Some exercise and fitness enthusiasts prefer biking to keep fit and healthy. While biking is a trend, not everyone opts for outdoor biking, so they go for indoor biking. Indoor exercise requires setting up a good gym. You may also need a complete exercise item like the Bowflex VeloCore exercise bike.
In this article, we look at various elements of this bike, giving an in-depth analysis of why it’s one of the best bikes out there to consider. You’ll get to understand the Bowflex VeloCore’s tracking metrics, entertainment options, training, and live streaming fitness videos. A breakdown of the bike’s functionality, benefits, features, and more is at your disposal.
So, are you ready to find out more about this stationary exercise bike? Are you fit for the VeloCore challenge? If so, read on to find out how to mimic the outdoor riding experience indoors.
The Definition of the Bowflex VeloCore
Bowflex is a United States company known for its production of fitness equipment. The VeloCore is one of the smart exercise bikes in that brand’s collection. So, what is the Bowflex VeloCore exercise bike? It’s one of the best pieces of home fitness equipment for exercising, designed to resemble an actual outdoor biking experience.
Who Is the Bike Meant For?
Having known what the Bowflex VeloCore bike is, do you know who it’s fit for? Yes, not everyone can experience the good that bikes offer, as people have different exercise regimes they subscribe to. On the other hand, we recommend this bike for cyclists looking for an ideal indoor exercise bike engagement. The bike is best-suited for:
- People with excellent core strength and good balance enough to permit side-to-side leaning
- Those with some cycling experience and who are looking to try something new
- People who want a fully integrated experience as provided by the attached bike’s touchscreen and content
- Anyone who can ride a bike for exercise should think about it
- People with strong Wi-Fi connections as the bike requires them to fully operate
- Anyone who’s up for the bike’s $2,200 sticker price and its subsequent monthly subscription
Features of the Bowflex VeloCore
There are a lot of positive reviews about the bike’s performance, looking at various customer responses. Most cyclists that have used the bike praise its outstanding features. The features enhance its looks and functionality but also its effectiveness in exercising. So, what are these features, and what do they do?
Design
Briefly, the bike’s appearance may not look much different than the competition. However, it has some sleek frames, a screen, and a wider surface than others on the market. The bike’s frame sits on the floor firmly, and its hinging mechanism permits shifting side to side when using its pedals, drive system, and seat. These are some of the design features that stand out, although more exist that perform various functions to support its operation.
The JRNY App
The Bowflex VeloCore bike comes with a JRNY application that prompts the user to sign in to access the different features and workout options. Refreshingly, users looking for structured workout regimens can stream live videos from Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. These features, supported by the app, make the bike ideal for several cycling exercises.
Leaning and Non-leaning Modes
Static indoor exercise bikes limit one to the number of exercise routines one can perform. In some cases, such bikes may cause more harm than good. With the Bowflex VeloCore, there is a lean and non-lean mode. It allows appropriate body movements during cycling exercises. The mechanism makes it easy for bike users to customize the bike according to their preferences.
Touchscreen
With a fully operational touchscreen, the bike provides various videos of cycling workouts one can try out. You can also save some of your preferred routines to access them for the next day’s workout plan. The beauty of this feature is that you can buy a smaller 16″ screen and then upgrade to a 22″ screen without affecting the bike’s functionality.
Compact Footprints
With a total footprint of 60″ L x 24″ W x 55″ H, the Bowflex VeloCore has roughly the same length as most competing bikes. It doesn’t take up a lot of space with this added feature that boosts its functionality. However, you’ll need to factor in the leaning space on either side of the bike to give room for leaning during exercises.
Hybrid Pedals
Some indoor exercise bikes come with the standard pedals as found on the usual outdoor bikes. These may pose danger when one doesn’t have an ideal balance on the bike or loses grip when performing a routine. On the other hand, the Bowflex VeloCore has hybrid pedals with an SPD clip on one of its sides.
It comes with a standard flat pedal on the other side, with a cage and an adjustable strap. Riders with SPD cycling shoes can use the pedal with ease or use athletic shoes on the pedal’s flat side. The pedals provide comfort and safety during exercises as they help hold you in place.
Weight Cages
The bike supports the upper body exercises in its programming. As part of what is included in the bike’s price, it comes with weight cages. The weights help during the non-leaning classes that majorly involve upper bodywork. They are placed on a stationary support arm holding the touchscreen.
Screen Angle
Having seen that the bike has two screen sizes, we find it refreshing that the screens are adjustable at the user’s preferred angle. Whether you’re using the larger or smaller screen, they tilt gently upwards or downwards to give riders the right visibility angle during exercise.
