, when I probably would'nt go to the gym or ride outside. It was an essential tool in training for my first double century in March. For the money I would definitely recommend it. I have had no issues so far.

Excellent customer service
Although I could not use the product on my particular bicycle, the vendor was excellent in resolving my problem and agreed to issue me a refund. Excellent customer service!

Good for a manual machine
I'm a heavy guy and too broke for the motorized machines. So I appreciate that this is both sturdy and affordable. It's a little short, so if you're over 6 feet you will walk bent over because you can not let go of the handles since it needs you to push it along. It's workable, but I wish they would have made the height of the grab bars adjustable. It seems that nowadays too much stuff is made for smaller people. What's up with that? We Americans are proudly huge, and I don't mean fat! Although I am indeed also fat, a 6' 4" fat guy who wants stuff to fit his size, please. Hahaha. But otherwise, it is fairly well made and the price is right.

Great Product!
My husband put the treadmill together without any problems. The treadmill works great for walking and running. Because the resistance is fairly high, I get a good workout even just walking on it. It's a nice way to be able to get a quick workout in at home. I saw from some of the other reviews that people mentioned needing a lubricant for the belt. I haven't needed any. I think the belt moves fine on its own. The treadmill probably weighs about 50 lbs. It folds up so that it can be stored under a fairly tall bed or in a closet. It's not so heavy that I can't take it in and out of the closet by myself, but if I'm lugging it up stairs it's easier to have two people carry it.

Wonderful little workout tool
I love this machine. It enables me to work out in the privacy of my own apartment. My apartment is tiny, and this machine is the perfect size for me. It folds up to be out of the way, and doesn't take up that much space when it's expanded either. I am able to get a great workout on this machine because of the incline- it really gets my heart rate up so there is no need to ever run on this machine. You CAN run on this machine if you want, but with the incline it gets pretty hard core. I wouldn't recommend running on it if you're really overweight though. It's meant to be walked on. You WILL want to buy a bottle of THIS LifeSpan Fitness 100% Silicone Treadmill Belt Lubricant with your machine. It's a spray lubricant that goes under the belt, because eventually the factory lubricant will wear off eventually. Overall this machine is easy to set up, easy to use, and delivers great results!

OK for the money
I read all the good and not so good reviews and decided to buy this.

I'm 5'3" and 120 lbs (ok.. 130 lbs) and here are my comments:
-- assembled in 10 minutes
-- the person who said silicone it up really well was right - do it
-- the person who said to use a 2x4 under the back to decrease the incline was right - do it
-- this is designed for walking and fast walking - NOT running
-- this is designed for a shorter person with a shorter stride
-- if you are looking for the ease, steady movement of an automatic treadmill, do not buy this
-- read the instructions on adjusting when the belt shifts - it takes a few adjustments, but then it stays
-- I can't comment on the digital monitor since my vision isn't so hot (I can't really see the numbers very well)
-- when you get the hang of the walking rhythm, this will be a good workout
-- and, I don't think this is loud (and I'm sensitive to loud machinery)

Good manual treadmill
It too me several adjustments to get the belt at the correct tension, but after I did get it, it's been a pretty good treadmill for the money. Being manual, it is a little work to get it going, but it definitely adds to the workout. It was easy to put together, folds easily. Perfect for my needs.

Love this machine!
Just received my Stamina 1050 rower. Nice, sturdy product for the price, and assembly was a snap. I am a 5'4 female, and the fit is fine for me. The key to keeping your feet on the pads is to wear comfy running/walking shoes with a good thick base. Strap the velcro snugly and you're set for a good workout with virtually no slips. I couldn't believe how quickly I got to target heart rate, especially after choosing a more resistant setting. I recommend this product highly for a quality, low-impact, full-body workout in half the time of other routines. Thanks, Stamina!

It does the job it's supposed to.
I bought the Stamina Body Trac to help in my recovery from back surgery. It arrived a day earlier then promised (that was nice), it was very easy to setup (think Christmas with an 8 y/o's toys!). I have been using it 4 days a week since it arrived. I think it's a good workout and well worth the time and money. I'm one of those people that hates the gym and this is a fantastic alternative.

Good for the money
I was afraid about reliability after reading some reviews, but did not have 0 for a concept2. I figure, even if I pay for a new piston every 6 months, I am still ahead. You get what you paid for, at 0 you get a decent machine, the frame looks sturdy, the monitor is just a timer, do not expect much from it. The seat squeaks and I can see why people complain about the foot rest, but with a little bit of creativity it can be solved. It is not a machine for people less than 5'6" or 5'7". I have been using it and I am happy with what I got, my heart rate gets to the level I want and I work my upper body, my main goal. Some people expect a Cadillac for 0, if you can live with some squeaking and can not afford more expensive machines, this is the one for you, I would recommend it.

Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 rowing machine
This is a good device, quiet, does the job. For the money, its a good deal, I have a stationary bike,
and ride off road on a 29er single speed, a lot of out of the saddle, the stationary bike only does legs,
hips down. On that you spin, heart rate is easy to get up. Using both, you can do it all. I find the
stationary bike boring and painful. This I find I can get in a zone and do it longer.

This does the whole body, small of back, critical to me, and lower ab's, to strengthen back problems, it
does get the arms, legs, knees, its as if it just gets the standing out of the saddle part of a bike, and
that feeling of a pushup on a road type bar, and holding it when pedaling, it does not get the legs like
a good spin, but it gets everything else except tension against balance on a rough trail. I am talking about
how the body feels, not the motion. Balance is a big thing, anything stationary is not as good, but this is
good enough. It does get the lower ab's better than a bike.

I got it to get something of what off road does for me when weather is bad, it does that well. You have to
do it longer, at a higher tension for a good workout, but cardio is different, you want that, you have to
drop the tension setting and pull faster. I am more interested in a long, slow, against the current feel of the
rowing, (I have done rowing on rivers), solo canoe, where the heart rate maxes out about the time you are starting
to feel the burn, then a short sprint, and a cool down. So I set the tension to 8, it seems about right compared to
what I feel on a single speed. I cannot put in the same times yet, but I can see, it being very good to do on off days
to help the cyclings.

It surprised me. Its a pretty good machine for its cost. Its portable.

Practical
Easy to use and store, takes up very little space, am very pleased with this product.

Not a long distance bike
Delivery was quick. Set up was easy, took less than an hour. Bike is well made and sturdy. I usually manually control the resistance so cannot comment on preprogrammed readout.
Bike functions well, easy to adjust.
For my body type, long torso, shorter legs, the biomechanics of this bike could be better.
With seat properly adjusted, still have some lean on the arms and i find with rides longer than 20 minutes that i get some numbness in the hands.
As for the seat, this is fine and is reasonably comfortable for shorter rides.
Since i usually do intervals on indoor exercise equipment for 20-30 minutes, the above limitations are easily dealt with.
Overall an affordable addition to the home gym.

A very solid and well-made machine
The bike arrived in a well-packed and well-organized carton. I especially liked the way all of the small parts and tools were mounted on the same blister pack board. The bike went together in about 20 minutes. The toughest part was pushing the cable back down the handlebar shaft to position the bracket for the control panel and then pulling the cable out to connect to the panel. Found that the instruction book was a little hard to read, but the instructions on the Schwinn website were much more useful. The pictures were bigger.

Very Pleased With Item
As with other reviewers, I spent some time researching exercise bikes. When I first started looking, all of the ones I found were over 0.

But when I saw this one at the price listed, I figured it couldn't be that good. So I looked at it closer and checked out reviews not ONLY here on Amazon, but at several other stores. Here's what I think (so far)...

The item arrived quickly. Packaging was just fine - no dents, rips, etc. Everything was nicely packed inside. A quick inventory showed I had all of the parts.

I agree with a few other reviewers about the instructions. Not the clearest in the world. But certainly workable. I am pretty good with my hands and follow directions well, so I had it all assembled in roughly 40 minutes.

The bike is solid. I am 5'10" and fit the bike very well. I did buy a padded seat, so I cannot comment on the comfort of the one that came with the bike, but understand... if you haven't ridden any type of bicycle in a long time, your butt it going to be sore.

I was also very surprised at how quiet this thing is. You can't tell anyone is riding it until you see it. That is good because the bike is in our bedroom and my wife sleeps much later than me :)

The electronics are just fine. Programming it for a user profile can be a little tricky, but frankly, why bother? Just use it in manual mode and track your usage in other ways. I don't need a "User Profile" on my bike. I track my routines and such on [...]

Ok, so overall, after about a week I am VERY satisfied with this purchase. Now I can keep up my riding routine through the winter months. After I have owned this a few months I will come back and update the review.

Excellent Purchase
I have now had this bike for three weeks. The instructions were clear with assembly taking right under an hour. The bike functions perfectly with a very quite operation. Very good default programming with the ability to create your own. Shipping was great with delivery within 4 days. The price through Amazon was the best price I found both on the net and locally.

