Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike Review

The Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike is one of the more expensive bikes made for use in the home.

It got a number of features that do help to make it stand out.

From the more affordable priced bikes.

It has a good solid look with a large console.

Speakers, fan, 35 pre-set programs as well as 32 levels of magnetic resistant which should allow the bike to be used by all abilities for their different fitness and health goals.

However, there are a few things where it could be improved and you might expect when investing in the bike.

In my review I go through these points as well as how well it performs in providing a low impact cardio workout in your home.

This is the result of spending hours going through the specifications, features, owner’s manual, customer reviews and asking questions of the supplier to complete this in depth review.

In a hurry? >>>

Sturdiness

It is a well-built bike with a steel frame and stabilizer bars with good strong welds. It holds steady at all levels of intensity.

There’s no shaking or any annoying creaks, You can just get on and exercise without any distractions.

If there is some rocking from side to side due to unevenness in the floor there are four levelers under the stabilizer bars – one in each end. They give a reasonable amount of adjustment so should balance out all but the worst variation in floors.

The bike does come with a good warranty. There’s a lifetime warranty on the frame, 3 years on parts and electronics, labor is 1 year and wear items is 90 days

It weighs in at 152 lbs due in part to the solid make which leads customers to say that it is good quality bike that they expect to last for many years

Adjustability

The seat can be move backwards and forwards along a slider to accommodate a range of heights.

The heights it can accommodate are not supplied by the manufacturer for guidance. From customer experience it seems it will fit those between the heights of 5ft 2 ins and 6 ft 3 ins.

If you are less than 5ft 2 ins you will probably find that you have to sit forward on the seat and/or stretch to reach the pedals properly which can be uncomfortable and painful.

If above the maximum height you may find that you don’t get the full extension of your leg that can lead to pains in the leg as well as feeling cramped up.

It has an easy method to adjust the seat to position you want. You pull the lever under the right side of the seat and move to where you want and then push down to lock it into place. This can all be done while on the seat.

It makes getting the right position easier too. as you can measure you leg extension while on the seat and make the adjustment too rather than having to estimate the position.

If there is more than one person using the bike they can quickly adjust the bike to their height too in a few seconds and be ready to start working out. There’s no struggling with lock pins or finding a pre-set hole.

Resistance

The 32 levels of magnetic resistance allow you to work at the level you want whether you’re a beginner or rehabbing an injury or much more advanced looking to test yourself in hill type workouts.

The resistance is controlled using the up/down buttons on the console or using one of the quick jump buttons where you can jump to levels 4,8,12,16,20,24,28 and 32.

The movement between the levels is incremental so there is no big jumps up in load and when you choose one of the quick jump buttons and it moves to it not in a jump..

With the gradual increase you can set it at the level that suits you when using the manual program. When using one of the pre-set profile programs it adjusts the level automatically as you move through the program but if it is too easy or too hard you can use the up/down buttons to adjust it for that segment to one that is right for you.

There are no touching parts with there being a set of magnets that are moved closer and further away to adjust the level of resistance. This provides a silent and very low maintenance workout.

Drive type

Inside the shroud is the drive belt and flywheel which work with the magnetic resistance to provide a quiet and smooth pedaling motion. It is consistent and there is no jerkiness to keep impact on your joints to a minimum.

It’s great these are all covered up as it keeps these moving parts away from pets, children and your ankles to reduce injury. It also helps to keep these components from getting damaged.

Pedals

The pedals are a good size with texture and straps to keep your feet on them. They are solid along with the 3 piece crank there should be no problems with pushing as hard as you can for those wanting a tough workout. For others they give a good secure platform.

The plastic straps have ridges that you use with a roller on the pedal to secure them in place. It’s straightforward to use it and makes the adjustment for different size feet quick when there is more than one person using the bike.

If you want to use your own pedals you can do this. The thread size is 9/16 .

Comfort

Seat The oversized padded seat and mesh backrest are considered by most to be comfortable and provide good support to the back. They can workout on bike for as long as they want, they’re exercise sessions aren’t put to an early end due to discomfort or pain.

The walk through design of the bike does make getting in and of the seat straightforward as you don’t have to lift your foot over anything nor do you have to get on your tiptoes to get on to the seat. It is more like getting in and out of a chair.

Not everyone is going to find the bike seat is right for their sit bones or back. This is normal for all bikes as what is comfortable one person is not necessarily comfortable for another. We are all different.

People find that using a small cushion or folded up towel provides sufficient extra comfort so they can use the bike for as long as they want without it either being pain free or not enough discomfort to force them to stop or make them feel it’s not worth
exercising.

