ProForm 290 SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer

by ProForm

Product Features

• Cycle trainer is designed to provide users of all fitness levels a challenging, fat-burning cardiovascular workout in as little time as possible
• Adjustable, nonslip handlebars and padded seat that adjusts horizontally and vertically enable you to quickly set custom riding position
• Chain drive system delivers smooth, quiet, and comfortable ride, and conveniently placed water bottle holder helps you stay hydrated
• Includes built-in transport wheels to accommodate moving from place to place, and has 250-pound maximum weight capacity
• Limited five-year manufacturer's warranty on frame and limited 90-day manufacturer's warranty on parts and labor
• Measures 48.6 by 19.9 by 46.5 inches (L x W x H)

Product Description

Amazon.com

ProForm 290 SPX

Get an incredible workout with the ProForm 290 SPX, designed for performance and built for the ultimate cardio workout.  Whether you are a weekend warrior or a first time fitness buyer, the 290 SPX is for you.  Enjoy a top notch workout without leaving your home with the ProForm 290 SPX indoor cycle trainer.

                                                                  

Features:

• Adjustable Seat with Padding:  Work out in comfort with this padded seat. Adjust it horizontally and vertically to find the perfect fit. 
• Pedals with Toe Cage:  Designed to keep your feet in place, these pedals are built with toe cages to increase stability. For added intensity and advanced users, the pedals can be used with the opposite side up.
• Adjustable, Non-Slip Handlebars:  These non-slip handlebars are ergonomically designed to cut down on fatigue and prevent discomfort.
• Chain Drive:  The ProForm 290 SPX uses a chain drive system to deliver a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride.
• Transport Wheels:  Easily move the bike from place to place with the built-in transport wheels.
• Water Bottle Holder:  Conveniently store your water bottle with the built-in holder.

Specifications:

• Capacity: 250 pounds
• Dimensions: 48.6 by 19.9 by 46.5 inches (L x W x H)
• Warranty: 5 years on the frame; 90 days on parts and labor

About Exercise Bikes

Despite the competition from trendy new fitness inventions, exercise bikes continue to be popular options for home exercise. They offer the same aerobic benefits of riding a bicycle at any time, in any weather, without leaving the comfort and safety of home. Exercise bikes don't take up much space, and can provide an effective workout for all levels of users, from beginners to serious competitors. For many people, having convenient access to quality exercise equipment is critical to sticking with a long-term exercise program.

About ProForm

In its early days ProForm revolutionized the treadmill industry with its now-world-famous SpaceSaver foldaway design. ProForm continues its tradition of quality and innovation today, with cutting-edge advances in cushioning, electronics, and reliability. Fortunately, ProForm wasn't satisfied with treadmills, unveiling a complete line of exercise bikes, elliptical machines, weight benches, and more--all geared to providing the most effective workout available.

Product Description

Pro - Form Bike 200 SPX is a fantastic cardio trainer! Whether you're a cycling enthusiast looking for a way to work out in the off season or just looking for a cardio workout, this Pro-Form Bike delivers the versatility you want in your workout repertoire! The super-tough, commerical-grade welded steel frame is built for thousands of miles! Has a reliable chain drive system with quick-stop braking for safety. 20 KG flywheel for smooth movement; Vertical/horizontal seat adjustment and adjustable handlebars for comfort; Padded seat; Pedals with toe clips and straps to keep your feet in place; Polyurethane, front-mounted transport wheels to help you get the bike out of the way with ease; Water bottle holder keeps liquids within arm's reach; 5-year frame warranty, 90-day parts and labor warranty; 250-lb. user capacity.; Come and get yours for a sweet LOW price! Pro-Form Bike 200 SPX

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 48.6 x 19.9 x 46.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 105.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002ZWWFGS
• Item model number: PFEX02909
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (127 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #8 in Sports & Outdoors > Exercise & Fitness > Cardio Training > Exercise Bikes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

621 of 623 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stevie B., July 19, 2010

By 

Steve Bowman "Stevie B" (Canyon Country, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ProForm 290 SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer (Sports)

19July 2010: I purchased this item in mid-June, and have owned it for several weeks. I got it as a replacement for the used StairMaster PT4400 I had and loved, but it broke down on me. I paid $1200 and did not want another used one at +$4K, so I looked for other options. I never even considered a "spin" bike, because I did not know what they were! However, I wanted to keep costs under $400. One day in a Sports Chalet, I tried one---BLADEZ FITNESS JET, a solid bike. I exercised for about 5 minutes and knew the spin bike would meet my need for cardio. However, the JET was $599, over my budget.

