ProForm's Studio Bike Pro 22: Is This Home Exercise Bike Right for You?
ProForm
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Key Features:
- Large touchscreen with iFit integration, allowing you to enjoy all kinds of virtual workouts
- Easily changeable seats and pedals allow for quick customization
- The bike includes small dumbbells, and a screen that swivels away from the bike so you can train with a variety of strength and bodyweight workouts as well, not just cycling rides
The ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro is designed to be a direct competitor to some of the bigger names in the market with similar features, like the Peloton Bike. If you’re looking for an indoor cycling bike for your home gym, this is one of the more affordable features that still has a large screen and workout classes that you can stream.
But how does it really stack up to competitors like Peloton, NordicTrack and Bowflex?
Sure, it’s more affordable, and on paper, it looks like a fantastic option. And while many users love their ProForm Studio Bike, it does have more negative reviews than other competitors tend to have, with many users noting the same problems.
In this review, we’ll look at the pros and cons of the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro, show you how it stacks up the competition, and help you decide if it’s the right bike for you.
What Is the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro?
The ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro is ProForm’s highest end smart bike, designed to bring virtual fitness and cycling adventures to the comfort of your home. Similar to ProForm’s treadmills and ellipticals, it’s designed to be used with virtual iFit workout classes.
It’s fully equipped with a 22-inch HD touchscreen display, which is built to work with the iFit program. With an active iFit subscription, you can follow trainer-led workouts that automatically increase your resistance in real-time, join live or pre-recorded studio classes, or explore virtual locations.
Similar to Peloton, ProForm has built an all-in-one workout station, as the bike also includes two small dumbbells to use for strength training exercises.
The iFit membership also includes a wide variety of strength workouts, so you can enjoy all sorts of workouts with your subscription, not just cycling workouts.
Related Post: ProForm Exercise Bike Line Overview
Working Out with the Studio Bike 22 Pro
Working out on the Studio Bike Pro is designed to provide a fun, challenging and interactive cardio workout. It’s very easy to adjust the seat and handlebar settings, and you can choose one of 22 resistance levels with the turn of a knob. If you’re following a virtual class, the resistance will automatically adjust for you.
However, the bike only has a 3.5 out of five star average rating on Amazon, and multiple reviewers have noted quality concerns.
Multiple users noted that the bike simply didn’t work out of the box, or wouldn’t connect to the WiFi reliably. Many users enjoy the bike, but said that the classes often freeze or stop working.
Another review notes that the bike feels quite wobbly and loud, and several reviewers have mentioned parts falling off mid-ride. The bike has a weight capacity of 250 pounds, while many other bikes have a 300-pound weight limit, which may indicate that the Studio Bike Pro isn’t as well-constructed.
It seems like when the bike works well, it’s very comfortable and enjoyable, but quality control may not be the highest, especially if you’re a heavier individual, and the streaming classes can sometimes have issues.
The Pros of the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro
While the ProForm Studio Bike may have issues, especially if you end up with a defective unit, that’s not to say you shouldn’t buy it.
The large screen is slightly bigger than the screen on a Peloton, and the automatic resistance adjustment is a great feature that’s not commonly found on bikes. If you love virtual classes, you’ll love iFit, which has a wide variety of trainer-led classes and beautiful scenic rides that allow you to explore virtual locations.
The seat and handle adjustments are very easy to use, and the bike uses Silent Magnetic Resistance, designed to provide a smooth, frictionless, silent ride. The bike also has transport wheels on the front end, making it easy to move around between uses.
Finally, at $1,299 at the time of writing, the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro is more affordable than many other smart bikes with similar features.
The Cons of the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro
Most of the cons come from real user reviews, who say the bike feels wobbly, and classes often freeze. Some reviewers have also noted that the resistance isn’t very high—even at the highest resistance setting, it’s not as challenging as the resistance on other bikes.
Interestingly, the ProForm only has rear-facing speakers and audio auxiliary port. That means you can only use your headphones if they plug directly into the screen. You can’t pair your own Bluetooth headphones, which is a common feature on competitor’s bikes.
That said, not all reviewers have experienced the same negatives, and many people love their ProForm Studio Bike, so those may be quality control issues.
Otherwise, the biggest con is likely the iFit subscription. The bike is designed to be used with iFit, and while you can skip the subscription and use it as a standard stationary bike, there are much cheaper options if you don’t want the virtual classes.
iFit memberships cost $39/month, or $180/year for an individual plan, and $396/year for the iFit family membership, which allows up to five total users. Compared to a competitor like Peloton, which has plans starting at $12.99/month, this is a pricey subscription.
Who the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro Is Best For
The ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro is best for those who want to enjoy a large library of virtual classes, and don’t want to spend the extra money on something like a Peloton.
With ProForm, you can easily change the pedals and seat, so if you have a preference for a certain type of pedal, it’s easy to use your own.
As some of the reviews mention a wobbly ride, and this bike does have a lower weight capacity than most, smaller, lighter users will likely be a good fit.
Who the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro Is Not Best For
If you’re bigger or heavier, you may need a sturdier bike. Some reviews mentioned that the bike feels unstable even if you’re below the 250-pound capacity, so you may want to find a way to test the bike before purchasing. And if you like to do HIIT classes while training, which often involve standing and spinning as hard as you can, the bike may feel too unsteady.
If you’re on a tight budget, this bike isn’t cheap. The bike may be cheaper than competitors, but $1,299 is still a significant investment for most, not to mention the $39/month iFit subscription.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro
ProForm
Features
It’s easy to change the seat and pedals to fit your preference, so if you have a specific type of seat you enjoy, or a specific kind of clip-in pedal, you can add those pretty easily. Some riders have their favorite style of cycling shoes, and if you need a special pedal for your shoes, it’s easy to install.
