Ok guys, it arrived.  I've owned it for a bit, and I'm ready to share the details.  My full Echelon Bike Review, what we use for workouts, shoes, a mat, and everything you need to know!

Like oh so many of you, midway into April, I decided I wanted a way to take spin classes from home.  I hadn't found a spin gym when we moved to San Diego and the more we were at home, the more I missed it.  In fact, I got an outdoor bike and thought that would scratch the itch…..but it didn't.  You guys know that treating my body well and exercise is a huge part of my self care and what helps me in my journey to have a positive body image.  I felt like this was a GREAT tool to support that.  So the research began.  Exercise bikes are an investment, and I knew that we'd be using whatever bike I bought for YEARS to come.  I wanted to take my time to be sure we were buying the right bike for us.  One that had all the bells and whistles we wanted with (hopefully) a not too high price tag.

In doing my research, I checked out a couple of exercise bikes: the Peleton bike, the Echelon bike, and the Nordictrack bike.  I read a ridiculous amount of articles, blog posts and reviews.  And my choice? The Echelon Smart Connect Bike (we bought the Echelon Ex3).

Echelon Bike Review

Let's get into the details.  The set up.  And my thoughts on how this bike is good for.  Spoiler: the overall verdict in this Echelon Bike Review? I'm so glad we bought it.

Model:

Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX3

Price:

$1039 (they do have a payment plan if you'd prefer)

Delivery and Assembly:

When I ordered my bike, it was on back order.  It took about 4 weeks to arrive, but it looks like at the time of this article, there is no delay in shipping.  The bike arrives unassembled (with the base in one piece and the rest needing to be put together).  It took Robbie about three hours to put the entire thing together (versus a Peleton which comes assembled).

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Equipment:

You CAN order weights and sneakers with your Echelon or you can use what you have.  We had an extra set of 5 pound weights that we both use with the bike.  And the bike has toe cages, so I ride with my regular sneakers (versus using spin shoes).  We did order a thin exercise mat to place on the garage floor.  It's more to protect the floor than the bike.  We also keep a fan near the bike, since our garage doesn't have air conditioning.

So let's talk about how the bike works, and how we use it.  The Echelon is a smart bike, and they offer live spin classes (which are then available AFTER each class in their app just like the Peleton classes).  If you take the Echelon classes, you can connect your phone or tablet to the bike.  It tracks cadence, resistance and your calorie output.

Robbie takes the Echelon classes and he loves them.  I on the other hand? Take Peleton classes.  Why? Because a lot of my friends do and I like being able to ride together.  So what does THAT look like? I pay for the $14 a month membership on Peleton.  I can stream classes on my phone or our tablet.  I can NOT connect my bike to the Peleton app.  So I don't see my output on the leaderboard.  That doesn't bother me, but you should know that if that's an important part for you? Then you'll need whichever bike goes with whichever classes you want to take.

ORDER YOUR OWN ECHELON BIKE HERE

Your Questions:

Do You Wear Cleats, and If So What Brand? As I mentioned above, I wear regular sneakers.  These are my current favorites.

If I've never done spinning, do you recommend a studio class first? I think that depends.  For me? I probably wouldn't make this type of investment without having taken spin classes.  I would want to be sure that I was going to USE the bike.

Does this bike have the same tension features? It does.  There is a magnetic resistance, and you control it via a knob on the bike.  It has the same stop mechanism (where you can push down on the control to stop immediately).  You can also adjust the height of the seat (there are 10 levels) and how close you are to the handlebars.

Does your tablet feel secure? I use my phone to take classes (and it fits easily on the front of the handlebars).  Robbie uses his tablet.  Both are perfectly secure.

Does it make a lot of noise when riding? Absolutely NONE.  Just like a fancy spin class bike, it's almost totally silent.

Does it feel stable when riding side to side? I've never felt the bike shake at all.  It's very stable.

Was this Echelon Bike Review helpful? Do you own a spin bike?? If so, which one?