Sit N Cycle Review: Why Reviewers are Divided.
• Versatile design allows consumers to exercise while reading or watching TV.
• Low impact workout.
• Quiet while in use
• Pedals known to break or fall off.
• Must be assembled, which some have found difficult.
• Known to squeak
• Replacement parts mostly unavailable.
• Heavy, making it not as portable as some may like.
• Confusing billing process
• Must pay to ship it back if unsatisfied.
• No upper body workout
Sit N Cycle is like a stationary bike without wheels or handles. This allows a seated workout while watching television or reading. Two models have been produced, although this distinction is rarely clear in reviews for the product. There have been a number of complaints about construction or durability, yet the product averages about a 3 star rating across most sites online.
Purchasing locally will make the return process easier if something goes wrong or if you find it isn't a good fit for you.
Sit N Cycle
Sit N Cycle is a hands-free exercise bike which consists of a seat and pedals, allowing you to exercise while watching TV or reading, without taking up the space of a full exercise bike. It is pitched in television advertising by Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill. Read our Sit N Cycle review plus additional product information.
What they Claim
- Burn up to 500 calories per hour
- Tone and tighten lower body
- Large, soft adjustable seat
- 8 levels of resistance
- Holds users up to 300 pounds
- Portable, compact design
- Improve circulation
- Available in 6 colors
- Pedals move forward or reverse
- Exercise while watching TV, working, or reading
Cost & Availability
Sit N Cycle (sometimes written as sitNcycle) is offered with a free trial of $19.95 for 30 days. You’ll then be billed 6 payments of $39.99. This totals $259.89. You can return it within the 30 trial period, but you are responsible for the cost of shipping it back and it must be returned in its original packaging.
You can find Sit N Cycle at Bed Bath and Beyond for about $200. As there have been two designs, it is not always clear to customers if the version found in stores is the newer or older model.
Sit N Cycle Commercial
The TV commercial below has been airing as of this writing.
Transcript of the commercial above:
Hi, I’m Dorothy Hamil here with great news. Now you can burn calories and get in shape no matter how busy you are. That’s why I’m so excited to introduce Sit N Cycle, a new kind of fitness bike designed for busy baby boomers and active seniors who want to stay fit.
Sit N Cycle uses effortless minimal resistance designed for hours of extended use. Now you can keep your body without heavy strain and you won’t be distracted by the resistance and you can do it any time. So why just sit when you can sit and cycle? You’ll keep moving while watching TV, talking on the phone, reading a book or surfing the web.
I call it fitness multitasking. You stay active while doing your daily activities and, you know, you could be burning calories right now while watching TV.
Sit N Cycle features a comfortable extra padded seat and a high-tech design that automatically engages your core as you’re moving the pedals. So you can get a tighter tummy and drop unwanted pounds at the same time. And a stronger core means a stronger back so you’ll stop slumping and have better posture.
With SitNCycle you work your legs, calves, hips, butt, abs, and strengthen your back all while you’re going about normal activities. It’s lightweight and has wheels so it can be easily moved and stored anywhere. Plus the lightweight SitNCycle can be carried to any room in the house with ease.
“I know as you get older that exercising is important, so SitNCycle is perfect for me.”
“We turned our TV time into stay-fit time.”
Lifelong fitness has so many benefits like having more energy and improved health, so why just sit when you can sit and cycle?
Sit N Cycle Review
A perusal of the Internet Archive shows that the Sit N Cycle website has offered this product since at least 2013, with Olympic Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill as its spokesperson from the beginning. Hamill still appears in advertisements for the product as of January 2016. The design of the product is sleek, and appears to offer a moderate workout to users who can still enjoy TV or other seated activities.
Two Models
Although Sit N Cycle seems to boast an above-average rating across multiple websites, the intensity of the negative reviews seems out of balance with the slightly positive overall rating of the product. Part of the reason is that Sit N Cycle has been modified from the original model, which could account for some of the divide among reviewers.
The commercial above briefly mentions the “new sitNcycle” but shows footage of both versions in the spot without much clarification. The website also does not mention that the one being sold is a new or improved model, but a comparison of the older model offered on QVC versus the one on the website yields obvious changes in design.
Older (left) and newer (right) models of sitNcycle.
Those who complain about the product tend to point to a few common complaints. The pedals are known to strip, break, or fall off. Taller riders (over about 6 feet) do not get a full extended leg at the bottom of each stroke. There are those who voice satisfaction with the product, and stated that it works as expected and advertised. It is usually unclear which model to which reviewers are referring when they voice their opinions either way. Because the older model can be found in stores, and the newer model is sold online, even current reviews can be for either model. Reviewers rarely take the time to specify which Sit N Cycle they purchased.
In our test of the product, we found assembly to be a bit more laborious than we would have liked. Getting on and off was a bit awkward at first, but we did not experience broken or failed pedals as some online reviewers have reported. The workout provided isn’t intense, but it does allow the user to work the legs while seated, which could be of benefit to some people.
Pedaling for a long session at the highest resistance level provides a nice lower-body toning workout.
Similar Products
There are other exercise machines designed to be used while seated. Take, for example, the highly-rated DeskCycle which costs about $160 or even the under $40 InStride Folding Cycle. Both of those can be used while seated, are portable, and have mostly positive ratings.
Epic Conclusion
Sit N Cycle works as a stationary bike without wheels or handles, allowing a seated workout while watching television or reading. There have been two models produced, although this distinction is rarely observed in reviews for the product. There have been a number of complaints about construction or durability, yet the product averages about a positive rating across most sites online.
You may want to look for it locally, which would make the return process easier if something goes wrong or if you find it isn’t a good fit for you.
If you’ve used Sit N Cycle, please give it a star rating and comment below.
This review has been updated since its original publication in May 2015.
