ProForm 8.0 EX Upright Exercise Bike Review
ProForm 8.0 EX Overview
Looking for a piece of exercise equipment that can both fulfill your needs and stay in the budget can be fairly difficult these days. There are some that fulfill the former need but are too expensive. Then there are others that are well within the budget, but simply don’t have enough to justify the purchase. We’re looking through these home exercise bikes to determine which ones fit where. Today’s subject is the ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike. This bike edges more towards the expensive side of upright bikes, but that doesn’t always mean it is the best available. So we’re going to examine all of the elements of this bike and give our recommendation at the end. So with all of that out of the way, let’s hop into our review of the ProForm 8.0 EX exercise bike!
We’ve mentioned price a couple of times now, so it only makes sense to start with that, as well as the warranties that come with the bike. The ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike has a normal retail price of $800, which is quite a bit more than the mid range on these sorts of bikes. On sale, it can be found for around half the price, which is a lot better. The warranties that come with the ProForm 8.0 are actually quite a solid collection. You get 10 years on the frame, 1 year on the parts and 1 year on the labour. This collection is better than quite a lot of others out there. Especially with the frame and labour warranties. We’re always glad to see more good warranties, so this is a definite plus. The shipping process shouldn’t take more than a week or two, although this is dependent on a variety of factors. Human error, the pandemic and weather can all be issues with the shipping. Then there is the assembly process. It is a pretty straightforward process, with a guide to match. Even those who aren’t particularly skilled at such things shouldn’t find it too difficult.
The big appeal of a lot of modern home exercise bikes are the monitors and electronics that come with them. The ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike is one that certainly leans into these advancements and tries to make the most of them. It has a 5 inch backlit LCD screen that has a large number of features. First off, it can help you keep track of your performance thanks to the statistics it tracks. You can see your mileage, speed, calorie burn, heart rate, and time all move up. Then there are 30 onboard pre programmed workouts, which offers a wide variety of programs to choose from. These only add to the long term prospects of the bike, as you won’t lack for workout variation on it. Especially if you choose to not pay for an iFit membership, which is one of the most highlighted features in the marketing. However, an iFitness membership will require a separate subscription. While the service is nice, it can cost quite a bit. Those 30 workout programs will help if you prefer to not pay for this service. The console that this monitor is emplaced on can also be tilted a little bit, in case you want to change the angle for some reason. You can power all of this via the AC adapter that you can plug into a power outlet at home. In general, this is one of the better monitors that you can find in this price range for these stationary bikes.
These exercise bikes are for challenging you and getting you fit. Thus, the resistance of these upright exercise bikes are quite important. Fortunately, the ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike offers quite a nice experience in regards to the resistance on offer. The resistance is magnetic with a belt drivetrain. This makes everything nice and quiet, which is lovely for those late night or early morning sessions. There are 25 different levels of resistance to choose from, which you can do so from the monitor. The flywheel of the ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike weighs right around 16 lbs (7 kg). This might be a bit lightweight for some people, but it does quite a good job at providing a slick workout experience. There is a 3-piece crank holding the pedals up, which is another quality addition. Considering 1-piece cranks are little more than a welded bar, these 3-piece cranks offer a lot more durability. What we don’t know is the specific Q-Factor of the bike. For those who don’t know what that is, the Q-Factor is the distance between the pedals of a bike. If it is too wide then you can get quite uncomfortable. If it is too narrow, the same thing can occur and you can even pick up injuries. However, considering that many user and official reviews make no mention of this, you really shouldn’t find it to be too big of an issue. There is plenty of workout variety on display here, which is always a boon.
The size, weight and mobility of a bike are all other elements that you should consider with these workout bikes. After all, if you have a mountain of the bike with no wheels, mobility might start to be an issue. Fortunately, the ProForm 8.0 EX doesn’t fall under that category. It measures out to be 42 inches (106.7 cm) long, 23 inches (58.4 cm) wide and 61.5 inches (156 cm) tall. So a fairly big footprint, and it weighs a meaty 119 lbs (54 kg). This does mean that it can hold 300 lbs (136 kg), which is a nice amount. It has large stabilizers on the back in order to keep the bike steady even on the most intense of workouts. These do a pretty good job of that too. On the front of the ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike, there are transport wheels to help with any sort of movement around the home. They are large enough to work quite well, which is always good.
We’ll finish off with the rest of the physical elements of the ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike, starting with the handlebars. The handlebars are not adjustable, which seems a bit of a shame for the price of the bike. However, they do have EKG heart rate monitors located on them. They are comfortable and padded, but that’s about it. Not bad, but not the best either. The saddle, on the other hand, seeks to be as comfortable as possible. It is padded to the max, and can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally to add extra customizability to the bike. Considering comfort is something upright bikes struggle with a lot, this is a nice change of pace. The actual seating tube is a little thin, which might lead to some shaking on the more intense workouts. Fortunately, the stabilizers on the back of the bike should offset this. The pedals of the ProForm 8.0 EX cardio bike are oversized and self-levelling, which means your feet will stay pretty steady on them. This is a nice feature, but nothing you wouldn’t expect from this costly of a bike. Finally, there are a few extra bonus features that ProForm have stuck on here. There is a cooling fan right underneath the monitor, while a water bottle holder sits underneath the entire console and above the flywheel. You also have the option to plug into auxiliary audio ports to get some music going while you ride.
ProForm 8.0 EX Upright Bike Pros:
- Magnetic resistance and belt drivetrain make for quiet experience
- The heavy frame can hold 300 lbs and still remains mobile and durable
- There are 25 different levels of resistance
- The monitor has 30 different programs to increase workout variation
- The saddle is 4-way adjustable and comfortably padded
- There are bonus speakers and cooling fans on the console
- There is a water bottle holder underneath the console
- Solid warranty package
- 3-piece crank that connects the pedals
- Monitor is backlit, displays plenty of stats and compatible with iFit
- Pulse sensors are on the handlebars
ProForm 8.0 EX Upright Bike Cons:
- The bike is a pricey one
- A lifetime warranty would be better for the price
- The handlebars are stationary
- A big footprint might not be great for smaller homes
- iFit requires a separate subscription to use on the bike
Final Verdict
The ProForm 8.0 EX upright bike is an extremely solid option for anyone looking for a quality exercise equipment. The biggest issue that will hold many people back is the price. $800 in addition to any iFit subscriptions can most certainly start to add up over time. However, if you wait for the ProForm 8.0 EX to go on sale, this becomes a heck of a lot more appealing. It has so many quality features. The resistance is challenging and offers plenty of variation, with the monitor only extending that variety. If you can get this bike for a cheaper price than the default, it is an automatic recommend.
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.
