The Schwinn 140 Upright Exercise Bike is one of the most popular entry-level fitness bikes on the market today. It offers a compact design that relies on core muscles to balance your body weight.

Mechanically, the bike is superb. The resistance transitions are smooth and you can change resistance anywhere in a program with a single touch. There are 16 resistance levels in all.

One of the amazing features of this bike is how smooth and quiet it is. Usually, entry-level exercise bikes are noisy and flimsy. However, Schwinn used a heavy frame and quality materials to allow this bike to hold its own against more expensive models.

The display is well lit and easy to read. It tilts to different angles but it seems the easiest to read when it lays flat (not to mention that it make a great magazine stand in that position as well).

A few words of caution; the Schwinn 140 Upright Exercise is designed to be used by the “average size person”. This means that if you’re over 6 feet tall, you may find your knees hitting the handle bars when you ride. If that applies to you, you may want to consider another model of exercise bike, like the Fitnex B30 Upright Exercise Bike

Unlike some higher-end models, the seat on this bike cannot be moved in enough to emulate my real bike and is designed to accommodate a “smaller than average” bottom. Finally, the display is best read when looking directly at it. If you adjust your head to a different riding stance, you’ll have to adjust the console as well so you can continue reading it.

Conclusion

If you’re a casual rider or just starting out with a fitness bike workout, the Schwinn 140 Upright Exercise Bike may be the ideal choice for you. It offers the same quality construction and some of the features found in more expensive models at an affordable price. If you’re a more serious rider or use your exercise bike for training (and your budget will allow it), you may want to consider the Fitnex B50 Upright Exercise Bike or the Fitness Master X Series Momentum instead.

Getting fit is never an easy task, but with the Fitnex B30 Upright Home Exercise Bike by Fitness Master, you can get the workout you need to lose those extra unwanted pounds in no time at all.

The Fitnex B30 comes with features standard like heart rate grips built-in on in the handlebars and to make it more of a workout this exercise bike offers eight resistance levels for that extra challenge of a more serious workout.  There are 12 programs available on this bike, including  5 heart rate programs, a manual program and up to 6 user-defined programs allowing you to customize and then save your workout preferences.

The 2.5 inch by 5 inch LCD display on the Fitnex B30 shows you your speed, how long you’ve been riding time, how far you’ve travelled, the calories you’ve burned and your pulse rate, assuming you’ve been holding the handlebars during the workout.  The pedals are spaced the same as a standard outdoor training bike for more comfortable and realistic bike feel.

In addition, there are several convenience features including water bottle holder for when you get thirsty and a magazine rack if you are tired of staring at a wall or the noise of the TV.

The Fitnex B30 upright bike also comes with a manufactures warranty which includes the frame for a ten year limited warranty, a one year parts warranty and a 90 day labor warranty. Unlike some lower quality fitness bikes on the market, the Fitnex B30 is manufactured in the US by Fitness Master Corporation based in Dallas, Texas.

The Fitnex B30 is ideal for almost any type of rider, from the absolute beginner to the professional athlete training for his next marathon.  The bike is only 39 inches long and 21 inches wide so it does not take up a lot of space and can fit into almost any room you want to workout in.  Since the Fitnex B30 is relatively light weight and easy to move around, you can put it where you know you will see it everyday and, like your bedroom or living room, to remind of your commitment to yourself to get in shape.

If you need to shed a few pounds or just get into shape, you should seriously consider the Fitnex B30 upright home exercise bike when you are choosing which exercise bike to purchase.  It will give the same great workout you would expect at the gym without leaving the comfort of your home.

Don’t be misled by a sale price. ALWAYS LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING! This bike weights over a 100lbs and without free shipping, that could add over $125 to the price.

Although the E30 is one of their lower end upright exercise bikes produced by Tunturi, it is loaded with features and built to last.

The Tunturi E30 is easily adjustable (both saddle and handlebars) to fit riders of all sizes. It provides a comfortable, low-impact aerobic workout. It also includes a big, easy to use and read LCD screen. There are 23 pre-programmed workouts, a recovery and fitness test mode and a method of body-fat measurement to keep riders interested and constantly motivated.

Tunturi home trainers supply smooth electromagnetic braking, an accurate, easily adjustable Ergometer and stylish Scandinavian design. The motivating E30 includes 23 functional programs including heart rate control, preset programs, user profiles and body fat measurement. Dedicated to a personalized fitness session, Tunturi offers the patented T-Pulse feature. T-Pulse adjusts your workout intensity to keep you in the correct heart rate zone. The T-Scale option modifies intensity, time and distance according to the user’s needs. This unique Tunturi concept further perfects training on the basis of heart rate monitoring and individualized fitness goals. The user-friendly console features an LCD backlit display and fingertip selection. This stylish, well-built stationary bike also provides a wide range of seat and handlebar adjustments, extra stability and smooth pedaling motion. The ergonomically designed Tunturi E30 upright bike makes a reliable and convenient addition to any home gym.

