Not everyone can afford or justify the purchase of an expensive, top-of-the-line recumbent exercise bike, and for those, a ProForm recumbent bike could be a good alternative. The company manufactures 3 models, of which one should be avoided entirely. The following is a review of these ProForm exercise bikes.
ProForm recumbent bikes retail for between $ 250 and $ 500. As noted, there are three models of which only two are worth considering. But let’s start by looking at the model that is best ignored.
The GR 80 retails for around $ 250 and is the cheapest of ProForm’s recumbent exercise bikes. It can be nice to build something that is very cheap, but sometimes it can be built too cheap, and the GR 80 has definitely been built too cheap to be of real value. You know it’s cheap just by looking at it. The legs and stand look slim, the chair appears thin, stiff, and uncomfortable, and the console leaves a lot to be desired. But it does have some good selling points. It comes with a CoolAire fan, a heart rate monitor, and 4 built-in programs. However, it has a design flaw which is shown below by; the seat can only be adjusted vertically, there is no horizontal adjustment. This is a feature that really should be standard on any recumbent device and for this reason alone, the GR 80 should be avoided.
Next in line is the GR 90 training cycle. Now we are getting somewhere. The legs and stand look sturdier and it comes with a Coolux seat that is antibacterial and helps keep you cool. You also get the CoolAire fan and grip pulse sensors. There are 10 levels of magnetic resistance. Plus, you get iFIT personal training. IFIT card technology is proving to be very popular and is being used in other types of fitness equipment. There is no doubt that many users require some form of motivation and iFIT offers you your own ‘virtual fitness trainer’. Finally, it comes with 6 smart programs to give you a good cardio workout. The GR 90 sells for around $ 400.
The most expensive model is the GT 120 Cycle. In terms of build and design quality, it is the best of the models. You get everything the GR 90 has but with a slightly better console. You also get 6 personal trainer workouts as well as 2 heart rate workouts. It sells for around $ 500.
Of the two, you are probably better off getting the GT120, but if you want to save a hundred bucks then the GR 90 is perfectly adequate, after all you get the same programs, iFit and readings, you just have to compromise on the framework.
A ProForm stationary bike is not for everyone. If you really want to stay in shape or if you are looking to upgrade your existing machine, you are probably better off looking elsewhere. However, if you’ve never used one before and are looking for something that is cheap but certainly suitable to start with, then these machines are worth a closer look.
