Loctek UF6M Review

The Loctek UF6M has an interesting and useful design feature.

That allows the bike to be used in two ways.

You can use it with a desktop or just as an upright exercise bike. You can adjust the handlebars and clip on or clip off a desktop to use as you want.

As well as that you are able to adjust the seat upwards/downwards and backwards/forwards to get a good fit which is something that not all standard upright exercise bikes give you the option to do.

It also has a console, magnetic resistance and a belt drive.

So, there is more to the bike than you might think at first look – it does seem to come with the features needed to work on your cardio fitness at home and in the office.

In my review I look at both ways it can be used to see if you can get a good low impact cardio workout: as a standard upright exercise bike or one where you get exercise while you work or play using the desk.

In a hurry? >>>

Sturdiness

The bike frame and stabilizer bars are made from steel to prevent the bike from wobbling and moving around as you workout.

It will keep steady as you workout and when using the desktop that won’t be moving around so you can just concentrate on your workouts and your work or play (depending on what you are using the desk for).

If the floor you are using the bike on has a little variation you can level up the bike by turning the end caps on the rear stabilizer. They won’t cope with wide variations and in those cases you’ll need to move the bike somewhere else or find another way of balancing up the bike.

This is a relatively new bike and there hasn’t been a review from any customers to indicate how well it is going to stand up to use over a period of time.

Adjustability

The seat adjusting horizontally and vertically helps to get a better fit for your legs and in relation to the handlebars and desk. You can get a more effective workout and also be more comfortable for working on your laptop.

The recommended heights that the bike can be adjusted to fit is between 5 ft 1 ins and 6 ft.

The height of the seat can be moved from 30 to 38 inches and there is 4 inch adjustment for horizontal position.

This will help you to get the proper position for your leg to get the range of motion for leg and knee to prevent soreness and possible injury. The horizontal movement can help with that too as well as in relation desktop or handlebars for a comfortable fit.

Making the adjustments are straightforward to do using adjustment knobs and posts or sliders to move seat to the right position and tighten up to hold into place.

If there is just the one person using the bike you only have to do this once. If there are more than one it only takes seconds to adjust the bike to each person’s position once they’ve set and know where to move the seat too. It doesn’t get in the way of each user getting on with exercising. It helps to mark the positions on the adjustment pole/slider with permanent marker so you don’t have to rely on memory

The desk height, horizontal position or angle of it can’t be changed. It could mean that you end up with it being a little higher or lower than you want.

The handlebars do move from horizontal to vertical – the horizontal position is for when you want to clip on the desk and vertical when wanting to use it just as an exercise bike.

Loctek UF6M Resistance

The 8 levels of magnetic resistance is controlled by a tension knob that is just below the handlebars on the front support post.

The resistance goes from very easy to moderately hard. It moves up incrementally and the changes are smooth.

There are a set of magnets near the flywheel (in the shroud) that are controlled by the tension knob. They are moved closer when increasing resistance and further away to reduce the resistance. They don’t touch the flywheel so it operates quietly and is low maintenance too.

The resistance at 1 is almost like there is none at all which can help people getting started out or those wanting a very light exercise.

Most people will probably find the levels 3 – 6 are what they want to get a good level of exercise especially with the desk down. When using the bike without the desk this is where most people will find they can get their heart rate up and a get a bit of a sweat on.

The top level of the resistance won’t be hard enough to satisfy those who are very fit and looking for very tough workouts. It is more for those looking at moderate workouts which when you have the desk on and using for work is probably all you can manage and be productive to.

It makes this a good bike for beginners and those looking for moderate levels of exercise. Which is probably all you want if using it while you work or playing video games.

Drive Type

The bike has a belt drive and flywheel to provide a good consistent pedaling motion. It operates very quietly and is very low maintenance. All you might hear is a very soft whooshing sound when pedaling fast.

You may notice that the pedaling motion gets rougher at the upper levels of resistance as the magnetic resistance slows down the pedals as you move round the cycle at the top/bottom of it. It needs a bit more concentration on the pedaling to prevent it turning in to an up/down motion rather than a circular motion.

