Exerpeutic 900XL Extended Capacity Recumbent Bike With Pulse

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Sturdy, affordable, and quiet option for your indoor cycling needs.

My experience has been that these pieces of  home-quality workout equipment either shift and squeak during your entire workout or they burn out with the impressive stench of a roast that got left in the broiler too long.

It’s almost as if the companies who make this stuff don’t expect you to ever use it.

I believe that the Exerpeutic 900XL Extended Capacity Recumbent Bike finally offers a reprieve from the normal drivel.

A Reliable Company

In my opinion, the best object in the world is only as good as the support behind it. One of the things we can guarantee is that items will break. They will fail. They will get damaged in shipment. It is critical that you have a solid company backing up your purchase when that happens.

Paradigm Health and Wellness is one of the largest players in the fitness equipment space. manufacturer, you know this bike will last for years to come. Paradigm has made treadmills, exercise bikes, recumbent machines, and other ellipticals for years, and maintains an A+ BBB rating.

One of the things I like to watch is whether a company responds to negative reviews in an attempt to help. Paradigm’s team is extremely responsive to negative feedback, and I couldn’t find anyone complaining about the company’s support. If you have an issue with your purchase, you can either email them a service@paradigmhw.com, or you can call them at 1-866-924-1688 from 8am to 5pm, 7 days a week.

This one comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects.

Assembly

This product comes mostly pre-assembled, which is a massive upside. The instructions are not extremely clear, so go slowly and pay attention. The key thing is that the left pedal is left-hand threaded and screws onto the arm “backwards”.

The most tedious part is attaching the tension cord to the resistance knob. It can be a little confusing, but there is an excellent youtube video that demonstrates this step well.

Even with the added time spent on the tension control setup, you can expect to have it assembled in 1-1.5 hours (2 hrs if you are watching a TV show while you assemble it).

Comfort

Many riders choose this model because they suffer from low back pain. The seat is fairly comfortable and well-padded for workouts of an hour or less, and some riders have discussed putting a small pillow behind their back to increase the comfort during longer workouts. The tall, padded seat back is one of the more appreciated features. 

The seat has a wide range of adjustability for riders from 5’3″ on up to 6’3″ (some riders as small as 5′ are riding it. The shortest distance from seat to pedals is 40″). However it seat can be difficult to adjust. There are three different knobs to secure the seat, which makes adjustment cumbersome (loosen three knobs… tighten three knobs). This makes this model a worse choice for households where more than one person hopes to use the device.

Benefits

Safe Step Through

A major benefit is the safe step through. This lower profile makes it easier for  users to get on and off of their bike without tripping or creating an injury.  Considering that this model is popular among seniors, this feature offers more peace of mind.

Heart Rate Sensors

Hand grips are set to the sides of the rider and include heart rate sensors, which is quite impressive for an entry-level bike. Not to mention, the heart rate’s quick reading has me in awe. It’s nice when you don’t have to wait for an extended amount of time, just to see your statistics. I do wish that it didn’t require you to lean forward to check your pulse, but this is an entry level model.

Pedals

The pedals are simple, but they do have built-in straps that allow you to push as well as pull. The straps can also help keep your feet securely in the pedals.  This is a standard size pedal thread, so if you need to replace the pedal, your local bike shop should have one.

Built In Stabilizers And Rollers

You will notice that the bike’s legs include stabilizers, which is appreciated on those harder efforts. These stabilizers, combined with the lower center of gravity, help to keep the bicycle stable

The legs also feature rollers, for an easy-to-move process (Although, at 63 pounds, you won’t want to be taking it up and down any stairs.)

Compared to the competition, this model only weighs 63 lbs, so it is relatively light weight option. I still like to have a second person whenever moving equipment greater than 40 pounds, but the wheels make this more workable. It also does not fold up, so while you can wheel it out and then wheel it away, it will always take up a certain amount of space.

8-Speed Resistance

The magnetic resistance and V-belt is an excellent feature, which it delivers a quiet, yet strong workout. The resistance has eight separate levels. Those levels allow users to start from the bottom, and work up their endurance in a safe and efficient way. The highest setting is such that even a top athlete would struggle, while the lower settings give the beginner an excellent place to start.

