Marcy Upright Exercise Bikes Reviews + Comparisons
Everyone has good reason to look out for ways to get fit these days. Whether that is going outside or creating a home gym, physical health is most certainly one of the most important factors for people. One of the best ways to make a home gym is to purchase a home exercise bike. But there are a lot of options for the upright exercise bikes, so how are you supposed to know which is best? That’s where we come in.
We’re going through and reviewing upright bikes from a variety of different manufacturers and seeing just how well they stack up against one another. Today we are looking at Marcy’s exercise bikes. They are the Marcy NS-40504U, Marcy NS-1201U and the Marcy ME-708. We’ll check out the features of each and see how these Marcy upright exercise bikes compare to the final price before giving our thoughts on how well they match up.
Marcy NS-40504U, NS-1201U, and ME-708:
Marcy Bikes Technical Information
| Name | Capacity | Weight | Length | Width | Height | Fit | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | 300 lbs (136 kg) | 52 lbs (23.5 kg) | 35.8 in (91 cm) | 20 in (50.8 cm) | 50 in (127 cm) | 5’0″ and 6’2″ (153 – 188 cm) | Yes |
| Marcy NS-1201U | 300 lbs (136 kg) | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) | 33 in (83 cm) | 20 in (50.8 cm) | 52 in (132 cm) | 5’0″ and 6’2″ (153 – 188 cm) | Yes |
| Marcy ME-708 | 300 lbs (136 kg) | 41 lbs (18.6 kg) | 35 in (89 cm) | 17.5 in (44.5 cm) | 47.5 in (120.7 cm) | 5’0″ and 6’2″ (153 – 188 cm) | No |
It seems only natural that we should start with the basic elements that make up these bikes. The technical information shows how much each bike weighs, how much space it takes up, the materials it is made of and what sort of people it can hold. These are all fairly small bikes, although they are all able to hold an impressive 300 lbs (136 kg) as their maximum weight. Similarly, their steel frames can all hold people who are between 5’0” (153 cm) and 6’2” (188 cm) tall.
We’ll start with the Marcy NS-40504U cardio bike. Like we said, it is a fairly small bike. It only measures out to be 35.8 in (91 cm) long, 20 in (50.8 cm) wide and 50 in (127 cm) tall. While it is the heaviest of the Marcy exercise bikes, it still only weighs a light 52 lbs (23.5 kg).
Up next is the Marcy NS-1201U. It is slightly shorter than the previous bike, although it makes up for this is the additional height that it has. In total, it measures out to be 33 in (83 cm) long, 20 in (50.8 cm) wide and 52 in (132 cm) tall. Once again, it is not a heavy bike, only weighing 45 lbs (20.4 kg).
Then there is the Marcy ME-708 stationary bike. It is the smallest of this trio. The bike only measures out to be 35 in (89 cm) long, 17.5 in (44.5 cm) wide and 47.5 in (120.7 cm) tall. It only weighs a very small 41 lbs (18.6 kg).
Drivetrain, Resistance, Flywheel & Pedals
| Name | Drivetrain | Pedals | Resistance | Cranks | Flywheel | q-factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | Belt | Weighted w/ straps | 8 Levels Manual Magnetic | 1-piece | N/A | N/A |
| Marcy NS-1201U | Belt | Non-slip w/ straps | 8 Levels Manual Magnetic | 1-piece | N/A | N/A |
| Marcy ME-708 | Belt | Plastic w/ straps | 8 Levels Manual Magnetic | 1-piece | N/A | N/A |
People get these Marcy cardio bikes to get fit, right? So it only makes sense that their resistance systems and drivetrains work well. Having good pedals to use on the bikes also helps. You’ll actually find that each of the three Marcy upright bikes have extremely similar resistance systems to one another.
All three of these bikes have manual magnetic resistance systems, meaning that you switch the resistance through a knob on the front of the bike. Each also has a belt drivetrain, which makes the entire workout quieter and requires less overall maintenance. We don’t have concrete information on what the weights of the different flywheels are. However, considering the lightweight nature of the bikes, we can’t imagine that any of them weigh more than 14 lbs (6.3 kg).
In terms of the pedals of the Marcy NS-40504U, the Marcy NS-1201U and the Marcy ME-708, they aren’t anything special. They fulfill the bare minimum and that’s about it. Each of them have a 1-piece crank, which is inferior to the 3-piece cranks you can find elsewhere. These are basically just a single pole of metal that holds the pedals together, rather than an intricate system for each pedal that increases the durability of the pedals. The pedals that are on the end of these cranks are all quite basic. On the NS-40504U, the pedals are weighted to stay upright and straps to keep your feet in place. On the NS-1201U, they are simple non-slip pedals with more straps to keep your feet in place.Then there’s the ME-708, which has simple plastic pedals with even more straps.
One last element we should mention about the NS-40504U is the Q-Factor. It has been noted to be narrower than usual, which might lead to some issues down the line. For those who are unaware, the Q-Factor of a bike is the distance between the pedals. If it is too wide, you’ll likely get uncomfortable. If it is too narrow, the same will happen and even injury. The Q-Factors of the other two bikes are unknown and not often mentioned in other user/commercial reviews.
Handlebars and Saddles
| Name | Handlebars | Adjustment | Seat | Adjustment | Controls | Pulse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | Basic | Non-Adjustable Handlebars | Basic | Seat is Only Vertically Adjustable | No controls on the handlebars | No pulse readers |
| Marcy NS-1201U | Basic | Non-Adjustable Handlebars | Basic | Seat is Only Vertically Adjustable | No controls on the handlebars | No pulse readers |
| Marcy ME-708 | Basic | Non-Adjustable Handlebars | Basic | Seat is Only Vertically Adjustable | No controls on the handlebars | No pulse readers |
Now we arrive at the elements you’d physically be interacting with. Once again, these are fairly standardized bikes, so there aren’t too many differences to be found.
