Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike Review (2023 Update)

Thanks to the success of Peloton, there’s been an explosion in popularity for app-connected cardio machines that can simulate the feel of a fitness class at home. Echelon has released some of the best exercise bikes in the space, and the Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike is a glammed-up alternative to leading models like the Peloton Bike and NordicTrack S22i. 

Our expert product tester has pumped the pedals of more than a dozen bikes in this space, including previous versions of Echelon Connect bikes. They’ve also muscled through classes on the Echelon Fit, Peloton, and IFIT apps to ascertain how each machine works with its connected content. After giving it a spin, we rated the EX-8s on a number of factors — footprint, durability, adjustability, and tech, among others — on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). And though we’d wager these new additions aren’t worth the cost, those with a few extra bucks may find its ergonomic features and sense of style up their alley. 

Main Takeaways

• The bike’s striking dual-ring design on the wheels has LED lights that can be customized by color, tempo, and brightness.
• The Echelon EX-8s offers an even lower-impact alternative to bikes like the Peloton with its flexing frame.
• The 24-inch curved HD display ushers you into the Echelon Fit app’s library of cardio and strength training classes.

Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike Highlights

• Price: $3,079.99
• Display: 24” curved HD touchscreen
• Weight Capacity: 300lbs
• Dimensions: 65’’ H x 59’’ L x 23’’ W 
• Weight: 124lbs

The Echelon EX-8s Connect bike works to distinguish itself from the Peloton, the NordicTrack S22i, and its own Echelon Connect EX-5s-22 with features both practical and aesthetic. It satisfies the basics with 32 levels of quiet magnetic resistance, four-way seat and handle adjustments, and a steel frame, though you’ll find all those features on the EX-5s-22 as well. 

It differs from the EX-5s-22 in a few key ways. First, there’s its curved display, which, at 24 inches, is 2 inches larger than the EX-5s-22’s 22-inch screen. Research has shown that curved screens can promote visual comfort and deeper immersion in content, so the display may be beneficial for some. [1][2] Our tester, however, found the oversized screen “unwieldy.” They said, “The screen seemed to be a bit wobbly when I was regularly riding the bike, which I didn’t love.” In this case, we prefer the smaller display.

We did, however, like Echelon’s Bluetooth resistance controller, which allows you to adjust the tension both via the handlebars and the frame’s built-in knob. We were also impressed by the EX-8s’ flexing frame, a feature you won’t find on the EX-5s-22, Peloton, or S22i. When you sprint or rise out of the saddle, the bike gently responds to the intensity of your movements. By shifting with your body, it can help ease the impact on your joints and make for a low-impact ride.

The EX-8s also emerges from the shadow of its predecessor with an appealing dual-flywheel design that can light up a room (or a dance floor) with customizable LEDs in multiple color variations that flash in concert with your heart rate or the intensity of your output based on the performance zones in Echelon’s classes. Do they serve a purpose? Not particularly. They’re fun, though. 

As for the Echelon Fit app, it evokes the Peloton and IFIT fitness apps with its own library of live and on-demand cardio, strength, yoga, HIIT, and pilates classes. We like the app’s variety — 30-plus instructors and more than 40 daily live classes a day — and how it tracks workout metrics like speed, distance, and calories burned. We do, however, struggle with the cluttered feel of the metrics as they’re presented onscreen. In general, we find the production design and overall sense of immersion provided by the Echelon Fit app to fall short of what you’ll get from Peloton and IFIT. 

At $3,079.50, the EX-8s is between roughly $1,000 and $2,000 more expensive than the Peloton, S22i, and EX-5s-22. And while some of its features are impressive, that’s a lot of extra coin to spill for features that likely won’t be all that essential for most riders. 

Pros

• The bike includes four-way seat and handlebar adjustments, and a stable steel frame.
• Its built-in shock absorption system works to reduce the impact on knees and ankles.
• You can control resistance on the handlebars and via the frame’s built-in knob.
• The dual-wheel design pops with LEDs you can program to flash at the speed of your heart rate.

Cons

• The EX-8s costs $3,079.50, which is roughly $2,000 more than the (what we consider to be) superior Peloton.
• The 24-inch HD touchscreen can feel unwieldy and a bit wobbly during rides.
• The LEDs are purely aesthetic and could potentially distract more than they motivate.

Training With the Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike

You can work up a heck of a sweat on the EX-8s thanks to its 32 resistance levels and library of on-demand classes, but we’re more mixed on some of its luxury features. It’s got a handful of notable design flourishes, such as its flex frame and reversible pedals, but the oversized screen might be too oversized, as it wobbled uncomfortably during our rides. 

Tech

The EX-8s is a tech-savvy machine, with a 24-inch curved HD touchscreen that features the Echelon Fit app. We’re impressed by the app’s interactive programming, which includes 40+ daily live classes, a competitive leaderboard, scenic rides, and compatibility with apps like Spotify, FitBit, and Apple Health.

It’s also got a deep library of more than 15,000 classes that run the gamut from cardio and strength training to yoga and pilates. There is plenty to explore, but you’ll find just as much content — and at a higher production quality — for comparable prices on the Peloton and IFIT apps. As such, we rated the bike’s dynamic programming a 4 out of 5. 

