Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike with Resistance ME-709

Lately, I have found that biking 1/2 hr in the morning and 1/2 hr in the evening beside eating less will keep my sugar level in check, so I want a stationary bike to keep me out of the bad weather (I still prefer the real bikes.) After extensive search on the internet, I order this bike (ME-708) for the low cost, the portability (less then 40#) and the good reputation. After the ordering on the Amazon, I came across a better bike (MaxKare Black) which is more heavy duty and allow riders bike standing, I order that bike also thinking I will return the Marcy right after I receive it. This afternoon it came. The box is smaller than I expected and without any damage, so I had a second thought. Give it a try, if it works fine, I will give it to my wife. She can put it in the Morning Room and use it while watching Family Feud. The MaxKare Black is bigger and will be in the basement for my use only. While I put the things together I found that the contents in the box have minimum protection. The instruction is clear. the parts are well marked even though some drawings are in backward (Chinese way, I guess). In the middle of assembling, I found the soft plastic cover of the Main Frame has a crack and dents in some areas (it has no real protection in the box. other parts rest on it and damage it in shipping.) I kept going thinking that I will return the whole thing after the test drive. After finishing the assembly process without any mistake (with ease). Everything was nice and tight. I put it in front of the family room TV and started the exercise. After the first 1/2 hr, I did not want to come down because it was so nice and comfortable on the bike. The seat is much better than my mountain bike (Specialized Hardrock) or my comfort bike (Iron Horse) that I am using for everyday exercising. The mechanism runs very smooth and quiet. even though the bike foot print is small (1 foot X 2 feet) and on carpet, it feels more solid than my bikes so I bike most of the time with no hand touching the handle bar. The resistance is great and more than I really need. At 1, It feels like I am going 1 degree down hill. At 2, It feels like flat road at 6 mile/hr. At 3, flat road at 10 mile/hr.... At 5, you are going up hill a bit...At 8, it's a small hill. It's not a challenge for a serious rider but for an old guy like me, it's more than enough. Even though I just play with it for an hour, I have enough evaluations for the product (I do test for a living). It's solid and will last for awhile if it's used correctly (don't drop it moving or step on the casing of the Main Frame, don't bike backward, don't force the resistance control beyond 1 or 8, use blue lock-tide the next time you tighten nuts and bolts...) The short life items on this bike are: the seat, peddles (plastic with no bearing), internal belt (guess), computer button (leave it at Time because everything else is off. It powers on and off automatically), resistance control cable and knob. So be easy with them. After the test, I decided to keep the bike, saving me time from returning it. I called the distributor to resolve the broken Main Frame cover. The call went through without any long waiting period and the representative agreed to send replacement part. I don't know how long it's going to take but they have 2 weeks to correct their problem. So far I am happy with the service and the bike. With 2 year warranty, I think this bike is a great deal. Now I just have an idea. I will get rid of the couch and chairs in my family room and put 3 or 4 more Marcy bikes in front of the TV for the entire household.

I am so happy with this bike. Obviously, it's not perfect or I would give it 5 stars, but for the price it really is remarkable. It has a tiny footprint in our apartment, a decent set of features on the digital display, and functional tension controls. A big selling point for me is that it gets low enough for my short height of 5' 1" which most of the other cheap exercise bikes on Amazon can't do, according to their descriptions. I am a small-framed female who is fairly fit. I think it might even be able to go down to 4' 9" or so, since the lowest setting is low for me. My 6' 2" boyfriend enjoys using the bike too and it adjusts to his height easily. It's heavy so it stays in place, but not so heavy that you can't move it out of the way when you don't need it. We keep it in a corner of the living room and I pull it out to exercise while watching TV. I wouldn't want to have to carry it more than a few feet though. If you're allready quite fit, you might be disappointed at how high the tension controls go. I think in a few months, the highest setting might start to feel disappointing so I will need to do a longer workout, but I can live with that. It's not too hard to set up. I'm not very experienced with assembling products but I managed with a little help from my boyfriend. It took about 20 minutes, mostly assembled alone. It will make your butt hurt if you aren't used to bike seats, but I don't think it's any more uncomfortable than a normal bike seat. Eventually you get used to it and it won't hurt. At first, this will keep you from using it every day. Since I have short arms, I do feel like the handlebars are too far forward and wish they could be adjusted, but that's really my failing more than the bike's failing. We can't all be ideal height. It looks a bit cheap (obviously, cause it is) so I don't know how long it will hold up under regular exercise. I'm a month in, and it seems to still be just as sturdy as it started. No harm done, financially, at $100, if it only lasts a year, but I'd hate to have to create waste by tossing it out. Hopefully it will keep going for a good long time! Update: 1.5 months in, it still works fine, though it is starting to make creaky noises here and there. It started out blissfully silent, so I'm not entirely surprised. I use it for 40 minutes at tension 6/7/8, about 5 times a week. We took the plastic base sides off to look at the innards and everything looked fine, though we were surprised to discover that it uses magnets to create the tension. I'm purchasing some bike chain oil in case we end up needing it in the future. The sounds got better when we put it back together even though we didn't touch anything. Maybe it just needed tightening. I'll let you all know if it falls apart under me. Still 4 stars. I'm definitely getting a great workout.

