Expresso gym bikes
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Tarpon Springs, FL
Posts: 17
Bikes: Lemond Arrivée 03, Nishiki Colorado MTB '18
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Expresso gym bikes
My gym has some computer screen exercise bikes made by Expresso. They are somewhat fun and include a full bunch of metrics including watts. But i's my impression that the effort is much more than a real "road" bike requires. I think Expresso give me 14 mph for effort a road bike would go about 5mph faster. The efforts are recorded in your account and you can even set it to upload to Strava although the heart rate info doesn't export.
Anyone use one of these yet? What did you thinK?
Anyone use one of these yet? What did you thinK?
#2
Senior Member
Hmmm....
If it outputs watts, then you should be able to compare the Espresso watts to an actual power meter, or calculated watts using other devices.
From the photos I'm seeing (home versions?), it is hard to say whether the bike was modeled after road bikes, or MTBs, although if you have videos, the stills I'm seeing do indicate road like entertainment. However, one might calibrates watts and speed to an average MTB rather than to a road bike.
Also, keep in mind your average road bike performance. It is easy to glance down at one's computer when one is pushing 20 MPH, and forget all the other variations in the ride leading to an average speed of 15 MPH.
If it outputs watts, then you should be able to compare the Espresso watts to an actual power meter, or calculated watts using other devices.
From the photos I'm seeing (home versions?), it is hard to say whether the bike was modeled after road bikes, or MTBs, although if you have videos, the stills I'm seeing do indicate road like entertainment. However, one might calibrates watts and speed to an average MTB rather than to a road bike.
Also, keep in mind your average road bike performance. It is easy to glance down at one's computer when one is pushing 20 MPH, and forget all the other variations in the ride leading to an average speed of 15 MPH.
#3
Senior Member
I spend a lot of time on Expresso bikes several seasons ago. The good is that the 'virtual reality' is entertaining enough to make the time go by. Also I really liked the pacer function for doing long intervals. But I don't think the speed and power numbers are accurate or precise, so they are useful for Expresso world but not transferable outside.
#4
Senior Member
My local gym had Expresso bikes for a couple of years - I much preferred them to the standard Lifecycle kind of stationary bikes, much less boring. But, they were constantly breaking down so the gym dropped them.
I didn't find the power numbers on the Expresso bikes to be any closer to reality than any other stationary bikes but the speed as a function of perceived difficulty seemed closer to reality than the other bikes - ie, the Lifecycle kind of bikes are way over-stating "speed" and the Expresso seemed more realistic.
I didn't find the power numbers on the Expresso bikes to be any closer to reality than any other stationary bikes but the speed as a function of perceived difficulty seemed closer to reality than the other bikes - ie, the Lifecycle kind of bikes are way over-stating "speed" and the Expresso seemed more realistic.
#5
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 21,154
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy Viscount Aerospace Pro Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista
Liked 7,490 Times
in
4,189 Posts
Zombie thread closed.
__________________