The Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike is an affordable, top-rated, bestselling, semi-recumbent folding exercise bike. With this in mind, exercising from home needn’t be expensive or use too much space. The Exerpeutic 400XL is compact, folds up for secure storage, and comes at around $200.
The semi-recumbent refers to the fact that it is a cross between an upright and a recumbent bike. For example, on a recumbent bike, your legs are in front of you, and with an upright bike, they are below you. Therefore, using the 400XL, your legs are in front of you and down at an angle from your body.
Another impressive aspect of the Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike is that it is pretty strong for being such a small and inexpensive recumbent bike. In addition, the steel tube frame ensures maximum durability and has a user weight limit of 300 pounds, which is impressive for a recumbent bike with a folding frame.
The 400XL has an easy-to-read 3″ x 1.6″ LCD fitness monitor which displays workout stats. These are your Time, Distance, Speed, Calories Burned, and Pulse. In addition, there’s also an Odometer and a scan function. If you select the latter, the monitor will rotate through the stats displaying one at a time, with each staying on the screen for 6 seconds.
Learn more in my complete review below!
Product: Exerpeutic 400XL Recumbent Bike
Price: For a great deal on this bike, merely go here on Amazon
Warranty: Frame 1 year/parts 90 days
My rating: is 9/10
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Affiliate Program participant, I earn commissions on purchases made through links in this post. Full disclosure
Details and Specifications
- In-use dimensions: 46 ins H x 19 ins W x 33 ins L
- Folded dimensions: 54 ins H x 17 ins W x 20 ins L
- Maximum user weight limit: 300 pounds
- Weight: 43 lbs
- Warranty: Frame 1 year/parts 90 days
400XL Frame Const
The Experpeutic 400XL is a lightweight bike that folds up with narrow stabilizers, so it puts you on alert at first look – it is understandable to think it might not correctly support you as you work out. It weighs 43 lbs and is 19 inches wide.
But it surprises me. It stays solid with no rocking or feeling that it will tip even for taller users when you ride it. The steel tubing frame is sturdy and remains solid without flexing or moving around as you work out. It stays stable on all surfaces, including thick carpet, providing a flat floor. However, it doesn’t have levelers for leveling the bike on any slightly uneven floor.
The manufacturer recommends the bike fits people between 5 ft 2″ and 6 ft 2″. Adjusting for different heights is quick and is a simple process of loosening the adjustment knob on the seat post until it can move up and down. Then slide it up or down until the seat is at the correct position for you, insert the pin (part of the knob) into the preset hole, and tighten it in place.
It should take more than 30 seconds, allowing it to adjust for as many different people who want to use it — allowing you to have only one bike for the whole family.
400XL Seat and Handlebars
The back of the seat on the 400XL has a slight decline to lean back. Unfortunately, this is not adjustable. However, most people find it at a comfortable angle for cycling.
The padding on the seat and back provides an extra comfort level and support for your lower back. Also, the adjustable seat position adapts the bike to fit a wide range of user heights.
The 400XL handlebars are on either side of the seat. They sit a little lower than the seat, so they shouldn’t interfere with anyone with wide hips – the distance between them is 21 inches.
You don’t need to grip them to support yourself as you ride. The seatback provides enough support to stay in place as you ride. You can use your hands to use a tablet, hold a book, play a video game, or lift light weights.
Pedals
The pedals are out in front of you. Thus, reducing the pressure on the knees and legs but not as much as a complete recumbent bike. Therefore, many people with joint issues use the bike successfully without pain and state it has helped their rehab.
The pedals are made from sturdy plastic and accommodate athletic shoes with a non-grip surface. A strap goes over the shoes to hold them in place to ensure no slippage. Furthermore, pedaling backward is not advisable as it can loosen and strip the pedals.
400XL Resistance and Drive Systems
You set the amount of resistance you want by turning the knob just below the fitness monitor. Thus, it moves a magnetic brake closer or further away to increase/decrease the resistance. The markings on the knob guide you to how much resistance you have set the bike on.
At resistance setting one, it is effortless to pedal without much resistance (almost none). It is gentle on the knees with very little or no impact to hurt them at this level. Based on doctors’ advice, many people have used the bike to help rehab their knees successfully and other medical conditions (recovering from heart attacks).
As you increase the tension, the resistance becomes harder to pedal. However, it increases progressively in increments – it doesn’t’ go from smooth to hard from one level to the next – it is just a tiny increase – so you can set it at the level you are comfortable at or handle.
