Reebok ZR10 Exercise Bike Review

From a brand name that needs no introduction, comes the latest offering in their ‘ZR’ range. The majority of the rest of the range is made up of treadmills and arguably, they are rather good treadmills at that! BUT can the same be said for this bike? We’ve got the facts and findings to help you decide!

Putting the pieces of the ZR10 together out of the box was a fairly hassle-free experience. The process is made relatively quick and painless by a logical 8-Step assembly guide with diagrams that are clear enough to bear the resemblance of the parts in front of you. Reebok give you a head start by thankfully keeping the main body of the bike in one, ready-assembled lump. There’s a manageable amount of parts, bolts and bits and (whether by good luck or judgement) they all seemed to fit together in a fairly obvious sequence.

Once assembled, it gives an eye pleasing first impression. The subtle, unique design ideas culminate to give an overall smart, sleek appearance. The most major attribute has to be Reebok’s use of black in the ZR10 range. It’s generally the most common choice of colour amongst treadmills but seeing the mix of gloss black paintwork and matt finished covers made us wonder why we don’t see this single, solitary colour used more exclusively on bikes from other manufacturers.

We’re still undecided as to whether the brave use of colour works as well on the few touches of blue? Sure, it’s only the 2 front transport wheels and a couple of adjustment knobs that have undergone the zingy blue ‘ZR’ treatment but we just felt that these small cosmetic details could possibly be a potential ‘spoiler’ on a bike that would otherwise surely compliment most interiors of any home. (Surely an easy fix if Reebok were to offer a selection of colour choices for these parts?)

Anyway, instead of dwelling on a trifling cosmetic quibble we should be praising the functionality – This mid-priced bike offers a surprisingly high-quality ride! Hidden away in that shiny black casing is a 7 kg flywheel; the weight of which, along with other high-quality components contributes to the smoothness and stability that can be felt with each revolution. Something quite unusual at this type of price point is that the ZR10 is a self-generating bike, so each revolution of the pedals actually charges up batteries built into the machine. This feature means that the ZR10 doesn’t need to be plugged into a mains socket and saves having to have a power cable running from the bike to a power socket. The one drawback of this feature is that it’s inevitable that the internal battery will eventually start to hold its charge less and less and will eventually, like all batteries, give up the ghost and stop holding a charge, meaning that you’ll have to either source a new internal battery from somewhere, or keep it plugged into the mains on a permanent basis. Thankfully, the bike is supplied with a mains adapter as standard. This can be used in instances where the bike hasn’t been used for a while and the battery goes flat, and when the battery does eventually reach the end of its life.

The ZR10 bike allows for a maximum user weight of 135kg, so our reviewer wasn’t shy in offering it the challenge of his own 120 kilos and to it’s credit, we didn’t detect a creak or grumble! At 6’2” he’s also rather tall (as well as heavy!) but the seat has plenty of adjustment both vertically as well as forwards and backwards. The angle of the handlebars can be simply adjusted too; so most limb lengths should be catered for. As is typical among many bikes, the seat stem is a bit prone to slightly wobble when pulled right out to the maximum height (The 9th hole) but once aboard it didn’t get a second thought (quite the contrary actually) we were very impressed at how solid and stable the ride feels.

The process of levelling the bike on the floor was rather more arduous than many of its competitors. Many bikes have an easily accessible dial at each corner which is simply turned either clockwise or anticlockwise to lift or lower. Not so with the ZR10. To adjust the levelling feet required the bike to be physically lifted to see and twist the pads underneath. It’s a slight hassle but perhaps worth the compromise as instead of the usual exposed plastic ‘shoes’ that fit over the feet of most other bikes, Reebok have opted for a more elegant and refined look where the end caps are fitted internally into the curved box section (There’s another example of those subtle but pleasant design ideas mentioned earlier).

