Body Rider Elliptical Dual Trainer
Body Rider Elliptical Dual Trainer Review Facts
The thoroughly named Body Rider Deluxe Flywheel Dual Trainer is a moderate price stationary bike that doubles as a standup elliptical. Body Rider’s catalog gets a little confusing, so, for clarity, we are reviewing the model number BRD2800. If you’d like to purchase the bike or read more reviews, you can search with that model number.
This is not a bike for group spin classes with frequent speed shifts and transitions from climbing to sprinting. The bike is comfortable enough, with an adjustable seat and two sets of handlebars (standing and seated). But it was birthed as a compact, low footprint, omnipresent tool that will get you moving and get your heart rate up without a lot of additional features to run up the price.
One of the best things about the Dual Trainer is that it will go easy on your joints, particularly your knees once you dial in the seat height. This makes it ideal for anyone with joint inflammation and for general fitness junkies who are mostly interested in staving off injury, having more pep during the day, and not breaking any land speed records. Let’s take a ride and talk about what this tool can do for you.
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Reasonable cost and small footprint
Space saver with both elliptical and cycling workouts
15-pound flywheel offers consistent resistance, fluid ride
Stand up and sit down handlebars that don’t interfere with each other
Tension knob resistance means no sensors, simple operation
Includes a computer monitor with basic data points
Cons
Computer is minimalist without custom programs
Typical reviews are not terrible, but not glowing either
Nuts and Bolts
The bike, when fully assembled, is 37 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 26 inches tall. It weighs nearly 80 pounds. The flywheel is fully enclosed in a steel shell, and it is direct drive so there are no chains to make noise or need adjusting. The flywheel provides a smooth, bump and catch-free ride that emulates riding on a smooth track when the unit is in bike mode.
Two things we really like are the double handlebars and the seat. The elliptical handles move back and forth, so you can get an upper-body burn without needing to attach resistance bands. Some lower-end ellipticals and pedalers actually come with resistance bands. For a comparable price, the BRD2800 gives you solid handlebars you can hold onto, or let go of to test and build your balance.
The seat adjusts quickly and easily for a comfortable experience. However, the bane of compact, economical exercise machines is that they leave out taller users. Those of us who are over six feet will not find the machine comfortable. Using too low a frame will lead to joint pain and compromised mobility over time, so taller users will want to stay away. The Dual Trainer’s weight capacity is 250 pounds.
Two things we really like are the double handlebars and the seat. The elliptical handles move back and forth, so you can get an upper-body burn without needing to attach resistance bands. Some lower-end ellipticals and pedalers actually come with resistance bands. For a comparable price, the BRD2800 gives you solid handlebars you can hold onto, or let go of to test and build your balance.
The seat adjusts quickly and easily for a comfortable experience. However, the bane of compact, economical exercise machines is that they leave out taller users. Those of us who are over six feet will not find the machine comfortable. Using too low a frame will lead to joint pain and compromised mobility over time, so taller users will want to stay away. The Dual Trainer’s weight capacity is 250 pounds.
Computer and Company Info
The streamlined computer has a black plastic case with a businesslike finish, mounted on the lower handlebars and attached to sensors via a cable. The design means the lower handlebars can’t be raised, presenting further difficulties for different body types. The computer gives you workout time, speed, distance, and calories for a single workout. Its single oversized Mode button controls all the functions.
User reviews, across the board, indicate the machine assembles quickly and feels solid enough under a reasonably intense workout. If you have issues, the BRD2800 comes with a warranty; clicking on the “more info” link led us to a page urging us to “contact the seller directly” which felt a little weird.
The Dual Trainer is made by Body Max. Try as we might, we could not find a Body Max website which, again, weird. You can purchase the Dual Trainer through dozens of third party retailers, though, and presumably one of those sellers could give you Body Max’s contact information. From what we can gather, Body Max specializes in low-cost, compact cardio machines for home gyms.
User reviews, across the board, indicate the machine assembles quickly and feels solid enough under a reasonably intense workout. If you have issues, the BRD2800 comes with a warranty; clicking on the “more info” link led us to a page urging us to “contact the seller directly” which felt a little weird.
The Dual Trainer is made by Body Max. Try as we might, we could not find a Body Max website which, again, weird. You can purchase the Dual Trainer through dozens of third party retailers, though, and presumably one of those sellers could give you Body Max’s contact information. From what we can gather, Body Max specializes in low-cost, compact cardio machines for home gyms.