I am a male in my late 20s. I'm about 5'9" and 160lbs. I ride a real bike regularly (when the weather permits) for distances around 30+ miles. (Nighttime riding into and around NYC and then back to the burbs) That course includes some steep uphills and having to pedal for your life to get away from cars. As the winter weather (slowly) started I wanted something I can fit in the house and is affordable. To get it out of the way.. there is NO WAY this bike has enough resistance. I can overpower the 'magnetic resistance' on its highest setting and make it feel like the pedals 'skip' instead of providing smooth resistance. But resistance from the pedals isn't the only way to get a good exercise. You can get an excellent exercise from pedal speed. I usually leave it at '3' while changing pedaling speed and then putting it to higher resistance periodically (almost like interval training) You can get as hard of a workout as you want with your pedaling speed (I can get this sucker reading out past 40mph at my highest effort... which makes me doubt any of the readouts other than the time) It's also really really quiet. (even at 'top speed') The bike itself is actually well designed, the handlebars give you a variety of options for extended rides. The seat is actually pretty comfortable (if you're at all used to riding bikes). They spend enough effort to actually give you a channeled groove in the center to relieve pressure in 'that area' It also has a very small footprint. I've so far used the bike for about month and it's not showing any indication that it will fail on me soon. The assembly is about as easy as I expected and took all of 20 minutes. (I did struggle a little bit attaching the cable for the resistance adjustment) It's not going to replicate hill climbing type of effort and it doesn't exactly FEEL like you're riding a real bike, but for the money you pay and for all the pros, it's hard to go wrong with the bike. At the price point it's really hard to even point out any cons... err.. I don't like orange on the plastic shroud? Wait, no... I do. ***Update 5/30/12*** I'm going to update the rating to 5 stars. The bike as seen less and less use since the weather's been getting warmer, but it's holding up very well. Even with fairly regular use nothing broke, and there's no squeaks or rattles to speak of. I'm very impressed with how well it held up so far and expect the bike to hold up (mainly as a coat hanger until this winter) and provide its service when called upon (and beyond) --- I also want to RE-emphasize how SILENT it is even at FULL SPEED, I don't have to adjust the TV volume at all while riding and even late night I don't have to worry about making too much noise. --- Still liking that orange shroud =)

This Marcy exercise bike is a nice option for getting some cardio in at home without needing a huge piece of gym equipment. I like the upright design because it gives you the feel of a traditional stationary bike while still having a relatively straightforward setup for a home workout space. One of the most useful features is the adjustable magnetic resistance. Being able to change the resistance means you aren't stuck with the exact same workout every time. You can keep things lighter for an easier ride or increase the resistance when you want more of a challenge. That also makes the bike more practical if more than one person in the household plans to use it. I also like that the seat and handlebars are designed to give you a more traditional cycling position. With any stationary bike, getting the positioning right can make a big difference in how comfortable it feels during a longer workout, so taking the time to adjust the bike properly is worthwhile. The biggest appeal for me is the convenience factor. Having an exercise bike at home makes it much easier to fit in a workout without driving to a gym, and it's something you can use regardless of the weather. It's also easy to hop on for a shorter ride when you don't necessarily have time for a full workout. I'm giving this four stars because it's a solid home cardio option with the important basics, particularly the adjustable resistance, but it's more of a straightforward exercise bike than a premium studio-style machine with all the bells and whistles. For someone who wants a practical stationary bike for regular at-home cardio and doesn't need a complicated connected fitness setup, this is a good option.

