Marcy Air-1 Bike Review
Marcy is one of those names in the fitness world that you could feel a couple of ways about. You might have had a good experience with them or found some disappointing purchases. In our journey to determine the best air bikes out there, we’ve reached the point where we are going to judge Marcy’s candidates. Specifically, today we are going to see how well the Marcy Air 1 matches up to the price that it demands. Elements that shall be examined include the resistance type, monitor quality and the physical build of the bike itself. So with all of that out of the way, let’s hop right into our review of the Marcy Air 1 bike!
The first measurement that we are going to examine about the Marcy Air 1 is the price and the warranties that come along with it. Marcy has never exactly been known for producing the most expensive machines out there, even with their more advanced products. The Air 1 follows this tradition to some extent, only falling in the mid-to-lower range cost of air bikes. It only costs around $400, despite being the superior of the two air bikes that Marcy offers. Admittedly, this is still twice the amount that the Marcy NS-1000 costs. What is absolutely horrific about the Marcy Air 1 is the lack of warranties besides the one on the frame. You only get a 2 year warranty on the frame and absolutely no others. Nothing on the parts, nothing on the belt, nothing on the labour. It’s terrible and unacceptable for a modern bike to offer no guarantee of quality. We could complain about that all day, but we’ll move on with the rest of the review. The shipping of the Marcy 1 shouldn’t take more than 1-2 weeks to arrive, assuming all goes as planned. Of course, elements like weather, human error and so on can affect that. The assembly process also shouldn’t be too awful, as most of the bike is pre-assembled and you just have to put on the parts. The manual is clear enough on this process and you shouldn’t be spending too much time on it, even if you aren’t used to such an adventure.
One of the most important elements to determining a modern bike’s value is how good the monitor that comes with it is. They can completely change the dynamic of a workout session, making it more complex or just giving you a different experience than normal. The Marcy Air 1 does not have quite such an advanced monitor, but it still offers something for the user to look at. It’s a small monitor, so you won’t be able to see all of the statistics at the same time. However, you can use the scan mode to cycle through them during the session. The statistics that you can access include time, speed, distance, calories burned, RPM, the calendar, clock and temperature. There are no sort of interval or preset workout programs available, nor do you have the ability to switch to metric measurements if you wanted to. The monitor isn’t backlit, making it hard to see in darker lighting. It also cannot connect to any sort of chest strap for heart rate tracking. All in all, it’s a pretty basic monitor, even ignoring the price. Yes, it offers an OK variation of statistics, but it doesn’t do anything else.
For the other most important element of these air bikes you have got to look at is the resistance they offer. The resistance of the Marcy Air 1 is, unsurprisingly, powered by the 6 blade fan in the front. What this delivers is a dynamic air resistance that allows for high intensity interval training (HIIT). The harder and faster you pedal, the more resistance you will meet from the bike. The drivetrain of the Marcy Air 1 is a combination of a belt and chain. This isn’t quite as good as an outright belt drive, but it does at least tone down the noise and maintenance requirements of just a chain drive. Of course, you will still need to occasionally check the chain and lubricate it to make sure it works. The crank of the Air 1 is at least 3-piece, which is the better type. It means that the pedals are more independent of one another and the crank isn’t just one giant welded piece of steel. We’re not sure what the Q-Factor of the Air 1 is, which is a tad unfortunate. It is not officially listed. For those who are not sure what the Q-Factor is, it is the space between pedals. Too much space and it becomes uncomfortable, too little and it can do the same and even cause injury. There haven’t been a large amount of complaints about the Q-Factor from other reviews (both user and official), so it doesn’t seem to be a big problem with the Air 1.
You might want to know how large the Marcy Air 1 is, as that might determine what sort of home it can fit in. The Air 1 is heavier than its NS-1000 companion that we mentioned earlier, although it isn’t actually bigger. In fact, it is ever-so-slightly smaller than its cheaper compatriots. It measures out to be 45 inches (114 cm) long, 25 inches (63.5 cm) wide and 47.5 inches (121 cm) tall. Meanwhile it weighs 79 lbs (36 kg) and can hold a maximum weight of 300 lbs (136 kg). There are stabilizers on both ends of the Air 1, which helps keep the bike in a single position. They are nice and wide, which is a nice change to other, small stabilizers. The wheels on the front of the bike are positioned in a really strange spot, as you will only be able to turn the bike at a certain angle to move it. This makes them pretty useless for frequent movement around the home.
Finally, we’re going to look at the other physical elements of the Marcy Air 1, starting with the handlebars. The handlebars are dual action, meaning that they move as the pedals do. If you combine this fact with the footrests on each side of the fan, you can get some upper body workouts alongside your lower body one. The handlebars are not adjustable and have a little foam padding for comfort. The saddle of the bike is only vertically adjustable, although it does go up and down by about a foot. This adjustability is apparently enough to seat people between 5’0” – 6’2”, which is a decent enough range. The seat is heavily padded, which certainly helps with the whole comfort aspect. Considering how many of the other bikes we’ve reviewed have uncomfortable seating, this is rather appreciated. The tube of the saddle is quite thin, so you might still feel some rocking back and forth. But again, the floor stabilizers seem solid enough to offset the majority of it. The pedals of the Marcy Air 1 are made of a heavy PVC material that has a metallic core inserted into them. They are also reversible, which adds another dynamic that you could take advantage of. This is most certainly an upgrade on the pedals of the NS-1000, as they are made of plastic and cannot reverse. As for any bonus features that you might want, like a water bottle holder or media tray, prepare to be disappointed. There are no such aspects attached to the Air 1.
Marcy Air-1 Bike Pros:
- The price leans towards the lower middle range of air bikes
- A comfortable saddle always makes the workout more enjoyable
- Dynamic air resistance leads to nearly unlimited workout variety
- Handlebars and footrests allow for upper body workouts
- Pedals are heavy and feel sturdy
- A 3-piece crank is the superior version and is present here
- The sturdy and fairly small frame can still support a wide range of users
- The assembly process shouldn’t take too long
Marcy Air-1 Bike Cons:
- Monitor has no preset workouts available
- Monitor is not backlit, making it hard to see in darker rooms
- Saddle is only adjustable vertically
- No bonus water holder or media tray
- Transport wheels are positioned in a poor spot for mobility
- Poor 2 year frame warranty
- Lack of any other warranties is awful
Conclusion
The Marcy Air 1 bike is in somewhat of an unfortunate position. It is a sturdy bike that offers some very good resistance and workouts. It will hold a wide range of people, even if the saddle is not horizontally adjustable. Yet, you will find that the monitor is quite lacking. Then there are the warranties. If anything goes wrong with the Air 1 that doesn’t fall under the frame warranty, you’re basically screwed in terms of replacing it for free. This is just not a great look from Marcy and you should be wary of supporting it. That said, the Air 1 is a good enough bike for the price if you aren’t worried about the monitor or warranties, but those are two fairly large aspects to ignore.
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs. If you have any questions or suggestion, you can contact me at sayed@yourexercisebike.com.