RESEARCH: I did a LOT of research on the internet, and boy, these spin bikes have been falling like rocks! I finally found the Proform 290 SPX at a store called the Sports Authority for $299 (regularly $399). They just put one together that was not even on the floor yet, so I had to go in the back to test it. After a couple of minutes, I again saw that a spin bike would work, so I purchased it. My experience at some spin classes at 24 Hour Fitness taught me that the standard seat would be too uncomfortable, so I also purchased an old-school wide seat with jell padding, which turned out to be a good decision.

ASSEMBLY: I am NOT a mechanically inclined guy, and this thing was easy for me to put together. The only things to attach were the handlebars, peddles, and the feet, and the tools were all supplied, although I used my ratchet wrench because it was faster.

WORKING OUT: The bike is pretty stable. My weight was about 250 when I started out, and the Proform 290 SPX is rated at a max weight of 250lbs, but I know items like these have a "safety factor" and can take more weight than 250lbs. I get a great workout with this bike.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPX 290 AND THE STAR TRAC AT 24 HOUR FITNESS: I am comparing the SPX with a more expensive bike, the STAR TRAC, because for those who are new buyers (like me) it will show one does not have to spend big money to get an effective spin bike.
The Startrek is an outstanding bike made for commercial use. The big difference is the Startrek has more resolution in changing resistance; in other words, it takes more turns to vary the resistance. On the Proform 290 SPX, as I turn the knob where I can feel resistance, I only have about a half turn to get to the maximum resistance, and I cannot turn the knob anymore. However, this is not a problem. The main point is that the user knows the "sweet spots" of resistance settings for the bike.

Once I get going, I only turn the resistance knob in one quarter to eighth inch increments throughout the entire exercise, and I easily maintain 77-81% of my heart rate. Other differences between these two bikes is the because the Star Trac is a commercial bike, it will take a 350lb person, and the cabling on the Star Trac is covered by the frame, so getting sweat on the cables and fasteners is greatly minimized. I overcame this by putting clear RTV over the screws and foot pedals (not the handlebar) and I put a hole in a small towel and put it over the resistance knob to keep my sweat off the break cabling. This is important, for water and salt from sweating will eventually corrode the fittings. On a final note, the STAR TRAC SPINNER PRO is about $1000 compared to the price of $299 I paid.

SETTING THE PACE: I have seen reviews on these bikes where people say it should have a computer. Well, that's fine, but this will add to the price. All I use is a clock, the countdown timer from my watch, and a heart-rate monitor (the most important tool). The clock I use to track my workout time. I have the countdown timer on my watch set to repeat every 90 seconds. Moreover, the heat-rate monitor I use to pace myself.

THE FIRST TEN MINUTES, I go in 90 second intervals, alternating between sitting and standing, increasing the resistance in eight-inch increments.

THE REST OF THE EXERCICE, I go in 10 minute stretches. I maintain an even pace at 70-75% of my heart rate. At the end of the 10 minutes, I do another interval standing up and pedaling (also known as a standing hill climb) for 90 seconds with more resistance and get my heart rate up to +85%, then level back down to 72-75%.

Thus, in a 45-50 minute routine, I start with a 7-10 minute segment of intervals increasing the resistance to get my heart rate going. After that, I do 2-3 segments of 10-minutes each at a constant pace, and end each of these segment with a 90 second standing hill climb. The final two minutes I wind it down.

MINOR ISSUE: The only thing about this bike (not enough to rate it lower), is that there is a high-pitched "hum" I get from the flywheel, but it disappears after after about half-way through the exercise while I maintain an even pace. The "hum" has no effect on the flywheel operation or resistance settings.

TRAINING: It benefited me to go to spin classes at 24-hour fitness to learn how to setup and ride the bike. They offer a week free trail, so it is a great low-cost way to learn. In addition, YOUTUBE has some great videos on how to ride spin bikes. Just type in "spin bike setup," and a bunch of videos will pop up.

GOOD ON THE KNEES: Although I loved my StairMaster PT4400, there were many times my knees felt a bit weak, but never enough to force me to stop using it. However, there is NO issue with the knees on the SPX 290. At my age (51), this means a lot!

CONCLUSION: This review was long because I know there are people out there seeking information. I have benefited greatly from the many reviews on various products, and wanted to get my "two-cents" in. This bike is a great buy, and one does not have to spend +$800 for the high-end bikes to get a good workout.