The mesh backrest does surprisingly give a good solid support it isn’t loose. It also helps to keep a good airflow to your back to help prevent it getting too hot or sweaty.

The mesh backrest moves with the seat when it is moved but you can’t change the angle of it. Most find the shaped backrest and angle provide the support they need for their back. The height of backrest has 3 different positions which can help getting more support where you need it for your height. The adjustment is done off the bike at the back of backrest..

Handlebars There are 2 sets of handlebars – one by the console and the other at the side of the seat.

The set at front can be adjusted to provide the angle that is easier for you to grip or lean on. They are also good for providing support when getting on and off the seat.

I think this set is called an arm rest in the description. You do need to lean forward to use them to rest on or grip so you may not find it that comfortable to use that way. They are covered to provide more comfort but you won’t want to lean on them for too long as your arms may start to hurt.

The set by the seat are also covered. They have the hand pulse sensors that you grip when you want to monitor your heart rate or use the heart rate programs. They are at a reasonable height for gripping for support too but they do come up above the seat height which means they may get in the way if you want to get into the seat from the side rather than the front.

Noise. It’s a very quiet bike. You can easily hear the TV over it and you shouldn’t disturb anyone in the house – day or night. So, if the best time for you to exercise is first thing in the morning or the middle of the night you won’t wake up anyone else in the house (unless they are very light sleepers).

By far the loudest noise coming from the bike is likely to be the sound of heavy breathing when people exert themselves.

This makes the bike suitable for use in an apartment as it is unlikely your neighbors will even know you’re exercising. Some people like to make sure there is no chance of disturbing those below them by putting the bike on an exercise mat.

Cleaning, It does need some cleaning mostly to keep the bike free from sweat. Sweat can be very corrosive and over time it will eat away at the metal and components of the bike. It needs to be wiped down regularly (after every session for best results) to keep it looking good and performing well. It only takes a few minutes at most. Sweat can also drip onto the floor and if you want to protect your floor then rubber exercise mat is a good option for this.

Storage

It is not the most compact bike and needs an area of 64 by 23 ins when it is being stored. It does mean it probably needs to be stored next to a wall if you don’t want to leave it out. It is a good looking piece of equipment so shouldn’t annoy you too much to have to look at if you do leave it out – it then serves as a gentle reminder.

It weighs 152 lbs which is not light.

But when you do need to move the bike there are 2 transport wheels at the front of the bike. To use them you tip the bike from the back on to them. As most of the weight is at the front of the bike this is fairly easy to do, as is moving the bike around on the wheels with most of the weight being supported by them.

It leaves you to navigate the bike to where you want – you do need to be careful not to overbalance the bike. The wheels are wide apart so it shouldn’t tip sideways. The manual does say that there should be two of you to do this but one person can manage it if they are careful (as noted in customer reviews) as the bike needs to be fairly upright to engage the wheels and it is heavy.

The wheels work well on most surfaces except very soft or deep carpet where the wheels may jam up.

If you are going to move it over a wood floor I’d check first that the wheels don’t dent or scratch it to prevent what could be a big problem.

Assembly

The bike is delivered part assembled. To complete the assembly normally takes between 1 to 2 hours.

It comes with the tools needed for the job. The instructions are fairly clear although the diagrams could do with be better drawn and bigger. A little care is needed when reading and looking at the diagrams to avoid any frustrations.

All the hardware is clearly labeled so there is none of the searching around and wondering if you have the right piece.

The hardest part of the job is likely to happen before you start which is moving the box and contents to where you want to assemble it. It weighs over 152 lbs.

The assembly can be done by one person but it is easier if you have someone to hold the pieces in place as you bolt them onto the frame. The pieces all fir together and holes line up for the most part.

You are required to add the stabilizer bars, handlebars, seat, back rest, pedals, front support and console to the frame and drive assembly. It’s much more straightforward than putting together kitset furniture

Console

The console could probably do with a bit of facelift to make it look more modern but it is functional and fairly simple to operate.

It displays your current resistance level, time, calories, speed, RPM, distance and heart rate when hand pulse sensors are gripped or non-coded polar heart rate strap is worn.

It has a simple layout that makes it easy to use and read as you workout.

The measures are a good size to see from the seat. To help with visibility the LCD display is backlit so the numbers can be seen in all light conditions. You can also tilt the display to get it at the angle that is right for you without having to strain your neck to see.

What The Button Do And Display Shows

In the center of the LCD is a dot matrix display that shows your progress through your workout. It is split into columns where the height of the column lets you know how hard the resistance is for that segment of the workout.

Along both sides of the console are quick set buttons – on the left are the programs which can be used to quickly to the type of program you want and on the right are buttons to jump to the resistance level you want.

