Exercising at home is easier and far more fun when you have the right equipment to hand, and home fitness brand Bowflex has just the thing to help you kick-start your 2021 health journey. The newly released Bowflex VeloCore is designed for indoor cycling workouts, and could be the best exercise bike for anyone upgrading from their beginner-intermediate bike. The Bowflex VeloCore Bike even won a 2021 CES Innovation Award, so we aren't the only ones who like the look of this cardio machine.
Last year brought us a lot of new home gym gear, including the Echelon Smart Connect EX3 Max and the Bowflex Treadmill 10. Setting the tone for the year ahead though, the Bowflex VeloCore features dual-mode cycling and comes with a large HD touchscreen, similar to what you'd find on a Peloton bike.
The Bowflex VeloCore Bike also connects to JRNY, the brand's subscription-based online fitness program, giving you access to dozens of on-demand exercise classes, with levels for every ability to keep you motivated and on track with your goals. The bike also supports user weights of up to 325lbs, which is more inclusive than many stationary bikes.
The new Bowflex machine is available with either a 16-inch or 22-inch HD screen, both of which enable you to watch as you cycle through 25 remote destinations. It may not be a substitute for proper outdoor cycling, but it’s perhaps a safer and more realistic option right now. If that’s not your preferred mode of escapism though, you can also catch up on your favorite show as you feel the burn. That’s all well and good for a low-intensity bike ride, but the VeloCore also switches up into high gear...
How the Bowflex VeloCore works your arms and core
The VeloCore’s leaning mode allows the bike to move with you as you lean from side-to-side, which not only recreates some of the nuances of an actual bike ride, it’s also a great workout for your arms and core. According to Bowflex, “You'll rock, move, and flex your way through the curves of scenic destinations around the planet.” Unlike a regular upright bike, this means you’ll need to tap into those core muscles to stay balanced as you cycle, giving you a full-body workout.
What else is on offer with the VeloCore? Well, you can choose from 100 magnetic resistance levels, and track your calories burnt, heart rate and cadence, which is handy if you don't own one of the best fitness trackers - read our guide to the best Amazon Prime Day Fitbit deals for the latest discounts. Oh, and you can also use the included dumbbells that perch underneath the HD screen.
In a bid to dominate your home workout space further, Bowflex’s new smart treadmill and cardio machine also dropped this CES. The Bowflex Treadmill 22 and Max Trainer M9 each come with large screens that you can pair with the JRNY app, stream your favorite shows to, and track your workout progress on. The running machines comes with a -5 to 20% incline, offering more variety than the average.
The Bowflex VeloCore Bike is priced at $1,699 for the 16-inch console, and $2,199 for the 22-inch screen model. The Bowflex Treadmill 22 retails for an eye-watering $2,699, but we've seen bikes priced higher than that. We don't yet know how much the Max Train M9 will cost, but we’re expecting it to be a similar price. Once your free two month JRNY trial has expired, you’ll also be looking at $19.99 a month or $149 per year for a subscription, or you can opt to use the bike in manual mode instead.
For extra fitness content, read our guides to the best bike trainers to transform your road or mountain bike into an indoor cardio machine, or the best bike computers to monitor outdoor rides.
