Marcy Air Bikes Reviews and Comparison

In the realm of exercise bikes and other home fitness equipment, one of the more common names that pops up is Marcy. These Marcy air exercise bikes tend to be on the lower side of the price points for bikes and other exercise equipment, and the same is no different here. But where is here you might be asking? Well first off, that is a silly question assuming you can read the title. You are currently looking at our Marcy Fitness air bikes comparison.

Today we’re going to look at the Marcy Air 1 and Marcy NS-1000. We’re going to compare almost every element of these two Marcy air resistance bikes, listing them before giving our thoughts and analysis on them. Then we’ll go over the pricing and the warranty of these Marcy air resistance stationary bikes near the end of the article. Once all of that is over and done with, we’ll conclude with our evaluation of which bike is a better deal and our overall feelings on both bikes as a whole. So, with all of that out of the way, let’s hop into our Marcy air bikes review!

• Marcy Air-1 Bike Review
• Marcy NS-1000 Air Bike Review

Marcy Exercise Bike with Air Resistance System AIR-1

Marcy Exercise Bike with Air Resistance System AIR-1

$399.99

in stock

3 new from $399.99

2 used from $303.82

as of May 31, 2023 7:48 am

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Marcy Exercise Bike with Air Resistance System NS-1000

Marcy Exercise Bike with Air Resistance System NS-1000

$290.00

in stock

as of May 31, 2023 7:48 am

Buy This Item

Amazon.com

Last updated on May 31, 2023 7:48 am

Marcy Air Exercise Bike Comparisons:

Marcy Air Bikes Technical Information

Up first, in this Marcy air bikes review, we’re going to look at the technical information that is available for each of these Marcy air resistance workout bikes. It makes sense, as these elements show how much the 2 bikes weigh, how much weight they can carry, their overall size (also called the footprint), what sort of people can comfortably fit on and the frame material.

Up first, we’ve got the Marcy Air 1. This is the heavier of the two bikes, which also means that it can hold more weight. It weighs 79 lbs (36 kg) and can hold a maximum weight of 300 lbs (136 kg). It does take up less space than the NS-1000, though only by the thinnest of margins. It measures out to be 45 inches (114 cm) long, 25 inches (63.5 cm) wide and 47.5 inches (121 cm) tall. It can fit users who measure between 5’ (153 cm) and 6’2” (188 cm) in terms of their height.

Then we have the Marcy NS-1000 air resistance bike. This bike is fairly lighter in terms of its weight, while not being able to hold too much less. It weighs around 58 lbs (26.3 kg), while it can hold a maximum weight of 250 lbs (113 kg). The footprint that the NS-1000 takes shouldn’t trouble too many people. It measures out to be 45 inches (114 cm) long, 26.75 inches (68 cm) wide and 48.75 inches (123 cm) tall. The NS-1000 can hold people of the same height range as the Air 1. Its frame is also made of steel. Overall, there isn’t too much in terms of surprise about these two Marcy air resistance bikes. They both do the job and both should be suitable for the vast majority of people based on these aspects alone.

Drivetrain, Resistance, Flywheel & Pedals

Now, in this part of our Marcy air resistance bike reviews, we’re going to cover the elements of these two Marcy fan bikes that actually make them effective in regards to their exercise. These include the drives, pedals, their resistance type, the flywheel and so on. Normally we would also include the Q-Factor as well, but that is not actually listed for either bike. However, according to some reviews, the Q-Factor for the Marcy NS-1000 is a bit more narrow than normal. Not enough to create any injuries or extreme discomfort, but enough to be noticed. For those who don’t know 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.

Both of these Marcy bikes rely on the fans to provide the resistance. Their resistance type truly comes from the air, as it uses the full force of the fan to challenge you. The harder you pedal, the harder you have to press in order to keep those legs moving. There is a difference here, as the NS-1000 does have a knob that will allow you to change the overall resistance of the bike. But it still primarily relies on the fan to make the challenge.

The drive is one of the main regions where these Marcy air bikes differ. The Marcy 1 uses a chain and belt hybrid in order to power the fan. The idler pulley is connected to the bike fan by a rubber belt, while the idler pulley connects to the cog of the crankset by a standard chain. Compare this to the NS-1000, which uses a standard chain set for any sort of connections at all. Because of this you will need to occasionally lubricate the chain in order to make sure that everything is working properly. The same is true of the Marc 1. Rusty chains are one of the major keys to loud noises and more bikes breaking.

Finally, there are the pedals, where another fairly large difference comes into play. The pedals of the Marcy Air 1 pedals are made from a heavy PVC material with a metallic core inserted into them. You can pedal in reverse on this bike, which is a feature that is greatly appreciated. It simply gives you more variety and options in your workouts. This is compared to the heavy plastic that the Marcy NS-1000 has for its pedals. It also cannot be pedalled backwards, which is unfortunate. A deal breaker? Perhaps not.

Marcy Bikes Handlebars and Saddles

Up next we’re going to get into the elements that you’ll be interacting with the most with your bikes. The handlebars and seat can really make or break the experience depending on how comfortable, adjustable and usable they are. Fortunately, there are no real issues with these elements on the handlebars of these Marcy wind resistance bikes.

For the Marcy Air 1, the handlebars move with the pedals. That means that they move back and forth as you pedal, allowing you to get an upper body workout in along with the lower body one that you are cycling for. Unfortunately, on account of this movement, the handlebars cannot be adjusted like they would be on an indoor cycling bike. In fact, they cannot be adjusted at all. There is a foam padding around them, but that’s about it. It also doesn’t have the multi-grip design that you would find on one of the Xterra air bikes or Schwinn Airdynes.

