Viavito Onyx Folding Exercise Bike

It’s rare these days to see a new brand launching into a highly competitive and over-supplied fitness equipment market yet Viavito is a brand that has established itself in the market by producing models that deliver good bang for buck. The reason we were intrigued and interested is that the people behind this brand include some heavyweight industry figures.  So, we got hold of their Onyx folding exercise bike to find out how it stacks up!

Assembling the bike was a pretty simple following the instructions and only took about 10 minutes. It’s during the assembly process that we got our initial hint about the Viavito brand: everything lined up as it should and there’s a feel of quality about the components.

Once put together, the striking looks of the Onyx become apparent. This is one nice looking folding bike – all black with accents of red in all the right places! So, is it all just looks and no substance, we wondered…

Well, the first clue about the attention to detail on the Onyx came from putting the Onyx on our slightly uneven floor. The rear end caps are actually leg levellers: you simply turn each one to adjust the level. There are only a few millimetres of adjustment possible, but that’s usually more than enough to get the job done.

The ‘X’ frame of the bike fold by just picking it up by the handlebar and seat. There are no locking mechanisms on this bike, so it’s extremely quick to go from one position to another but as always with this type of bike we’d have liked to have seen something to stop it potentially closing in on your fingers accidently. As with most folding bikes of this frame design, the bike does not plug into a power socket, so it’s easy to use it anywhere in the house without worrying about access to a mains outlet.

The seat height is adjustable and seat itself is very nicely padded and more comfortable to use that most mid-priced exercise bikes we review!

The all-important pedalling feel is very nice and smooth. We were worried about this when looking at the spec sheet that stated it’s fitted with a 1.2kg flywheel. Clearly, this type of bike is never going to be smooth as high-end or gym grade machines, but it felt smoother than most folding bikes that we’ve tried in the past. We can only assume that the internal mechanism and other moving parts are adding to the rotating mass and elevating the Onyx to a cut above the rest!

The resistance level is controlled using a simple twist dial just below the console and offers 8 levels. A lot of the folding bikes we’ve tested over the years offer little to no resistance with the top resistance being hardly distinguishable from the first setting. We were delighted that at the top end, the Onyx does provide noticeable resistance! It’s still not muscle burning hard, but enough to increase the intensity of a 20-minute exercise session to a level that generates a good deal of sweat! πŸ™‚

Another aspect that distinguishes the Onyx from the plethora of cheap folding bikes out there is the handlebar & console. There is a distinct feel of quality about it: from the thick foam padding on the handlebar to the stylish moulded console that’s attached to it.

The console doesn’t provide entertainment or motivational programmes but does give the basic exercise stats needed in a simple way. You either toggle through speed, distance, exercise time, RPM and heart rate by pressing the button on the console, or select the convenient scan mode which automatically cycles through (pardon the pun!) then continuously every few seconds.

We were pleasantly surprised to find a heart rate measurement on a bike at this level and can report that the pulse grips sensors worked pretty well. No grip sensors are going to be as accurate as wearing a chest strap, but they’re useful for a getting an occasional reading to get an idea of whether the exercise session is achieving in cardio goal of raising your heart rate.

So, the first product from the Viavito brand that we’ve reviewed has managed to really impress us! If this is a preview of what’s to come from this brand, we’re very excited and looking forward to reviewing their other products when they become available!

Viavito have produced a video showing off the Onyx Exercise Bike and we’ve included it below:

Update: Since writing this review and the release of this video, the Onyx bike has been updated to feature a locking mechanism which is a very welcome addition and it’s made what was already a great product even better. Well done Viavito!

Best Price

Currently available for £99.99 from Sweatband.com

Review Summary - In Brief

The Onyx folding exercise bike from the newly launched Viavito brand is smooth, comfortable, well-designed as well as stylish! At the current offer price it's a bargain and a perfect solution for those that don't have the room for a full-sized exercise bike, as well as those with a very tight budget!

Viavito Onyx Specifications

    • Compact and foldable design
    • 8 levels of silent and friction-free magnetic resistance
    • 1.2kg (2.6lbs) cast iron flywheel with multi-plate magnets
    • LCD console
    • Console Feedback: time, speed, distance, calories, pulse
    • Heart rate measurement via hand pulse sensors
    • Extra padded PVC seat with adjustable height
    • Self-presenting non-skid pedals with adjustable foot straps
    • Fixed handlebars
    • Maximum User Weight: 100kg (220lbs)
    • Product Weight: 13.9kg (30.6lbs)
    • Dimensions (in use): Length=81cm (32”), Width=42cm (16.5”), Height=107cm (42”)
    • Dimensions (folded): Length=33cm (12.9”), Width=41cm (16.1”), Height=136cm (53.5”)
    • EN-957 Certificate – European Safety compliant
    • Warranty: 2 years

Viavito Onyx Exercise Bike - Console / Display Unit

Viavito Onyx Exercise Bike - User Reviews

The Pros

  • Quality Feel
  • Smooth action
  • Stylish looks
  • Good top level resistance

The Cons

  • Light flywheel
Viavito Onyx Exercise Bike Reviewer Ratings

 

Appearance - 9
Smoothness - 9
Comfort - 9
Programmes - 8.5
Ease Of Use - 10
Warranty - 8.5
Value for Money - 9.25
Best Price

Currently available for £99.99 from Sweatband.com

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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