Review of Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $189.00
Sale Price: $130.90
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

As an apartment dweller I was so pleased to find this (thanks Sky Mall magazine for the idea, but bigger thanks to Amazon for having it at a great price with super saver shipping too). To be honest I was skeptical as to how sturdy this product would be and as to how much of a workout it would give. I have not been disappointed at all and in fact more pleased than I thought I'd be.

It was easy to assemble, but must say that the instruction manual gives WAY too many diagrams of parts, etc. that aren't needed to assemble it and makes it look more intimidating to assemble than it really is. It comes with a wrench and Phillips head screwdriver/Allen wrench and that's all you'll need. It took me about 45 minutes to assemble, but had the instructions been simpler it would have been more like 30 minutes. I keep the tools handy and check the assembly points from time to time and give it a little snugging up, but it's not as if the bolts are really loose. It's just me being a tradesman's daughter and raised with the idea of preventive maintenance. It compacts and moves easily with the small wheels on the back I can move it with one hand.

And as far as getting a really good workout on this bike is concerned, by the time I'm hitting levels 4 and 5 I'm really feeling it and need to have a small hand towel nearby to use along with about 24 oz of water for a 60 minute workout. I typically cycle about 1500 miles each year so it's not as if I'm just starting to incorporate bikes into my fitness routine. The seat is very comfortable and the back support is wonderful. I don't find myself dreading the idea of finally getting to 60 minutes because of the comfortable seat and back. It's so quiet to the point that you don't have to raise your TV volume if you like to work out that way and if others are sleeping you don't have to worry about waking them up due to noise.

I've found most home exercise equipment computers to be relatively unreliable. Caloric burn depends on body weight and other factors that you can't program in (versus higher end bikes at a gym) so you can't really rely on that. The pulse function is somewhat accurate, though I find it to be about 10-15 beats higher per minute than what my pulse rate really is. Better to rely on an analog clock for 15 seconds x4 to figure that one out, but the computer gives a general idea. I simply keep it on the timer function which is accurate.

I recognize that as a piece of home fitness equipment with a relatively low cost (compared to gym level equipment) that it may only last a couple of years. That being said, it is easily much more cost effective than a gym membership even if you had to replace it every couple of years, esp. if you have other fitness equipment at home you can use to cross train and vary your workouts. Highly recommended!

Update: January 2012 still loving it. Continues to operate quietly and smoothly. I continue to check the assembly points on a weekly basis and snug them up as needed with the enclosed tools.

Update: Mid-March 2012 due to the mild winter in the Northeast it's cycling season already! I was able to do my first ride of the season in the same amount of time it took to do the same ride at the end of last year by using this bike during the winter months. Since it's a different design vs. a road bike I was wondering if the right muscles would be conditioned and was happily surprised to find that they were. I cannot begin to emphasize how pleased I continue to be with this product.

MEASUREMENTS WHEN COMPACTED: Back leg to front leg about 20", back leg to the frontmost part about 27", widest point (handgrips) about 24", height about 47". The footprint of this unit when compacted is about the same as a standard kitchen chair.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I have used this for a couple of days now and I believe there wont be any more surprises.

Pros:

Functions great is a great exercise bike, without the front handle bar i can watch TV, play a game, or use a tray table to use a laptop.

Quiet i can use this right next to the wife while watching TV, its practically silent.

Small Folds into smallest footprint I've seen on a bike.

Sturdy pieces went together firmly and the whole thing feels stout (I am 245lbs and it doesn't feel flimsy under me)

Cons:

Material quality while everything went together well, and the frame is well made, the plastic housing on the gearbox came cracked in a few spots and the back has stitching coming loose.

Awkward moving When folded up, it can be a bit awkward to move around.

On the whole I am pleased with the unit, and it would get a perfect score if not for the minor blemishes in the cheap parts. Time will tell if anything starts to fall apart (could see the seat coming off its base plate).

Best Deals for Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike

After two years of suffering at the gym, I got nothing out of it but aches and pains. But with this bike, you can just sit and watch TV and work up a heavy sweat. I was a bit concerned when I ordered it that it would be too easy and not be a real workout, but it absolutely is. Your back stays comfortable, there's no stress on your joints, but your muscles get as much of a workout as they need. You can get on and off it so easily that I will weave little mini workouts right into my day. I wish I got it sooner.

Honest reviews on Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike

I had been looking for a convenient way to exercise in the winter without going to stuffy gyms and was gifted this bike for Christmas. The main attractions for me were its price, its high ratings, and its features.

Assembly was not as easy as advertised. I was impressed by the high quality of the parts, but dismayed at the low quality of instruction. It was almost laughable as I attempted to assemble the bike at 10pm. Your common sense will prove more helpful than the instructions. Overall, it took about 2 hours to assemble. You only need patience and the tools included nothing more.

So far, I have ridden about 30 miles on it. It is EXTREMELY quiet and easy to use. There are eight tension settings and even though I haven't exercised consistently for some time, level 6 is the most productive setting for me. Levels 1-4 are practically warm-up settings. Six gets the heart rate up nicely and gets the legs burning. The computer is exceedingly simple and has a SCAN settings that displays all different metrics Odometer, Trip, Calories, Speed (mph, not rpm), and Time or allows you to stop on one. Reset a metric as necessary by holding the one button on the computer. My one slight annoyance (being a numbers nerd) is that the bike does not reset the Trip or Calories counters with each use. If you want to track your miles with each use, you need to reset them.

The pulse meter is a bit flaky. Strangely, it requires that you hold on for some time as it works its way up to your actual pulse, starting in the 70s and working its way up. Sometimes it's just plain wrong. Keep your hands as dry as possible and you will increase the likelihood that your pulse is accurate.

Folding up the bike is easy. Just remove a pin and the bike stands up, saving considerable floorspace. When folded, resist the urge to use as a clothes-hanger.

The only thing keeping me from issuing a 5-star rating is its height limit. I am 6'2" tall. The Exerpeutic 300SR product description says that it is for people up to this height. While it is big enough for me to get the heart rate up for a considerable amount of time, I could certainly use a few more inches of leg extension. I have the legs of an NBA power forward and the torso of a lunchlady...but if you're a tall person, aim for a bigger bike if possible.

Overall, a terrific alternative to frostbitten running, sweaty gyms, or getting fat. Get this bike!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike

I'm not going to say I did a lot of research for exercise bikes but I did search for a lot of the cheap but reliable bikes. There are SO many bikes with SO many good and bad reviews. Some say get the more expensive, some say this is too cheap, some hate every bike. This was the only bike I saw at this price with this many positive reviews. My other option was this 120 buck bike from walmart but the shipping made it equal, price wise, to this bike. I have a prime membership, so as usual, Amazon won the bid and 1 day shipping was only 3.99 compared to 25 extra dollars.

Got the bike, took about an hr to assemble the bike with all of its own tools provided, rode the bike. I really love the passivity of riding a bike right in front of my LCD. Watched "knockaround guys" as I rode an hr on the bike. The resistance can definitely work you and the convenience will make you feel all better...until the next morn. Cheaper than a gym, which I almost signed up for bc I was desperate, not as good as an elliptical, but in the end, more convenient than any other solution I tried to think of. I just wanna work out w.o thinking. I have at least 5 workout dvds, I just dont always want to work out in that manner. Cheap but solid, buy this bike. Return it if you dont like it

1 last thing...the seat is adjustable. This is easy to forget. I worked out 3 days with no adjustment. I'm 6 feet tall. OUCH. There's a door knob like piece that is by itself in a plastic wrap, that keeps the seat adjusted.