The seat of the Marcy Air 1 air resistance bike is vertically adjustable and generously padded. It is most certainly one of the more comfortable seats that Marcy offers. It can be adjusted about 12 inches (30.4 cm) via the large knob. The seat can also be replaced if you so wish. However, for a low budget bike, this is one of the rare occasions that we don’t immediately recommend that you do that.

The handlebars of the Marcy NS-1000 are a similar story. They move with the rotation of the pedals, giving a total body workout to whoever grabs onto them and pushes on the pedals. This makes both of these Marcy air indoor bikes great for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. However, just like the Air 1 handlebars, these cannot be adjusted. They also have a foam pad over them.
The seat of the Marcy NS-1000 is not quite as fortunate as the Air 1. It is… fine. It’s wider than many standard seats on these air resistance bikes, but otherwise is not great in terms of the comfort. It can be adjusted vertically, by about 8 inches (20.3 cm). We recommend finding some sort of cover for this seat. It’s not quite bad enough to recommend outright replacement, but some covering wouldn’t hurt.

Marcy Bikes Monitors and Audio

One of the aspects of modern bikes (both air and otherwise) that is present on both the more expensive models and the budget ones are the inclusion of electronic monitors that allow you to keep an eye on the statistics of your workout. Some also include preset workout programs that lift the responsibility of coming up with your own off your shoulders. Unfortunately, such programs are not available with these Marcy air workout bikes. Neither is the option to switch to metric measurements, which is a rather confusing omission. It seems like such a simple aspect that could have been easily included.

The monitor on the Marcy Air 1 is more advanced than the one on the NS-1000, though not by an extreme amount. It has 6 panels that show statistics like time, speed, distance, calories burned all at the same time. The calories burned is an estimate due to the fact that the monitor can’t get a precise reading on the resistance settings. Interestingly, when the bike isn’t in use, it shows stats like the room temperature, a clock and the date. There is a scan mode, which allows each statistic to rotate to the larger value at the top of the screen. Nothing fancy, but certainly not terrible.

The monitor that comes with the Marcy NS-1000 isn’t quite as good. The console itself is fairly large in comparison to the Air 1, though it doesn’t have that large of a screen, which is strange. It displays statistics like time, total distance, distance and the calories burned during the workout. Similar to the Air 1, the calories stat is an estimate thanks to the non-precise resistance. There is a scan function available for the NS-1000, allowing you to see one of the metrics all the time.

Overall, these monitors are not too bad, especially for the price range. The Air 1 is definitely better thanks to the better aspect and size of the stats. They will just allow you to keep track of your statistics and contribute to long-term workout goals (although they won’t store any long-term data; that’ll require a phone app or something like that).

Marcy Air Bikes Prices and Warranties

Now we come to the area that could make or break people’s decisions. The pricing and the warranties that come with these Marcy stationary air bikes.

First up is the Marcy Air 1. This bike has a retail price of $500, although it has been known to drop down to $350. Both of these prices are actually fairly good, especially the discounted one. However, it does come with a huge downside: the warranties. There is only a 2 year warranty on the frame of the bike and nothing else. That means if something goes wrong and it doesn’t have to do with the frame, you get no help.

It is a similar story with the Marcy NS-1000. It has a normal price of $230, although it has been known to drop down to around $190. Both of these prices are also fair, as you are getting what you are paying for. Once again, the warranties are atrocious, as they are the exact same as the Air 1. You get almost no guarantees from Marcy about how long this bike will last, which is never a good thing.

The prices of both of these Marcy fan exercise bikes are fair, but the warranties are horrific. We cannot condone that at all, as warranties should at least back up the products for a fair amount of time.

Other Notable Parts of Marcy Air Bikes

This section is for the little bits of the bikes that wouldn’t necessarily fit in with other sections. Now, because these are fairly cheap bikes, they do not come with a lot of bonus features. Specifically, they don’t come with media trays for tablets and phones, nor do they come with water bottle holders. However, the Marcy Air 1 does have footrests that you can take a break from pedalling on. The Marcy NS-1000 does not have such a feature.

What We Think of Marcy Exercise Fan Bikes

In this part of our Marcy air stationary bikes comparisons, we react to everything that we’ve gone over so far and give you our opinion on which bike is better and if either is worth it. Between the two bikes, it is a fairly easy choice. The Marcy Air 1 is simply a better bike all around, with a price that is not outrageous in the slightest. In fact, the Marcy Air-1 is the best air resistance bike under $500! It has more features and is more well-built in general. So our vote firmly stands with the Air 1 in this battle.

However, that is not to say that the Marcy NS-1000 is useless and should be ignored. If you are looking for an air bike to try out for less than $200, keep an eye out for that discount, as it will still deliver a decent experience for newcomers. Also, check out the Body Rider air bikes, they are the same quality of the NS1000 but often less expensive. The biggest issue with both of these air resistance bikes is the lack of support (through warranties) given by Marcy. You just can never be 100% sure how long they’ll last after packaging and being actually put to use, so having no parts or labor warranty at all is just not a good look at all.

That concludes our Marcy air bike review. As always, we recommend doing some of your own research in order to find out which bikes would suit you based on your own circumstances. We’re just putting out the elements and giving our own opinions. It’s up to you to listen or not. Now get out there and get cycling!

Sayed Hosseiny

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.

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