M3 Plus Indoor Cycle

I can''t think of too many things I enjoy more than cycling. I usually will ride 1500 miles or more during a typical summer and in the off-season I take spinning classes or use the spin bike I have in my basement. I''ve owned several different, and far less expensive, spin bikes over the last few years and I can say without reservation that this M3 Plus bike is truly amazing. For reference, I own a Sole Fitness SB700: Sole Fitness SB700 Exercise Bike and my first spin bike was the entry level ProForm 290 SPX: ProForm 290 SPX Indoor Cycle Trainer

First impressions are that it looks like it should be in the Museum of Modern Art. It is just beautiful and minimalist in design. Although it looks minimalist, it certainly has no lack of features. For me, the most important feature improvement that the M3 Plus has over the With Computer Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle Stationary Indoor Trainer Exercise Bike is that Keiser addressed the issue of handlebar adjustment. The M3 had no capability to adjust the fore/aft position of the handlebar. That caused some issues for some people to get a good fit with the bike. The main reason there was a fit issue was that as you moved the handlebar to a higher position, the handlebar moves further forward since it is angled in the frame. If you are long-legged that means you have to move the saddle height up quite a bit and move the seat back, to get a proper knee over foot position. Unfortunately this also means that you need to move the handlebars up and since moving the handlebars up also moves them forward due to the angle, it results in a very stretched forward position that makes spinning difficult and actually puts you in an uncomfortable position on the bike.

That issue has vanished with the M3 Plus which now has a fore/aft adjustment for the handlebars. This eliminates the potential fit problem and makes the bike just about perfect.

The bike is virtually silent in operation. Your hard breathing will make more noise than the bike...seriously. The saddle is very comfortable and I''d say it is one of the most comfortable saddles I''ve used on a spin bike.

The resistance is adjusted by a very precise gear-lever located very conveniently on the near side base of the handlebar. What is notable about the resistance mechanism is that it does not rely on friction by pads on the flywheel, but by magnetic resistance. Since there is nothing actually rubbing on the wheel, that makes it smooth, non-pulsating and absolutely quiet.

The computer included with this bike is also excellent. The LCD digits are large and easy to see. The resistance level you have chosen is displayed on the computer as a "gear" and this is fantastic because it lets you consistently choose the same level of resistance predictably instead of guessing as you would with a pad-based friction mechanism.

The computer also displays your cadence (RPM), Power Output, Heart Rate, Elapsed Time, Gear (resistance level) and Odometer/trip distance. Another cool feature I like but don''t see in action that often is the automatically backlit display. A sensor on the computer automatically activates the backlight when it needs to.

I''m 6''2" and weigh 208lb. The bike is stable and seems quite solid to me. It doesn''t rock, sway or move in any way that I can percieve when I''m spinning...even if my cadence is quite high.

One final thing that almost seems minor is I really like the "gravity" water bottle platform. It''s nice not to have to fight a cage when getting your water bottle in/out.

I really like the M3 Plus. It''s got a great warranty, is well-constructed and operates about as good as a spinning bike could operate. If you are debating whether it could possibly be worth the money, I would say yes it is. Go ride a few $400-$600 spin bikes then hop on the M3. I think you''ll immediately realize, as I did, that you''re on an entirely different machine. The quality of construction will likely out last several of the el-cheapo bikes.

If you are serious about spinning and cycling you should really consider the Keiser M3 Plus. You might be able to get the M3 and save some money if you are not particularly tall or short since the more adjustable handlebar is really the only significant difference between the two bikes.

I did not want to pay over $1000 for an indoor bike. But the feature that I most wanted was the magnetic resistance which no bike under $1000 has. It came down to the Schwinn AC Performance and the Keiser M3 Plus for my top two contenders. I recently lost a lot of weight and reaped a whole host of health benefits from it--much of that due to my new-found love of biking. I wanted to bring that indoors for winter and bad weather days. If I have to spend over $1000, then so be it--health trumps cost right?

The M3 Plus arrived in great shape from UPS ground. It is well-packaged (unlike the biased video on youtube by S*****Cycles) and I doubt you would have any problems with shipping damage. Setup took just 30 minutes and unlike assembling furniture, there aren''t a lot of pieces/parts to it. I did get a sense of how well the bike is made and designed. While I wouldn''t call it heavy duty construction, for your typical home, it is very well made.

PROS:

-magnetic resistance

-"gears" controlled by lever and readout on computer

-quiet drive belt

-adjustability: seat up/down/fore/aft, handlebars up/down/fore/aft.

