EFITMENT IC033 Magnetic Belt Drive Performance Indoor Cycle Bike

2 reviews for EFITMENT IC033 Magnetic Belt Drive Performance Indoor Cycle Bike

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   James Anthony Patterson – January 10, 2019

   Kudos to the EFitment/ZooVaa staff. Everything was carefully & meticulously wrapped, almost to a fault. The frame & bike components were compartmentalized inside the box so well that it took me more time to unwrap them than it did to assemble the entire bike. A much appreciated annoyance!

   And kudos to FedEx workers for handling & delivering such a heavy package, and probably thousands of such packages every day. I ordered the bike on October 14, 2018 and received it 5 days later on October 19!

   BOX CONDITION: Minus a slight tear and a small hole, the box arrived in pretty good shape. Everything inside was in tip-top condition. NO cracks, cuts, dents, scratches, or tears. Components were individually wrapped in plastic and then wrapped in clear tape and then taped inside the Styrofoam compartments. Handlebars were wrapped in a thin blanket of Styrofoam as well. Seat & knobs were wrapped & tucked carefully inside the individual foam compartments. The bike’s frame was tucked & taped tightly between the two large pieces of Styrofoam with two thin plywood slacks on the top and bottom of the bike for added protection.
   SCORE: 9/10 or (5-Stars for a difficult box to unpack, and that’s a good thing).

   E-Z UNBOXING: Turn the box upside down with the black arrow on the box pointing towards the floor. Then open the four box flaps. Slowly turn the box right side up, with the arrow now pointing towards the ceiling and the box flaps in an outward position. Now you can easily lift the box to expose the bike. Don’t worry, the bike will not topple over.

   One more thing, the package included two metal tubes about 6 inches long. No explanation for them, but I used them as jacks to lift the bike while I attached and tighten the screws to the two stabilizer bars. Came in handy, won’t throw these away.
   Btw, the 30 minute assembly was a one-person job, that’s how e-z it was for me.

   FITNESS METER: Fitness meter has 8 functions/modes: Cadence (RPM) Calories (K cal), Clock, Distance, Odometer, Pulse, Speed, and Time. It uses & comes with 2 AAA batteries. This is one single component of the spin bike in need of improvement. It seems like a basic, entry level generic meter. But it works. The downside, NO back light.

   NO “how-to” instructions. You’re pretty much on your own. Some modes like the clock is self-explanatory. Which by the way, maintains accurate time. It appears to be one or two more hidden functions that the owner’s manual failed to mention. Difficult to figure out what these functions or modes are, and why they are there.

   There is at least a “countdown function” for distance.

   Another unknown feature, the meter (can) toggle speed & distance from (ML/H or ML) to (KM or KM/H) and back, but the process is convoluted. Had to play around with it to get it back to US standard. This meter use these incorrect acronyms (ML/H & ML) to designate mph & miles.

   According to the manual, one can reset all totals by holding down the set button for 3 seconds. Mine doesn’t do that unless the mode is set to the TIME function. Cannot reset the odometer unless you replace the batteries. The location at the top of the handlebars is an ideal spot, but be forewarned. It protrudes in a way where one can easily bump into it if not careful.
   In the end, a Cadillac Eldorado spin bike with a Chevy Vega exercise meter? Go figure!
   SCORE: 4/10 or 2-Stars.

   USER MANUAL: Beside the fitness meter, the manual could do with some improvement as well. Too wordy and not enough graphics or illustrations. The exploded drawing could have been better, but it does come in handy if there’s a problem. Large parts images would make for a better diagram. Parts listed in alphabetical order would’ve been nice. In the end, I hardly used the manual since the bike is so easy to assemble. I just wish the manual had “how-to” instructions for the fitness meter. PDF version is available on the EFitment/ZooVaa website.
   SCORE: 5/10 or 3-Stars.

   TOOL SET: Though I have my own tool chest full of tools I had no need for them when assembling the bike. The bike comes equip with a nice set of bike tools. 1 inner hexagon spanner (Allen wrench or Allen key); 1 cross-head spanner (wrench) with a built-in Philip screwdriver on the other end; 1 spanner (closed end wrench); and one more spanner (wrench) tool not mentioned in the manual came in handy. Total number: 4
   SCORE: 8/10 or 4-Stars.

   FRAME (Dimension\Construction): 51”L x 21”W x 41”H (129cm x 54cm x 104cm). Everything about the frame screams heavy-duty. And that includes the two stabilizer bars. The welding were made extremely well. Solid welds! Not sure a human can weld this good, whomever or whatever made the welds, they were expertly done. And like most spin bikes it’s made of heavy steel tubing. Maximum user’s weight is 275lbs. Total weight: 108lbs.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   CRANKSET (Sprocket\Crank Arms): Not much to say about this component other than to say it converts the motion of the rider’s legs to drive the flywheel. With that said, the crankset is appears to be well-made. The left & right crank arms are very thick. Solid steel material thru-out this component, very similar to cranksets on high-end road or racing bikes. Maximum user’s weight of 275lb especially applies to the crankset.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   BELT\SWEAT GUARD: This is a belt driven spin bike, not chain. Not sure what type of material the belt is made of but it feels thick and securely installed on the flywheel & sprocket. Originally, I thought the plastic guard was a tad-bit too gimmicky looking and maybe unnecessary. Nope, I’m so glad it’s there. I sweat like a broken fire hydrant so it serves its purpose well. And the black, red & white design gives it a nice modern touch.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   SEAT: For the record, it ain’t leather – but feels like strong durable vinyl. The stitches appeared to be expertly done. Very tight, smooth & well done fit. It’s a thick wide seat with some limited comfort. It’s not cushiony, but it is very firm. I haven’t ridden a bike in years, so for now until my toosh gets re-acclimated to riding a bike, I’m using a folded towel to add some comfort. But don’t be alarm, it’s a good spin bike seat.