If you want just an indoor bicycle, this is for you. I bought this because I don't want to go to the gym (and pay, though I go to college where the gym is free) and be seen by people judging you and looking at your every move. I don't exercise but I'd like a healthier life. I'm thin but scrawny and I needed this for my toothpick legs. To start : - Packaging, horrid, but the insides weren't damaged so it's fine. - Assembly. I'd rate assembling this thing a B+. You don't need two people to assemble this. I did it by myself. HOWEVER, there is something they don't tell you or don't give you the tool for. For example, when you're assembling the resistant bands, there is a screw you have to loosen. I couldn't get the resistant band to lock in with the gadget it told me to. I then noticed if I loosen the screw, it might actually go in. I thought I'd ruin the bike if I did this. But when I looked at other peoples reviews, I saw they had the same problem. Luckily, my dad had a wrench laying around, and I loosened the screw. So if you don't have a wrench you might have a lot of trouble. Although, in all, the instructions are spot on and easy to follow. - The seat, for lack of a better word, SUCKS. I thought people were overreacting with the seat. They aren't. It's so hard and horrible. I put soft clothes on it to comfort me. My butt was sore from just sitting and it's discouraging because you want to be on the bike as long as you want, but you can't because your butt is screaming! - Using the bike : does what it's suppose to do. Just be an indoor bike for exercise. I'm light weight so I can't tell you if this handles people over 250-300. Though it says the max is 300. However, this thing looks very fragile. So... try at your own risk despite them saying it will hold about 300lbs. - The resistance isn't what I expected. It isn't challenging. You feel a little more pressure, but the highest level isn't hard. I would have liked more pressure on the bands, having level 8 (it's 1-8 levels) being TOUGH AS NAILS. But I mean.. it is a cheap bike, so I got what I paid for. - It's small, good for small spaces. I currently have it in my tiny room. - I almost forgot about the little calculation device. Well, it's a bit annoying. I mean it works, I don't think it's accurate with the calories, but it's nice to know the distance you are biking at. Though, you don't see them all at the same time. For 2-3 seconds you see each calculation like distance and calories, odometer, etc. I just really like it for the distance and time... I bought this before Christmas time at around 99 dollars. I notice the price fluctuating on this thing. Don't buy it for more than 100 dollars. Just stick with free shipping and get it at 99.54 dollars haha.

I love this bike. It is compact, comfortable, quiet and easy to use. I even like it better than the stationary bicycles in the physical therapy clinic and better than the other stationary bikes for home use I have tried in the past. Because I enjoy using this bike, I work out on it every day. That means this piece of equipment for me is a huge success. I have read the comments by other reviewers and I can understand their favorable and unfavorable points. The resistance provided by the magnets can be increased a little by adjusting the linkage in the handle bar column. I haven't needed to do so for my purposes, however. The maximum resistance is similar to the amount of effort I use to propel my mountain bike over level ground on a paved road at about 12 miles per hour. That is enough to require some leg strength and make me take start taking deeper breaths over a period of a few minutes. If I keep that pace up I find that 15 minutes a day is all I need to keep me ready for biking outdoors or a hike in the woods. I find the seat and handle bars well designed for my purposes, but then everybody has different needs. The seat may seem comfortable to me because I also use real bikes. The handle bars provide some options for how far you bend over, depending on where you hold them. Sometimes I don't use them, but just pedal away with my hands in the air. It took me 1 and 1/2 hours to assemble the bike by being careful and taking time out for lunch, and it has been working flawlessly since then. Because our house is small and we share it with a variety of other people and animals, the ability to store this bike almost anywhere is a huge factor in its favor. I just pick it up by the two posts, with my elbows jammed into my gut, and carry the bike anywhere in the house I can find where there is some light, space and air. That keeps it out of everyone's way. I even enjoy moving it around like this. All in all, this bike is perfect for me.