These are all in the shroud which keep them out of the way of children and pets. It also helps to keep them protected from dust and dirt.

Pedals

The pedals are non-slip and have straps to help to keep your feet in place and prevent them from slipping off. The straps are plastic and are adjusted by putting a hole in the strap over a tab on the pedal. This holds them securely in place but can be difficult to make adjustments as its difficult to get the tab into the hole until the plastic softens up.

The pedals work well with athletic or similar shoes.

The pedals are attached to a 1 piece crank which should be strong and durable for pushing against the resistance while sitting in the seat. There not very suited for standing on the pedals and this is likely to reduce the life of the bike.

Comfort

Seat. The seat is padded and contoured and comes with a padded backrest. The two are fixed in place in relation to each other – i.e. both move together when you make the adjustment to the seat’s position. The seat is large which along with the backrest helps to provide good support and helps with balance too.

If you’ve not used a bike in awhile it is likely that you’ll suffer as it does take time to get used to any bike seat.

However, not everyone will find the seat comfortable even after giving it sometime to get used to it as this is the way with bike seats. You can try double up towels or a better idea is a gel seat cover to provide more comfort.

It is possible to change the seat for any standard fitting bike seat if you have one that you like better or know is more to your liking.

Handlebars. When using the handlebars without the desk they are set to vertical which does allow you to grip them in various positions but doesn’t really allow you to lean on them as you can with those bikes with angled handlebars.

Noise. The bike operates very quietly and you should be able to use it when you want and where you want without disturbing others. You could use it an office and other people working there won’t be disturbed. When you are on the phone people on the other end won’t hear you. If you want to workout while watching TV you don’t need to turn up the volume to hear it. It also can be used during the night and it is unlikely that you’ll wake up others in the house.

The lack of noise and it’s compact size makes it a good solution for an apartment too – especially as you can use it as a desk too. Your neighbors won’t know you’re exercising. If you live on an upper floor apartment and want to make sure there isn’t anything heard downstairs you can put it on a rubber exercise mat.

The loudest noise that may come as a result of using the bike maybe heavy breathing due to pushing hard while exercising.

Cleaning. There isn’t too much extra cleaning work because of the bike .The biggest source of cleaning is wiping up sweat that might drop on the bike to prevent it corroding the bike. It only takes a few seconds after each use to stop the effects of it. You may want to put the bike on a rubber mat to prevent any sweat dropping on the floor.

Storage

The bike is fairly compact and needs an area of 39 ins by 18 ins when not in use. It’s not going to overpower a room so some people leave it in place so it is easy to get on it when they want to exercise and work.

You may be able to get the bike into a closet otherwise it will fit nicely into a corner out of the way.

The end caps on the front stabilizer bar are also transport wheels. To use them you tip the bike forwards, then you can move the bike where you want. It makes it easy for one person to move the bike.

You’ll find it sticks on soft carpet and will need to slide the bike to get into place.

When using on a wood floor you may want to check first that the wheels don’t scratch it so you don’t end up with a long scratch across it.

Assembly

The bike is delivered to your part completed. It can normally be assembled in an hour or two with some being able to do it in less.

It comes with the tools needed to do the job. The instructions and diagrams are relatively clear to describe what is a reasonably straightforward job.

The assembly can be done by one person although a second person can help with holding things in place while the other bolts them on.

The trickiest part is attaching the cable for the resistance and a little care is needed here so that you don’t end up without any resistance. There is a 4 step diagram that explains how to do this. You may need to turn the tension knob to give you the extra length in the cable to connect.

Console

It has a basic console. It provides measures of time, distance, speed, calories, odometer (cumulative distance) and pulse when hand pulse sensors are gripped.

It shows one measure at a time which you can select by pushing the mode button underneath or you set it to scan where it moves through them every few seconds.

The display is large enough to see the measures from the seat. However, it isn’t backlit so you’ll struggle to see in poor light conditions.

The console is at the front of the bike and when the desk is being used with a laptop it won’t be able to be seen otherwise it is in a good location for when using the desk for your keyboard or tablet or using it without the desk.

