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Smooth V390 Semi-Recumbent Exercise Bike Review
Comfort, Quality and Heart Rate Control
The Smooth Fitness V390 is a good example of how the Smooth Fitness business model to sell direct and online only can help you to get more for less. 
Smooth Fitness products are not available through dealers or large sporting goods stores. This is why Smooth Fitness can offer the Smooth V390 Semi-Recumbent Exercise Bike with 4 Heart Rate Control (HRC) programs, a 300lb weight capacity, and an excellent warranty at a very competitive price.
The Smooth V390 is actually a Semi-Recumbent Exercise Bike which means that you sit in a more upright position than you do on a fully recumbent exercise bike but you still have the comfort of a full recumbent seat with backrest.
Semi-Recumbent Exercise Bikes give you just as much of a workout as upright exercise bikes or fully recumbent exercise bikes but they are easier to mount and dismount. In comparing this exercise bike to an regular outdoor bike I would say that this design is most similar to comfort bike but with a true recumbent bike seat.
Note: As of 5/15/2012 the Smooth V390 Semi-Recumbent
is selling for $899 directly from Smoothfitness.com with FREE shipping options (shipping upgrades are also available).
Recumbent Exercise Bikes, including the Smooth V390, provide an excellent low impact, aerobic exercise, provide good back support and are more compact and more affordable than other home fitness equipment.
Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health and circulation and exercise bikes provide a safe, low impact aerobic exercise that has been used for fitness, health and physical therapy for years.
HRC and Exercise Heart Rate Training Zones
Although most exercise bikes have various ways to monitor your heart rate (contract grip and chest strap monitors), not many non-commercial grade models have integrated HRC programs which will increase and decrease the exercise bike resistance to keep you within your target heart rate zone.
Whether you are trying to lose a few pounds or training for a le Tour de France exercising in the proper heart rate zone can be a big advantage. If your heart rate is too low, while you are exercising, you are not getting the full benefits from your workout. If your heart rate is too high your workout could be counter productive and do more harm than good.
There are plenty of formulas online for calculating the various target heart rate zones but ultimately you will need to determine the target heart rate zones that are best for your own personal training, therapy and/or weight loss goals. Please check with your doctor before you start a workout program based on heart rate.
About-Bicycles Review:
The Smooth V390 is an excellent Semi-Recumbent Exercise Bike with quite a few features not found on most other non-commercial grade exercise bikes including Heart Rate Control (HRC) programs, and a 300lb weight limit which, even if you weigh much less, is a good indicator if the bikes overall quality and durability.
Smooth also offers an above average warranty on their exercise bikes for an additional level of comfort on your purchase.
What you do not get with the Smooth V390 is an iPod/MP3 jack and speakers and the additional external workout programs and tracking features.
If you prefer the Heart Rate Control (HRC) program over the iPod/MP3 jack and speakers and the additional external programs and tracking features then I would recommend the Smooth V380 Upright Exercise Bike as a high quality exercise bike that will last for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
There were no customer reviews of the product at the time of this review. See Smooth V390 Semi-Recumbent for new customer reviews, the latest price or to purchase the Smooth V390 Bike.
Although Smooth is one of the largest fitness equipment companies on the internet, exercise bikes are a relatively new product for them. Unfortunately, this make it hard to find customer reviews on their exercise bikes.
In this case, and until there are more customer reviews available on Smooth Exercise Bikes, I would suggest that you read the Customer Reviews on Smooth Treadmills and Elliptical Trainers.
Smooth treadmills and elliptical trainers have been out on the market for many years now and there are plenty of reviews on these products. In addition, elliptical trainers have a lot in common with exercise bikes regarding the components and the overall construction.
If anything, it is harder to achieve and maintain a good reputation as an elliptical trainer manufacturer (as Smooth has) than as an exercise bike manufacturer due to the complexity of elliptical trainers compared to exercise bikes.
Smooth V390 Recumbent Exercise Bike Recumbent Exercise Bike Features at a glance:
- Frame Type: Step Through Recumbent Bike
- Wide Padded, Fully Adjustable Seat
- Ultra Support, Breathable Mesh Back Seat
- Computer Display: Dual Color Back Lit LCD
- Integrated Heart Rate Monitor
- Heart Rate Control programs (4)
- Intensity Levels: 16
- # of Programs: 16
- Pedal Type: Self Leveling w/ Adjustable Pedal Straps
- Resistance: Silent Magnetic
- Max User Weight: 300lbs
- Transport Wheels
- Unit Weight: 128lbs
- Foot Print: 60" L x 25.5" W x 57" H
Warranty:
Frame: Lifetime
Brake: Lifetime
Parts: 3 Years
Labor: 1 Year
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