ProGear 100S Review

The ProGear 100S is an affordable bike.

In the style of an indoor cycle or spin bike.

It seems well constructed but there are some limitations to be aware of.

This does especially depend on how tough a workout you are looking for and your level of experience.

These style of bikes can be a great way to get a good low impact cardio workout for your general fitness and burning calories without putting much stress on your joints. That’s why they’re popular at the gyms as well as for use in the home.

For the price it does include a couple of features not normally seen on bikes in this price range (and above) – it comes with a console and pulse sensors.

In my review I go through what’s great and what you need to consider before you make a decision as to whether this is the right bike for you

In a hurry? >>>

First lets take a look at how stable that ride is.

Sturdiness

Despite being a compact bike and a lighter bike the steel frame and stabilizer bars should keep you steady as you exercise in and out of the seat.

There will be minimal wobbling or shaking in the seat and handlebars. Although you may notice a little more play in it than you would with a bike in the gym.

There rear stabilizer end caps can be turned to balance up the bike when the floor is uneven. If there is a small amount of difference in the floor you can also put the bike on a rubber exercise mat and that should help to stop the side to side rocking.

It comes with a reasonable 1 year warranty for the price.

As to durability it is a little difficult to assess without customer reviews but the experience of the ProGear models is that they are well made and can stand up to the rigors of workouts.

Adjustability

You can adjust the seat horizontally and vertically to get the best position for a comfortable and effective workout. However, the handlebars are fixed in place.

This does mean you may find you may have to bend over more than you want due to this lack of adjustment of the handlebars or that you are stretching or cramped up more particularly when you are at the taller end of the scale of heights it is recommended for.

The recommended height range for the bike is 5 ft 1 in to 6 ft 2 ins.

Making the adjustment is quick and easy to do. Both the adjustments horizontal and vertical are similar. You loosen the adjustment knob and pull to release the pole and then move the seat in to position. You then re-insert the pin in the knob into one of the pre-set holes in the pole and then tighten it back up to hold in place and avoid any shaking.

It is quick so more than one person can use the bike for their workout – it only takes seconds once you’ve sized it up the first time. There aren’t makings on the poles so you might want to mark the positions with a permanent marker to make it a simpler process.

Resistance

It uses a direct method of applying friction resistance which is simple and effective. You get a good consistent level of resistance without slipping or variation.

You can workout in and out of the seat turning up or down the resistance for different levels of intensity as you exercise.

There aren’t any levels marked as to the resistance which is normal for the majority of spin bikes and indoor cycles (except those that use magnetic resistance).

You need to estimate the level you’re applying at any time and about returning to previous level set. If you’ve not done this before it only takes a little getting used to once you’ve worked at how far you need to turn the knob to hit the resistance you want.

The increase in resistance is incremental and continuous so you can put to exactly to where you want it and increase it in small amounts too.

Drive Type

The bike uses a chain drive to turn a 22 lbs flywheel. The chain provides a feel and sound close to that from an outdoor bike – a soft clinking sound and a small vibration on the pedals – it can help to make it feel more natural.

It does also mean you have maintenance too as you would on an outdoor bike – adjusting tension of the chain and lubricating it. It is going to be a lot less than an outdoor bike because it’s not affected by changing gear and you’re not picking up the dirt, grit and water etc that you do when outside.

The 22 lbs flywheel will provide some of the momentum needed to give a smooth and fluid riding motion. However, it isn’t going to be as smooth as a heavier one particularly at higher resistance and when stood on the pedals you need to concentrate more on your motion to prevent it becoming more of an up down stepping style which adds impact to the stroke.

The chrome rim of the flywheel will help to keep it looking good to offset the effects of the sweat. But there isn’t a guard to protect it and the resistance pads from being dripped on, so you do need to wipe the area down.

It has a fixed gear which means that you can’t coast on the bike – when the wheel is turning so are the pedals.

To stop them you have to do this gradually to avoid injury or use the resistance knob as a brake by pushing down on it hard.

This is normal for spin bikes with only much more expensive ones having the ability to coast. It helps with keeping you moving and getting the pull of the pedals through.

Pedals

The pedal are attached to a one piece crank. A one piece crank is usually not as durable as a 3 piece crank but should be okay for this bike for beginners and moderate levels of spinning with moderate level of time out of the seat.

They should be strong enough to allow you to stand on them for hill climb training and workouts. You shouldn’t experience any flexing or moving around,

The pedals have plastic toe cages and strap for fitting them to your shoes properly. You’ll get a good secure grip on the pedal and allow you to push forward at the top of the pedal stroke which helps with keeping a better pedal stroke.

ProGear 100S Comfort

Seat. It is a cushioned shaped seat to provide a comfortable seat. However, only some will find it is good for them and there will be others that won’t like it – that is the same with all bike type seats – it is down to personal preference there isn’t one seat fits all solution, unfortunately. Sometimes it is just a matter of it taking a little time to get used to it, in particular if you’ve not been on a bike for awhile.

If that isn’t enough you can try padded bike shorts or gel seat cover to provide more comfort.

It doesn’t have a standard bike seat fitting so it isn’t straightforward to replace – to do this you need to fit an universal bike seat adjuster or you can take it to a bike shop to do this.

Handlebars The handlebars are covered to provide a good grip that is comfortable and your hands won’t slip when they get wet. You can grip in the standard grips although at the end of the bars is a little narrow. Although, this narrowing makes it easier to lean on them however they aren’t padded so you’ll probably find forearms hurting after a period of time.