-multi-position handle bars

-built-in computer: RPM (cadence), ELAPSED TIME, HEART RATE (Polar compatible), WATTS, GEAR, TRIP/ODO distance.

-dual platform/SPD Shimano Pedals

-designed and manufactured in the USA!

-backlit LCD (although rather dim)

CONS:

-distance on computer is arbitrary unit.

-no performance analysis on computer

-cost.

COMMENTS:

I would definitely pay the extra premium to get the handlebar adjustability of the M3 "PLUS". Fitment is key!

Computer: Some competitors charge more than $150 extra and may not be as useful or integrated with the unit as this one is. Also, the "gears" display is something that is very worthwhile as you can go select any gear and know exactly what kind of resistance it has--no guessing and adjusting continously. The computer is very useful, especially with HR monitoring with an optional Polar Wearlink Coded 31 Transmitter (recommended). Read up on target heart rate zone. One note: The distance/ODO is an arbitrary unit of distance. It is not miles or km. Every 200 revolutions is counted as 1 unit of distance. Would have been nice to have Keiser calibrate this distance to your typical road bike wheel size (ie. 700x25). Re: performance analysis, I am talking some HR monitors will estimate calories burned, time in heart rate zone, average HR, etc. The computer is very basic. However, you can pay attention to energy expended (WATTS) and try to maintain or increase that from workout to workout. In any case, use the computer to your advantage--whether it be maximizing workout distance, maintaining heart rate zone, maximizing energy expended, maintaining cadence, upping the "gear", etc.

I love how quiet this unit is. You can watch tv or listen to music without turning up the sound to absurdly high levels. Some units are chain based and make a lot of racket or require servicing for time to time.

The Shimano pedals are the exact same ones I use on my Trek hybrid bike! Tip: go get some bike shoes and Shimano SM-SH56 SPD Cleat Set. You can go stand pedal or pedal hard without worry about losing grip. I do not like the cage so I removed those with two screws on each pedal.

Lastly, keep your M3 Plus looking and working great by keeping it clean, lubing the key points outlined in the manual, and wax some select surfaces with car polish.

Buy M3 Plus Indoor Cycle Now

This is quite simply the best spin bike there is. I have researched spin bikes for the past 2 years, and have had a bad experience with one. The bike is compact, sturdy, incredibly easy to adjust, and whisper quiet. Its infinitely adjustable, which is a rarity. Now it has the fore and aft adjustable handlebars, making it even better. The pedals can be easily swapped out. Basically, you can customize this bike to be anything you want it to be. I had trouble moving a heavy flywheel on other spin bikes. This one is magnetic going from gear 1 to 24. It is so easy to use, you feel like you''re missing steps. Its smooth as silk and I found it to feel better than using a bike on a trainer. Don''t even look at another spin bike. Get this one. For a person with physical ailments to someone who is an elite cyclist, this one would work for anyone. I can''t say enough good things about it. The price might seem high, but for what you are getting, its worth every penny and then some.

Read Best Reviews of M3 Plus Indoor Cycle Here

Product arrived quickly and was well packed so no damage. Easy to assemble in less than an hour. Some specialty tools were requested but not really required. Only 4 main parts. When riding the adjustments on the bike are easy to operate and allow you to finely adjust based on how hard you want to ride. I like 3 minute intervals and moving back and forth is easy and quick. The best part is the quiet operation and the heavy duty construction of the parts that will clearly last a long time. I have 4 different machines in my home gym and it is already my favorite. It is so quiet you can use even early in the morning without worrying about waking anyone. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a well made exercise machine. Both me and my husband are now racing to wake up and be the first one on the bike.

Want M3 Plus Indoor Cycle Discount?

I seldom ever write a review as for the most part I get what I paid for. But in this case, the Keiser M3Plus exceeded my expectations at every level.

The packaging was exceptional the best packed product I have ever received

The assembly instructions were simple, well laid out and easy to follow. Assembly took about 35 minutes

And then we get to the bike itself what can I say....

SOLID DURABLE WELL DESIGNED ATTENTION TO DETAIL

A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART TOTALLY SILENT SIMPLE NO FRILLS COMPUTER

SHIMANO CLIPS AND TOE CLIP STRAP COMFORTABLE EASY ADJUSTABLE RIDING POSITION

STABLE CAN STAND UP AND CLIMB OR SIT DOWN AND SPIN

JUST AN AWESOME PRODUCT (AND MADE IN AMERICA)

Best purchase of 2012 for me