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Echelon EX-4S Exercise Bike w/screen and 1yr membership $999 in store at Costco YMMV
$999.00
So I started researching Pelotons for my wife yesterday, and have major issue spending that much. Came upon this Echelon company in another SD thread. See that they have an EX3 that has no screen, and then an EX5 that has a big Peloton-size screen but that is like $1600 or something. Costco online has that EX5 for delivery and there are a fair number of negative reviews.
Someone had mentioned this EX4 in store Costco so I went to my store today and they had 6 on the floor. Nothing online I can find about it. Has a 10 inch "HD" screen so certainly smaller than an EX5, but better than EX3 which has none. I don't know the stats on flywheel but I can say that the box was surprisingly freakin heavy (says 120 pounds) so something in there must be "solid" haha.
I nabbed it just to have it, in case these start flying off the shelves once I post this haha. It says it comes with 1 yr of the app membership, which right there would be worth $480 I think. For me, much better to spend a thou and see if my wife really uses this, and can always do Peloton later or just stick with Echelon. We might find out that the 1yr app membership is hobbled in some way (like doesn't include live classes or something) but will see. I just nabbed the item and will store it till Xmas and then figure it out. If anyone else gets better info they can share. Benefit of this unit beyond the price is that I actually have it in hand, vs some vaporware delivery slot for Echelon EX5 or Peloton....
Store locator: https://www.costco.com/warehouse-locations
Someone had mentioned this EX4 in store Costco so I went to my store today and they had 6 on the floor. Nothing online I can find about it. Has a 10 inch "HD" screen so certainly smaller than an EX5, but better than EX3 which has none. I don't know the stats on flywheel but I can say that the box was surprisingly freakin heavy (says 120 pounds) so something in there must be "solid" haha.
I nabbed it just to have it, in case these start flying off the shelves once I post this haha. It says it comes with 1 yr of the app membership, which right there would be worth $480 I think. For me, much better to spend a thou and see if my wife really uses this, and can always do Peloton later or just stick with Echelon. We might find out that the 1yr app membership is hobbled in some way (like doesn't include live classes or something) but will see. I just nabbed the item and will store it till Xmas and then figure it out. If anyone else gets better info they can share. Benefit of this unit beyond the price is that I actually have it in hand, vs some vaporware delivery slot for Echelon EX5 or Peloton....
Store locator: https://www.costco.com/warehouse-locations
Created 11-30-2020
at 01:19 PM
by Hogan773
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And no, I don't work for Zwift or any other bike related company, but I suppose I'm happily drinking the cool aid. After using MMR for many years on my smartphone for free, recently syncing to Strava via Wahoo computer, I see basically everyone who enjoys outdoor cycling uses Zwift. No, it is not exactly the same as riding outdoors, but it's about as close as you can get. And I'll see how immersive my experience gets once my new TCL 75" TV shows up on Friday from the Best Buy deal this week
With cycling, like most other sports or even golf, there's some great simulators out there, but if someone could ride a real bike outdoors with friends or go sit inside a hot gym working out with friends, most people would rather be outside. If you're getting a device to work out inside when it's cold out, do you really want that indoor exercise device to simulate you working out indoors in a different room with more people and a trainer yelling at you, or as if you're outside, maybe even with other friends?
There's plenty of other Zwift alternatives that most smart trainers, at least my Wahoo trainer, is compatible with for Zwift/Peloton like interactivity:
https://www.wahoofitnes
And my Wahoo computer I use primarily outdoors also allows me to control the bike directly from that, zero internet or paid service required:
https://youtu.be/fXiIgoj0JiU?t=7
Route mode is particularly cool as the exercise bike will provide you the same virtual workout as you'd have outdoors, with same climb (ie: 3.7% grade for .64 miles) as if you were doing the ride outdoors. It will show me how far ahead/behind my standard time I am for the whole ride, a climb, segment, etc. For me this is great so for first time ever, come Spring, when I get back outside to try my standard 20 minute loop around town it's not like I'm starting over, instead I'm picking up right where I left off and then some.
1. I didn't wanna spent over $1000 on the bike, regardless if I use it every day. I thought I would just use many tablets I haven't used in ages to use it with the bike.
2. Unfortunately, this became a problem pretty soon- the Bluetooth module wasn't the greatest. It often disconnects. It could be very frustrating to keep trying to connect it every time you wanna ride.
