I’ve got to admit – when I first saw the Pooboo Magnetic Resistance Indoor Cycling Bike advertised on Amazon, I was a bit wary. Who would willingly brand their bike “the Pooboo”? And the marketing material written in broken English did not exactly inspire confidence in the bike either. But most of the Pooboo exercise bike reviews I read seemed pretty positive.

And at around $300, the Pooboo bike is much cheaper than Peloton and most of the other exercise bikes on the market so I decided to give it a go. You can check the exact price on Amazon here (pro tip: it is worth waiting for a sale on the bike, I’ve seen it advertised on Amazon for $70 less than I paid for it).

After it, it had over 5,500 5 star  reviews on Amazon – it couldn’t be that bad could it? Well, actually I’m finding it to be pretty good! It feels very sturdy and durable. I’m impressed by  the fact that the Pooboo bike has magnetic resistance which is quite rare in a bike at this price point (this means that the bike is quieter and adjusting between levels is smoother. There is also less maintenance involved). The bike is also a pretty compact design, meaning it fits neatly into a corner of my bedroom. I also found it  quick and easy to install.

And while the lack of a touchscreen might annoy some riders who want all their metrics integrated in the bike, I didn’t expect a touchscreen at this price point. I’m quite happy to just use the Peloton digital app which I stream from my ipad.

Full disclosure though – I’m not an experienced rider. Experienced riders may find the lack of levels on the resistance knob annoying.  This makes it hard to work out what your resistance level actually is. The flywheel is also a bit lighter than the more expensive bikes – the Peloton’s flywheel is 38 lbs while the Pooboo’s is 35lbs for example. A heavier flywheel more closely mimics how an outdoor bike works and allows for a smoother and more comfortable ride.

Pros

• the cost. At around $300 USD, the Pooboo bike is one of the cheapest stationary bikes on the market. Especially when compared to the Peloton bike, which will set you back around $2000.
• the Pooboo bike is one of the few bikes on the market at this price point that has magnetic resistance. Magnetic resistance is superior to friction resistance as it is quieter and adjusting between levels is smoother. There is also less maintenance involved.
• the Pooboo bike is super quiet due to the magnetic resistance.
• there are pulse sensors on the handlebars to measure your heart rate (although you obviously need to keep your hands on the sensors to get your heart rate which I found to be a bit awkward).
• the Pooboo bike is easy to move around as it has small  wheels on the back of the bike.
• the Pooboo bike has a nice compact design that fits easily in small spaces.
• the Pooboo bike’s adjustable seat makes it suitable for riders of different heights.
• the bike has adjustable handlebars
• unlike the Peloton, the Pooboo bike is “open platform” meaning you can use the Pooboo bike with any fitness app you like, such as the Peloton digital app, Apple Fitness Plus, Youtube or you can just watch Netflix/ TV.
• the Pooboo bike is easy to assemble – it took me about 45 minutes to assemble it.
• normal gym shoes can be worn with the Pooboo bike.
• unlike the Peloton, the Pooboo bike does not need to be plugged into a power outlet.
• if you have any problems with the bike, customer service seems to be very responsive (judging from the Amazon reviews).

Cons

• the most obvious con of the Pooboo bike is that it doesn’t come equipped with a touchscreen. The higher end bikes that come with a touchscreen such as a Peloton give you alot of stats about each of your rides and records these stats.
• the Pooboo bike does not have speakers or cameras for interacting with other riders.
• none of your metrics for each ride are going to be saved anywhere.  Every time you do a new ride, all your existing metrics will reset. If tracking your progress over time is important to you, you are going to need to write it all down.
• the Pooboo bike is not a “set and go” experience like the Peloton is. You will need to figure out a heart rate monitor, have a different device for streaming the workouts and invest in some data feed tools.
• the Pooboo bike doesn’t come with clip in pedals or clip in shoes, which are really needed if you want to take your rides to the next level. You could of course, replace the pedals if you wanted too.
• you adjust your resistance by turning a resistance knob. There are no levels on the resistance knob. This makes it hard to work out what your resistance level actually is. So if you are doing a ride using the Peloton app for example, and the instructor is telling you to set your resistance to a certain level, it is going to be difficult to work out exactly what that level should be.  
• I found the seat to be pretty uncomfortable but that is easily fixed with a saddle cover.

Who is the Pooboo bike most suited to?

• beginner riders
• riders on a budget
• riders needing a quiet bike
• riders who don’t need all their metrics integrated in the bike
• riders who are short on space
• riders sharing the bike with other people in their house who are of varying heights.

Pooboo product specifications at a glance

Pooboo bike review – my final conclusion on the bike is:

funny name but a good entry level bike…

The Pooboo bike is actually a really strong, sturdy bike for the price point. In fact, it was a lot sturdier than I expected for $300 and definitely did not feel cheap. Overall I am happy with the Pooboo bike. It is exactly what I wanted in this price range. It’s sturdy and quiet and gives me a decent workout.

I’ve only had it a few months so it remains to be seen whether it will go the distance but even if parts do break, from the reviews on Amazon I can see that they have a pretty responsive customer service team.

My Pooboo bike rating 4/5 stars

Want more on the Pooboo bike? This youtube video does a good job of reviewing the bike:

Michael Hoskins