Virtual fitness classes and home workouts are all the rage these days so it’s not really surprising why there has been an increased interest in indoor exercise bikes. You may have even heard about the super expensive Peloton, right? But don’t weep if you can’t afford this premium indoor bike—the Echelon Smart Connect EX3 has your back.
Echelon Connect EX3 Features
The EX3 has a solid steel frame, paired with its compact size. It takes up little space, ideal for home use, while also supporting up to 300 pounds. This model has a powder coating for a fresh, sleek look and comes standard in red. With a powerful, 13 KG flywheel, this Echelon spin bike boasts a fast, quiet ride and is perfect for any trainee level.
This bike also has outstanding height adjustment. You can move the competition-style seat forward, backward, up, and down. With a big, padded seat, you’re going to be more relaxed with long rides.
The Echelon EX3 pedals are made of aluminum and are powerful enough for high-intensity use. They can be used for standard shoes or clip-in cycling shoes. With Bluetooth capabilities, you can connect to any smartphone or tablet for wireless heart rate monitoring. The bracket makes it easier to mount your tablet, and the USB port holds your device charged and running.
Two water bottle holders are mounted to the back of the bike frame. Alternatively, they may be used with handheld weights. It’s easy to put this Echelon bike in your house. It’s going to fit almost anywhere at just 22″ W x 42.” Transport wheels are also attached to make it easier to transport and store, if necessary.
Echelon Smart Connect EX3 Riding Experience
The Echelon Connect EX-3 comes with a good large flywheel paired with quiet magnetic resistance and caged pedals. It’s pretty impossible to miss a resistance dial/emergency stop between your legs at the front. The resistance dial has no distinct stops, which may be a little strange to others. Cranking up the resistance does take a few jerks of the dial, and you’ll need to check the bottom of the screen to see what level of resistance you’re on.
The emergency brake can also be used while the flywheel continues to roll, even though you don’t want to go any further, and since you’re either caged or clipped in, if you want to quit, you’re going to need an emergency break. It could also require a few attempts to get used to it.
Otherwise, the Echelon Connect EX-3 provides a decent indoor driving experience, and thanks to the heavy flywheel, it’s easy to burn calories with it.
Should You Buy It?
The Echelon Smart Connect EX-3 does a pretty decent job as a smart indoor exercise bike. It’s easy to set up, classes would make you work hard, and there’s a lot of metrics on offer if you want to dive into statistics as well. Any of the plastic components in the build, we’d say, don’t feel as premium as the other parts of the bike.
But if you’re looking for something similar to the Peloton exercise bike and don’t want to pay hefty fees, there’s definitely a lot to like about the EX3 and its goal to keep you fit at home.