Looking for a good Proform recumbent exercise bike? Proform is one of the most well-known names in fitness equipment today – and they’re also one of the largest.
That means they can make a better bike for less. They’ve recently come out with a new recumbent bike for 2015 called the Proform 440 Recumbent.
It comes in under $500 – which makes it very attractive for a lot of buyers. But is it a good buy for you?
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of the Proform 440 recumbent bike to help you decide:
Pros of the Proform 440 Recumbent Bike:
Adustable Seat With Lumbar Support
The seat on this bike is adjustable both vertically and horizontally – so you can adjust it to fit your height.
Plus there’s also lumbar support to support your lower back, which makes for a more comfortable workout.
18 Pound Flywheel
This bike comes with a heavy 18 pound flywheel. In general, the heavier the flywheel, the smoother the ride. So you don’t get the jerky start-and-stops of cheaper bikes.
25 Resistance Levels
This bike gives up to 25 resistance levels. Having more resistance gives you room to grow.
You don’t want to top out at the highest resistance 2 months after you buy the bike. So having extra resistance adds some challenge and room to grow.
iFit LIVE
This is something you don’t get with other most other bike brands. The Proform 440 comes iFit LIVE compatible. iFit LIVE connects your bike to the Internet.
From there you can download new workouts to your bike, map out new trails to bike all over the world or even track your workouts over time to see how far you’ve come.
You do need an online subscription to do this (about $99 a year), but you don’t need iFit LIVE to use this bike. It’s just a great option to have that you can add anytime you want it.
Tablet Holder
This is another fairly new addition you don’t usually find in Proform Recumbent exercise bikes – a tablet holder. The bracket is placed above the console so you can watch your TV shows or movies on your tablet while you ride.
You can also connect to iFit LIVE with your tablet and watch real-world trails pass you by as you cycle.
So those are some of the pros – what about the cons?
Well, the heart rate hand grip sensors are placed in front of the console (instead of at the side) on this bike – and they can be a bit hard to reach.
So taking your heart rate is a bit of a challenge.
Also, as stated above, if you want to try iFit LIVE it is about $99 a year.
Bottom Line?
While it does have a few quirks, overall the Proform 440 Recumbent Exercise bike gives you some great features to make your workout more comfortable like the adjustable seat, mesh back and heavy flywheel.
And at under $500 (depending on where you buy), it isn’t too hard on the wallet either. If you’re looking for a solid Proform Recumbent exercise bike – newly updated for 2015 – it’s worth considering for your home gym.
