LifeSpan Fitness R3 Recumbent Bike - Product Review

A recumbent bike like the LifeSpan Fitness R3 is an excellent choice for people undergoing physical therapy (or have back problems) who are looking for a good exercise machine. An exercise bike can give them low-impact exercise that won't strain their joints and back however a recumbent bike can give better support for their hips and lower back. The followings are some of the good and bad points for this bike.

Pros

The LifeSpan Fitness R3 recumbent bike is a one step evolution of the old R2. Two improvements over the old machine are the Intelli-Key system and Opti-Vew console. The Intelli-Key system makes it easier for the user to set up custom programs by utilizing blue LED backlight as the step-by-step guide. The Opti-View console enables you to find the right angle so you can see the screen better.

This exercise bike requires some assembly but thanks to the clear assembly design and manual it doesn't take much time to put the pieces together. You can complete the assembly in less than an hour. Once assembled you can see that this bike is very sturdy and well built. The maximum supported user weight is 350 pounds and according to some people who weight over 300 this bike supports them very very well.

Riding the LifeSpan Fitness R3 is both fun and comfortable. It doesn't wobble when you pedal and it's incredibly quiet. You can hear the sound coming from the TV clearly without having to tune up the volume. It also got a book holder for those of you who enjoy biking and reading at the same time. It can also be used as newspaper holder if you prefer to read the news instead.

There's a built-in computer that comes with several training programs like mountain race, weight loss, interval, target heart rate and manual. Each of these programs has sixteen levels of resistance. That's a lot of programs to work with and it would be hard to get bored with so many workout combinations to try. Programming the computer is an easy task too. It would only take four simple steps to program it. Two thumbs for LifeSpan Fitness that makes things so simple.

Cons

The heart rate monitor gives inaccurate reading so if you really want to check your heart rate you should buy a separate heart rate monitor instead.

Conclusion

The LifeSpan Fitness R3 recumbent bike cost about $900 in most stores. It's kind of expensive when you consider the fact that there are other exercise bikes out there that cost half or even a quarter of the R3. However, you should note that there are competing products with similar quality but sold for over $1200. Needless to say the final decision is up to you. If you're looking for gym-quality bike to keep at home that will work years to come then this bike would make a fine choice.