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Exercise bikes have become increasingly popular in recent years as one of many people’s favorite ways to work out.
They are a very enjoyable and low-impact way to strengthen your heart and burn calories. An exercise bike also provides a convenient way to work out in the comforts and privacy of your own home without having to go to the gym.
Many people are attracted to the concept of being able to pedal away while watching TV or listening to music at home.
Another attractive feature of exercise bikes is that many of them can be linked to training and fitness apps, which offer virtual reality exercise programs or use Google Maps for simulating real cycling routes. Unfortunately, many of the most popular exercise bikes from leading brands like Echelon and Peleton come with very high price tags of over $2,000.
The good news is there is a new more affordable exercise bike on the market called the Bowflex C6 which still provides high-quality features and construction along with compatibility with the leading fitness apps to provide an opportunity for on-demand and live workout options. In this comprehensive Bowflex Bike review, we will be covering the features, specs, compatible apps, pros & cons, customer testimonials, and price of the Bowflex C6 and give you our final verdict on this affordable, yet powerful exercise bike.
What is the Bowflex C6 Exercise Bike?
Contents
The C6 is the first exercise bike introduced by the well-known and respected Bowflex brand.
The Bowflex C6 provides all of the features and technology that you would expect to come with a high-end exercise bike but at a much lower price.
With a price tag of around $950, the Bowflex C6 offers an affordable alternative to the Echelon and Peloton bikes which can cost more than twice that much. The C6 has also been designed to allow you to stream live workout exercise workouts from your tablet or smartphone and syncs up via Bluetooth to your device.
It offers a strong cycling base combined with the ability to connect to numerous third-party apps to stream online on-demand classes that you can use from the comforts of your home.
This exercise bike also makes it possible for your vital stats and resistance levels to be synced with the app you are using, to provide you with a seamless and informative cycling experience.
Here it is in action:
Features & Specs
The Bowflex C6 is loaded with high-tech features that you would expect from a high-end exercise bike. That is what makes the C6 a very attractive option for people who would like a durable and premium exercise bike at an affordable price.
Features
- Ability to seamlessly connect with numerous third-party apps, including the Peleton and Zwift apps
- Includes an intuitive resistance know with 100 micro-adjustable resistance levels
- The bike’s magnetic resistance provides an extremely smooth and quiet ride
- A race-style, high-density foam seat offers outstanding comfort on long rides
- Flexible seat and handlebars that you can adjust both horizontally or vertically for the ultimate versatility
- LCD Metic backlit console display which shows all of your important workout data. The display is easy to read and you are constantly provided with data about your current workout, including heart rate, distance, time, etc.
- Wireless heart rate armband that can synch with your apps and display while you are pedaling
- A compact and slim footprint, that makes it easy to fit this exercise bike in almost any room in your home
- Integrated smartphone or tablet holder to put your device in while you are following streaming workouts. It is Bluetooth ready as well, which allows you to track distance, cadence, time, and calories
- Other custom features include a pair of 3-pound dumbells to allow for full-body workouts, two water bottle holders, easy-to-reach cradles, AC Adapter Power Source, media rack that comes with a USB port
Specs
- Rider capacity: 330 pounds
- Dimensions: 48.7″ L x 21.2″ W x 51.8″ H
- Total Weight: 106 pounds
- Warranty: 1 year on labor, 3 years on parts, 10 years on the bike frame
Does Bowflex C6 Work with Peloton and Other Fitness Apps?
One of the things that make the Bowflex C6 exercise bike so unique is that it can connect to and work with many different popular fitness and workout apps, which is not commonly found with many other indoor exercise bikes.
Along with Bowflex’s proprietary app, the Bowflex C6 can also be connected with such popular apps as the Peleton App and Zwift apps to make your workouts more enjoyable and informative. Here is a more extensive list of apps that the Bowflex C6 is compatible with:
- Zwift
- Peloton
- Explore the World
- MyFitnessPal
- Google Fit
- Under Armour Record
- Apple Health
- Sufferfest
- Tacx
- Strava
- TrainerRoad
- FulGaz
- Rouvy
Bowflex Exercise Bike Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very affordable compared to the competition
- Well-built and sturdy construction that uses very little plastic
- Compact and functional design that is ideal for small spaces
- Access to an extensive library of recorded workouts and numerous scenic rides which makes working out on your exercise bike more enjoyable
- Work with a wide range of apps so that you are not required to use one specific app
- Ability to stream live classes
- Integrated water bottle, smartphone, and tablet holders
- The bike’s electronic magnetic resistance system delivers a smooth and quiet ride
- Fairly easy to assemble
- Outstanding customer service
- A good forearm heartbeat monitor
- Nice 2-tone LCD console
- Financing available that allows you to pay as low as $50 per month
Cons
- Assembly instructions are not detailed enough
- The pedals and levers do not appear to be as high of quality as the rest of the exercise bike
- Customer service is online available via chat on the weekends
- You are required to have a dependable internet connection for the streaming workouts
- Requires a tablet or smartphone to sync with your chosen workout app
- Most compatible apps require a subscription for you to use the service
Real Customer Testimonials: Positive & Complaints
Since the Bowflex C6 exercise bike was released, a majority of customer testimonials have been positive, although there have been a few complaints along the way.
You can find numerous reviews on the Bowflex website. Many users really appreciate the affordable price and high-quality of the C6 exercise bike.
Many customers also appreciate the fact that they are able to use a number of different apps with the exercise bike.
Users have described how much they love being able to work out at home to lose weight and provide them with great cardio workouts. Many also appreciate the fact that they do not have to wait for classes.
A few people noted that the seat was uncomfortable and that the resistance was a bit too touchy, but overall customers are very pleased with the Bowflex C6 exercise bike.
Price: How Much Does it Cost?
Currently, the Bowflex C6 is available on the company website for $949. That is less than half of what a Peleton exercise bike costs.
For this price, you get an adjustable, solid indoor exercise bike that comes with a comparable build quality and features that are offered by high-end, more expensive exercise bikes.
The C6 also allows you to stream or sync your favorite fitness and exercise apps using your tablet or phone that is attached over the console. Ths exercise bike definitely provides outstanding value for the price.
Review Summary
If you have been searching for an affordable exercise bike that provides with your access to an on-demand and live cycling experience, then the new Boxflex C6 is definitely a very attractive option for you to consider.
The C6 comes with the high-quality construction and features that you would expect from high-end exercise bikes costing more than twice as much as the C6.
One of the best things about the design of the C6 was that Bowflex recognized that most customers like to customize their workouts to meet their own preferences and needs, so it provided its new bike with an integrated open platform so it can be used with a wide range of digital training platforms and apps.
This allows users to virtually ride in almost any place in the world, compete and train with other users, and have access to a nearly endless selection of workout sessions.
The resistance on this bike can be adjusted on the go with a choice of 100 different levels.
This is more than what you will normally find on most indoor exercise bikes. The ride on the C6 is extremely quiet and smooth, and the riding position and handlebars can be adjusted according to your preference.
A free set of dumbbells is also included in the $949 price tag, which is a nice extra perk that allows you to perform full-body workouts.
You do need to own a tablet or smartphone and consider monthly subscription costs and your WiFi situation to access the on-demand and live workout options into your total cost, but overall the Bowflex C6 is a very affordable option that offers you very similar quality and features to many of the higher-priced exercise bikes available in today’s market.