Some of the features of the bike are:

• Total of 23 programs
• 12 preset programs with T-Scale and register for 5 users
• Low Step Through Frame
• Programs and heart rate control
• Reliable and smooth electromagnetic brake system, easy to adjust
• Ergometer means accurate measurement. Safe and easy heart rate programs
• Simple and motivating colour LCD console with 6 inch screen and selection wheel
• Color LCD Console displaying: Time, Distance, Speed, Energy consumption (calories) Training power (W)
• Training modes: Quick start, Manual, Constant Watt, Constant HRC, Preset programs, User programs, HR max limit
• Electromagnetic brake system
• Transmission ratio: 1:9, rotating mass: 14 kg / 31 lbs
• Body fat measurement and recovery heart rate as new motivating features
• Easy to access with adjustable saddle height and handlebars
• Ergonomic and stylish frame with smooth pedalling motion
• Transport wheels for safe and easy transportation
• Dimensions: 122 x 70 x 130cm (LxWxH)
• Weight 48 kg / 106 lbs
• Maximum user weight 135 kg / 300 lbs

Don’t be misled by a sale price. ALWAYS LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING! This bike weights over a 100lbs and without free shipping, that could add over $125 to the price.

When you first look at the Fitnex B50 exercise bike, you immediately notice that it’s a very cool looking bike. But we didn’t judge it on looks along when we picked as our Best Buy in its Price Class. Some of the factors we considered were:

1. Wide base seat with gel-foam padding – To sit upright in a safe position, you must rotate your hips forward to place a slight curvature into your spine, which brings your bottom directly under your body weight. That’s the reason cycling pants have built in padding because without adequate padding, the gluteal muscles are impinged and become sore and bruised. Fitnex has taken an extra step to ensure comfort by using gel foam, which is a very dense high-tech foam with better impact-absorption properties than regular foam. The seat is wide at the base, further reducing discomfort by dispersing pressure over a wider area. A well-padded seat, like padded cycling pants, will protect your behind and allow you to train longer and more frequently. It’s the most important feature of an exercise bike.
2. Heavy duty steel frame. The Fitnex B50 will support a rider up to 300lbs!
3. The Fitnex B50 uses an electronically controlled magnetic braking system, the same kind used in exercise bikes costing twice as much. In the past, resistance came in the form of ‘roller’ or ‘band’ friction, resulting in inevitable parts-burn-out and noise. Unfortunately this technology is still used in many other bikes in the same price class.
4. The bike uses an electronically controlled device that moves the flywheel, thereby varying the resistance felt by the legs. Since no parts actual make physical contact, there is no friction and no parts wear. This results in reduced noise, a much longer life for your exercise bike and very smooth resistance. There are a total of 16 resistance settings in all.
5. The Fitnex B50 has a durable, crack-resistant body housing. All moving parts on this bike are enclosed within a tough outer shell. This protects you against injury, protect your clothes from becoming jammed in the crank mechanism, reduces dust accumulation in joints and bearings and protected the machine from rusting from any sweat and moisture getting on the mechanism. In addition it reduces the bike’s noise making this machine almost silent.
6. The bike has Padded handle bars, allowing you to lean forward and braces your shoulder girdle. This allows you to use your accessory breathing muscles (pec minor, intercostals etc) to increase air intake which helps you burn more calories during the workout. You still have the option of sitting in the upright position and gripping like regular bars. In that position, you can train longer, in comfort, for greater fat metabolism. The handle bars and console also act as a good magazine holder.
7. The counter-balanced pedals swings the pedal into the upright position, so every time you get on, both pedals are in the correct position ready for you to slip in your feet and get started.
8. The Fitnex B50′s built-in heart rate monitor is a part of the handle bars. It monitors your heart rate through 2 hand sensors and gives you feedback through the console.
9. The same heart rate control found on elliptical trainers and treadmills, is also included on the Fitnex B50. You can program your target heart rate into the console and grip the heart rate sensors. The onboard computer operates on a feedback loop, continuously comparing your heart rate to your pre-programmed target zone and adjusts resistance to suit. For example, if your heart rate falls below the target rate, (that is you are slacking off), the computer will automatically increase resistance to elevate your heart rate. This is a very safe way to train, especially if you are new to exercise bikes.

Conclusion

We were very impressed with the Fitnex B50 exercise bike from the moment we saw it and we liked more and more as we evaluated it for this review. Fitnex have 3 upright exercise bikes in their range (one cheaper and one more expensive) and we found the B50 to be the best combo of features, function and price. It is obviously well suited to home use but its solid and reliable construction would also make it a good choice for a club environment.

Don’t be misled by a sale price. ALWAYS LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING! This bike weights over a 100lbs and without free shipping, that could add over $125 to the price.