LCD Screen With Basic Features

The LCD provides you an easy way to watch your workout. There are no built-in workout programs or personal user interfaces and it just displays the essentials such as the time that you have pedaled, heart rate, distance covered, speed, and burned calories.

I love the countdown timer, so you can set how long you want to workout and it counts down for you. Somehow that motivates me.

It also comes with a 3-year warranty on the frame, and a 90-day warranty on its parts. You probably will not have many technical issues with this machine. It is very basic and easy to operate.

Drawbacks

The 63 pound weight makes this no small machine for moving, but won’t offer the same feeling of stability that a 200 pound commercial unit would. I just want to set expectations appropriately.

Sometimes the tension is setup incorrectly at the factory, causing the unit to be too hard to pedal or causing it to seize. Many users have reported being able to remove the pedals and the flywheel cover and then popping the tensioner cable back into the groove where it belongs, or putting the belt back on if it comes off.

Comparison Shopping

We’ve had a lot of readers asking me to dig in a little deeper and compare them to some of the other popular recumbents. I’ve tried to do a quick summary of the ones I’ve been asked about, but if you want me to cover one, just leave a comment below.

Versus the 400XL

There were a considerable amount of differences in the way that these two bikes have been set up.

First and foremost, the Exerpeutic 400XL is not nearly as comfortable. The 400XL is semi-recumbent, with a unique positioning. You will find your legs out in front of you, but also below the rest of your body. As to where the 900XL has a much more comfortable positioning and better back support. in a fully-recumbent position. When a user sits down their feet will be in front of them, but everything else should be leveled out. The 400 XL doesn’t put you in quite the same amount of “recumbency”.

The 400XL is going to be easier for adjustment between users, with just one knob, instead of 3 knobs. It is a little more effortless to fold up and put away the 400XL for storage. It also has rollers for easy-to-move situations. But, the 900XL has the same features and improved comfortability. Unlike its brother, the 400XL model only has one set of hand grips on the sides. Most users find two hand grips cozier and can lean forward, unlike the 400XL.

Vs. 1000XL

This comparison is a doozy, although the differences are not a doozy at all. You may be sitting there wondering, ‘What in the heck does that mean’? What an interesting find. The 900XL and 1000XL are essentially the same bike. There is nothing different about them, except the name. I have found that Paradigm Health and Wellness uses different model numbers for the same bike, according to the machine’s location. I know, it’s odd but apparently, it happens.

Vs. Schwinn A20

There are not many differences between these two. Both are reportedly comfortable machines and provide a considerable low-impact workout. While the A20 has a one knob seat adjustment, a water bottle holder, and six pre-set workout programs, those are the only extra’s that you will obtain.

In my opinion, the 900XL has a slicker, more modern look. The A20 has larger dimensions and takes up a little more space.

While battery powers both consoles, the A20 has the capability to use a power adapter. Although, you must
purchase it separately, as it does not come with the machine. I did find a major downside to the power adapter.

If your batteries have died in the A20, you can not change the resistance or use programs that use the resistance system. This could prove to be a miserable experience.

Summary

Having a piece of workout equipment like this in your house will make  a huge difference in your fitness levels. I appreciate being able to hop on it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time without having to go to the gym.

Backed by a solid company, this is a budget model that is a good choice for someone who is looking to increase their baseline fitness level, and for overweight patients looking to change their lives.

More advanced athletes will find this unit to be lacking for harder, longer efforts and will appreciate upgrading to one of Exerpeutic’s higher-end models.

The 300 lb weight limit is also something to take into consideration. Most machines of its caliber will not handle that kind of weight. So, I also like that feature.

User friendliness and efficiency is the name of the game. You can not beat the pre-assembly of this model.  Nobody wants to pull their purchase out of the box and have to put much time into the assembly. Why not just adjust a few knobs, and jump right on for your workout routine?

Additional assembly services may be available from the site you purchase it from, virtually removing your need to do any assembly upon arrival.

The Exerpeutic 900XL is an impeccable choice for beginners and those suffering from lower back pain.

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