Workout Programs
Well, you can buy any indoor exercise bike, but without a clear idea of how to use it, you’re doing an exercise in futility. The Bowflex VeloCore comes with installed workout programs. They help avoid the back and forth of getting routines from all over. You have all the time to dedicate to your routines, supported by the feely provided programs. The bike also permits live video streaming from other sites across the world.
Resistance Knob
We would be disappointed if the Bowflex VeloCore had no resistance knob at its price point. Resistance is a feature that most cyclists love since it helps them stay the course when exercising. Its location is on the frame’s top tube for easy reach.
The knob has a quiet magnetic resistance that doesn’t require any friction or contact, making it easy to maintain at a low cost. Refreshingly, the bike comes with resistance levels. The levels make it easy to estimate your work rate against resistance directly.
Tablet, Phone, and Water Bottle Holders
Whenever you go exercising, be it indoors or outdoors, you’re advised to have some liquids for rehydration. You may also find yourself carrying your tablet or phone to the gym or exercise room. These items need to be somewhere safe for safekeeping. With the Bowflex VeloCore bike, you’re covered.
It comes with a tablet ledge near the screen, a small phone pocket inside the handlebars, and two cup holders for hydro flasks near the handlebar post. They keep the items safe as they protect you from any possible injuries or damage should you accidentally step on them.
Bluetooth Speakers
An exercise setup area needs soothing music to get you going. Most people would spend extra cash to buy music-playing equipment to meet that need. However, VeloCore has an inbuilt Bluetooth speaker that provides sound for the workouts or video streaming you’re using. You can connect the wireless headphones with the screen’s Bluetooth speakers.
Bike Set Up
To fully utilize the bike’s specs, you’ll need a space of at least 48.4 inches. Ideally, the space is good for maximum enjoyment with its leaning technology. In terms of assembly, it takes about an hour to put the bike together and get it running.
You can opt to go it alone if you have sufficient expertise. Alternatively, let a technician assemble the bike for you at a rough cost of about $199. The unpacking of the bike’s parts is straightforward, just like its assembling process.
The Health Benefits of the Bowflex VeloCore
When a person decides to buy a VeloCore indoor bike, they know exactly its importance and what they want to gain from it. This tool works magic on the body, helping it to keep fit and stay healthy. Here are a few health benefits of using a Bowflex VeloCore.
- Burning Calories: One of the best things about this indoor stationary bike is that it combines intense cardiovascular exercise with more entertaining resistance training. The fun enhances consistency, which results in a longer workout, so you are likely to enjoy it and burn some calories in the process.
- Boosts Cardiovascular Health: While exercising on the VeloCore, you may realize your heart beats faster. That means that your blood circulation is higher. This tool helps reduce heart problems and boost cardiovascular health.
- Muscle Strengthening and Building: Usually, the bike has an adjustable resistance that mostly targets the lower parts of the body muscles. It also has a leaning feature that allows you to train and enhance other muscle types, like the core.
According to research, having fun when working out leads to better brain and body engagement. The exercise increases consistency and delivers effective results.
Pros and Cons of the Bowflex VeloCore
Everything in the world has its advantages and disadvantages, but mostly the benefits make the item more favorable to consider. Find out below the pros and cons of the Bowflex VeloCore indoor stationary bike.
Pros
- Resembles the outdoor bike: The VeloCore bike has a leaning capability and stable streaming routes that give you the ultimate feeling of an outdoor bike. However, many outdoor bikes lack the leaning options, which is the significant feature that applies to a VeloCore bike.
- Ability to stream: Through the JRNY membership, you can stream various things while exercising. You can stream online services, statistics, on-demand cases, and virtual coaching.
- A good option for both beginners and experts: A stationary bike is easy to use and can work for beginners and experts alike. It has a regular cyclist option that offers two riding options, several online cases, and tracking features.
- Two-size HD touchscreen: the touchscreen offers a great display when watching stuff on it. The good thing is that you can control it even while on the move.
- Mobility wheels: Since a stationary bike is too big and bulky to move around, it has small transport wheels that make it easy and safe to move to a different position.
- Magnetic flywheel: A VeloCore has a quiet flywheel system so that no one can tell when you are working out. The magnetic element is crucial when stopping the wheel.
- Handbags with Multi-grip: When exercising, you are likely to sweat and your hands have lots of moisture, so a handle with a grip stabilizes your hands and reduces side effects due to sweaty hands.
Cons
- Membership Expires: Usually, the bike comes with only a 1-year JRNY subscription. Once the year elapses, you can’t access the entertainment and training features, so you need to pay $149 to update your annual membership.
