BodyCraft’s R200 is a great looking recumbent bike with some solid performance specs, but what stands out most to me is how compact and easy to use it is.
With a straightforward console and a footprint of only 48″, the R200 might sound good to folks looking for an easy to use bike that won’t take up much floor space.
It’s also backed by a great warranty – something that always peeks my interest.
But I’ve got several issues with the R200 too – like the higher than usual step over frame and surprisingly steep asking price.
If you’re looking for a quality home recumbent bike, I can see why you might be interested in the BodyCraft R200, but before you buy, you really need to know what to expect (as well as what other comps are out there).
And this is where I can help.
In this review, I’ll go over everything this recumbent bike does and doesn’t have going for it – I’ll also compare it to some of the other top models in its price range so you can see how it stacks up.
After reading, you’ll know unequivocally whether or not the R200 is the right recumbent bike for your home.
Well, without further ado…
The BodyCraft R200 Recumbent Bike
BodyCraft is a respected fitness brand that’s been around since the early ’90s.
They’re known for both their commercial and residential machines and they’ve got extensive lineups to choose from in both categories.
They also offer a little bit of everything, from cardio machines to impressive home gym systems.
That said, at the time of writing this, they only have 2 recumbent bikes to choose from – and that’s counting the R200 we’re here to discuss right now.
The R200 is marketed as a residential model and priced as such too, but more on that in a bit.
Let’s start with a rundown on the R200’s performance specs.
Pros
- 18 lb flywheel
- 20 levels of resistance
- Heavy-duty frame
- Compact footprint
- 350 lb weight limit
- Vertically adjustable back rest
- Heart rate monitoring
- Great warranty
Cons
- Flywheel lighter than other competitors
- Basic console
- Have to pay extra for bluetooth sensor
- Overpriced (in my humble opinion)
Resistance
Recumbent bikes are often sought after because they offer a more comfortable workout experience, but that doesn’t mean a quality model can’t still kick your butt when you want it too.
It’s all a matter of how impressive its resistance system is.
Like most other home exercise bikes, recumbents use weighted flywheels and magnetic systems to create the resistance you work against.
And most recumbents are also designed to benefit from having heavy flywheels.
That’s because the extra weight helps build more momentum, which in turn helps keep the pedals moving between pedal strokes, making for a smoother pedaling motion.
Flywheel weights on recumbents vary, but generally speaking, we don’t see nearly as heavy flywheels on recumbent bikes as we do on indoor cycles.
That said, high performing recumbents can still pack flywheels in the 20 – 30 lb range.
With all of this in mind, the R200 comes with an 18 lb flywheel.
This isn’t bad for a home recumbent bike, but there are plenty of other recumbents in this price range packing more weight.
Examples include Sole’s LCR with its 30 lb flywheel, Spirit’s XBR95 with its 30 lb flywheel, and NordicTrack’s Commercial R35 and its 25 lb flywheel.
So, in terms of flywheel weight, I would say the R200 is a bit below average for a recumbent in this price range.
This doesn’t mean it can’t still offer a smooth ride, but personally, if I know I can get a heavier flywheel for the same price, why not go for it?
That’s assuming all other things are equal.
Moving on.
The R200 comes with 20 resistance levels, which is pretty good for any recumbent.
Some come with more, some come with less, but with this many levels at your disposal, you’ll have good control over the intensity of your workouts.
Overall, this bike scores fairly in the resistance category, but nothing too particularly stands out here.
Frame
But there’s certainly more to a recumbent bike than its resistance system, especially for folks who are just looking for a comfortable way to keep those legs moving.
There’s also the stability and comfort of the frame to consider.
Something that is great about the R200 is how compact it is.
With a footprint of only 48″ x 21″, this recumbent definitely takes up less floor space than most competitors.
So, if you have limited space to begin with, this could certainly be an advantage.
The R200 also comes with a heavy-duty frame. With an 11-gauge steel frame and an assembled weight of around 127 lb, you won’t have to worry about this bike feeling flimsy.