On the Marcy NS-40504U upright bike you will find that the handlebars have a thin foam coating and a couple of positions to put the hand. However, they are not adjustable. The saddle of the Marcy NS-40504U is only vertically adjustable for about 8 levels.
There is a slight difference with the Marcy NS-1201U upright bike. It’s handlebars are similarly multi-grip and covered by a light padding. They are slightly adjustable, although only the angle of the top grip. Once again, the seat is only vertically adjustable with slightly less options than the NS-40504U.
Then there is the Marcy ME-708. The most simple of the lot. Once again, the handlebars are multi-grip and non-adjustable. The seat is only vertically adjustable with only around 5 options available.
The problem with all of these seats is that absolutely none of them are comfortable at all. They are thin, weakly padded and just generally bad. You most certainly will want to look for a cover or even a separate seat for a replacement.
Monitors of Marcy Bikes
| Name | Monitor | Powered | Backlit | Bluetooth | Statistics | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | LCD Monitor | Batteries (included) | No | No | Time, speed, distance, odometer and calories | None |
| Marcy NS-1201U | LCD Monitor | Batteries (included) | No | No | Time, speed, distance, odometer and calories | None |
| Marcy ME-708 | LCD Monitor | Batteries (included) | No | No | Time, speed, distance, odometer and calories | None |
Another crucial part of modern exercise bikes are the monitors that come with them. For cheaper bikes like these, you really can’t expect that good of a piece of technology. None of these bikes have backlit monitors, so you won’t be able to see them in all lighting conditions. Nor will you find any preset workout programs and Bluetooth connections. They are all just too basic to have anything like that.
Instead, what you’ll find with these monitors are statistics. The Marcy NS-40504U cardio bike will show you statistics like your time, speed, distance and calories on a fairly small screen. You can scroll through these by using the scan mode. The Marcy NS-1201U stationary bike will show you similar stats, with a similar scan mode available. It is the same case with the Marcy ME-708 upright bike, although it lacks the odometer of the others.
Despite all the statistics that you can get, none of them will be able to be displayed in metric format. You just have the option of imperial measurements, which is somewhat disappointing. It just means less customization.
Prices and Warranties
| Name | Price | Frame | Parts | Labour | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | $230 | 2 Years warranty | No warranty | No warranty | Free |
| Marcy NS-1201U | $190 | 2 Years warranty | No warranty | No warranty | Free |
| Marcy ME-708 | $160 | 2 Years warranty | No warranty | No warranty | Free |
Finally, we arrive at the factors that could make or break your decision about these bikes. We’ve already got an idea about how it might look, but we’ll save those feelings until our final verdict. As was mentioned previously, these are cheaper bikes. Like a lot cheaper. However, that means that they come with some sacrifices.
All of the Marcy upright exercise bikes here have a 2 year warranty on the frame of the bike and nothing else. You get no warranties on the parts, no warranties on the electronics and no warranties on the labour. This is absolutely atrocious. If something goes wrong in the first 30 days, you can at least return it. After that? Nope. You are stuck with a broken and uninsured machine. Clearly Marcy has the utmost confidence in their products to give them such wonderful guarantees. It’s honestly rather pathetic.
But before we get stuck on complaining about the warranties too much, we’ll give you the rest of the price facts. The Marcy NS-40504U upright bike is the most expensive of the lot, but only by about $40. It costs around $230 at the standard retail price. The Marcy NS-1201U upright bike costs right around $190, while the Marcy ME-708 upright bike costs a measly $160.
Other Notable Parts of Marcy Bikes
| Name | Shelf | Holder | Speakers | Fan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcy NS-40504U | Yes | No water bottle holder | No | No |
| Marcy NS-1201U | No | No water bottle holder | No | No |
| Marcy ME-708 | No | No water bottle holder | No | No |
This is the part where we check whether or not these Marcy upright stationary bikes have any additional bonus features that might just add some more value to the overall deal. Unfortunately, for the vast majority of these bikes, the answer is no. None of them have any speakers for some exercise playlists and none of them have any water bottle holders for some workout hydration. In fact, the Marcy ME-708 cardio bike just doesn’t have anything else at all.
Both the Marcy NS-40504U and NS-1201U have transport wheels to help mobility around the home. This does combine nicely with the lightweight nature of the bikes. The only other bonus feature that you can find on these bikes comes in the form of a media tray on the NS-40504U stationary bike. Of course, if you use it, it will be blocking the monitor of the bike.
What We Think Marcy Upright Bikes
It’s hard to argue for any of the Marcy upright bikes or Marcy air bikes. Yes, they are cheap. Yes, they offer medium to light resistance. Yes, they are lightweight and can hold a lot of weight. But that’s about where the positives end. You can’t get a heavy challenge on these bikes, even at the max resistance setting. The seats are uncomfortable and the monitors are extremely basic. That’s all without even mentioning the lack of any sort of guarantee from Marcy that these bikes’ parts will last more than 30 days. There are just so many other brands that you can look at for cheap options (although maybe not as cheap) and get so much higher quality. Schwinn upright exercise bikes in particular is one that comes to mind.
Hopefully this Marcy upright bike comparison has given you some idea as to what to expect with these bikes. As always, we recommend doing some of your own research to pick out which bike would be the best for you. 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.
