Commercial Vr21 Recumbent Bike: Is This A Good Bargain?
Commercial Vr21 Recumbent Bike Review: Is this a good bargain?
- 30-Day iFIT Membership Included; Stream live & on-demand workouts on your equipment with Global Workouts & Studio Classes; Elite trainers adjust your equipment ($15 value)
- 5-inch Backlit Display; Track distance, cadence, and estimated calorie burn; Auxiliary music port with dual 2-inch speakers project high-quality sound for your iFIT workouts or personal music
- 25 Resistance Levels; Manually choose your resistance or let your iFIT Trainers auto-adjust your bike; SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance keeps every pedal stroke quiet and smooth
- Oversized Adjustable Seat; Enjoy lumbar support as you find the most comfortable seat position for your exercise; Water Bottle Holder for hydration; Transport Wheels allow you to easily move your bike
- 350-pound total weight capacity; Protected with a 10-year frame warranty, 2-year parts warranty, and a 1-year labor warranty; 52” H x 22.25” W x 59” L
With the new NordicTrack commercial recumbent bike, you get all the features of a high-quality exercise bike plus the convenience of working out at home.
The 5-inch backlit LCD gives you all the stats you need to see how your workout is progressing. And with the aux. Music port, you can listen to your favourite music through high-quality speakers, which project the sound throughout the room.
This commercial recumbent bike also has 25 resistance levels, so you can easily adjust the difficulty of your workout. You can manually choose your resistance or let the cycle choose it for you.
There's a large, adjustable seat with lumbar support and a water bottle holder to keep you comfortable and hydrated.
And to make your exercise even more convenient, there are transport wheels to quickly move the bike from one location to another.
Let us look at the features of this machine and then look at the pros and cons.
- Price and availability: It retails at $399.00 but usually is on sale for $299.95. It is available from NordicTrack in several colours.
- Design: It has a step-thru design, the main feature of which is that it makes getting on and off the bike very easy; other machines have a base stem between your legs which means you have to lift your leg over the base to get on and off, which can be difficult for older people. The bike is 54″ high, 22″ wide and 59″ long – so a pretty big machine.
- Controls: The controls are on a panel to the right of the handlebars. The display is a 5″ backlit LCD that shows you essential data such as your speed, time, distance, calories burned, heart rate if you have a sensor attached to your handlebars, and your resistance setting.
- Resistance: The NordicTrack Commercial VR21 recumbent bike has 25 levels of resistance, so you can vary your workout as desired.
- Hardware: The mainframe is steel, and the wheels are steel, too; they will not puncture or wear out like rubber wheels.
- Comfort: The bike is very comfortable to use, the seat feels good, and the arms rest on your shoulders, so there is no strain on your neck. The wheelbase also means that you can go from a seated to a standing position (although it takes some effort), but if you get tired, rest your legs on the footrests as they are pretty deep for most people.
- Performance: The resistance is consistent and feels good. You can work up a sweat without overdoing it.
- Operating: The NordicTrack Commercial Vr21 recumbent bike is straightforward to use and deploy. First, you open the front cover and fold down a lever. The resistance is controlled by a knob on the back of the seat, which you can use for selecting your workout.
- Accessories: The bike has a water bottle holder, an auxiliary music port – so you can have your iPod/MP3 player or other music device connected through this port – plus there are transport wheels to make the bike easier to move around.
- Warranty: The bike has a 5-year warranty on the frame and a 2-year warranty on all parts – so it’s a good investment.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Commercial Grade Bike
- Smooth Quiet Magnetic Resistance System For A Realistic Exercise Experience
- A comfortably designed bike with a large comfortable padded seat, adjustable backrest, and integrated handlebars. It is strong and can withstand heavy use.
- Comfortable padded seat for optimal comfort
- More comprehensive than most recumbent bikes (22.5″ x 22.5″) provides a more stable and broader platform, providing a safer workout.
- Comfortable contoured padded seat with lumbar support
- Large adjustable foot pedals with straps and seat adjustments to accommodate all users from children to adults.
Cons
- Poor assembly instructions
- The retractable pedals do not stay up in the up position when riding. They sometimes come loose and can become a tripping hazard.
- Seatback does not adjust
- Heart rate monitor is inaccurate
- It is heavy and difficult to move once assembled
FAQs
Does the bike come with a manual?
Yes, it does.
How heavy is the bike?
It weighs about 265 pounds and is very hard to move around after assembly. Luckily it has transport wheels you can use to move it around.
How easy is the bike to assemble?
The bike has poor assembly instructions. It does not tell you where to put the various parts. Luckily, the parts are labelled with numbers and letters so you can quickly figure out where to start and what goes where. Just know that it takes a lot of time and effort to assemble it correctly.
Does the bike have speakers?-
No, it does not. However, you have an auxiliary port for a music player if you want to listen to music while working out on this bike.
Customer Reviews
“The bike moves a bit when I’m pedalling; it’s not perfectly stable, and it needs to be on a non-slip floor.”
"The seat goes back far enough for me to be able to stretch out my legs comfortably in front of me. I would recommend this recumbent bike. It's made with quality materials, and the resistance levels are great."
“The transportation wheels are plastic, making them very useless. The instructions were also terrible.
Alternatives
Other popular recumbent bikes are the Schwinn Airdyne and Super Mirage. You should also consider buying a stepper recumbent bike to increase your workout intensity and improve your fitness.
Conclusion
- 30-Day iFIT Membership Included; Stream live & on-demand workouts on your equipment with Global Workouts & Studio Classes; Elite trainers adjust your equipment ($15 value)
- 5-inch Backlit Display; Track distance, cadence, and estimated calorie burn; Auxiliary music port with dual 2-inch speakers project high-quality sound for your iFIT workouts or personal music
- 25 Resistance Levels; Manually choose your resistance or let your iFIT Trainers auto-adjust your bike; SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance keeps every pedal stroke quiet and smooth
- Oversized Adjustable Seat; Enjoy lumbar support as you find the most comfortable seat position for your exercise; Water Bottle Holder for hydration; Transport Wheels allow you to easily move your bike
- 350-pound total weight capacity; Protected with a 10-year frame warranty, 2-year parts warranty, and a 1-year labor warranty; 52” H x 22.25” W x 59” L
It is a great recumbent bike for a home gym or for an individual looking to cut down on the cost of joining a gym. It’s sturdy and quite comfortable to ride.
While it has some flaws, such as being difficult to assemble, you can easily overlook these issues because the bike provides an intense workout.
The large seat allows you to exercise comfortably, and the wide pedals make it easy for anyone to exercise regardless of their fitness level.
Consider buying this bike if you are an avid workout person who wants to exercise at home and reduce the cost of joining a gym.
