Echelon EX-3 Smart Connect Indoor Cycle

Superb, love it. Connects brilliantly to kinomap.

I spent a LONG time researching what spin bike to get, and eventually decided to go with the EX-3. So far at least, I'm delighted that I did so. Positives: - Electronically-controlled magnetic resistance (which is rare in this price bracket) means that when you connect the bike to an external app on your mobile device such as Zwift or QZ, you can allow it to automatically change resistance levels. This is an incredibly powerful feature - watching yourself cycle "uphill" or "downhill" on a screen and having the resistance change as you go is a game-changer. - Owing to the above, you can "hack" Peloton on the cheap by connecting the EX-3 to the QZ app and then having that app connect to a second device running Peloton, Zwift, etc. and then cast that device onto a larger screen (if desired). This gives you, for example, Peloton classes for the cost of the "app-only" Peloton subscription and minus the huge outlay for the Peloton bike itself. - The EX-3 transmits a huge volume of metrics over Bluetooth that can be captured by the QZ app (and then relayed onto a third-party app). This was a key reason for choosing this bike over a Joroto or Pasyou or similar BT-enabled bike - they only currently transmit cadence, which will be very limiting when trying to use third-party apps that really need power transmitted. - Almost silent operation. I live in a flat and this in itself is so useful for not disturbing others :) - No display unit built-in so you supply your own device to install an app on to connect to the bike. Some people will regard this as a negative, however it frees up space on your handlebar area (because you’ll probably want a mobile device on your bike anyway) and the display and customisation possible by installing QZ on an IOS/Android device is just SO much nicer than staring at a pokey LCD display that runs off batteries. The bike also has an adjustable stand that adjusts to different angles and will fit most mobile devices such as an iPad. - Requires to be plugged in to work. This means that you don't need to faff about looking to replace batteries or worrying if this is why your BT connection has dropped out, etc. - You do not need to touch the Echelon app and can instead go with a far more effective solution such as QZ for monitoring workouts. Huge numbers of people complain about the Echelon app, but I have not even downloaded it/used it once. The bike uses FTMS for its Bluetooth connection and QZ "saw" the bike straight away with no difficulty connecting. This also means that you don't have to worry about providing payment details to Echelon for subscription-purposes, or worry about firmware updates being installed on the EX-3 that cause problems (again this is something that many people complain about online). Negatives: - Echelon has a terrible reputation online for poor customer service. The bike itself seems really well-built, but there are SO many stories of individuals having something go wrong and then Echelon being poor at providing the necessary support. This was the biggest reason for me delaying my purchase, however I bought the bike from Sweatband which does have a strong reputation for good customer service so my hope is that I will get some support under the 12 month warranty if it is needed and Echelon lets me down. - The bike box it is delivered in is very heavy and although I was able to build it up on my own without too much difficulty, to move the box into the required room would be a tough ask unless there are two pairs of hands. Other manufacturers are now able to offer the delivery of their bikes in two or three separate boxes to make the build-process more manageable. - If the bike loses power or the BT stops working then the “knob” that controls resistance manually will not work. Conclusion: A great spin bike which is well-worth buying, however don’t buy it directly from Echelon as if you do you have no choice but to subscribe to their ecosystem of online classes at the same time (they literally don’t let you buy the bike without this) and in addition, you can buy it for roughly half the price if you buy it from a retailer like Sweatband. You’ll also be completely beholden to them for customer support if something goes wrong. The only thing you lose by buying it from a third-party is that you can get an extended warranty if you buy direct, but I just don’t think this is worth it considering the benefits of buying elsewhere.

Fantastic product. Well worth the money. As good as any bike that I have used in a spinning studio. Highly recommended.

Very pleased. Delivery quickly, pretty easy to assembly, and works very nicely. Had worried that the bluetooth connection might be fragile and that I would have to subscribe to the Echelon paid app. But the bluetooth connection has been completely straightforward. And while you need the Echelon app to control the bike, e.g. change resistance, you do not need to a paid subscription -- which is required only if you want to do Echelon classes. It comes with a free 3 month (I think) subscription, which is a good chance to try it, but you don't need it simply to operate the bike. It's also reasonably compact, heavy, and rides very nicely. I spent a silly amount of time researching before buying, but am pleased with what I got.

Great bike, great price. Highly recommend. Paired with Zwift I’ve already done 150km in less than a week. If you’re looking at one, buy it. Won’t be disappointed.

Great piece of kit. I would like to download the app and use the bike metrics without having to join up for a gym program.

Great bit kit, thank you Sweatband for a great price 👍

We wanted a bike that works interactively with Kinomap. The EX-3 does the job. It given us a new dimension to our fitness training. The product quality seems excellent at a very competitive price. Well done.

The Echelon EX-3 is an excellent bike for my needs. It is very solidly built and fairly simple to put together. Thanks.