There are no pre-set workouts to follow along to or a way of recording your exercise and workouts results – this will have to be done manually if you want to be able to track progress.

The hand pulse sensors are on the handlebars about half way up. Both need to be gripped to get a reading. They can only used when you’re not using the desk.

Many people with these type of sensors struggle to get a good reliable reading no matter what bike it is regardless of the cost. Some people do get it but it is a common concern with these sensors. If you do want to see your heart rate then a heart rate strap and monitor is a good way to go – you could then do this while you have the desk on too.

The console needs to 2 AA batteries to operate. It turns on by starting pedaling or pressing the mode key and will turn off after 4 minutes without any pedaling.

You don’t need the console to be working to use the bike and you can change the resistance. It just stops you from knowing how you are getting on.

Dimensions

The dimensions and weight of the bike are

Height 48 ins
Width 18 ins
Length 39 ins

Bike Weight 54 lbs
Max User Weight 250 lbs

Accessories

The desk is the major accessory and it does allow you to do a variety of activities while you exercise making good use of your time – or help to keep you distracted while you exercise,

The desktop has a corrugated surface that helps to stop a laptop from getting hot allowing air to flow under it – there isn’t anything like that for you though – you need to do that yourself.

There is also a slot in the desk that can be used to put a tablet or Ipad into that allows it to be angled so that you get a good view of it from your seat.

There isn’t a drawer or a place to put your pens or phone while you work

It’s not designed to be used with a PC or Mac or anything heavier than a tablet.

You clip the desk on to the handlebars when you have adjusted them to the horizontal position. Making the adjustment between vertical and horizontal is done by loosening knob at the front of the handlebars, moving the handlebars and then tightening back up into the place. .
The cup holder is at the nearside of the desk in the middle which could be used as a place for your phone and pens instead of a water bottle. I guess it will be okay for most types of work to have it there and it won’t be knocked. I know I’d find it annoying to have it there while i work on a laptop.

If you don’t have the desk attached then there isn’t a place for a drink or any media devices.

Pros

• Can convert to desktop or a standard upright exercise bike
• Operates very quietly
• It is stable so there is no rocking around
• Comes with a basic console
• It is a compact bike so can fit easily in to most rooms
• There are transport wheels to help in moving the bike around
• Seat is fully adjustable to get best seating position for an effective workout
• Has 8 levels of magnetic resistance to help with setting to the level you want
• It is low maintenance
• Pedaling motion is smooth

Cons

• Does not have any customer reviews at present
• Desk position can’t be changed
• This is not for those looking for very demanding workouts
• It’s not designed for standing on the pedals
• Display is not backlit so difficult to see in poor light conditions
• There are no pre-set

Loctek UF6M Consumer Ratings

Other bikes like the Loctek U2 (which is a similar bike without the front support) do have good reviews even if there is a limited number of those (less than 10).

As reviews are left I will update this section.

Loctek UF6M Price

There isn’t a direct comparison with this bike (other than the Loctek UF4M which is slightly cheaper). Other upright exercise bikes with a desktop are set with only that and fold up when not in use.

You are paying extra for what is more traditional upright bike with the ability to convert to a desktop when you want along with hand pulse sensor for heart rate monitoring.

When I checked at Amazon you could get it delivered for free shipping  when an eligible order is placed.

To check current pricing and availability click here:
Loctek UF6M

Summary

The Loctek UF6M is a little different upright exercise bike with the feature of being able to convert to and from a bike with a desktop to a more standard upright exercise bike.

It is made for moderate levels of exercise and not for people wanting very demanding and intense cardio workouts. It makes it ideal for those getting started and looking to get in shape with moderate levels of exercise or wanting to get exercise while you work.

The bike is compact and operates very quietly so can be used just about anywhere indoors to get exercise.

It is versatile too as you can use it as an upright exercise bike for more intense workouts or with the desk to keep your activity up while you work or playing making good use of that time for your health while being productive.

It can be a good bike for making the most of your time with a low impact cardio workout that you can decide the intensity without impacting others in the office or at home.