Lifecycle R1 Recumbent Bike Review

22/10/201731/10/2018 FitnessEquipmentGuide Lifecycle, Lifefitness, recumbent, under $2000

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Lifecycle R1 Recumbent Bike – A Good Buy For You?

The Lifecycle R1 recumbent bike is a popular starter recumbent from Life Fitness

If you’ve visited a gym or health club lately, you’ll know that Lifefitness is pretty much the top choice of health clubs for recumbent bikes – mainly because these bikes are made for comfort and stability.

The Lifecycle R1 Recumbent bike has been around for a few years now and offers a strong base with proper ergonomic design for more comfortable workouts.

It also has a bright, backlit console and is currently coming in at a steal of a price (more on why below).

So is the Lifecycle R1 Recumbent bike a good option for you?

Here’s a review of what to know before you buy:

lifecycle r1 recumbent review — Lifecycle R1 Bike Console

Lifecycle R1 Recumbent Basics:

Price: $1399 + Free Shipping

Resistance Levels: 20

Built-In Workouts: 14

User Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

Footprint: 57 in x 26 in x 54 in

Reading Rack

Warranty: 3-year limited warranty on all mechanical and electrical, 1-year labor

Lifecycle R1 Recumbent Review – Key Benefits:

Proper Ergonomics

Lifefitness is known for getting it right when it comes to ergonomics. The knee-over-pedal spindle design on the Lifecycle R1 bike keeps your legs, knees and feet in proper alignment as you pedal – reducing injury and soreness post workout.

This also helps to improve the effectiveness of your workout and can even keep you on the bike longer.

Easily Adjustable Seat

The seat is easily adjustable both forward and back with an extra-padded seat with back support for an extra comfortable ride.

Backlit Console

The R1 Lifecycle Recumbent bike is sold with the Go Console (Lifecycle has a number of different consoles for their bikes). The Go Console is bright and backlit, giving you all of your workout feedback essentials like time, heart rate, calories, workout program and more.

There are also 14 different built-in workouts you can choose from to add some challenge to your workout. And with 2 different user profiles, it can store the info for 2 different people in the console.

Heart Rate Sensors Beside the Seat

While cheaper bikes usually place the EKG heart rate sensors up near the console (so you have to reach up to grasp them and get a heart rate reading), the Lifecycle R1 bike keeps them down on the handrests on either side of your seat. This makes it a lot more convenient to hold them to get your heart rate reading.

Plus if you order the Lifecycle R1 recumbent bike through the Manufacturer here you can also get a Free wireless heart rate monitor chest strap. Most people like to use the wireless chest strap monitor as it tends to give you more accurate results.

Fantastic Price

Sitting under $1500, this is a fantastic price for a Lifecycle. These bikes usually start around $1800 and up. However Lifefitness is slowly phasing out the R1 bike in favor of the new Lifecycle RS1 bike with the new step-through design, which explains why you can get it so cheap (from the Manufacturer) right now.

Lifecycle R1 Recumbent Bike Review – Any Drawbacks?

The Go console is a bit simple on this bike and many brands at this price point do give you a bit more like online tracking and more workouts.

Lifecycle has another console called the Track plus console that has an iPod dock and Bluetooth connectivity- but it’s not available on the R1 recumbent bike. This is mainly because Lifefitness is phasing this bike out to be replaced by the Lifecycle RS1 bike with the new step-through design in the future.

Bottom Line?

If you’re looking for a super-affordable recumbent bike from one of the top names in the business, you’ll love the Lifecycle R1 recumbent.

It’s slowly being phased out for the new step-through design bikes. And it doesn’t have some of the heavier grade stability of higher end bikes like the R3 model.

But overall it’s a well-made, bike with a super-comfortable design. And the price right now makes it a steal.

Where to Buy and Save:

You can get the Lifecycle R1 Recumbent bike by going direct through the Manufacturer here. If you use the link below, you can also get the Free wireless heart monitor and get a code for Free Shipping to your home.