Lifecore 860RB Recumbent Bike Review

Quick Summary

The Lifecore 860RB is a sleek recumbent bike sized for home use.

It’s ergonomically designed to help you comfortably manage your weight and get cardio training with minimal risk of strain or injury.

The bike operates almost silently with magnetic braking and offers 16 resistance levels.

Twenty-two workout programs are included.

Learn more from our full review of the Lifecore 860RB below.

Specifications

Model	Lifecore 860 RB
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the bike's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	88.75%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$1,199
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the current best price. Note: MSRP stands for Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price.	$999
Resistance The flywheel in an exercise bike is what creates resistance. You can choose the level of resistance to increase your workout intensity.	16 Levels
Resistance Type The type of resistance shows what kind of flywheel is being used (if any), and its weight if the manufacturer provides it.	Magnetic Resistance & Electronic Control Brake
Type Type refers to the style of the ride: Recumbent bikes allow you to lay back, while Upright bikes are more like road bikes (lean forward).	Recumbent
Drive System The bike's drive system is how your pedaling interacts with the rest of the bike (flywheel) to give you a good workout.	V-Belt
Frame It's important to choose an exercise bike that will last, and the material of the frame determines how durable the bike is.	Step Through
Seat The most important part for comfortability during your workout, the seat should be adjustable and have ample cushioning.	Air Mesh
Pedals Pedals are the driving force for an exercise bike, and should be comfortable, adjustable, and easy to control without slipping.	Oversized Contoured Pedals w/Quick Release Straps
Programs Bike Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	22
Heart Rate Heart Rate programs allow you to track how many times your heart is beating per minute (bpm), and some control the workout for you.	Pulse Grips
Display Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	Backlit LCD
Max. Weight Max. User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that the bike can safely support, which can represent durability.	n/a
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this treadmill will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	51.8" x 27" x 48.1" Weight: 121.9 lbs
Accessory Tray Some bikes include an accessory tray for holding items such as water bottles, wallets, keys, or MP3 players like iPods.
Speakers
Cooling Fans
Portable? Some exercise bikes can fold up and/or have wheels that make it easy to roll them around for convenience and to save space.
Warranty The warranty is a very important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs by the manufacturer.	n/a

Our Rating

Rating: 88.75/100. The 860RB is Lifecore’s entry level recumbent bike. It costs just $999 and carries a three-year warranty for home use. This bike offers the same maximum resistance as the more expensive models in its series, but it has fewer resistance settings to choose from (16 versus 32). To support comfortable reclined riding the Lifecore 860RB has angled pedals, six seat settings to meet user height, foam seat cushioning, and three-position lumbar support. To streamline training sessions it has Quick Start mode plus 22 expertly designed workout programs in varied goal categories such as distance training and fat burn. The console can save multiple user profiles and give feedback in metric or English units. A beverage holder and a three-speed fan add to rider comfort. The Lifecore 860RB is an iPod compatible bike and has a tablet holder too. For easy repositioning after workouts the bike has built-in transport wheels. The MSRP of $999 includes a three-year parts warranty for home use.

Pros:

Ergonomic pedal slope (Two degrees)
Six settings to suit user height
Foam padded seat
Mesh seat back for good airflow
Three seat back angles
Pedals have quick release straps
22 workout programs
Touch heart rate sensors
iPod-compatible
Workout fan with three speeds
Mesh cup holder
No-slip station for tablet or smartphone
Transport wheels
Competitive warranty

Cons:

Shipping costs extra (Price depends on destination)
No wireless heart rate monitoring
Not foldable or compact

How does the Lifecore 860RB compare with more expensive bikes in its series? A key difference is the number of resistance levels; the 860RB has 16 while the 960RB and 1060RB have 32. However, the overall resistance range is the same. Another main difference is the number of workout programs. The 860RB also weighs a bit less and has touch pulse monitoring only while the other Lifecore bikes have wireless heart rate receivers. All three bikes are priced appropriately and have consumer-friendly warranties.

Introduction

The $999 Lifecore 860RB is a durable recumbent bike built to support multiple users. It’s a joint-friendly exercise option that’s useful for weight management, muscle toning, building strength and working the cardiovascular system. To meet different riders’ needs this bike has six seat positions, 16 resistance levels, and 22 preset workouts in different categories. It can also support three user profiles (User 1, User 2 and Guest).

Workout Programs

Start training without need for program setup. The Lifecore 860RB has Quick Start mode and 22 preset workout programs. Included are two programs for fat burn, five for interval training, four for strength building, five hill workouts, and five heart rate controlled workouts.

Workout progress is shown on an LED screen with amber readout. The monitor has two brightness settings and English/metric options. Data shown are calories, distance, resistance level, total time, segment time, watts, heart rate zone, RPM and speed.

Lifecore 860RB Bike Features

The Lifecore 860RB has a recumbent frame with easy-to-access design. Its pedals are smartly angled to support cycling that’s low impact on your joints. There are six seat positions to choose from.

The bike seat is chair-like with a high back and has foam cushioning. The seat back is a mesh material that helps you keep cool.

The pedals have quick-release straps for safety and convenience.

The 860RB is iPod compatible; it has a port and 3 watt speakers. The port can charge an iPod or other mobile device. The bike also has a holder for a tablet computer or phone.

The console has a three-speed fan.

A bottle holder is attached to the bike frame.

For heart rate monitoring the Lifecore 860RB has contact sensors built into the handlebars. Heart rate data can be used to control five of the workout programs.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Lifecore 860RB recumbent bike warranty includes:

– Frame: Lifetime
– Parts: 3 years
– Labor: 1 year

Conclusion

This recumbent bike is an all-around winner. The Lifecore 860RB is durable, fits a wide range of skill levels, provides a variety of training programs and makes it easy to add digital entertainment for extra motivation. It’s a great value at $999 with three years of parts coverage.