I’ve reviewed a lot of cardio gear from Stamina and this company very rarely fail to impress, when you spend this amount of money on a piece of home gym equipment, like many, I need to know if the company has a solid background and thankfully Stamina tops nearly all in this popular niche.
Stamina has been around for a few decades now and is one of the most respected companies in the home gym industry, producing some of the best cardio machines for home use out there, and their Stamina Total Body Recumbent Bike is no exception.
No-Fuss, Uncomplicated, Sturdy Recumbent
Stamina’s Total Body recumbent may not have all the pre-set workout programs and Bluetooth connectivity of its rivals, but what this excellent recumbent can boost is a tough, durable build, this thing will last years of heavy usage. The no-frill design is simple, yet highly functional and offers its users an excellent low impact upper and lower body workout.
Product Specifications
Product dimensions – 50 x 24 x 49 inches
Weight – 117lb
Resistance type – Magnetic
Resistance levels – 8
Frame – Heavy duty steel
Weight capacity – 250lb
Why Do We Like The Stamina Total Body Recumbent Bike?
Probably the most appealing feature of the Stamina recumbent is the step-through design of the frame. One of the main reasons people buy a recumbent bike is because they have issues mounting a regular upright exercise bike, which can be very difficult if the bike has an awkward bar to step over.
But even some recumbents can be difficult to mount thanks to the bar, which is why the step-through frame design of the Stamina is such a useful feature.
A step-through frame makes mounting the bike much easier and allows people with certain disabilities a safe way to get on and off the bike, not only that the seat is also positioned at a very accessible height.
Duel Flywheels
Marketed as this bikes main selling feature are the dual flywheels, one flywheel for leg workouts and one for arms, of course, you do not need to use both flywheels if you do not wish to, but using both in conjunction with one another will burn more calories, tone, and workout more muscles groups.
What I found slightly disappointing about the flywheel for the arms is that it has no resistance settings, for arm workouts you only get the one level of resistance compared to the main flywheel which has 8 levels of magnetic resistance for your legs.
Having a single resistance level for the arm pedals is not a deal killer as you will still achieve a very good full-body workout using both, although it would have been nice to have seen a couple more resistance levels for the arms, your strength will increase over time and the singular setting may not prove to be challenging enough.
Stability
Often overlooked when buying a recumbent is how stable the bike is going to be when in use, the last thing you need is for the bike to wobble or slip/slide when you’re working out.
The Stamina Total Body recumbent bike is quite heavy at a 117lb and with weight comes stability this is also a telling sign that the bike is made from quality materials so a big thumbs up for the weight.
I know many people will be thinking a heavy bike is hard to move and store, but, it’s worth the extra effort, it’s much better to exercise on a heavy stable bike than a cheaply made unstable recumbent.
The Stamina does include built-in transport wheels making moving and storing the bike a little easier.
Always great to see wide, stabilizing capped feet, the wide stabilizers will prevent any toppling issues and the capped feet will go a long way in stopping the Stamina recumbent from sliding on hard polished floors, the capped feet will also protect your floors.
Comfort/Seat
Recumbent bikes are all about supporting your upper body and working your lower body and most users seem to be happy with the support provided by the seat and angled backrest of the Stamina Elite recumbent.
The Stamina has a nice wide padded seat and angled padded backrest, you can adjust the seat to a number of positions to find the perfect cycling position for your body.
Always a good idea to find out the height restriction of a recumbent you are interested in before purchase, the Stamina has a lower height limit of 5′ and an upper height limit of 6’2″.
Magnetic Resistance
Magnetic resistance is becoming the go-to resistance type for cardio machines not only in the home but in commercial gyms too, and there’s good reason why;
Magnetic resistance is whisper quiet in operation, you can exercise without disturbing you or others around you, watch TV, listen to music all while working out on your recumbent bike, something that was impossible with air resistance due to the noisy fan.
The Stamina total body bike, has 8 levels of resistance, this isn’t a huge amount by any means but there is enough there to suit most fitness levels, however, this bike is not best suited for seasoned cyclists.
The Stamina Elite Total Body recumbent is a great bike for low to medium level workouts and has been designed purposefully to provide people a low impact way of exercising.
The Good
Well built, solid machine
Workout both upper and lower body (dual flywheels)
Built-in pulse receiver in the handlebars ( workout within your target heart rate range)
250lb max weight capacity
Built-in transport wheels
Padded angled backrest
The Bad
Basic monitor, no preset workout programs
No resistance settings for hand pedals
Monitor
A nice easy to use and read LCD monitor but I’m afraid to say for this price the monitor is slightly dated, there are no pre-set programs and the 8 levels of resistance can not be changed via the monitor, you have to manually change the resistance levels from the resistance knob situated on top of the flywheel housing (easy to reach)
Although the monitor is basic, it’s not useless, the monitor still tracks some important workout stats such as distance, time, scan, speed calories, and heart rate.
On the plus side, because this bike doesn’t include the Bluetooth option, you will not need to find a power outlet for it, so no messy cables to deal with.
Assembly
Most users found this bike fairly easy to assemble, many users found the assembly instructions to be clear and simple to follow, with assembly times ranging from 1-2 hours. Recommend two people for construction as some parts may need to be held in place.
To Sum Up
If you have been looking for a recumbent that works both the upper and lower body you’ll be hard pushed to find any others out there that can match the build quality of the Stamina Elite for under a $1000
The Stamina total body recumbent bike has been built to last, what it lacks in pre-set workout programs it makes up for in durability and sturdiness.
Okay, this bike isn’t for serious athletes, but it doesn’t need to be, the Stamina has been designed with comfort and support in mind, it’s a great option for those who struggle with regular exercise bikes but still want to reap the benefits that cycling brings to their health.
The 8 levels of resistance should be enough for most, but at this price, I did expect to see a few more, this is the only drawback of the Stamina Elite bike, I fear some users may outgrow the resistance strength quite quickly.
Bare in mind recumbent bikes are generally designed for people with joint issues, people recovering from surgery and seniors, which usually means most recumbents lack any serious resistance compared to upright stationary exercise bikes.
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