AFG 7.3 AR Recumbent Bike Review

23/03/201731/10/2018 FitnessEquipmentGuide afg, horizon, recumbent, under $600

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AFG 7.3 AR Recumbent Bike – A Good Buy For You?

The AFG 7.3 AR Bike is recumbent, starter bike coming in at a fantastic price – under $600.

The easy, step-thru design makes it easier to get on and off the bike. And the backlit console with racetrack display shows all your workout stats in one place.

This bike also has AFG’s famous Freespin technology which lets you coast when you stop instead of getting a sudden, jarring stops.

Is the AFG 7.3 AR recumbent bike a good buy for you?

How does it stack up to similarly priced bikes? Here’s a rundown of what you should know before you buy:

Basics:

Price: $599 + Free Shipping

Resistance: 20 Levels

Flywheel: 8.8 Pounds

Built-In Workouts: 8

User Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

Footprint: 65″ x 26″ x 48″

Warranty: 10 years on frame, 1 year on parts, 1 year on labor

AFG 7.3 AR Recumbent Bike Review – Pros:

Easy Step-Thru Design

There’s no large barrier in between the pedals that you have to jump over to get on the bike. This makes getting on and off the machine a lot easier.

Freespin Lets You Coast

This an interesting feature. If you stop pedalling, it lets you “coast” meaning the pedals don’t suddenly lock out. While AFG spins this as a benefit, there really aren’t too many recumbent bikes at this price point that completely stop and lock out the pedals when you stop your workout.

20 Resistance Levels

You get up to 20 different resistance levels on the AFG 7.3 bike. This is not the most resistance – but it does give you some room to grow as your fitness levels improve.

Mesh Seat with Lumbar Support

The mesh seat lets air circulate through to your back as you’re pedalling to keep you cool. There’s also lumbar support for people with lower back issues. The seat is also easily adjust forward and back for a more precise fit.

8 Built In Workouts

Challenge yourself with 8 pre-programmed workouts. There are programs based on calorie goals (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600), Distance goals (1 mile, 2 miles, 5k, 5 miles, 10k, 8 miles, 15k, 10 miles, 20k and half marathon goals) and Climb goals (six distinct climb tracks). There’s also a manual mode if you just want to design your workout yourself.

iPod Dock With Speakers

You can also plug your iPod into the console and play your favorite workout tunes through the built-in speakers. This is a great way to add more fun to your workouts.

AFG 7.3 AR Review – Cons

Unfortunately while there are some pros – there are also quite a few cons. The console is fairly simple and funny enough – there’s no on or off switch (you have to plug and unplug the unit).

Also the flywheel is only 8 pounds – which is pretty light. Contrast this with the Proform 440 ES recumbent which comes in at the same price but with a 18 pound flywheel – or the Nordictrack VR21 which has an even heavier 23 pound flywheel – and you’ll see that’s quite a difference between bikes.

Finally when we tested it out, we found that the seat was pretty hard and far from comfortable – which is what you really want, as it can make longer workouts excruciating.

Bottom Line?

If you like the AFG name and want an affordable starter bike with some decent benefits, you may want to consider the AFG 7.3 AR bike. It’s affordable and gives you an easy step-through design with adjustable seat and iPod dock.

However compared to other bikes at this price point, it falls down a bit in terms of value. You get a lot more bang for your buck with similarly priced bikes like the Nordictrack VR21 or the Proform 440 ES recumbent.

Where to Buy and Save:

You can get a discount on the AFG 7.3 AR recumbent bike by getting it direct online here. Plus you can also get Free Shipping right now which can save you about $150.