With SO many polarized opinions about this home exercise bike, I want to weigh in and offer my own early experience after taking the plunge and buying one for myself. The early word is "so far so good," but let me amplify a little. I'm a 57 year old male interested in expanding my home cardio options beyond the one other exercise gizmo in my "arsenal"--a compact home step machine. I'm 6'3" and 200 lbs (but would like to be about 20 lbs lighter). As others of my vintage can confirm, getting older DOES mean you grow thicker and heavier, but despite these tendencies I've been a committed exerciser since age 25, and work out daily, though I would not characterize myself at all as a "gym rat". I have multiple reviews posted here at Amazon for various favorite workout DVD's, which remains my primary workout choice. I only got this bike YESTERDAY and while I realize it's way too early to pass judgment, I do want to try to dispel some concerns other reviewers have raised. First, let me say that the build quality of this bike is GOOD and especially considering the price, it's pretty remarkably sturdy. I felt it easily bore my weight without being overloaded however because of its small footprint (a CRITICAL buying factor for me), I do feel the unit rocking a little as my weight shifts. Let me be quick to add that I never felt unsteady or at risk for toppling. Second, assembly took me about 45 minutes to an hour, working alone. I worried while awaiting the order that I'd get stuck with someone else's badly repacked return, with random washers and screws leaking out of the corners of the carton. Thankfully NO that was NOT the case here, I confess I'm IMPRESSED with the ruthlessly efficient packaging. The unassembled bike is shipped securely (and well packed) in a single carton measuring 24.5"W x 20.25"H x 9.5"D (carton indicates gross weight of 43 lbs). As this VERY compact package implies, there's scarcely a single cubic inch of unoccupied space inside the carton. However all pieces are bagged, with most ends masked & taped with corrugated cardboard to minimize possible shipping damage. There is SOME styrofoam molded packing (base of carton mostly) but not much. SCREWS/WASHERS and two tools (an Allen wrench and a little spanner wrench) were CARDED with each item/part labelled to match the assembly directions, and I really had no difficulty getting the unit put together. Once completed I had NO "leftover parts" except for the two tools provided. All parts arrived fully intact, NO bent tubes or cracked chassis to the body of the unit. Another reviewer commented that they felt this was designed as a woman's bike. While I don't think the manufacturer would ever deliberately choose to limit their sales that way, I see where the reviewer was coming from and mostly agree. Note how all the marketing material shows only women using this machine. I found that even at the highest seat elevation, I could not quite get enough length to nearly straighten my alternating legs while pedaling. At full seat height, the cycle WAS operational for me, but I don't see how this could NOT be a problem for someone taller than I am--a "deal-breaker" in fact, so bear it in mind. Likewise, the seat is NOT padded at all, and while I didn't find it to be excruciatingly tortuous, other users sure might find it painful. I can live with it for now, but a fleece cover or replacement seat might be an upgrade for me to add in the near future. At this "price point" I wouldn't even expect an electronic display, but one is provided (powered by two AAA batteries which you supply) and while I question its calorie burn count (NO user weight or age info can be input for a meaningful calculation), the timer feature seems accurate and I guess I have no reason to dispute the readings for mileage or speed of pedaling. The "Scan" (default) setting sequences the display through all available metrics and is a useful way to familiarize yourself with the display. The SIZE of this unit was an ESSENTIAL consideration in my decision to buy and as the photos indicate, this Marcy bike is VERY compact. Floor space is a precious commodity here in my "World HQ" and adding extra clutter is NOT done capriciously. As indicated, the Marcy is not very heavy (41 lbs), and as the promo video shows, the bike can be tipped forward to roll on rotating front casters to get it out of the way between uses. PRICE--as I suspect is true for many other users, the PRICE (just over $100) likewise spurred me to "take a chance" and click "buy". My "shakedown cruise" on the bike yesterday, DESPITE the limitation of not quite being able to fully extend my legs while cycling, was still positive and (at least so far) justified the risk and expense of the purchase. Adding the cycle provides a WELCOME alternate to the stairclimber, and adding a little variety is always beneficial. There are eight levels of resistance, controlled by a dial on the handlebar post, but I started and ended on max resistance, which still seemed something rather short of "challenging" to me. Nevertheless, I DID feel that I got a vigorous workout over 30 minutes of cycling. I agree with other reviewers that the handlebars are angled too far forward, users are apparently intended to be in hunkered-down "racing" position, but I had no discomfort just resting my hands on the top of the handlebar posts, or just sitting upright and pedaling hands-free. Again affirming the other reviewers, this bike is nearly completely SILENT which is likewise a big check mark in its "plus" column. Time will tell whether the Marcy ME-708 proves to be a worthy and durable addition to my "home gym" (aka basement), but based on my initial experience, I'm certainly willing to give it a conditional thumbs up. In my decades of fitness striving, the convenience and freedom to work out ANY TIME along with being able to enjoy whatever music or video accompaniment I choose AND (cannot be underrated) freedom from other loutish or downright creepy public gym/locker room users makes home workouts my FIRST (and favorite) fitness choice. While I can't just yet award the Marcy ME-708 a full and unconditional recommendation, I hope my initial impressions help to ease concerns of other interested shoppers. Even if you choose to NOT purchase this unit, allow me to encourage you to NOT let its absence prevent you from getting some kind of fitness activity underway for your own benefit NOW. My motto: "do it while you're ALIVE!"