Effectiveness
No indoor bike or elliptical will help you bench press your bodyweight or farmer carry two fifty pound dumbbells around your neighborhood. But that’s okay because that’s not why people get bikes. A home gym cardio machine provides visual motivation and lets you make light or heavier cardio part of your daily routine. It cuts down on excuses, solidifies the fitness habit, and helps you get your heart rate up as often as you choose. The BRD2800 does all this without taking up too much room, and without losing focus in a sea of extra features and perks.
If you want more variety in a similar package, and you can spend the extra money, get a Total Gym. The Total Gym gives you a feeling of overall strength and wellness and is also considerate of those with joint problems, chronic pain, and a curvy body type.
Since this isn’t a Total Gym review, though, let’s talk about the regular use benefits that come with any stationary bike and/or elliptical trainer, no matter how small or sparse the features are. Your faithful editors read more fitness reviews than the average gym buff, and it’s too easy to get caught up in the specs or features of a fitness tool without ever asking “why to use this tool in the first place?”
If you want more variety in a similar package, and you can spend the extra money, get a Total Gym. The Total Gym gives you a feeling of overall strength and wellness and is also considerate of those with joint problems, chronic pain, and a curvy body type.
Since this isn’t a Total Gym review, though, let’s talk about the regular use benefits that come with any stationary bike and/or elliptical trainer, no matter how small or sparse the features are. Your faithful editors read more fitness reviews than the average gym buff, and it’s too easy to get caught up in the specs or features of a fitness tool without ever asking “why to use this tool in the first place?”
Why Cycling?
According to vetted source Web MD, regular cycling workouts will increase your heart rate. This increases your overall energy level, conversely letting your heart work more efficiently away from the bike and decreasing your resting pulse rate over time. Resting pulse rate is a good indicator of overall health, one that is often overlooked when we focus too much on our weight or the BMI chart.
Even a half-hour of cycling a day, with no fancy intervals, can improve your metabolism and help you burn more calories along with a carefully planned nutritious diet. Although we’re fond of our walks around the duck pond, a bike in one’s space helps a lot when it’s cold outside or you’re nursing a plantar fasciitis flare-up.
You can also wear whatever you want in the privacy of your living room, and catch up with news or shows while you pedal. Indoor cycling can bridge the gap between more strenuous workouts, or keep you healthy while you take a break from lifting, BeachBody, Tabata workouts, or whatever else floats your boat.
Even a half-hour of cycling a day, with no fancy intervals, can improve your metabolism and help you burn more calories along with a carefully planned nutritious diet. Although we’re fond of our walks around the duck pond, a bike in one’s space helps a lot when it’s cold outside or you’re nursing a plantar fasciitis flare-up.
You can also wear whatever you want in the privacy of your living room, and catch up with news or shows while you pedal. Indoor cycling can bridge the gap between more strenuous workouts, or keep you healthy while you take a break from lifting, BeachBody, Tabata workouts, or whatever else floats your boat.
Why an Elliptical?
Web MD suggests up to five cycling classes a week, with the average class lasting up to an hour, for best results. This is easily replicated in your home, no sign-in sheet required.
As for the benefits of an elliptical, they are virtually the same as for a bike. Your working heart rate, metabolism, energy level, and sense of well being will go up while your resting heart rate goes down. Because the elliptical doesn’t make you bend your knees in a sitting position, it will be even more gentle on your joints and take some strain off your bones and skeleton.
The Body Rider Dual, too, has handlebars that you can use to work your arms, shoulders, back, and trunk while your legs get stronger every day. Despite some of the shortcomings we talked about, which are endemic to all compact cardio units, the BRD2800 is superior to similar units that don’t have handlebars. An under-the-desk pedal machine, for example, works great in a pinch but doesn’t give you the freedom and options that Body Rider’s 2-in-1 nature does.
As for the benefits of an elliptical, they are virtually the same as for a bike. Your working heart rate, metabolism, energy level, and sense of well being will go up while your resting heart rate goes down. Because the elliptical doesn’t make you bend your knees in a sitting position, it will be even more gentle on your joints and take some strain off your bones and skeleton.
The Body Rider Dual, too, has handlebars that you can use to work your arms, shoulders, back, and trunk while your legs get stronger every day. Despite some of the shortcomings we talked about, which are endemic to all compact cardio units, the BRD2800 is superior to similar units that don’t have handlebars. An under-the-desk pedal machine, for example, works great in a pinch but doesn’t give you the freedom and options that Body Rider’s 2-in-1 nature does.