Great product for the cost
It is easy to move around my small condo. The screen is easy to read and the set up on the screen is easy to use. Setting up the bike was not as difficult as I expected.

Schwinn Recumbent Bike
I love my Schwinn recumbent bike. It is easy to use while giving a good workout.

Very nice
I've been using the bike for 4 months now. I use it almost daily. This bike is very well-built and easy to put together. It is also very comfortable. As someone who can easily jog 10+ miles and is very active, this bike should have enough power for anyone. There are plenty of nice features. The price is great. I can burn 500+ calories in a workout and be totally comfortable. The seat is great.

Schwinn 240
I had two different experiences with the Schwinn 240, the initial and later. The initial experience involved a lot of frustration with the poor assembly manual (pictures with little explanation). What should have taken about 1 1/2 hours took more than twice that amount of time to put the bike together. Then it didn't work properly. The resistance wouldn't change no matter what I did. Two separate shipments of parts and one tech visit later, it was working. The console apparently had a bad connector and once that was changed out, everything worked fine. One note: the wiring harness for this bike seems cheap and flimsy. I hope I don't encounter additional problems in the future. Now the bike works as it should and it is everything I hoped it would be. The ride is quiet and smooth and the available resistance adjustments are more than enough to challenge most riders. There is one other thing that might help you in putting the bike together. They assume you will know that to install the seat frame assembly that you will have to take the seat rail off (7 bolts) but no where is that made clear until you figure it out realizing there is no way to do it any other way.

Great Bike - Schwinn 240 - Wonderful
Review by wife:

We decided we wanted a recumbent bike to start getting in better shape. After reading about and searching for reviews, we decided on this one. A few minor things people discussed in previous reviews were the shipping (box comes banged up, pieces broken or missing parts) and the computer. I did read throughout many reviews that the manuals available on the website were better than the ones printed out. I figured I could work around those and decided to give it a go. Ordered the bike on Wednesday morning 449.99 - 50.00 (instant savings) = 399.99. No shipping and no sales tax. I have seen it around for up to 200.00 more. We were offered 2 day shipping with amazon prime for 0.00 or 1 day delivery for an extra 3.99.

We received the bike on Friday afternoon (this was considered one day delivery - with one day for processing). If you already have Amazon Prime, like we do, might as well take adavantage of it. Box was in PERFECT shape. We put it together later in the day (I had the manuals up on my laptop during the process, just in case they were needed-NOT REALLY). The manual that was provided in the box was plenty (even though it was missing the last couple of pages - (how to install foot pedals, straps and overall check to make sure things were tight). IF it took 45 minutes, I would really be surprised (including unpacking the box and going through everything), I think that hardest part about it was getting rid of all the styrofoam and cutting up the cardboard. We have put a few things together in our time..

Minor issues of other reviewers: We pulled the cords through and held them in place while putting the handle on the bike. Had to take part of the bike apart to attach the seat and then put back together, the numbers/letters of the bolts/nuts do not correspond properly. These issues we worked through very easily. If you know about them ahead of time, it makes things a little easier. I am sure the tools provided would have been sufficient but we used our own tools.

The computer, hubby programmed it (might have taken me a bit longer to figure things out), YES-THEY COULD HAVE MADE IT EASIER-but, its not that hard to operate...Have used it for the first 2 courses and it is very QUIET and very STABLE. It fits everyone in our family hubby-(5'11"), wife-(5'5") and 13 year old daughter-(5'9").

Would purchase again in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some strengths, some weaknesses
If you're not handy, don't buy it. The instructions for putting together are terrible. They are printed on regular sized paper folded in half and the images are too small to understand. In addition, to identify the screws shown in the diagram, you must turn back and forth to a conversion table in front of the manual. It's extremely amateur. In fact, on mine, some of the pages were printed upside down. I doubt if they spent more than a quarter printing it.

The console instructions are equally bad. They are unclear. For instance, you can set up a personal program, but the instructions don't tell you how to access it except to view it, edit it, or delete it. I still can't figure out how to make the personal program record my workouts, and I'm a highly technical person. Those instructions are a disgrace.

I bought the bike because my other one was getting too noisy. This one is very quiet and works well except at the easiest levels. If you plan to use the easiest levels, the seat rocks and the bike makes quite a bit of noise.

On the bright side, it's quite comfortable and sturdy.

I think Schwinn should be embarrassed by their documentation.