I'd like to find the top 5 rated upright (non-recumbent) exercise
bicycles in order to figure out which to buy.  I've tried my usual
trusted source, Consumer Reports, without success.  Guidance on good
value on-line sources of the machines identified would be useful.

Hi jacint-ga,

I suggest that you try ConsumerSearch, which analyzes reviews from 13
sources about upright and recumbent exercise bicycles (
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/health_and_fitness/exercise_bikes/
).

Of the three top-rated models on ConsumerSearch, the Life Fitness
Lifecycle c9i and the Schwinn 105p are uprights.  Details about these
items are available at
http://www.lifefitness.com/hom_pro_c_lifecycles.asp and
http://store.schwinn.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=872758&prmenbr=177&cat_num=270&CGRY_NUM=297&cgrfnbr=270
.

ConsumerSearch also links to a few sites (DealTime, eBay, and
Respond.com) which might conceivably sell products that you're looking
for.  However, you might prefer to buy from an exercise equipment
specialist.  I have not found a discount source of the Lifecycle c9i,
which is very expensive ($2199 or higher retail).  However, presuming
that you live in the United States, Syracuse Fitness appears to offer
a good deal on the Schwinn 105p: $389.95 with free shipping (
http://www.syracusefitness.com/search_result.asp?CATEGORY=Upright+Bike&MANUFACTURER=ALL&DESCRIPTION=&PRODUCT_ID=
)

(Incidentally, ConsumerSearch's analysis explains why you're having
trouble finding a review in Consumer Reports: the most recent CR
review of exercise bikes was published in January 1996.)

Hope that this helps!

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google:

lifecycle c9i
"life fitness" c9i
schwinn 105p

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jacint-ga on 25 Jun 2002 06:28 PDT

Thanks for this.  However, I'd already found the ConsumerSearch site
which in fact only has 3 products ratedof which, as you identify, only
2 are uprights.  I was hoping to find something well-rated in the
<$1,000 range that had some built in programs, a heart monitor and
easily adjustable resistance.  Anything more you can find for me?

---

Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 25 Jun 2002 20:12 PDT

Oops, I guess I did skip over the part about finding "the top 5"
uprights.  Since I gave you the ratings for 2 uprights, I owe you
another 3.  So I will look for 3 exercise bicycles that meet the
criteria you've asked for.  I don't know if there are 3 such items --
maybe there's only one, or perhaps even none in your price range --
but I'll give it a try.

I hope you don't mind if I do it tomorrow -- I just had an 11 hour day
at work, and wouldn't want to do the research and write the
clarification while falling asleep.  :-)

---

Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 26 Jun 2002 19:54 PDT

Well, my instinct that there might be only one upright that meets all
of your criteria -- well-rated, <$1,000 range, upright, built-in
programs, a heart monitor, and easily adjustable resistance -- seems
to be correct.

The Keys CardioMax 550 gets a "Budget Buy" rating from Consumer Guide
( http://www.consumerguide.com/index.cfm?act=family&main=detail&body=../familychannel/subcategories/prodlist11126
), sells for well under $1000, is programmable, has a heart-rate
monitor, and has push-button magnetic resistance.  I found two online
stores with good prices on the CardioMax 550: FactoryFitness sells it
for $299 with no shipping charge in the continental U.S. (
http://www.factoryfitness.com/FactoryFitnessKeysFitnessIndex.htm ),
while Cheap Fitness sells it for $289 plus $35.95 for shipping and
handling ( http://www.cheapfitness.com/550_bike.htm ).

"Product Reviews: Keys CardioMax 550"
Consumer Guide
http://www.consumerguide.com/index.cfm?act=family&main=detail&body=../familychannel/review/product18378&pl=21870,21026,18378,21872,21671,20998,22039,18717,18716,21003,19539,21881,21008,19929

One other exercise bike appears to match your needs -- except for
price.  The True 500U is a Consumer Guide "Best Buy" (
http://www.consumerguide.com/index.cfm?act=family&main=detail&body=../familychannel/review/product21881&pl=21870,21026,18378,21872,21671,20998,22039,18717,18716,21003,19539,21881,21008,19929
), and has 16 levels in pre-programs, a heart rate control, and both
pre-programmed and manual resistance changes.  But its MSRP is $1295,
and I could not find a dealer selling it for under $1000.

I wish I could come up with something more.  The difficulty of the
problem is shown by the fact that ConsumerSearch, which is in the
business of finding all of the ratings, did not find much.  I tried
searching for various combinations of the words "rating" or "review"
with the terms "exercise bicycle," "exercise bike," "stationary
bicycle," or "stationary bikes," as well as plurals of these words and
terms.  But after a while, the same web sites kept showing up.  So
maybe the real answer is that there is little out there that
ConsumerSearch hasn't already found.

I hope that the Keys upright meets your needs.  Or perhaps an upright
model from one of the brands that has received good ratings for other
models will work for you.  And maybe someday Consumer Reports will
finally update its ratings!

- justaskscott-ga


Product information from the manufacturers:

CardioMax 500
Keys Fitness
http://www.keysfitness.com/KeysFitness/Template.cfm?id=550.html&CFID=79506&CFTOKEN=25732883

True 500U
True Fitness
http://www.truefitness.com/bikes/upright/500u_specs.html


Search terms used on Google (in addition to the ones mentioned in this
answer)

"keys fitness"
"cardiomax 550"
true 500u

---

Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 26 Jun 2002 20:11 PDT

A small error in my clarification: I accidentally posted a link to the
Consumer Guide index to its reviews on exercise bicycles in the second
paragraph, and a link to the ConsumerGuide review of the CardioMax 550
with citation in between the second and third paragraphs.  What I
meant to do was eliminate the link with citation in between the second
and third paragraphs, and use the link to the CardioMax (and not to
the index of reviews) in the second paragraph.  Sorry for any
inconvenience.

Also, for some reason neither the link to the specific FactoryFitness
page nor any other page on the FactoryFitness website is working at
this moment, though they did before.  I have no idea why; perhaps it's
just a temporary problem.