Echelon EX-3 Smart Connect Indoor Cycle Review

As one of the emerging leaders in the cardio fitness industry, Echelon places a significant emphasis on safeguarding and enhancing its esteemed reputation. Upholding this reputation involves the consistent production of high-quality products that not only meet but exceed any commitments made. However, achieving this in the highly competitive realm of cutting-edge cardio machines is no small feat. To see what they’ve got on offer in their current catalogue, we took a look the Echelon EX-3 Smart Connect Indoor Cycle, to check out its performance and comparative standing in the market. Here’s what we found…

Typically, the vast majority of indoor cycles arrive in separate parts that need to be assembled and the EX-3 is no different to any other bike here. Thankfully getting the EX-3 put together is made easy thanks to the assembly instructions which are well put together with lots of pictures and each step making the process straightforward and easily comprehensible, even for those with few to little practical skills! This is a bike designed for end-user assembly and even individuals with minimal assembly experience need not be concerned. From start to finish, the entire assembly typically takes approximately 30 minutes to complete making this one of the easier indoor bikes to put together that we’ve recently tested.

After assembly, the robust nature of the EX-3 becomes evident—it’s far from lightweight. The solid frame means that there’s minimal movement, even with a shake. Weighing in at 47kg, the EX-3 boasts substantial weight which translates into a secure and stable riding experience. Despite its considerable heft, it’s quite easy to move around thanks to the large transport wheels at the front. In terms of look and feel, in contrast to the often mundane design of most indoor cycles, the EX-3 stands out with a sleek, modern and functional aesthetic. This doesn’t just look, but crucially also feels, like a well-made bit of kit. While this aligns with expectations for an Echelon bike, it’s always reassuring to have this confirmed when you see it in the flesh and it’s always good to see this sort of quality in any bit of cardio fitness equipment.

The riding position on the EX-3 is very good. The saddle provides a good level of adjustability for angle, reach, and height, while the handlebars are also height-adjustable. This enables quick and easy adjustments to be made to achieve an optimal riding position. The broad range of available adjustments ensures that pretty much no matter your height, it’s possible to get comfortable quickly and without lots of hassle. Every member of the testing team was able to easily get a good, comfortable riding position without any hassle. It’s clear here that a good deal of thought has actually gone into the design of the EX-3 rather than Echelon just following a formula. Although, like any bike, there are limitations, the EX-3 is generally well-suited for individuals ranging from around 5ft 2″ to approximately 6ft 4″, depending on individual body proportions.

The handlebars offer multiple grip positions, providing riders with a variety of options. Like most indoor cycles, the competition-style saddle closely resembles that of a typical road bike, aligning well with the anticipated riding style on this bike. For those preferring a more traditional exercise bike saddle, there’s the flexibility to switch it for a larger, wider style, thanks to its compatibility with standard bike fittings. Additionally, the pedals also feature toe-clips on one side and SPD fittings on the other offering users the flexibility to use different footwear according to their preferences.

Overall, the riding experience here is excellent. The 14kg flywheel delivers a really smooth ride and even when standing and pushing hard, the bikes remains smooth and consistent throughout the entire cycle. Clearly Echelon has opted to go for quality components as the whole thing feels butter smooth even when your pushing things to the most intense level you can manage.

Like most indoor cycles, the EX-3 comes with a console, unlike most indoor cycles the console on the EX-3 does not have a display built into it. This bike has been designed to deliver live classes and interactive content and for that by far and away the best way is to deliver that content via a smart device such as phone or a table. At the top of the console there’s a tablet holder that’ll take just about any size tablet you care to think of making ti widely compatible with a huge number of devices. Just sign up to and install the Echelon Fit app to get started, then connect your device to the EX-3 via Bluetooth and you’re ready to go. Once set up you’ll have instant access to more than 30 live classes per day as well as literally thousands of on-demand workouts with Echelon Premier Membership (30-day free trial included). The classes and videos are genuinely fun and engaging as well as challenging and form the heart of the experience on this bike. It would take far longer than we’ve got to go into every detail, but suffice to say that we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and can confirm that it compares well with some of the other market leading apps out there. One element that we’re really pleased to see on this bike, and something that’s bound to appeal to a huge range of users, is that you’re not locked into the Echelon app. The EX-3 has been set up to be compatible with a host of other apps too including Strava, Apple Health, and FitBit. This is definitely something worth shouting about as it’s nice to be able to pick and choose which apps you want to use rather than being locked into a closed system! Excellent choice from Echelon and one we’re fully behind.

The various workouts we tested are genuinely engaging and undeniably effective. They present a good balance of challenge and enjoyment that will definitely deliver results, which is of course the most important single element in all of this technology.

To complete the deal the EX-3 comes with wireless heart rate receiver (chest belt/armband optional), dual water bottle holder, dumbbell rack (dumbbells sold separetly) and a USB charging port to keep your device topped up while you’re working out. The EX-3 is also covered with a 1 year manufacturers warranty. This is shorter than many of its competitors but looking at the overall quality and robustness of this bike, it’s unlikely you’ll need it.

The whole package here is very impressive and even more so considering the current price. What you get for your money here more than your average indoor cycle and the bike itself feels great. We’re impressed!