The Pro-form XP90 recumbent is a mid-range exercise bike from Sears. Recumbent means the bike positions the rider in a more upright position with his or her legs out in front, rather than a traditional bike where the legs are directly below the rider while he or she leans forward over the handlebars. The bike contains a few sequences of exercises that vary in speed and resistance. A heart-rate monitor is built into the hand grips and displays on the LCD that also shows calories burned, distance traveled, time worked, and current speed. An adjustable fan in the front center helps cool off the rider during a workout.
Advantages
Good patterns. A series of exercise sequences allow the rider to build up ability over time. The sequences are made up of combinations of speed, resistance levels, and time. By moving through the sequences the rider will find themselves building up both strength and stamina.
Easy to use. The systems are basic. The exercise sequence is set by using a button to select which sequence is highlighted. The fan is turned on or off with a little button next to it. The resistance can be manually changed with a plus and minus button. All of the features are easy to access without ever having to pull out a manual.
Auto shut-off and on. When the rider finishes with the equipment they can simply walk away. In a short period of time the bike shuts itself down, including the fan, LCD display, and timers. There is no need to worry about forgetting to turn it off. The bike also automatically turns on when the pedals are moved.
Disadvantages
Not as good on the back as expected. I suffer from a sore lower back. I sought out a recumbent bike in order to reduce the stress on my back muscles while cycling. It does not alleviate the soreness as much as I had hoped, and I find that after three or four days of consistent use, half an hour each day, my back hurts and I have to stop using it until I recover.
Seat isn’t completely secure. The seat is designed to move forwards or backwards depending on the size of the rider. Unfortunately, the attachment point isn’t designed as well as it could be. The seat does stay in place, but the top of the seat wiggles back and forth despite the bottom being tightly attached. Also, the seat squeaks with each rotation of the pedals. Oiling it reduces the squeaks, but does not eliminate it.
Bookstand is too high. This is probably not a problem for a taller person, but at 5’2″ I have trouble reading a book up on the bookstand. I have to lean my neck backwards, and the stand is still angled upwards, making the angle awkward for easy reading.
Batteries don’t last long. The bike holds two sets of batteries. On the left side of the bike the batteries power the control of the exercise sequences, telling the bike when to change difficulty level and notifying the rider when they are pedaling too quickly or slowly. On the right side a separate set of batteries powers the LCD and the resistance levels. The batteries on the left last a long time, but the batteries on the right side have to be replaced frequently, even when they bike is not being used on a regular basis.
Overview
As a basic bike, the Pro-form XP90 works fine and has the tools to get a solid workout. However, if you are like me and looking for a way to save your back, the recumbent bike may not be your answer. If you are able, try it out for a few days before making the purchase to see if your back continues to hurt from use.