The bike comes with a water bottle holder, built-in rear facing speakers and an audio auxiliary port, and allows you to pair with the optional SmartBeat Heart Rate Monitor for real-time heart rate tracking.
The small hand weights, while on the lighter side, are a nice add-on if you want to include some light resistance training as part of your home fitness routine.
Construction
The pedals and seat are easily changeable, and both the seat and handlebars have a wide range of settings.
The seat includes nine inches of vertical range with 10 position settings, and the adjustable handlebars include 3.75 inches of vertical range, with five positions. Both are easy to adjust with the turn of a handle, allowing you to find the best ergonomic position.
The steel frame is built to last, and the stand includes adjustable leveling feet to minimize any wobbling.
Monitor and controls
At 22 inches, the smart HD touchscreen display is large, bright and easy to use with your favorite classes. The monitor is attached on a swivel mount, allowing you to turn the screen in nearly any direction.
If you’re going to be following workouts that involve you working out away from the bike, it’s nice to be able to turn the screen away from the bike seat for easier viewing.
Workouts
The ProForm Studio Bike 22 relies heavily on iFit, allowing you to join real-time studio classes, explore virtual locations, and even follow strength-training classes. You can follow bodyweight workouts, yoga, stretching and all sorts of non-cycling workout classes.
iFit has a wide selection of personal trainers to choose from, so you’re sure to find someone you connect with to lead your workout.
In particular, the iFit can automatically increase your resistance as the ride progresses, so you don’t have to be constantly adjusting your own resistance. This is a great feature, not commonly found on exercise bikes.
Size
The bike weighs 144 pounds, and it’s 21.9 inches wide x 56.5 inches deep x 54 inches tall, with a 250-pound weight capacity. It’s a smaller piece of fitness equipment that should be easy to fit in most homes, but the weight capacity is on the lower end, compared to other high-quality bikes on the market.
Price and subscription
The bike costs $1,299, though ProForm does offer financing and other retailers may occasionally offer promotions.
If you plan to use iFit, which is really the main selling point of this bike, you’ll need $39/month or $180/year for an individual plan or $396/year for a family plan. The family plan allows you to have one primary user and four secondary users, each with their own account and workout tracking.
Warranty and return policy
The bike is protected by a 10-year frame warranty, two-year parts warranty and one-year labor warranty.
You may request a return within 30 days of delivery, but you’ll pay a $250 shipping charge and 10 percent restocking fee.
How the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro Stacks Up Against Other Products
ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro vs. Peloton
The Peloton Bike may be the most popular bike on the market, and the two bikes have very similar features. Both feature a large HD display screen, huge variety of live and pre-recorded streaming classes, and dumbbells to use with strength training.
The Peloton is slightly smaller, with dimensions of 48 inches x 24 inches, compared to ProForm’s 56.5 inches x 21.9 inches. However, the Peloton has a higher capacity of 297 pounds, suggesting that it’s likely sturdier.
One main difference is the resistance settings. Peloton has 100 levels of resistance, and you can easily choose between them with the turn of a knob. ProForm only has 22 resistance settings, with a bigger step up between each. With Peloton, you can more precisely dial in your exact resistance needs.
In terms of pricing, the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro costs $1,299, and the iFit membership starts at $39/month.
Peloton has two models: the standard Bike, which costs $1,445, and the upgraded Bike+, which costs $2,495. The Bike+ adds a rotating touch screen and automatic resistance, similar to the ProForm Studio Bike, so you’re getting similar features at nearly double the cost.
Peloton’s membership starts at $12.99/month for one user.
The Peloton seems to be higher quality, and is a very popular option, but it’s significantly more expensive. If you want to save money and you’re okay with a potentially lower-quality bike, you’re a smaller user, or you don’t need precise resistance settings, the ProForm may be the better option.
However, if money’s no issue, you want a sturdier bike, or you love Peloton instructors and classes, the Peloton is the better choice.
ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro vs. NordicTrack s22i
Here’s where it gets more interesting, as NordicTrack also relies on its iFit integration to deliver virtual workout services.
The NordicTrack s22i studio cycle is quite similar to the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro, only with a sturdier frame and more advanced features.
NordicTrack has included 30W front-facing speakers for better sound quality, while the ProForm Bike has smaller features on the back of the display.
The NordicTrack s22i also has incline and decline settings, creating a more immersive experience, and more options for virtual trainers to adjust your resistance AND incline setting. You can also pair your Bluetooth headphones, while ProForm only has the auxiliary audio port for cable headphones.
At $1,999, the s22i is the more expensive option, but it has more luxurious features for those who want the best of the best, while still sticking with iFit classes over Peloton classes.
ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro FAQs
How much does the flywheel on the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro weigh?
The flywheel weighs 32 pounds.
Can you use the ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro without an iFit subscription?
You can, but if you’re going for a simple bike that doesn’t use virtual workouts, you can likely find a much cheaper, and sturdier option. The ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro was pretty clearly designed to be used with iFit, so without a subscription, you’d be paying extra for features you’d never use.
Final Thoughts
While some of the features are really great to see, like the iFit integration and auto-adjusting resistance, we’d expect better quality and more tech for the price, especially the ability to pair Bluetooth headphones.
Sure, many users love their ProForm Studio Bike 22 Pro, and you might too. But there are plenty of people who say it feels wobbly, which adds up as they do have a lower weight capacity than most.
If you’re a smaller individual, you likely won’t have those issues, and will love this bike. However, those who weigh closer to 250 pounds, or those who really push the resistance pretty hard and do a lot of standing, may find this bike a little unstable.
While the features are very similar to Peloton and NordicTrack’s s22i, the quality seems to be a little lower, something to consider before deciding to spend $1,299 on an exercise bike.
Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.