It also comes with an impressive weight limit of 350 lb, allowing folks of all sizes to safely ride it.
Something that stands out to me as being a little odd though, is how high the frame is between the flywheel and the seat.
There’s a little cut out section here to make it a little easier to step over, but it’s still a lot higher than what most other home recumbents with true step-through frames come with.
Most home recumbents come with very low to the ground frames, making it easy to access the seat from either direction.
The higher step-over frame on the R200 could be an issue for folks dealing with mobility deficits.
Overall, I like how compact and heavy-duty this bike is, but I think the higher frame height between the flywheel and seat looks dated.
Warranty
BodyCraft backs their R200 Recumbent Bike with the following residential warranty:
- Lifetime frame
- 5 year parts
- 1 year labor
I’ve got 0 complaints when it comes to the R200’s warranty – this is a great guarantee on all accounts.
You can’t beat a lifetime frame warranty and unfortunately, there aren’t that many bikes offering this these days.
Five years on the parts is also quite good, considering most only offer 2-3 years on their parts.
A year on labor is pretty standard stuff, so nothing too special there.
But overall, a fantastic warranty.
Features
The BodyCraft R200 comes with the following included features:
LCD console- the display on this bike is a bit dated looking and there aren’t any higher-tech features to speak of, but it’s easy to read and large enough to see all workout metrics clearly during use.
6 workout programs- this is pretty bare bones when it comes to workouts, but if you’re cool with using manual and doing your own thing, you won’t mind.
Vertically adjustable seat back- this is something you don’t see on many bikes these days, but you can adjust the height of the back rest. This is a nice feature for people with back pain, because you can fine tune where that lumbar support hits.
Heart rate monitoring- there are built-in contact sensors in the handles and the console is also compatible with strap monitors, although one isn’t included with purchase.
Water bottle holder- this is where you can hold your beverage of choice.
Optional bluetooth sensor sold separately – this allows you to connect with fitness apps, why we’re expected to pay extra for technology that should be a given these days is beyond me.
Price
Ok, at the time of writing this (I say that because these prices could change tomorrow), the R200 is selling for $1599 online.
This puts it in that mid- to high-end range most folks are probably looking to spend for a recumbent bike.
True, it’s still a lot cheaper than the $3k+ commercial grade recumbents out there, but it’s still a lot more expensive than the budget-friendly, $500 – $700 bikes out there.
And realistically, this $1500 ranges is where we usually see the best options for most home users.
The biggest comps in this price range are Sole’s LCR, Spirit’s XBR95, and NordicTrack’s R35.
The LCR is priced identically, comes with a 30 lb flywheel, 40 levels of resistance, a heavier-duty frame, a more sophisticated console, and even a slightly better warranty (2 year labor).
The XBR95 goes for around $1899 and also comes with a 30 lb flywheel, 40 levels of resistance, a self-generating power source, a more advanced console, and an even longer warranty (10 year parts).
The R35 is a bit cheaper at $1499 and it comes with a 25 lb flywheel, 26 resistance levels, and an HD touchscreen console; although the warranty is shorter (10 year frame, 2 year parts).
Long-story-short, there’s a lot of competition in this price range.
Final Thoughts
And honestly, I think there are much better buys in this price range.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with the R200, but I think it’s too expensive for what you’re getting.
True, it’s heavy-duty, comfortable, and backed by a great warranty – but the problem is, there are plenty of other recumbents in this price range that are too.
And these other recumbents also happen to come with updated consoles and better performance specs.
Of course, if you’re actively looking for a simple console, the R200 could be a nice option.
The most obvious reason I could see to choose the R200 over the other comps I mentioned would be if you really needed a compact recumbent.
Because if that’s the case, it’s going to be hard to find a smaller footprint on a recumbent bike (the R200 is even an inch shorter than 3G Cardio’s Elite RB).
Overall though, I don’t think the R200 is a particularly smart buy – there’s just too many other great recumbents for this price.