3. Without a screen, even though you could still ride it, you are adjusting the resistance blind. You can't tell what number you are on.
4. That's why if I had to do it all over again, I might pay for the screen just so I don't have to worry about the finicky connection.
5. My unit went from finicky connection to completely dead within a month. It also came back to life SOMETIMES. it would stay dead for days (no light, no sound, nothing) and all the sudden came back to life.
6. Good thing that Echelon has pretty decent customer service. After chatting with a rep and took some pictures, they are sending me a new bike. I don't know how to pack up the old bike but I do need to send it back to them.
7. I tried joining the online classes. They are not for me. I am more of reading Facebook while biking kinda person. I decided I would just stick to Facebook and bike for now.
1. Does this mean your tablet is not up to date on bluetooth? Or maybe the bike itself is just defective, per your other points.
2. My echelon sport has been working completely fine with my old Samsung Galaxy S9. Connects 100%. It had problems when I tried using an older phone on there.
3. I run the echelon app on the S9 on freeride and will show my cadence, resistance and output.
4. Maybe people try to get away with a single screen and that is where it fails. I use my laptop in tablet mode on the little stand and log into peloton with the web browser. The S9 is mounted on a small phone mount right underneath displaying all the stats you would see on a peloton. The only downside is the echelon resistance doesn't match up directly to peloton. It is roughly 1/3 so you have to do some math while riding. You get used to it and it is easy to adjust as you ride though.
5. Sounds like your bike just had a defective bluetooth unit. Hopefully you have a better experience and consider using a separate device to show stats.
- I don't want a dedicated screen on the bike for just that one app. I have a wall mounted TV and iPad on the bike. I want to be able to use different apps and even YouTube classes.
- I think $40 a month is ridiculous when I can get the same class for $13.
- I'm not motivated by leader boards and couldn't keep up with all the names etc anyway. I'm there to work, not high five.
- you can still see your milestones on the peloton digital app (ie 100 rides)
- I can use a Wahoo sensor on the pedals and have my cadence show up on the Peloton digital app. There is chatter they are getting rid of it, but then they said they are not getting rid of it. So this I'm not sure will stay.
Why the EX5 over the sport or other versions:
I did not get the cheaper Echelon sport or other models because I wanted maximum adjustment. I'm short and already bought a cheaper off brand bike that I couldn't adjust to my needs (Horizon IC7.9.......what a mess). I needed to be able adjust handlebars and seat. I have serious neck, shoulder and head pain and anything out of alignment can aggravate it.
So, by going the Echelon route I save about $1000 on equipment and $312 a year in subscription fees.
- I don't want a dedicated screen on the bike for just that one app. I have a wall mounted TV and iPad on the bike. I want to be able to use different apps and even YouTube classes.
- I think $40 a month is ridiculous when I can get the same class for $13.
- I'm not motivated by leader boards and couldn't keep up with all the names etc anyway. I'm there to work, not high five.
- you can still see your milestones on the peloton digital app (ie 100 rides)
- I can use a Wahoo sensor on the pedals and have my cadence show up on the Peloton digital app. There is chatter they are getting rid of it, but then they said they are not getting rid of it. So this I'm not sure will stay.
Why the EX5 over the sport or other versions:
I did not get the cheaper Echelon sport or other models because I wanted maximum adjustment. I'm short and already bought a cheaper off brand bike that I couldn't adjust to my needs (Horizon IC7.9.......what a mess). I needed to be able adjust handlebars and seat. I have serious neck, shoulder and head pain and anything out of alignment can aggravate it.
So, by going the Echelon route I save about $1000 on equipment and $312 a year in subscription fees.
I don't know for sure but I gotta think the flywheel in this thing is 30 pounds and not 15....otherwise how could this freakin box weigh 120 pounds.....I am wondering if this is basically an EX5 bike with a cheaper 10 inch monitor instead of the 21 inch from the EX5. Echelon experts could opine perhaps by looking at the picture. Again I didn't know or care anything about exercise bikes 36 hours ago until my wife started saying that "all her friends" have Pelotons haha. So I am probably already in trouble for not getting her the real Bentley of exercise bikes since "all her friends" are worth those.....
What I'm curious about is the resistance motor. All the newer Echelons have an updated resistance motor with indexed settings(meaning the knob will click into place at each resistance level). Is yours indexed? If so I suspect they threw the updated resistance motor into an old chassis. Which would increase the value even further.