Extra Perks
It may be bare-bones, with a foggy background from a semi-ghostlike maker, but the Dual Trainer still has a few bonuses that don’t really fit any of our categories. In the interest of you making an informed purchase decision, here is a rundown. Some are standard on most any low priced cardio unit, but the Body Rider combines and crosshatches them on a versatile 2 in 1 foundation to give you a full experience.
Portability. The Dual Trainer doesn’t fold for storage, but it does have a light footprint and low overall weight. On a nice day, you could move from in front of the TV onto your deck to feel at one with nature, or watch the neighbors, or sync your pedaling to the flashing neon sign from the all-night liquor store. We don’t judge anyone’s living situation. The point is, moving will be easy peasy with the permanently installed wheels and convenient elliptical bars which double as carrying handles.
2 in 1 design. We keep going back to this, but that’s because it really is a big plus. There are other combined bikes/elliptical machines, but they sometimes cost more and, if they do fold, that means more moving join points to possibly wear out under heavy use. With the Dual Trainer, you can go from seated to standing in a snap, giving you even more flexibility than you’d get with an outdoor road or mountain bike.
15-pound steel flywheel. This isn’t an air or fan bike. Resistance comes from a machined steel flywheel, joined to the pedals with no creaky chain that can weaken over time. Typically, a low-cost model will have fan resistance, often adjusted by how hard and heavy you pedal. The Dual Trainer lets you set the resistance with a turn of a knob.
Onboard computer. Again, you aren’t shopping for this type of bike because you want something that will read your horoscope or brew your coffee in the morning. Like every other part of the Dual Trainer, the computer is stripped down and easy to operate, with large black LCD numbers on a compact screen.
It hardly matters that you can’t create a custom program or hook the computer up to social media. Simplicity can be the perfect training tool because it lets you focus with few to no distractions.
Portability. The Dual Trainer doesn’t fold for storage, but it does have a light footprint and low overall weight. On a nice day, you could move from in front of the TV onto your deck to feel at one with nature, or watch the neighbors, or sync your pedaling to the flashing neon sign from the all-night liquor store. We don’t judge anyone’s living situation. The point is, moving will be easy peasy with the permanently installed wheels and convenient elliptical bars which double as carrying handles.
2 in 1 design. We keep going back to this, but that’s because it really is a big plus. There are other combined bikes/elliptical machines, but they sometimes cost more and, if they do fold, that means more moving join points to possibly wear out under heavy use. With the Dual Trainer, you can go from seated to standing in a snap, giving you even more flexibility than you’d get with an outdoor road or mountain bike.
15-pound steel flywheel. This isn’t an air or fan bike. Resistance comes from a machined steel flywheel, joined to the pedals with no creaky chain that can weaken over time. Typically, a low-cost model will have fan resistance, often adjusted by how hard and heavy you pedal. The Dual Trainer lets you set the resistance with a turn of a knob.
Onboard computer. Again, you aren’t shopping for this type of bike because you want something that will read your horoscope or brew your coffee in the morning. Like every other part of the Dual Trainer, the computer is stripped down and easy to operate, with large black LCD numbers on a compact screen.
It hardly matters that you can’t create a custom program or hook the computer up to social media. Simplicity can be the perfect training tool because it lets you focus with few to no distractions.
The Final Word
The Body Rider Deluxe Flywheel Dual Trainer is a low-cost, streamlined, portable cardio machine that will help you get consistent heart rate training while building strength and endurance throughout your major muscle groups (because of the ability to sit, stand, and work your arms with the elliptical bars). Taller users may find the machine inadequate.
People of all experience levels can get an effective workout, without getting overwhelmed by an array of options. The unit is lightweight, with a compact footprint and easy portability. An onboard computer helps you stay motivated, while the substantial flywheel ensures a natural and stable ride that will keep you coming back.
Details on the maker, Body Max, are a bit lacking. The Dual Trainer gets OK reviews across the board. Assembly is quick and pain-free. Resistance is easy to set and adjust. If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive way to keep yourself moving, no matter what work or family throws at you, we are happy to recommend this unit as a fitness solution.
People of all experience levels can get an effective workout, without getting overwhelmed by an array of options. The unit is lightweight, with a compact footprint and easy portability. An onboard computer helps you stay motivated, while the substantial flywheel ensures a natural and stable ride that will keep you coming back.
Details on the maker, Body Max, are a bit lacking. The Dual Trainer gets OK reviews across the board. Assembly is quick and pain-free. Resistance is easy to set and adjust. If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive way to keep yourself moving, no matter what work or family throws at you, we are happy to recommend this unit as a fitness solution.
Related Reviews:
$269.99See Deal 