Proform Exercise Bike Review – Are They Worth Your Money (Updated for 2019)?

Discover the Pros and Cons of Proform Exercise Bikes

 

Thinking about a Proform exercise bike? You’re not alone.

Proform is the #1 most recognized fitness brand in the world.

Proform makes a range of home exercise bikes including upright bikes, recumbents, indoor cycles, Tour De France bikes and even hybrid trainers (half elliptical trainer, half bike).

Plus, many models come in at under $1000 – making them very affordable if you’re on a budget.

They also pack some unique features into their bikes designed to give you a more realistic training experience.

Are they a good buy for you?

Here’s a general overview of the brand itself and a few things you should know if you’re going to buy a Proform exercise bike:

 

 

Some Background on Proform Exercise Bikes:

Proform is owned by ICON Health and Fitness – pretty much the largest fitness equipment manufacturer in the world. They also own brand names like Reebok (fitness equipment), Freemotion, Nordic Track, Weslo, Image and Golds Gym (fitness equipment).

What does that mean for you?

Basically it means that Proform/ICON has the resources, space and engineering resources to build a better bike for less. So you do get a lot of options with ICON bikes – including Proform.

 

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Proform Exercise Bikes – Pros:

 

Travel the World with iFit Coach

iFit Coach (formerly iFit LIVE) is an amazing new technology that you can find on all of Proform’s new models. iFit Coach basically takes your bike online and helps you track your progress, set new fitness goals and see how far you’ve come.

The best thing about iFit however is that you can cycle anywhere in the world – from the streets of Paris to the Grand Canyon – and watch the actual scenery pass you by in the console or tablet screen.

 

 

Don’t want to ride by yourself?

No problem – you can also choose to ride guided trails with personal trainers. They coach you along the way and even point out interesting landmarks as you cycle.

With iFit Coach you can also take a fitness class right from your own bike console. There are literally thousands of iFit Coach workouts to try – which can take your training to a whole new level.

 

 

 

Incline and Decline

On the new Proform TDF bike and the Studio Bike, you also get incline and decline. This is an amazing feature that you don’t usually find on other home studio bikes.

 

 

You just press a button on the console and the bike will incline or decline for you – adding a much more realistic cycling experience.

Plus if you’re using iFit Coach and cycling a world trail, the bike will automatically incline and decline to match the actual terrain.

 

 

iPod/iPhone Docks

Most models do come with docking stations and console speakers so you can play your tunes as you cycle.

 

 

Plenty of Resistance Levels

These bikes tend to pack on lots of resistance levels, which is another benefit. Why? Because with many bikes under $1000, you don’t tend to get a lot of resistance levels (like 8 or 10).

This means that within a few months of using the bike, you may top out at the top – and have nowhere to go. But a lot of Proform models (especially the new ones) have higher resistance levels (12 – 24+)

 

 

Proform Hybrid Trainers

These are machines that can be used as both an elliptical – and as a recumbent bike. Plus coming in under $600, they are quite affordable for the budget-conscious buyer.

The most popular bike is the Hybrid Trainer Pro since it’s a bit tougher than the Hybrid Trainer – with a longer elliptical stride for more comfort.

While the quality of the recumbent bike is not exactly commercial-grade here, if you’re looking for an affordable way to get 2 machines for the price of 1, they might be worth considering.

 

 

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So Those are Some Pros – What About Cons?

 

Well, most of their bikes (except the Cycle Trainer and TDF bikes) are starter models. So they don’t necessarily have the fit and finish of higher end, commercial-grade bikes.

Proform also tends to put out alot of models – although they have slowed down in recent years. However because of this, you might find an old model kicking around in stores that has an outdated version of iFit or older technology – without the bells and whistles that the new models carry.

Proform also changes the names on their bikes a lot – which causes confusion when you’re trying to review a certain model.

For example, there have been about 10 different versions of their TDF bikes – each one with different features. And the Cycle Trainer has now been renamed to the Proform Studio bike. So it can sometimes get confusing.

One final thing is iFit. Keep in mind that with iFit – if you want to try it out, you’ll have to buy an online subscription. (You do not need to have iFit to use these bikes – it’s only an option if you want it).

You can currently get a 1 year Subscription to Fit included on the Proform Studio bike here. But otherwise iFit is a paid subscription service.

 

 

Bottom Line?

If you’re looking for a super-affordable bike from a strong name – that will still be around in years to come, you might want to consider a Proform. They offer some great options that have unique features – especially when it comes to their studio cycles like the TDF and Studio Bike models.

They also give you some fun features like the docking stations with speakers, tablet holders and plenty of resistance levels.

Plus with iFit Coach compatibility, you can take your training to a whole new level and cycle around the world!

Want to learn more or compare the latest models of Proform exercise bikes? Click the link below:

 

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