Ride 'em cowboy

American Fitness, Jan-Feb, 2003

Most of us have ridden Lifecycle[R] exercise bikes. For those of you finally ready to park one in front of your television, Life Fitness has released two new models designed for home use, the C7i and C9i (the "i" stands for "interactive"). They include computerized fitness programming with six preset hill workouts, Watts, METs, Aerobics Trainer programs and Zone Training workouts that use a chest strap (on the C7i) or hand sensors (on the C9i) to monitor heart rate and automatically adjust resistance levels to keep the user in his or her age-recommended heart rate zone. In addition, users can store up to seven of their favorite programs.

For fickle fitness fanatics, the C9i allows riders to switch from one workout to another without interrupting resistance, losing accumulated data or requiring additional programming. If the exerciser stops at any point during a workout, the C9i will save it indefinitely until he or she returns. It is also equipped with elbow pads for forearm support and deluxe racing-style handlebars. Design changes have also been incorporated, such as wider pedals, which have nine strap adjustments, and the Comfort Curve seat, whose swept-back design reduces contact with the rider's thighs.

The manufacturer's suggested price is $1,999 for the C7i and $2,399 for the C9i. For more information, visit www.lifefitness.com.