- The bike is heavy: It isn’t easy to carry or move the bike even though it has tiny moving wheels. Moving the bike for some time may damage or break some of its parts. Therefore, it should only be set up in one place and position.
- VeloCore bike is expensive: This bike is one of the pieces of workout equipment that is expensive. This is because of its value and its impact on the body when working out.
Price, Subscription, and Where to Purchase
Every Bowflex VeloCore user needs a monthly subscription to access the workout classes. It can be expensive but Bowflex offers a free two-month purchase to its JRNY. It’s a game-changer given that most bike brands only cover a two-week to the 30-day free trial offer.
You can sign-up to VeloCore’s JRNY for $19.99 per month or opt for the best annual deal of a $149 full membership subscription. The bike itself costs $2,199 for a 22″ screen, while the 16-inch version goes for $1,699. There is also a $99 shipping fee charged for both inches.
Since it is training equipment in high demand, sometimes suppliers run out of stock. In fact, there was a time when you could not find any pieces of the bike in the UK or Australia. Apart from ordering directly from Bowflex the manufacturer, customers can find it in various on and offline stores.
On and offline stores such as Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Best Buy, and bike and fitness shops have listed the bike, albeit with different prices. Even so, some still sell it at the recommended retail price.
Reasons to Buy
Often people are advised to check out a few or so reasons why they would want to buy something before actually buying it. The case applies to the Bowflex VeloCore exercise bike. You should ask yourself some questions first. Why do you need the bike? If you can satisfactorily answer the question, proceed to purchase.
We believe the following reasons are plausible enough to make you buy the bike for your exercise routines. If you feel you need to add more, do so, as long as the bike meets the needs you’re looking to satisfy.
- It comes with an excellent leaning mode that is ideal and challenging for a home-cycling experience
- The bike has a compatible streaming app that gives you the freedom to enjoy your favorite programming as you workout
- It has a 22-inch high-definition touchscreen that relays high-quality images for your exercise routines and entertainment
- You’ll have an enormous selection of programs, riding modes, and workouts that provide a varied user experience
- With its JRNY adaptive fitness membership, you’ll get a tailored workout experience that comes with positive changes as you progress
What we Didn’t Like
The bike is a bit lacking with the on-demand classes, so you may not get all the routines to help you complete an exercise plan. Luckily, Bowflex has recently reconfirmed their desire to keep updating the bike’s app with more features to help.
As most clients would tell you, they don’t like being forced into doing things they don’t like, especially if it involves spending money. The bike’s JRNY technology forces people to sign up as members, and not only that, you must pay for the service monthly.
Reasons to Avoid
As much as we vouch for the Bowflex VeloCore exercise bike, we are not blind to the possible reasons you may not need the bike. It’s not always that we’ll recommend and push a product without looking at the possible side effects it may have on you. Below are some of the reasons we believe you need to consider before using the bike.
- If you’re pregnant or have a pre-existing medical condition, you need to stay away from this bike as it may magnify your problem or lead to complications.
- Unless advised otherwise by a medical practitioner, avoid using the bike when you’re on prescribed drugs.
- If you’re sick or have a yet-to-recover injury or wound, stay away from the bike, as the strenuous work may complicate your healing process. You need to be fully fit before starting any exercise routine on the bike.
A Warranty and Guarantee
When purchasing such a valuable and costly machine, you surely need warranty assurance. This isn’t an item that you can replace every time it’s broken or not functioning. A guarantee helps you be confident that if the item breaks down or stops working within the set timeline, the seller can replace it for you with a new one.
In this case, Bowflex changes its warranty terms often, especially when you buy a tech-heavy VeloCore machine. Surprisingly, their guarantee offers are flexible enough to give some leeway for future changes with the machine.
Usually, the highest warranty you can find for a VeloCore bike from the company is 2-years. However, labor and electronics items have a 1-year guarantee each. There are also extended warranties that come with the bike’s receipt. Alternatively, you can consider purchasing a 5-year protection plan for your VeloCore bike.
Bottom Line
Its price notwithstanding, we believe that Bowflex VeloCore offers you the most efficient indoor bike riding experience compared to any other. The smart indoor exercise bike market is flooded with plenty of bikes, but we’re yet to find any with a unique lean mode technology that beats VeloCore’s.
You can comfortably turn right or left and weave your body on either side of the bike while exercising with ease. Essentially, the bike relieves boredom and gives some drive to push and pull the pedals to work your upper body and core.
Apart from keeping you healthy, you can accomplish so many things at a time while riding the bike. You can enjoy the workouts while watching your favorite shows on Hulu, Disney+, or Netflix.