   (As of November 19, I no longer need a towel or anything else to cushion the seat).

   For the few short weeks that I’ve ridden, the seat softened. Very comfortable now. I sit/spin on it almost every day. Btw, it comes equip with what they call ball springs.
   SCORE: 8/10 or 5-Stars

   HANDLEBAR: It feels solid and boy is it heavy. Well-made multiple position hand grip handlebar. They’re covered in a non-slip coating which include two small protruded tabs for supporting a 10” to 11” tablet PC/iPad. It has two aluminum pulse sensors for measuring heart rate integrated into the center grip handlebar. Seat & handlebar are 4-way adjustable.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   SEAT\HANDLEBAR POSTS: Thick, chrome plated steel posts. Again, solidly made with welding expertly done. Very heavy. Very heavy-duty. The seat post is numbered, not so with the handlebar post. Both the seat & handlebar post can be adjusted horizontally & vertically as well.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   MAGNETIC RESISTANCE: Magnetic resistance is strong, yet sensitive. A slight turn of the tension knob in either direction can be easily felt. Delivers consistent performance. Outstandingly smooth & quiet pedaling. The braking is quick, I say 5-6 seconds. To me, that’s says a lot about the electromagnetic force acting on the 44lb flywheel. Eddy Current Rules!!
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   44lb FLYWHEEL: Speaking of flywheel, the thing is huge and heavy. It is one solid piece of steel that’s perimeter-weighted, meaning most of the weight is equally distributed on the edge. Not much one can say about a heavy round chunk of steel.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   PEDALS (Toe Cage\Strap): The pedals are NOT hybrid (i.e., no SPD on one side; just the toe cage) but solidly built. All steel material with a flexible but rigid toe cage & nylon strap. The anti-slip teeth on the pedals are serious, will hold shoes firmly in place, whether one uses the toe cage or not. Can’t pedal with these barefooted that’s for sure!! And the toe cages & straps are removable and can be replaced with SPD pedals if you prefer. As a last little touch, the pedals have yellow reflectors on the back to keep another stationary bike from running into you.
   SCORE: 9/10 or 5-Stars.

   ADJUSTMENT KNOBS: Very thick, solid plastic knobs with very large screws embedded into them. Have no problem tightening or untightening. The set contains one L-shape, ratchet type knob which appears to be made of hard plastic as well. Spring loaded which allows it to work like a ratchet wrench. This knob controls the horizontal adjustment of the handlebars.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   BOTTLE HOLDER: Material is either steel or heavy aluminum. Easily attaches to the right side fork with two screws. I have an aluminum, 24oz. water bottle which measures 2.75 inch in diameter, fits the holder like a glove. Almost like it was meant for my water bottle. The bottle holder has some flexibility so I guess a water bottle with slightly larger diameter, .5” inch bigger or so would fit. Wish it had a 2nd holder, one on each side of the fork. I gulp water like a whale.
   SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   OSTEOARTHRITIS: I’m a 5’ 9” 61 year old male, weighing 240lbs with osteoarthritis of both knees. My number 1 reason for this purchase was therapeutic. Since there is no cure, the medicine for arthritis is to keep moving, and cycling is probably the best medicine against osteoarthritis of the knees. And if weight loss (number 2 reason) can be had, even better for the knees. I want to prolong the inevitable as long as possible. So the more I spin the less likely for knee replacement(s). Keep Moving is the Name of the Game!

   EFITMENT IC033: After assembling, there were some nearly inaudible squeaks around the belt/sweat guard and a squeaking sound from the seat. After tightening all the screws of the guard and a few slight twist & push of the seat, squeak sounds are now gone. I love this spin bike. It’s a great indoor exercise bike. It rides and feels like I’m riding a 10-speed bike, but without the pot-holes and street traffic.

   Stable, solid as a rock. Didn’t have the need to level it. It feels like it’s anchored or bolted to my floor. Everything about it says high quality/heavy duty bike at a bargain price tag, at least compared to other high-end spin bikes. For me, it took a huge chunk of money out of my wallet but in the end, worth every single chunk.

   Truly glad I bought the EFitment IC033 Spin Bike!

   OVERALL SCORE: 10/10 or 5-Stars.

   • 

     efitment – January 10, 2019

     James, this has to be the most in depth review we have ever encountered. YOU ARE AWESOME! 🙂

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Alicia Marie – November 11, 2019

   First time buying an indoor bike and I’m absolutely thrilled I chose this one. It arrived safely and was fairly easy to set up. Did my first workout on it and it’s extremely quiet, sturdy, and an overall smooth ride. It’s an excellent quality bike for a great price. I’m definitely looking forward to using this for a long time.