Sportstech ESX500 Upright Exercise Bike Review
Mark’s Update: All SportsTech machines are marked as unavailable – and have been for more than a year now.
For a budget upright home exercise bike from a respected (British) brand, I strongly recommend checking out the JL600 from JLL.
It ticks all the same boxes as the ESX500 – including great service – and won’t break the bank!
Summary: The ESX500 Upright Exercise Bike from Sportstech is a lower budget model which packs a punch. You get their well-regarded German quality – and a home exercise bike that works with group training apps. You need your own tablet, which you place in the holder at the front. When you then fire up KinoMap, you get beautiful scenery, pro workouts, and group / social involvement all in one. Think of this as a Peloton without the price tag.
You can see the impressive features list, along with close up (zoomable) photos for yourself, check out this detailed amazon.co.uk product page now!
Detailed Review of the KinoMap Compatible Sportstech ESX500 Exercise Bike
I liked the design of the ESX500, this is more angular than the other Sportstech exercise bikes. It has clean lines and the grey / black colouring with small flashes of red is smart. This is a mid-sized home exercise bike. Not in the same category as (for example) the BBBB upright from NordicTrack. It is plenty big enough to get the job done, weighing in at 30kgs.
Assembled dimensions are 96.4cm long, 52cms wide and 132 tall (to the top of the handlebars). Sportstech advise a max user weight of 120kgs, that is a little under 19 stone in old money. Note that all the equipment producers are cautious with their recommendations.
The flywheel is bigger than for most bikes in this price range. This is 12kgs. It uses a motorised magnetic brake system, which gives you 16 different resistance levels.
A big plus for the adjustable seat height and distance. Unless you are a giant, this home exercise bike is flexible enough to ride comfortably.
Three Piece Sealed Crank
Smooth peddling is a must-have for any exercise bike. It does surprise me that the crank gets overlooked (this is key for road bikes after all). This one uses high quality sealed bearings, and a 3-piece crank to keep things smooth. The pedals have grips and adjustable straps. The last thing you want to think about when you are peddling hard is your feet.
Electronics on the ESX500 Exercise Bikes
This bike comes with a console which gets the job done. Many users will prefer their own tablet, which connects to KinoMap. If you stick with the console, you can use this bike fully. There are 12 programmes, watt training, it has a heart rate monitor (and programmes based on this) and can be used in manual mode.
With KinoMap, you get a Peloton-like experience. This includes group training, pro workouts, scenic map-based rides (or just use Google Maps and pick your own). Best of all there are social aspects, which keep you motivated and entertained.
ESX500 indoor bikes come with a USB port / charger – so your iPad won’t go flat half way up that mountain!
Feedback: What Owners Said About the Sportstech ESX500 Exercise Bikes?
Sportstech are a leading German fitness brand and get a lot of compliments for the quality of their equipment. You always need to balance this with the (dreaded) ‘Assembly Required’ message. This is not too tricky – and many comments bear this out. Any assembly will get angry rants from a small percentage of people, and the ESX500 does not escape.
The main recurring thoughts in the comments at amazon and other sites is the word ‘Quality’. This brand really does hit the sweet spot with lower prices for the bikes you get. Compare this with a bike costing 5x the price or more, and you will see exactly what those comments mean.
Things do change (though I expect the helpful customer service to continue), so make sure you check out the latest feedback for yourself before you buy.
Wrapping Up: Is the Sportstech ESX500 Exercise Bike Right for You?
Solid German engineering, an eye-catching design plus compatibility with apps / electronics make this a bike for your shortlist. If you’d love a Peloton, though can’t justify the big price tag, then this bike is ideal. It is sturdy, gives you plenty enough resistance to burn fat and get your heart pumping, and won’t set you back and arm and a leg.
Sportstech have an excellent reputation, which is growing among UK buyers every month. This bike is a lower priced part of their range, though you can be sure it contains all of their know-how.
See the close-up pictures and get the latest price plus delivery options for yourself now – over on this dedicated amazon.co.uk product page.
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