Star Bright, Star Light, Last Star I Want to See Tonight
Written: Mar 23 '05 (Updated Mar 27 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent features
Cons: Wobbles at high speeds which is a huge con!
The Bottom Line: I can't recommend this bike because there are better on the market. At high speeds the Star Trac wobbles which is terrible.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Star Trac Pro Recumbent Stationary Bike |
I am reviewing another in the Star Trac line that we have in the gym. This is the Star Trac Pro Recumbant Bike.
Features and Functions:
If you are new to stationary bikes you may wonder what a recumbent bike is and why I would use it over an upright bike. I will start by saying I use both types. Which one I choose really has more to do with how hard I want to work. I find my cardio vascular work on a recumbent bike easier and more comfortable. It is more comfortable on my back because it has a seat with a back. If my back is bothering me a bit from my workout the day before, then I might choose the recumbent. Or perhaps I am in the middle of a book that I cannot put down and just want an easy workout then I will want to ride casually and read. I find this easier to do on a recumbent bike.
The Star Trac Pro is an easy to use bike. It is not extremely sophisticated but it has enough features for anyone’s needs. The handle bars on the Star Trac Pro have built in heart monitors. These handle bars are on the side by the seat. Many bikes have the heart monitor in front of the rider. Having them on the side is really neither a pro or con. If I were to think of a pro to this I would say that the handlebars on the side make a good resting places for my hands. Other than that where these handle bars are on any given bike, in my opinion, makes no difference.
This bike has handle bars as well below the console right in front of the rider. They have rubber on them. I rarely put my hands on these bars. I find that they are up a little to high to be a resting place for me hands. Also unlike an upright bike where I might raise myself if biking uphill (on a stationary bike) and I would want to hold on to these handle bars, this does not happen on a recumbent where staying seated is mandatory.
The seat is somewhat easy to adjust. I say somewhat because the first time I sat on it about 7 months ago, I couldn’t find the knob that moves the seat and once I did I did not know what to do with it. I am a personal trainer so it is a bit embarrassing to even admit that. I am used to the knob in front of the seat that is easy to see and just pulls up. The knob on the Star Trac is more of a handle than a knob and it is on the left side by the seat. I cannot see it when I am seated. Once I found the knob/handle I then had to figure out that I did not pull this but lifted it up slightly. Once lifted the seat moves easily.
The seat is not heavily padded but it is comfortable. Even after an hour on the bike my butt is not numb. The back is padded enough to be comfortable as well. It is a high back coming up almost to my neck. I am 5 foot 4 inches tall.
The two water holders are built into the side of the console. I like the placement of these.
How the Star Trac Pro is used:
You need to know that bikes do not start until you start pedaling. There is no way to know this so file this in the back of your mind in case you find yourself on a bike in a gym and hit start and nothing happens.
I can press quick start after I start pedaling and not program the machine at all. I can adjust the incline or resistance as I wish using the up and down arrows. More likely though I will choose the program select button and choose either a forest ride; trail blazer, alpine pass or mystery ride. On this day I have chosen trail blazer and am shown on the console a graph of what my ride will look like. In this case there is a steep incline, then a decline. I then ride on level ground for awhile before I repeat the incline and decline. After I choose this program I hit enter and am asked how much time I will ride for. I touch the number pad on the console for 45 minutes. I then hit enter and am asked for my weight and what level of resistance I want. The levels are from 1-15. After inputting this information I hit enter and am good to go.
While riding I can see the console’s numbers easily. I am shown the time I have used; the distance I have traveled; the level resistance I am using and how many calories I have burned. I can hit scroll so these numbers continue to show on the screen or hit lock if all I want to see, for example is the distance.
The Star Trac Pro weighs 138 pounds. The maximum user weight is 350 pounds. It is 49 inches long by 56 inches wide by 24 inches high.
My observations:
I have used the Star Trac Pro countless times. On this particular day when I was keeping track I was taking it easy at level 2. I was burning 227 calories per hour (Less than I would burn on an elliptical machine at a resistance of 2.) going 4.3 miles per hour; doing a 15.1 minute mile at 42 watts; 42 rpm (revolutions per minute).
This was a very comfortable ride. The bike is quite sturdy going slowly. Star Trac seems to make decent equipment. No wear and tear shows on any of the Star Trac equipment at the gym. However I have noted a very different experience at fast speeds. I have tested this on every Star Trac recumbent bike in the gym and I checked to make sure the seat and back were not broken in any way on all the machines. My experience is that the bike shakes
at high speeds. This is unacceptable and will earn this machine a not recommended for that reason. There should be no shaking. I would not mind at very fast speeds some give to the machine. However this is more than what I like. The machine vibrates and is one that I avoid if I expect to do a serious cardio vascular session.
Please feel free to leave me a comment or question.
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Recommended:
No
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