138 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not too great, not too bad. About what you'd expect at this price., January 25, 2011

By 

M. Erb (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ProForm 290 SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer (Sports)

I hate to rain on the parade of praise for the ProForm 290SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer, but my experience with this spinning bike is quite different from what most of the positive comments are saying.

Where to begin... I paid $274 for the 290SPX at Sports Authority. I've seen the bike as low as $259 at BJ's.

It has a good looking design and a quick glance will leave you with a very favorable impression. Once you really start using the bike though, you will quickly find out why this is a "budget" spinning bike.

First the pros for the bike.
1. It was mostly pre-assembled. Finishing off the setup was a quick affair which included removing the shipping brackets, installing the front and rear stabilizers and leveling feet. Attaching the pedals to the cranks. Inserting the handlebar post in the frame, attaching the handlebar to the handlebar post. Inserting the seat post into the frame, attaching the seat to the seat carriage and inserting the seat carriage into the seat post.
2. Seat and Handlebars have a good range of adjustment. Unless you are very short or very tall, you should be able to get a good fit on the bike.
3. The heavy flywheel results in the bike having a good inertia feel when spinning.

Cons:
1. The handlebar post has a significant amount of left-right play which is a nuisance during aggressive spinning. No matter how tightly you adjust the knob, it will not eliminate the side-to-side movement because the knob is only applying force to the front of the handlebar post, not the side. The only way to alleviate this movement would be to fashion some sort of sleeve or shim in addition to the plastic sleeve that is already present.
2. My bike and the bike of a friend of mine both have significant amounts of chain slop which results in a very noisy drivetrain. The chain slaps against the chainguard and is very noisy.
3. My bike has a clunk emanating from the right crank. On every downstroke at the 6:00 position I hear a clunk sound. I suspect it is a faulty or failing bearing. I've called for warranty service and the technician is replacing the crank and bearing set this week. I'll report back if that solves the problem.
4. The water bottle holder is cheap plastic and breaks very easily. You'd be best off either removing it entirely or swapping it out with a good quality water bottle holder from a bike store.
5. The bike generates a loud, high-pitched tone caused by the friction of the brake pads against the flywheel. It comes and goes depending on your rate of pedaling and amount of tension on the brake pad. I've ridden a lot of spinning bikes but have not heard such a loud squeal from the other bikes as what I hear with this bike.
6. The seat is OK but not great. For serious spinning, you'll probably want to invest in a better seat. Expect to pay at least $60 or more.

The ProForm 290 SPX is about what I'd expect for a roughly $300 spinning bike. In order to get an appreciably better bike you would have to spend at least twice as much and maybe three times as much. So for the money, it's an OK spinning bike.

Although it looks good, I am not encouraged by the fact that the handlebar has so much side-to-side play or that I am having the crank bearings replaced after just a week. I can deal with the seat but I wish the handlebars had a fore-aft adjustment. I also wish the drivetrain were quieter and that there was no noise from the brake pads at certain pedaling speeds.

I purchased a 2-year extended warranty from Sports Authority for $40 and have a feeling that that will be a good investment since I am not convinced this bike will hold up very well with hard use. Time will tell.

I'm not completely unhappy with the bike, it is about what I expected for the price I paid. I just don't think it's as good as some others think it is.

UPDATE: 1/26/2011 - Good news bad news. It turns out that the clunk that I hear on the right side is not due to a bad bearing, but instead due to a bent chain, possibly exacerbated by a warped crank wheel (sprocket). I completely removed the chainguard and noticed that that clunking sound stopped. Put the chainguard back on and the clunking resumed. Took it off again and turned the pedals by hand and closely observed the movement of the chain and noticed that it was not moving completely straight. Instead it was vacillating back and forth several millimeters. I also noticed that the crank wheel was slightly warped causing the chain to wobble in its path. I still can't quite figure out where exactly the clunk is coming from but it is not from the bearing since it goes away when the chainguard is removed. Seeing the poor quality of the sprocket really worries me for the long-term because once you spin the equivalent of a few thousand miles, you will eventually need to replace the chain and sooner or later the sprocket. That's a fact of life with bicycles (I ride competitively and replace the chain on my road bike every 1500 miles or so.) Sprockets will wear, chains will stretch. Eventually you will get to a point where this will result in a very expensive repair to the bike. According to the replacement parts sheet, a new crank arm/crank wheel will cost $77.16, a new chain is $25.87 and a new flywheel sprocket is $23.80. Plus labor and that gets you up to almost a $200 repair in just a few years if you ride the bike a lot.

