Echelon - Connect EX-5 Smart Exercise Bike With Rotating Console and Magnetic Resistance - Black

My Echelon Ex-5 arrived via private delivery service on time unlike most Best Buy orders sent via UPS. Like every Best Buy delivery the box was ripped and an internal box was smashed. No damage fortunately. If you think anything is damaged refuse to accept the delivery. BUY THE EXTENDED GEEK SQUAD WARRANTY FOR EASY RETURNS IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG. DO NOT PAY FOR ASSEMBLY. If you can't assemble the Bike you'll never figure out how to connect and update the firmware. You should use a drill and an H6 bit instead of the supplied hex tools and a socket wrench with 14mm socket. Instructions are basic but the photo of the assembled bike shows where everything goes and the bike comes mostly assembled. The bike is solid, well built and very quiet with a 230lb rider. The seat aka saddle it comes with is meant for 110lb sticks, anyone over 150lbs will find it a pain in the "seat". I bought one wide seat without the front point for my wife and a more robust cushioned seat for myself. Both under $20 at the mart. Have each user sit on the bike and adjust the seat height, front back position and adjust the forward back tilt before you tighten the seat. Adjust handlebars height and forward back as well. Create your Echelon account, sign up for your plan and activate your free trial online (the website is in the welcome packet) BEFORE downloading the apps to your NEWER GEN Ipad or whatever. Old Apple devices do not work. I use a Gen9 Ipad with no issues. If you download from the Apple appstore you will have to update the app after install. They don't give you the latest version. After you update the app, WITH TABLET BLUETOOTH TURNED ON, bike plugged in and blue light flashing, open the Echelon app and log in with your credentials. Set up your user account and the app will open to classes etc. The app will ask for permission to use bluetooth, then find your bike and connect. If your app is not updated, it will not connect and you cannot connect your Bike to bluetooth outside of the app. At the bottom right select settings. Under the firmware tab select and update the bike firmware, add your Echelon equipment and adjust any other settings. Play around and explore. You should be all set to start riding and have onscreen controls for resistance and other stats during classes and rides. The bike will disconnect from bluetooth if your tablet screen turns off. It should reconnect when you go back to the Echelon app. You may need to start pedaling to turn the bike back on. For Beginners I recommend only the 5 minute warmup rides for the first week. Start slow and work your way up. Randomly sit on the bike and just peddle to get your body and legs used to the movements. Don't rush, you will get there. I am weights strong but my cardio was pitiful. These classes will improve that and more if you walk after your workout. If you hear a clicking sound from the pedals it is your form. You are pointing your toes. Keep your feet flat and scoop with your heels. The classes you get access to are more than just spinning. If you can afford to use their classes it is a well structured platform for motivating and tracking your new healthier life. If not the freestyle mode under settings will let you control your bike while you watch utoob spin classes or whatever. There are tons of classes outside the app. Just make sure you cancel before your 30 days free trial is up to avoid charges. I know it is less per month to sign up for the year or 2 year memberships but if you go beyond your 30 day trial, Echelon will charge you the full $300+ amount and there are no refunds should you decide not to spincycle. I chose the monthly plan just in case. You can always cancel and move to another plan later. Watch for price drops too. I would have been ill had I paid full price and saw how low the price went when I bought mine. Should be under 5 hun including 3 year Best Buy warranty. Enjoy your new look and stronger body!

Really love this bike. Easy to put together. The ride is smooth. No noise- it is so quiet. Connects easily to my IPad to stream my shows or the Echelon workouts. Really love & I’m addicted to spinning! Saves me so much money.

Have loved this product so far! Very smooth ride and can tell it’s a quality product when you’re on it. Highly recommend! The only downfall is that you have to subscribe to the echelon membership for the app that pretty much controls the bike to work.

Bike is very quiet and relatively easy to install. Connect to any device, however if you lose conection to a device you cannot increase resistance. But so far so good. Some devices lose connection more than others. Apple devices are very good at not disconnecting once paired. Other “generic” tablets struggle sometimes.

Great value for the buck. Build quality is great, enjoying so far.