When you get to 7 and eight, it becomes hard to push against, and the cycling motion can become choppy as it speeds up and slows down as you go from pushing down to moving around the top and bottom of the stroke.
Thus, it can add a minor impact to the strokes, but it only pushes your legs, not your body weight, behind the stroke, so the effect is not as significant as you get with walking or on an upright bike. (It has a light flywheel, so you don’t get the inertia to pull through the pedals as you get on a spin bike.)
Tucked away in this bike’s body is a well-balanced flywheel; the pedals turn this via a quiet belt drive. Exerpeutic has gone for a simple but effective V-Belt Double Drive system on the 400XL. The V-belt drive system delivers a smooth riding experience. It is also quiet and doesn’t require maintenance, and it should give years of trouble-free workouts.
400XL Fitness monitor
The 400XL has a simple fitness monitor. It displays distance (miles), odometer, time, speed (mph), calories burned, and pulse when your hands hold the pulse sensors in the handlebars.
By pressing the button below the LCD screen, you can view one metric or set it to scan through all of the metrics showing every 6 seconds. This button also resets all metrics to zero except the odometer. The odometer resets when you take out the batteries.
The LCD screen is 3.3 by 1.5 inches, with large numbers for easy viewing while pedaling. It’s positioning between your legs can seem a little low, but you don’t need to strain to see it.
The hand pulse “heart” sensors are in the bars on either side of the seat in easy reach. For your pulse/heart rate to register, you must hold both firmly but not too tight.
The displayed heart rate tends to show a higher heart rate than the actual, so it should only be used as a guide rather than taken as your heart rate. Thus, it is similar to most monitors with hand pulse sensors.
The 400XL monitor is battery-operated using 2 AAA batteries (supplied), which is the only power requirement for the bike – the rest is manual. The monitor turns off after 4 minutes of not being used. Thus, it saves the battery from running down.
Unfortunately, the fitness monitor doesn’t’ have preset programs you can exercise to. It doesn’t store your workouts – if you want to track your progress. You’ll need to keep a journal or make a spreadsheet. However, the odometer holds a record of your cumulative distance ridden.
Storage
The 400XL folds up to about half its size to fit in closets or store out of the way. This space-saving feature makes a good option for places where space is at a premium, such as small apartments, work offices, or even a buy home.
It allows you to get the bike out and exercise during your lunch hour at your office. Once your lunch hour is over, you can pack it up and store it out of the way. You are unlikely to disturb anyone working through their lunch as it is hushed.
Folding it up doesn’t take long and is simple to do. You remove the two safety pins, push the legs together, push the computer post down, and re-insert the safety pins.
There are transport wheels on the back stabilizer bar. They work well on hard floors, but because they are mostly recessed, they aren’t that effective on the soft carpet, and the bike will need to be dragged/carried.
Pros
- Quick and easy to assemble (30 to 45 minutes);
- Much more cost-effective than a full commercial gym membership;
- The 400XL compact design takes up little space when working out;
- The folding frame makes it easy to store;
- The sturdy design prevents any unwanted movement when cycling;
- The low-profile frame makes it easy to get on and off the bike;
- A challenging range of resistance levels;
- Quiet to use;
- A full seat and cushioned lower back support create a more comfortable workout;
- The lightweight frame and transport wheels make it easy to transport;
- A three-piece cranking system provides a smooth, pedaling motion.
Cons
- Heart rate and calories burned statistics aren’t consistently accurate;
- Despite the range of seat settings, the 400XL tends to be better suited to users under 6ft tall;
- The fitness monitor doesn’t have preset workout programs.
Exerpeutic 400XL Summary
The 400XL folding exercise bike is a great way to add activity to your life without spending a fortune. You can get the exercise done while watching TV or reading a book. It is so quiet; you can work out in the middle of the night while others sleep.
When you couple this with a proper diet, it can help to burn calories and lose weight. Or generally to get in and stay in shape. Thus, it makes an excellent option for getting low-impact activity and exercises in the home’s comfort.
I hope you found this article helpful and informative. Would you please speak up if you have anything you’d like to share on the topic or any opinions about my website? I look forward to your comments, questions, and the sharing of ideas.
Please remember that you should consult your physician to determine if you have any medical or physical conditions that could risk your health and safety or prevent you from using the equipment properly. In addition, your physician’s advice is essential if you are taking medication that affects your heart rate, blood pressure, or cholesterol level.