Not everyone can afford or justify the purchase of a top-of-the-line, expensive recumbent exercise bike, and for them, a ProForm recumbent bike might be a good alternative. The company makes 3 models, one of which should be avoided entirely. The following is a review of these ProForm exercise bikes.
ProForm recumbent bikes retail for between $250 and $500. As said, there are three models of which only two are really 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 dirt cheap, but sometimes it can be built too cheaply, and the GR 80 has definitely been built too cheaply to be of real value. Just by looking at it you know it’s cheap. The legs and support feel thin, the chair feels thin, hard, 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 that shows it below; the seat can only be adjusted vertically, there is no horizontal adjustment. This is a feature that really should be standard on any recumbent and for this reason alone, the GR 80 should be avoided.
Next in line is the GR 90 training loop. Now we’re 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 used in other types of fitness equipment. There is no doubt that many users require some form of motivation and iFIT gives you your very own ‘virtual fitness trainer’. Finally, it comes with 6 smart programs to give you a good cardio workout. The GR 90 retails for around $400.
The most expensive model is the GT 120 Cycle. In terms of build quality and design, 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’re 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 readouts, you just have to compromise on the frame.
A ProForm exercise bike is not for everyone. If you’re serious about staying fit or looking to upgrade your existing machine, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere. However, if you’ve never used one before and are looking for something that’s cheap but certainly adequate to start with, then these machines are worth taking a closer look at.