As soon as you begin pedalling the console bursts into life and THAT is where the ZR10 really earned our admiration. It’s self-generating! Yep, you can plug it into the mains but, alternatively, it’s happy sitting anywhere in the room (we’re thinking facing the telly…) without the worry of cables threatening to trip up passers-by! This is a major ‘plus’ and one that is a very rare feature on a bike at this price point.

Once you’re pedalling, you should get a whole new appreciation for the console too. When that simple dark shiny box wakes up, it really is a transformation! You are greeted by a single row of 7 illuminated led buttons (It says they’re “red” in the manual but they appeared more ‘pinky’ to us? (Perhaps we weren’t pedalling fast enough?!) Anyway, these functions allow for up to 18 Programmes including all the usual faves like Recovery test, Watts etc. There is a Heart Rate Program but alas, this can only be used via the hand pulse sensors on the handlebars. It’s rather disappointing that there was not a built-in wireless heart rate receiver, but then we had to keep reminding ourselves of what price point this bike is sitting in. The ‘iPad-style’ console is rather comprehensive yet we found it interesting enough to play around with without the need or desire to give up and consult the manual (Yes that’s always the last resort!)

Amidst all of these pleasant surprises came the discovery of a good number of resistance levels – 32 to be exact! This bike indeed seems to have most of the fitness tools needed to satisfy the needs of a novice user to a more seasoned exercise enthusiast.

Overall, we felt that it was only the absence of a heart rate transmitter and the fact that the internal battery will eventually stop holding a charge that kept this model at a level of ‘good’ rather than ‘great’. Having said that, with plenty of other features and its solid build quality, the ZR10 Bike is undisputedly good.

Best Price

The Reebok ZR10 is not currently available from any retailers we're aware of in the UK.
It may be worth looking for a used machine on ebay

Review Summary - In Brief

This exercise bike from the Reebok ZR series is both impressive to look at and actually nice to use. We were a little concerned about the seemingly low flywheel weight of 6 kg (but it delivers 7kg inertia!), but once we started to use the machine, we were happy enough with its smoothness. More than anything else, the issue with the ZR10 is value for money. Unless the self-generating function (not needing to be plugged in) is the key feature that you're after (and that, as we've already highlighted, has drawbacks of its own), you can get the ridiculously good DKN AM-E that has more functions and a heavier flywheel, for a few pounds less.  

Reebok ZR10 Specifications

    • Flywheel Weight: 6kg delivering 7kg interia
    • Console: single, large LCD monitor
    • Dimensions: 120cm (47.2”) x 51cm (20”) x 140 cm (55”)
    • Heart Rate Measurement: Hand pulse measurement
    • Maximum user weight: 135 kgs (297.6 lbs)
    • Product weight: 37kg (81.6 lbs)
    • Programmes: 21 (Manual, Heart Rate Control, P1-P12, User program or Watt)
    • Resistance: 32 levels of Computer Controlled resistance
    • Power: Self generating, main adapter supplied
    • Extras: Comfortable pedals with straps, adjustable seat, handlebar, transportation wheels
    • Warranty: 2 years on site parts & labour

Reebok ZR10 Exercise Bike - Console / Display Unit

Reebok ZR10 Exercise Bike - User Reviews

The Pros

  • Stylish Looks
  • Self Generating
  • Smooth and sturdy

The Cons

  • Lack of wireless heart receiver
  • Internal battery pack subject to fatigue over time
Reebok ZR10 Exercise Bike Reviewer Ratings

 

Appearance - 8
Smoothness - 7
Comfort - 8
Programmes - 7
Ease Of Use - 8
Warranty - 8.5
Value for Money - 5
Best Price

The Reebok ZR10 is not currently available from any retailers we're aware of in the UK.
It may be worth looking for a used machine on ebay

Also see our Exercise Bike Comparison Table

Whilst every effort is made to give you accurate information we cannot guarantee the technical specification. Models change on a regular basis and may differ slightly from the above review. We recommend you contact the retailer if you have a question regarding technical data. Please read our Legal Disclaimer

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