I ordered this bike although some of the reviews made me hesitant. It replaces a Proform magnetic bike which is too costly to repair (fly wheel & bearings) $370+. Only recently began using the Proform regularly, which lasted about a month, although it worked well as a clothes rack for a number of years. Even so, I was disappointed that it quit working so soon. It took me about an hour to put together the Marcy Upright Mag Cycle, and most of that was reading the instructions (67 yo, 5'7" female, not accounting for shrinking height). The instructions were well-written enough, but I guess I developed brain fog at some point. My confusion began at step one, line C. I finally got the bike put together, but had two washers and two bolts left over. I telephoned customer service, and after waiting 7+ minutes on the phone what sounded like the same female that answered went through the instructions (which were still confusing) and it suddenly occured to me as I stood looking at the Marcy that perhaps I had put the rear Stabilizer on upside down. I thanked the representative who agreed the Stabilizer could be installed "either way," reversed the bar, and to no surprise it worked. Wish I'd figured it out sooner, but, remember, brain fog. I hadn't noticed the labels on the rear Stabilizer so be sure the labels are facing up and the bottom bolts and washers will work just fine. I really like the small foot-print of this cycle, and the tension does leave something to be desired, but otherwise, it is a nice little cycle to burn some calories, and is very quiet. I didn't find connecting the tension cable particularly difficult, but the tension is not strong, and is a bit choppy past settings 3 or 4, but easy to cycle. Perhaps it will smooth out with use. Bike seats are traditionally uncomfortable, but as I cycle in the summer months and have recently been using the Proform, the seat didn't seem any more uncomfortable than any other bike seat. A strong, firm seat is needed when cycling, so uncomfortable is expected. I was pleased to receive the Marcy intact (with a few scuff marks) and with no missing parts, cracks or hardware. I wish the tension was stronger, but movement is what is important for me, and I do like the size. Hopefully, it will work until I find a suitable replacement, and if it works long enough perhaps I will just keep it. The small size is screaming for me to do so. It's not going on the road so I can live without (sadly) the reading rack and can place a glass of water on the side table. Always drank the water before I got on the Proform, and it had a place for a water bottle. Then, there's always the TV, which requires neither book platform nor water bottle holder. The readout is large, but it must be cleared after each use if you want to start over. The handlebars are lower than I like and can't be raised, so I sit up straight with my hands off the handlebar most of the time. Gives a pretty good workout though. Accomodates my long legs nicely. A nice cycle for the price point. Received the day after ordering from Amazon. What's not to love?! Happy cycling! UPDATE: March 13, 2013. I've had bike for just under a month and other than the seat covering beginning to wear just under the edge, no problems. It is quiet, sturdy, and frankly, I find the seat reasonably comfortable. I use the bike nearly everyday, sometimes more, because it is so accessible and takes up so little space. I could not be happier with this purchase. Why spend $400?!

Very easy installation.. very compact and feels solid in design.. perfect for an inhouse exercise bike. May not be a pro one,but suits basic exercise needs.

The resistance doesn't go really high so if youre wanting to push it to the max you should probably keep looking and end up spending a hell of a lot lot more money. If though youre just like me wanting to burn a few calories extra while pedaling a bike suitable for very tall people (not as easy to find as I thought being 6"3) while not taking up much room space at all surprisingly, then this is definitely one of the best you'll find.

Por el precio es una excelente opción. Me encantó que no ocupa espacio y que no pesa. Cabe en cualquier rincón. Es muy fácil de moverla y es muy silenciosa. Buena opción para pedalear en cualquier momento. Para mi estatura 1.58 m y peso 60 kg está ideal, aunque no sé si funcione para personas más altas y pesadas.

This is an amazing bike for beginners like me. It is quiet and easy to assemble. I assembled it by myself. It fits in a small space. I got it around 2 months ago and I have loved it every day. The only drawback I can think of is that changing gears requires turning a knob and that makes a sort of loud sound so it is a concern if you are working out in the bedroom like me. Also if you are an experienced biker you might not get enough resistances. However I am a beginner and I am loving this bike. Great bike great price

Good simple well priced exercise bike.