Below the screen is a number pad which does help when setting up user profiles for entering age, weight and target HR values. Seems to be quite a limited use for so many buttons but is quicker than pushing up/down buttons during set up.

Next to this pad are the go/stop buttons for launching programs or pausing and stopping workouts.

Next are arrow keys and enter. They are used for entering information in set up mode. The Up/down buttons when in workout changes the resistance.

Below is button for operating the fan. And there is a user button for selecting the last program used by user -either user 1 or 2 or guest.

Heart Rate Monitoring

The bike can monitor your heart rate through two different methods. You can either use the hand pulse sensors in the handlebars or use a polar non-coded heart strap which does need to be bought separately.

The hand pulse sensors aren’t as reliable or accurate as a heart rate strap. This is true of all recumbent exercise bikes that have these. It is common for people not to be able to get these to work reliably for a number of reasons.

But as they come with the bike it’s worth trying to see if you can get them to work for you as you need to pay extra for the Polar Non-coded heart rate strap (T31 or T34). If monitoring your heart rate and the using heart rate programs is important it is probably going to be best to get the strap. It also frees your hands up to use as you please – you are required to grip both sensors to get a signal.

The Programs

There is a range of classic or profile programs that are broken into segments with different levels of resistance. There 6 types of profile programs.

Interval Programs – There is a selection of 6 interval programs which are as expected with period of intensity followed by recovery periods

Hill Climb – 6 programs for hill work workouts

Strength – 6 strength programs that gradually increase resistance to build endurance and strength

Fat Burn – 3 fat burn programs with lower resistance for lower heart rate to encourage fat burning

Random – these 5 programs offer the most variety to be similar to what you might encounter on a hiking trail

Lap – You have a choice of 5k or 10k programs. Each segment is 1/84th of total distance

The heart rate programs work to keep your heart rate a selected beats per minute. The bike will adjust to keep your heart at the selected heart rate. You do need to using the pulse sensors or chest strap to use them.

There are 3 types of programs available

Heart Rate Interval – it is similar to the profile programs but uses maximum heart rate calculated to determine high and low resistance levels. You stay in an interval heart rate reaches the target for that interval for 5 seconds it then adjusts resistance from the next interval. You get messages to let you know if you need to adjust your pedaling speed.

The upper targets can be set at 65 – 80% and ;lower can be set 60 – 75%.

Target Heart Rate – you set the heart rate you want to maintain and resistance is altered to keep you at this rate

Percentage Heart Rate – this is calculated on the calculated maximum heart rate based on the user profile (the console calculated based on your age entered in user profile). You can select 50%, 60, 70% and 80%.

The Fitness Program – this is a way to test your relative fitness. It is based on the protocols developed by YMCA to track progress towards an individual’s fitness goals.

To take the test you need to be monitoring your heart rate either using the hand pulse sensors or wearing a heart rate strap. After a warm up of 3 minutes you are then required to pedal at 50 RPM and maintain that for each of 3 minutes segments. After each segment is completed the resistance is increased for the next 3 minute segment. The test finishes when heart rate exceeds 110 BPM for 2 segments. You are then given a Max Mets score (see acsm.com) that you can compare to a table to let you know where you sit on a scale from poor to high.

Manual program – this launched by pushing the go/quick start key and you can get on with your workout. It starts at Level 1 resistance which can be changed by using the up/down keys. It is a timed workout of 30 minutes which can’t be changed. The timer counts down.

User Profiles

To help with getting more accurate and reliable readings for heart rate programs and calories there are 2 user profiles that can be set up where you enter age, weight and gender. You can also set a default of workout time (except for manual program) between 1 minute and 119 minutes.

When in the manual program or the set up isn’t possible to set up your own customized program that you can use when you want.

At the end of the workout you are displayed a summary of the workout for 30 seconds before it disappears. So you need to be quick to get those numbers down if you want to keep a record.

If you need to take a break from the workout but want to save where you are up to so can continue on where you left off you have to push the stop button (but be careful you don’t press it too long or else you’ll reset your data). This gives you up to 5 minutes to get back to your workout otherwise you’ll lose your workout data. Seems a bit of a strange way to do this as you’ve got to remember to do it rather than like most other bikes that do this as default.

One thing missing from the console is that you can’t set up your own customizable program where you decide on the resistance levels per segment and the length of the workout.

It doesn’t work with a Fitness App for additional workout out programs or allow you to upload workout results to help with tracking record progress. This needs to be done manually.

Power

The console is powered via AC Adaptor with a 5 – 6 ft cord (supplied). As the console controls the resistance it means when there is no power you can’t use the bike effectively as when you pedal there isn’t any tension to push against or a way to adjust it.

Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike Dimensions

The weight and dimensions of the bike are

Height 50 ins
Width 23 ins
Length 64 ins

Bike Weight 152 lbs
Max User Weight 325 lbs

Accessories

The bike comes with a good range of accessories as you’d expect for the price

Media bay. It will fit smartphones, MP3 players, Ipads and tablets. The Ipads and tablets can only fitted in portrait and not landscape. They are held in their steady.

Charging. You can charge 1st or 2nd generation ipads and there is also use the USB port to charge other devices. It is a slow trickle.

Water bottle holder. It’s a good size and is on the front support. You do need to lean forward a little to reach your bottle. It is easy to get the bottle out of it and put it back in. If doesn’t come with a bottle – you have to supply your own.

Speakers. These are at the bottom of the console. To use you plug your media in at the top of the console. It uses an audio male-to-male cable (not supplied). The volume and track selection is controled by your device. The volume is okay but if you like you music loud you are better off with headphones or using your own speakers.

Fan. This is at the bottom of the console between the speakers. The direction of airflow can be change up and down using the louver. There are 2 speeds – low and high you can select. You can also set it to vary where it will change between low and high depending on how hard you are working. However it’s doesn’t blow that strong and it only provides a gentle breeze even at the top setting.

Magazine rack – There are 2 arms at the side of the console that you can flick up to rest a book or magazine on to read as you exercise. However, you might find the console is a bit too far away to read the print if you use it for a book. Also a book or magazine will cover up the display so you won’t be able to see your progress as you go.

Pros

• Can accommodate users up to 325 lbs
• Heart rate monitoring works with a Polar compatible strap (bought separately) as well as hand pulse sensors
• Bike is very quiet
• It is solid and doesn’t move around as you work out
• Comes with a media bay that fits ipads 1st and 2nd generation
• Has speakers, fan, and charger for personal electronics
• An easy to do seat adjustment to size the bike while you are sat in it for people between 5ft 2 ins and 6 ft 3 ins
• Very little requirement for maintenance
• 35 workout programs provides plenty of variety to help to keep you motivated and interested
• Has a media shelf above the console so when used the device doesn’t block the display
• The height of the back rest can be adjusted to 3 different positions to provide more comfort and support
• Bike has levelers to prevent rocking when floor is not quite level

Cons

• It doesn’t include a heart rate strap – a non-coded heart rate strap needs to be bought separately
• If there is a power outage you can’t use the bike
• The power cord is about 5 ft long which can restrict where you put the bike
• Can’t adjust the tilt of the backrest
• It is an expensive bike for many people
• Fan only blows a gentle breeze
• The speakers don’t get very loud
• You can’t track you progress on the console or upload results to a Fitness Account or App

Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike Consumer Ratings

Customers like how solid and easy it is to operate the bike.

A customer in an earlier review reported they had problems with quality control and then had issues with getting the issues sorted. That’s not what you want to experience especially when paying this amount for a bike. They didn’t buy their bike from Amazon or direct from Diamondback.

It doesn’t seem to be a problem repeated with later bikes (one isolated issue) and those that have experienced an issue report that Diamondback respond quickly to sort out the problem. They’re now dealt with by LifeCore

The majority of customers report that the bike is easy to assemble, works well, has good support for their back and is smooth, gentle on the joints and they like being able to see their workout as they go. Some find it is a bike they can use every day.

Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike Price

The bike has a lot of good features included in the price.

It provides you with a good solid base, more workout programs, more resistance levels, much easier seat adjustment and a better media bay than you get with the lower priced Diamondback 510 SR. It is overall easier to use and provides more convenient way to get your cardio exercise.

I think for the price it would include Bluetooth or Wifi capability to work with a Fitness App for more workouts and a way to track and analyze progress of your workouts like say the Ironman Triathlon X-Class 410 Recumbent Bike.

Click here to check the latest pricing and availability at Amazon
Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike

Summary

The Diamondback Fitness 910SR Recumbent Bike is very well-built bike. It’s sturdy and stable. You get a smooth and comfortable workout.

It can be used by a wide range of people for low impact cardio exercise workouts from those looking to rehab (under medical advice) and beginners through to those looking for very tough intense workouts.

It’s quiet so won’t disturb others in the house and is easy to adjust for a range of sizes.

It comes with a good range of pre-set programs to help you keep motivated and improving your fitness.

Unfortunately, you can’t set up your own customized program or be able to look at progress over your workouts as it doesn’t store them or allow you to upload.

Apart from those concerns with the console you get plenty of variety to keep you motivated and select programs that fit with your personal fitness goals whatever your level of fitness is.

You can get a comfortable cardio workout with good support for your back that is gentle on the knees too.