ProForm 440 ES Recumbent Exercise Bike Review

Quick Summary

The ProForm 440 ES is a recumbent bike made for cross training with low impact to your spine, knees and other sensitive joints. Highlights include comfortable seating, built-in training programs, and iFit Coach readiness for downloading unlimited new workout programs. Sold with a standard two-year parts warranty, the 440 ES is among the best deals in its price class. Read our full review to decide whether it’s the best recumbent exercise bike for your budget.

Specifications

Model	ProForm 440 ES
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the bike's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	85.4%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$799
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.	$549
Resistance The flywheel in an exercise bike is what creates resistance. You can choose the level of resistance to increase your workout intensity.	25
Resistance Type The type of resistance shows what kind of flywheel is being used (if any), and its weight if the manufacturer provides it.	Silent Magnetic
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.	18 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
Frame It's important to choose an exercise bike that will last, and the material of the frame determines how durable the bike is.	Commercial-Grade Steel
Seat The most important part for comfortability during your workout, the seat should be adjustable and have ample cushioning.	Adjustable, Oversized Seat with Lumbar Support
Pedals Pedals are the driving force for an exercise bike, and should be comfortable, adjustable, and easy to control without slipping.	Extra Wide Ergonomic Foot Pedals with Straps
Programs Bike Programs allow you to complete a workout with changing speeds and inclines, without changing anything manually.	32
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.	Grip Pulse EKG Heart Rate Monitor
Display Display refers to the screen you'll look at to monitor workouts. LED and LCD displays are similar to TV screens.	5" Backlit Display
Max. Weight Max. User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that the bike can safely support, which can represent durability.	350 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this treadmill will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	52" x 22.25" x 58.9"
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.	Frame: Lifetime Parts: 2 Years Labor: 1 Year

Our Rating

Rating: 85.4/100. The ProForm 440 ES ($799) appeals to shoppers seeking low-strain exercise for weight management, cardio exercise and lower-body muscle toning. Plenty of goodness is packed into this low-priced ride: cushioned seating with lumbar support, 32 on-board workouts, iFit Coach readiness, an adjustable tablet holder and more!

But no exercise bike is the best for everyone. The main drawback here is that resistance is relatively light. If you’re an experienced cyclist, you’d probably prefer a similar but stronger exercise bike from NordicTrack (ProForm’s sister company).

Here are pros and cons to consider about choosing the ProForm 440 ES.

Pros:

Padded chair-like seat with ventilated back support– Step Thru design (Easily get on/off the bike)
Quiet magnetic resistance for light to moderate strength training
Adjustable holder for your tablet computer
32 built-in workout programs
iFit Coach-ready for unlimited workout downloads and automatic stats logging
Sound system compatible with MP3 players (Has charging port and 2” console speakers)
Workout fan with two speeds
Water bottle holder
High capacity (350 pounds)
Low price
Two-year parts warranty

Cons:

Assembly takes about two hours, so paying for pro assembly might be worthwhile
Does not support wireless heart rate monitoring
Maximum resistance is relatively light at 18 pounds

Introduction

The ProForm 440 ES is a popular home fitness machine for affordable and pain-free cross training. For $799 or less it can help you manage weight, exercise your heart, and tone your lower half – all with low impact to your back, knees, hips and other joints. As a ProForm the 440 ES stands out from competitors because of plentiful programming. Nearly three dozen training programs are built-in, plus the bike can connect with unlimited workout programs from iFit Coach. Read on for details about the workout options and other features.

ProForm 440 ES Workout Programs

Ride toward your fitness goals with help from pro-designed workouts! Bikes in the ProForm ES Series can work with iFit Coach to run unlimited workout programs, plus they have on-board workout menus.

First, the 440 ES is iFit Coach-ready. This means that it can wirelessly connect with your own device running the iFit Coach app. Dock your tablet computer, for example, and get interactive scenic views of landscapes and cityscapes! The iFit Coach workout program will adjust to your speed, and it can control your bike’s resistance to replicate the terrain. iFit lets you train solo with infinite possibilities for Google Maps workouts, or train with tips and motivation from a world-class trainer with interactive iFit Coach video workouts. The app automatically logs your session statistics, and optionally you can connect iFit Coach with your mobile phone and a wearable device for 24/7 stats tracking (steps, calories, distance and more).

Second, each of the 32 workout programs built into the 440 ES was designed by a certified personal trainer to help you focus on calorie burn, intensity or performance. These workouts make your exercise sessions efficient by automatically adjusting the challenge. For example, you might cycle with light resistance for several minutes, and then pedal with a greater challenge for a minute or two.

Recumbent Bike Features

Comfortable seating is key to a good recumbent bike. The 440 ES features a cushioned and easy-to-access seat; no bike bar knocks your legs. The seat has a high back for lumbar support, and the back is mesh to help you stay cool. For easy repositioning the seat glides on a rail.

For quiet operation ProForm ES bikes have magnetic resistance systems. The 440 ES uses an 18-pound magnetic flywheel with 25 settings for very customized challenges.

For heart rate monitoring the 440 ES has grip sensors on the handlebars. The readout is given with other stats on a 5” LCD.

Like most ProForm exercise bikes, the 440 ES enhances workout time with special features. A simple but significant feature is the tablet computer holder. Watch a movie, read your email and the news, or check social media. Staying connected can help you work out for longer!

To help you motivate with music, the bike has a sound system with 2” stereo speakers. The auxiliary port is iPod-compatible.

Also ready to support your endurance are a convenient water bottle holder and a two-speed workout fan.

Very compact, the 440 ES measures just 22.25” wide and 59” long.

Warranty & Guarantee

The standard ProForm 440 ES warranty is generous for a $799 recumbent bike. It includes:

– Frame: Lifetime

– Parts: 2 Years

– Labor: 1 year

ProForm also provides a 30-day money back guarantee.

Conclusion

There’s lots to like about the ProForm 440 ES. With its comfortable design, potentially infinite workout programs, a tablet computer holder and other appealing specs, it’s a top competitor for workouts with light to moderate resistance at just $799.

If the ProForm 440 ES is right for you, remember to search the ProForm website for multiple versions. You could save money on a similar model from a previous year.

For greater resistance but all the benefits of iFit Coach, see similar exercise bikes from NordicTrack.