Travel Tuesdays: Bowflex C6 Bike Review

Going nowhere fast is the order of the day these days--especially if you're working out at home. The inclement weather has driven many of us inside, making stationary bikes one of the essential tools for keeping fit. While there are dozens of high-end models in the $2,000 range and low-end machines in the $200 range, Bowflex's C6 has proven to be one of the most durable yet flexible denizens of home gyms around the country.

Moderately priced at $999, the Bowflex C6 offers an extremely quiet (good for apartment dwellers) and smooth ride thanks to its magnetic resistance wheel with 100 levels of resistance. Its rock-solid handle bars and comfortable seat can be adjusted horizontally and vertically to acccommodate most riders. There are water bottle holders and the bike comes with two 3-pound hand weights and pedals with toe cages (use them with or without clip-ins).

The C6 also has it a backlit monochrome LCD display to show you information such as time, distance, and calories burned on your ride. Built-in Bluetooth means you can connect it to an included armband with a heart rate monitor or, better still, to a variety of biking apps. And a large tablet holder between the handlebars means you can comfortably use the bike with a variety of displays from smartphones to laptops, freeing you up to use it with several different programs.

For example, you can use the bike with Bowflex's own Explore the World app for just $9.99 a month, Zwift (where you'll find serious and weekend bikers from around the world for cycling camaraderie) for $14.99 a month, or the Peloton app for $12.99 a month. That makes the Bowflex C6 a more affordable option compared to Peloton's own bikes. The least expensive original Peleton bike, for example, is $1,895, with the subscription costing another $39 a month. Of course, you don't have to take a virtual ride. Since Bowflex C6's display holder can handle a laptop, we've used it to do everything from brush up on our French with instructional YouTube videos to binge watching our latest Netflix obsession.

Overall, the Bowflex C6 is great a addition to any home workout regimen. And unlike recumbent bikes found in gyms (remember them?), the riding position on the Bowflex C6 is in the same stance as a regular bicycle. That should translate nicely into the real world when the weather and circumstances permit.