Dirt and Dust. It not going to add lots of time to your cleaning chores. There will be some dust from the resistance pad and possible lubricant from the chain. However, the largest source of cleaning is likely to be from users sweating with that dropping on the floor and on the bike. It’s a good idea to clean it off the bike after your workout to stop its corrosive effects. If you want to protect the floor then a rubber exercise mat is an effective method.

Noise. You’ll hear a shushing sound of the pad on the rim of the flywheel and a soft clinking sound of the chain moving across the sprockets. You only need to hear the TV a little to heat it over the bike. Others in the house are unlikely to be disturbed by it as you workout. If you put the bike on a rubber exercise mat it probably won’t disturb your neighbors if you live in an apartment although a belt drive would be better like Sunny Health & Fitness but it can cost more but has a much heavier flywheel for a smoother ride).

Storage

It is a compact size for a spin bike at 40 by 22 ins – it won’t take up a huge amount of room but will probably be stored against a wall or may be under the stairs when not in use.

I like the blue designs on the wheel so wouldn’t concern me too much with it against the wall – and it would help to remind me to get on and use it.

To help in moving the bike there are 2 small transport wheels on the front stabilizer bar that you tip the bike on to that support the weight of the bike. Tipping the bike and moving it can be done easily by one person. The wheels are far enough apart that the bike shouldn’t tip while on the wheels but you do need to be a little careful.

With most of the weight at the front of the bike you don’t have much weight to contend with leaving you to be able to easily navigate the bike to where you want it to go.

The wheels will work on most surfaces except deep or soft carpet where they may start to jam up a little where you’ll need to drag/slide the bike ( it weighs just under 60 lbs).

Also on wood floors these type of wheels can sometimes scratch or dent them, so be sure to test them out first.

Assembly

The bike is delivered part assembled. The most difficult part of it has been done for you

You are required to add the seat, handlebars, posts, stabilizer bars, console and pedals to the frame, drive and flywheel assembly. It is much easier than making up furniture from IKEA.

One person can do this on their but it is easier to have someone help you by holding some of the pieces in place while they are attached to the bike.

Console

The basic console can help to keep you motivated and on track while you workout. It displays calories burned, distance, time, speed and pulse (when pulse sensors gripped).

The numbers are okay to read while you exercise in good light. It’s not back lit so you are likely to struggle in poor light conditions. Only one measure is displayed at a time or you can set it to scan to rotate through the numbers after a few seconds of display. You select this by pushing the mode button below the display.

To be able to read your heart rate you have to grip both of the pulse sensors in the handlebars to get a signal. They need to be gripped tightly but not too tightly. However, many people find with these type of sensors they can’t get a reliable signal and reading – no matter what they do. This is normal for these sensors on any model of bike not just this one. Also, your hand are fixed in one spot all the time you want to monitor your heart rate – if you move one off you’ll lose your signal.

If you want to monitor your heart rate is probably better to do this with a separate heart rate strap and monitor.

It doesn’t allow you to upload your results, so if you want to track performance this needs to be done manually.

Dimensions

The dimensions and weight of the bike are

Height 46 ins
Width 22 ins
Length 40 ins

Bike Weight 59.7 lbs
Flywheel weight 22 lbs
Max User Weight 250 lbs

Accessories

There is a water bottle holder at the front of the front support. It fits small bottles and you may find that you have to stop to grab the bottle and replace it due to the position and style. I’m not sure why they put it on the front rather than at the side which would make it easier to get to.

It doesn’t come with any other accessories – there is nowhere to put your media devices etc. You have to do without or find another way to have them close at hand such as buying mounting rack separately.

You don’t get help with how to get started with working out – there are no sample workouts or guidance on where you should set the bike to for the most effective and comfortable workout. I think there should be more here when the bike is good for getting started. Fortunately, you can always go online now for guidance.

Pros

• Affordable priced
• Comes with a basic computer
• Easy to assemble
• Has 2 transport wheels to help with moving the bike
• You can pedal backwards as well as forwards
• Resistance is easy and quick to adjust
• Bike stays steady as you workout
• Comes with levelers to stop bike from rocking if floor a little uneven

Cons

• This is not for those who want tough spinning and training workouts as it has a 22 lbs flywheel
• Handlebars can’t be adjusted to help get the best fit
• Can’t upload results of workouts to a Fitness app or account
• There are no resistance levels marked
• Seat and pedals not straightforward to replace

ProGear 100S Consumer Ratings

Reviews by customers on other Progear exercise bikes on the whole have been positive on how they perform with them pleased with the quality for the price.

When customer reviews are left I’ll come back and update this section of the review to summarize them.

ProGear 100S Price

This is an affordable priced bike for indoor cycle and spin bike style bikes. But there are compromises to keep the price down.

The most notable being the handlebars are fixed in place and the flywheel is only22 lbs but it does come with a basic console and hand pulse sensors that are extra to what you often see with this type of bike.

When I was checking at Amazon it qualified for free shipping

Click here to check current pricing and availability
ProGear 100S

Summary

ProGear 100S is a starter bike and for those who want up to moderately hard workouts. It is a good affordable solution for getting bike style cardio workouts at home.

Anyone who wants real tough spinning workouts or training will not find this the bike for them. Most notably for them it will be the lighter 22 lbs flywheel not giving the inertia they want at tough levels of resistance for hill climbs.

For the price it offers a good value basic workout. It can be used by more than one person, it is simple to use, you have a basic console to track performance. But you do need to be mindful of your goals and requirements.

Overall it is a bike that can help beginners and those looking for moderate low impact workout a good way to burn calories and help with their overall fitness levels. They can get as hard a workout as they want, that should be trouble free too.