About Bicycles
Online > Exercise Bikes > Marcy Upright Mag Cycle Review
Marcy ME-708 Upright Mag Cycle Review
When you are looking for an Entry-Level, No Frills Upright Exercise Bike at the Lowest Price Possible
then the Marcy ME708 Upright Exercise Bike (aka Marcy Upright Mag Cycle) is going to be one model that you will want to consider. 
This Upright Exercise Bike has only the most basic features and very few of the extra features that you get on more expensive exercise bikes. Marcy keeps the cost down on their Exercise Bikes more so by excluding extra features and options rather than by using inferior parts and components.
This gives Marcy an advantage in quality over some of the other low-end Exercise Bikes, however they are still budget models that should be considered for limited or light use or if you are on a very tight budget only.
Upright Exercise Bikes, like the Marcy Upright Mag Cycle are more like traditional outdoor bikes, provide an excellent low impact, aerobic exercise and are more compact and much more affordable than other home fitness equipment.
Note: As of 5/15/2012 the Marcy Upright Mag Cycle (which is what Amazon calls the Marcy ME-709) is selling at for $139.99 (new) with free shipping options at Amazon (was $145 on 5/1/12). Go to Marcy ME-708 Upright Mag Cycle
for the latest price and customer reviews. *
Marcy ME-708 Upright Exercise Bike Pros and Cons
You get very few of extra features of the more expensive exercise bikes with the Marcy ME-708 Upright but you do get a Electronic Console that tracks speed, distance, time, and calories and even a Full 2 Year warranty on the frame.
It can be difficult to find a decent warranty (or in some cases any warranty at all) on very low budget exercise bikes and fitness equipment so the 2 year warranty on the frame is actually pretty good for an exercise bike in this price range.
Although the Marcy ME-708 Upright has a 300lb user capacity (according to the owners manual and specs), this bike weighs only 43lbs (approx.) and I do not believe that this bike would be very stable or hold up well for heavier users or anyone that is close to the 300lb limit.
The Marcy ME-708 Upright does not come with heart rate monitors so if this is an important feature for you you will need to select another exercise bike or you can, of course, buy an independent HR monitor separately.
This exercise bike does not come with transport wheels although since the bike is fairly small and very light (43 lbs), this should not be a problem for most people (hey, you could just consider moving the bike as part of your warm-up and cool-down routine :-) )
The Marcy Upright ME-708 is powered by batteries only (2 AAA batteries). There is no AC power option on this exercise bike which is one of the reasons that we recommend this bike for light or limited use only.
The foam padded handlebars are nice and give you a couple of riding positions (upper and lower) although some people find the handlebar design on this bike a little difficult.
The seat on this upright exercise bike is not nearly as padded or comfortable as the more expensive models. One workaround for this is to purchase a separate gel seat or gel seat cover.
About-Bicycles Review
If you have read other exercise bike reviews on this website then you know that I do not usually recommend low-end or cheap exercise bikes. You will generally get what you pay for, the bikes will not stand up to much more than very light use and often will not last very long.
This remains true for the Marcy ME-708 Upright although Marcy Exercise Bikes are at least a step up in quality from many other low-end models.
For anything more than very light and limited use, you ought to check into the Schwinn Upright Exercise Bikes (excluding the Schwinn A10).
Customer Reviews
Although the average ratings of customer reviews can, at times, be misleading, Marcy Exercise Bikes usually rate a little higher (and a little more consistent) than the reviews of other budget exercise bike brands.
At the time of this review, the average Customer Review at Amazon was  (3.5 of 5 stars). Some of the common statements and helpful comments include:
"Great workout for your legs & butt - upright bike targets these areas, that's why the handles are made so you lean over".
"I had to buy a gel seat for it, since the seat is pretty uncomfortable without it. My biggest complaint is the configuration of the handlebars. I'm not racing anywhere, but the handlebars are way out in front like a racing cycle".
In the end it is up to you to make the best decision based on the facts that you have available to you, of course (and I hope that the information presented here can help you with your decision).
Upright Exercise Bikes provide more back support and are considered by most to be more comfortable than upright models. You can read, watch TV, listen to music and your hands are free (for magazines or books, a water bottle, using a TV or stereo system remote).
Marcy Upright Mag Cycle Features at a Glance:
- 8 levels of preset resistance
- Easy-to-adjust tension-tightening knob for different fitness levels
- Console tracks speed, distance, time, and calories
- Counterbalanced pedals
- Adjustable foot straps
- Power Supply: Two 1.5V (AAA) batteries
- Dimensions: 31.5 x 48.75 x 18 inches (W x H x D)
- User Capacity: 300 lbs.
- Product weight: 43 lbs.
Warranty:
Frame - 2 years
Go to Marcy ME-708 Upright Mag Cycle for the latest price and reviews and comparisons. *
|