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What I'm curious about is the resistance motor. All the newer Echelons have an updated resistance motor with indexed settings(meaning the knob will click into place at each resistance level). Is yours indexed? If so I suspect they threw the updated resistance motor into an old chassis. Which would increase the value even further.
Unfortunately I lugged it to the basement and hid it and am going to give it to my wife in 25 days for Xmas...so I can't answer until then
I don't know for sure but I gotta think the flywheel in this thing is 30 pounds and not 15....otherwise how could this freakin box weigh 120 pounds.....I am wondering if this is basically an EX5 bike with a cheaper 10 inch monitor instead of the 21 inch from the EX5. Echelon experts could opine perhaps by looking at the picture. Again I didn't know or care anything about exercise bikes 36 hours ago until my wife started saying that "all her friends" have Pelotons haha. So I am probably already in trouble for not getting her the real Bentley of exercise bikes since "all her friends" are worth those.....
Agreed - more pictures of the specs (dimensions of bike, etc) on the box would help.
Looking at the picture vs those on echelon site, it looks like a cross between all 3 bikes (knobs vs levers, handlebars, etc).
Also, if this is 120 lbs, that would put it in between EX-5 (124 lbs) and EX-3 (112 lbs). The EX-1 is 105 lbs fyi.
Ex-1 is 22" wide x 42" long, and EX3 and EX5 are both 20" wide x 54" long. so if this is the latter, it's definitely a version of the Ex-3/Ex-5
info on the motor would certainly be helpful for comparison
detailed specs on each bike:
https://echelonfit.com/pages/compare-bikes
https://v2uploads.zopim
It's a table comparing the specs of all Echelon models.
I contacted Echelon support a couple of days ago and they sent me this link.
One of the most important specs for me is flywheel weight. All EX models (EX-1, EX-3, EX-4, and EX-5) have a 13kg flywheel. The Walmart "Sport" version has a 7kg flywheel, and it's also lighter overall.
https://v2uploads.zopim
It's a table comparing the specs of all Echelon models.
I contacted Echelon support a couple of days ago and they sent me this link.
One of the most important specs for me is flywheel weight. All EX models (EX-1, EX-3, EX-4, and EX-5) have a 13kg flywheel. The Walmart "Sport" version has a 7kg flywheel, and it's also lighter overall.
If you look at the flywheel of the 4s, it matches the graphics of the EX-1.
I'm still thinking this is some kind of franken bike they've thrown together. I see EX-1 color scheme and flywheel graphics. EX3 and above resistance knob(hopefully that means EX3 resistance motor???). And a screen.
I'm not knocking that at all. Would be a pretty good value if all that is true. Up until last night you could by an EX1 with 1 year membership for $999.99 through Echelon. That's what had me thinking this was an EX-1 with screen(Costco bonus). You could also get the 5s with 1 year for $1599 through Echelon. But those deals(25% off) expired after Cyber Monday. The Costco 5s deal goes through 12/20. And the 4s is obviously while supplies last.
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If you look at the flywheel of the 4s, it matches the graphics of the EX-1.
I'm still thinking this is some kind of franken bike they've thrown together. I see EX-1 color scheme and flywheel graphics. EX3 and above resistance knob(hopefully that means EX3 resistance motor???). And a screen.
I'm not knocking that at all. Would be a pretty good value if all that is true. Up until last night you could by an EX1 with 1 year membership for $999.99 through Echelon. That's what had me thinking this was an EX-1 with screen(Costco bonus). You could also get the 5s with 1 year for $1599 through Echelon. But those deals(25% off) expired after Cyber Monday. The Costco 5s deal goes through 12/20. And the 4s is obviously while supplies last.
And when I clicked to the Echelon website on one of the links above it was still showing the 25% off by the way, for anyone who is more interested in buying from them to get a real EX5S or whatever.
I am still a little confused on one thing....let's say after a year we decide that keeping the Echelon $40 per month membership is not worth it. Then what can I do if I want to use this beyond a dumb bike? I can use the FREE Echelon app and will it read out my exercise stats on the screen but I can't take live classes? I can use Peloton $13 app but to do that I would need to either just be in that class as a Ghost (just there, but not showing up on the leaderboard etc)? Is there a scenario where I need to buy a Wahoo cadence tracker and stick it onto my Echelon bike to do something? Just trying to determine the various forks of options I might have with this hardware (given the poster above dissing this for the "closed ecosystem")