133 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Proform 290SPX Great Bike, August 1, 2010

By 

Shaune R. Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ProForm 290 SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer (Sports)

I've been researching spinning bikes for home use for several months. Wanted to find something that is solid and good quality. Reading the original review about this bike on Amazon.com was extremely informative and important. I kept coming back to it to get more details. It was a great reference for me when I went shopping. So when I found the bike in a local sporting store, I knew what I had to look for & look at closely. I tested it and found that I had to look no further. I purchased it & brought it home on 7/30/10.

Here's what I found:
Budget-friendly. Simple as that.

Made by a division of Ion Fitness which also makes several other bikes including Nordictrack. Proform has been around a while so the quality and reputation are there.

Bike is heavy, solid, & very good quality. All parts were well wrapped & assembly was a snap. From reading reviews, I knew that there would be very few parts because the main body of the bike is one piece. Comes with enough bolt/screws, washers and tools. I didn't find the instructions confusing but I had done so much research that it was pretty easy to figure out. It was handle bars, seat, & bottom braces. That was about it. Took us 30 minutes tops. IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember to really tighten the seat when you get it attached. I've read some reviews stating this was difficult. Same goes with the handle bars. The knob on the front of the bike by the handle bars works to both adjust the height of the bars as well as tightens them so they don't wobble.

I once had a computerized magnetic resistance bike & it was a hassle to assemble in comparison. I love the simplicity of this bike.

Handle bars & seat are very smooth adjustment for both height & length of your body. The handle bars cannot be adjusted for pitch but I found that just having them a bit higher was a perfect fit. I'm 5'3" & my husband is almost 6'. It will be easy for each of us to readjust the seat.

Bike rode very smoothly & quiet in the store when I tested it. Exact same ride when I assembled the new one at home. Very smooth & very quiet. Oh I can hear the wheel turning & I can hear myself pedaling...but there are no squeaks or creaking. I went for a 40 minute "ride" as soon as it was put together.

Resistance lever is sensitive but that's OK. Just a slight twist increases tension gradually. Very smooth transitions. Just reach down and twist a little bit to suit your workout.

When I stood up on the pedals, I found it almost rode like an elliptical. The bike didn't wobble or jiggle and I was able to put full weight on the pedals with no problem. I felt the workout when I finished too.

To move it, just tip it up at the handle-bars and it rolls very smoothly and easily. Ease back down to settle into a new spot.

It is a sleek looking bike in a nice black enamel finish with red flywheel and red/black seat. Has kind of a high tech look. It's very pleasing to look at if that matters to you. Remember to wipe it down if you have a rigorous workout to avoid any damage from moisture.

I do realize there is no coast feature on most spinners. I read that as a con in other reviews. However, I really like the red brake lever that is part of the resistance knob. When it's time to slow down, I just sit back on the seat, press down slightly on the brake, and it slows me down or stops me. Or you can just ease up the resistance to a very light level and slow down your pedaling. It's pretty much just like a regular outdoor bike. When you want to slow down, you press on your hand brakes. IMPORTANT NOTE: When I get off, I screw down the resistance knob tight so it locks the pedals & wheel. ***This is one safety feature that is important if you have small children in the house who may be curious. You'll want to avoid pinched fingers.***

I'm not going to say anything negative about the seat. It's a typical bike seat. I'm a 50-something female and I found that bike shorts work just fine. I may buy a new seat or a seat cover eventually. But, seriously, I didn't find it all that bad. We ride outdoor bikes and the seat isn't really all that different from my mountain bike.

Pedal straps are just a tiny bit cumbersome but that's just me. I can't seem to slip my feet into them real easily. But I'm also wearing regular fitness shoes not spinner shoes. So it may be just because they were stiff & new. I owe it to the bike to give them time to break in. They can always be substituted or removed.

Wish it had a speedometer. I have a simple wireless bike computer for my outdoor bike and I'm currently researching whether I can find something similar to attach to this indoor bike. I didn't want a bike with a big huge screen. Not only does it add unnecessary cost, but it will get in the way when I lean forward on the handlebars. I love the simplicity but I would like to measure speed, distance, and calories/fat burned somehow. That's it. I don't need fancy stuff. For my first ride, I just used a timer. A heart monitor would be a great solution for everything for except RPM/speed.

Sorry for the lengthy review. But I want people to know that this is a good quality bike that won't break your bank account. I'm very happy with it. We now have a great way to stay toned & fit during bad weather (rain, sleet, humidity, and blizzards) without having to drop a small fortune on a gym membership. No contracts, no waiting in line to use one. We've got everything we need right here at home. Overall - I rate this bike a solid 5 stars. It's worth every penny.