You can control the resistance with the kind of knob you’ll find on many exercise bikes, but the EX-8s also includes a Bluetooth resistance controller that lets you make the same adjustments on the handlebar. This may prove helpful during uphill climbs when you’re gripping the handlebar for dear life and would rather not reach for the knob. 

As for the display itself, it’s quite large at 24 inches, which is bigger than the screens on the Peloton and S22i by 3.5 and two inches, respectively. We found the size to be cumbersome, with our tester noting that the screen wobbled slightly during rides. And while studies have shown that curved screens can be easier on the eyes than flat screens, we didn’t find it that much more immersive during our rides. [1][2]

Still, in terms of its overall tech capabilities, we gave the EX-8s a 5 out of 5. 

Adjustability and Ergonomics

The EX-8s can accommodate riders of varying heights with a seat that can be adjusted up, down, backwards, and forwards. As for the saddle itself, it’s contoured and vented to promote air circulation. Our tester says they’ve sat on worse seats, but would only rate this one as “average” in terms of comfort. The bullhorn-style handlebars are also adjustable vertically and horizontally, offering riders multiple angles to place their hands during workouts. 

We also like how the bike’s pedals are reversible, so you can strap in using SPD cleats or flip them around and slip your favorite cross-training shoes into the adjustable toe cage. The EX-5s-22 and S22i bikes also provide this option, but the Peloton does not. 

The display doesn’t swivel, though it can flip 180 degrees, so you can take the app’s strength, yoga, and HIIT classes off the bike. This is a useful feature, but the lack of swivel means you won’t be able to see the screen from the sides of the bike, only the front or the back. As such, you’ll need to be strategic about where you place it in your home gym. 

We were impressed, however, with the frame’s built-in shock absorption. During high-intensity jogs out of the saddle, the frame works to minimize stress on your joints by flexing along with your movements. This results in an even lower-impact ride than the Peloton or S22i, which may make the EX-8s an appealing option for heavier riders, or those with tender knees and ankles. 

When it comes to adjustability and ergonomics, we rated the EX-8s a 4 out of 5. 

Resistance

The 32 levels of magnetic resistance provided by the EX-8s’ 38-pound flywheel promise a smooth ride and a finer range of tension than the 16 to 28 levels you’ll find on many comparable bikes (aside from the Peloton, which has 100 levels). In addition to being more durable than brake pads, magnetic resistance provides a smoother and quieter ride, meaning you can pump the pedals in the wee hours without waking your housemates. In terms of challenge customization, we gave the bike a 4 out of 5. 

Stability and Durability

We found the EX-8s’ steel frame to hold steady at high and low levels of resistance, but the oversized display feels unwieldy on top of it. Our tester called out the stabilizers affixed to the base, saying they made the frame feel “pretty stable,” but the wobble of the screen remained an issue during rides. As such, we gave the bike a 3 out of 5 in terms of its stability and durability. 

Design

Designed with style in mind, the EX-8s visually evokes traditional mountain bikes with a frame that incorporates two flywheels, both outfitted with LEDs that can be customized by color, tempo, and brightness. Riders can also sync the LEDs to flash in concert with their heart rate zone or power output, which may provide a bit of added motivation during those sweaty final pushes. It’s not a feature we’d pay extra for, but those looking to zhuzh up their gym (or recall the nostalgia of party-flavored spin classes) may find it attractive. 

More useful is the water bottle holders and dumbbell rack, which helped bump up our design score to 4 out of 5. 

What to Consider Before Buying the Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike

App-connected home fitness bikes pack a lot of tech and hardware into a relatively compact package, so there’s plenty to consider before buying one. The Echelon Connect EX-8s, in particular, has a lot of eyebrow-raising features, but whether or not you actually need them is another question. Here are a few factors to consider before lacing up your cleats. 

Price

The $3,079.99 price tag on the EX-8s can be tough to swallow when there are trusted bikes with comparable features available for significantly less. Our tester even noted that it’s “really pricey,” especially in light of the price of the Peloton Bike becoming more affordable. The basic Peloton, for example, costs just over $1,000, while the NordicTrack S22i is available for $1,999. The EX-5s-22, meanwhile, has several of the same key features of the EX-8s at a cost of $2,079.50. 

The Echelon Fit app will tack on an additional $11.99 to $39.99 to the price, though the app’s $11.99 FitPass only allows access to classes that require no Echelon equipment. If you want to take cycling classes on the EX-8s, which we’d recommend, you’ll need a Premier membership, which costs between $29.16 and $39.99 a month, depending on the plan you choose. That’s comparable (price-wise) to the Peloton and IFIT apps, but, though we like the app’s content, we feel it lacks the polish and visual dynamism of its competitors. 

You’ll also want to consider the warranty. The EX-8s comes with a weak one-year warranty for the entire bike, including the frame. For comparison, Peloton and NordicTrack offer five- and 10-year warranties for their frames, respectively. If you want a better warranty, you’ll need to subscribe to the Premier version of Echelon Fit, which costs between $29.16 and $39.99 a month depending on the plan. Doing so gets you five years of total coverage for the EX-8s, which is more like it. 

What separates the EX-8s from its competitors is its oversized display, curved touchscreen display, and built-in shock absorption. And that’s to say nothing of its dual-ring design with customizable LEDs, which won’t impact your workout so much as class up your gym. 

Your Physical Needs

Indoor exercise bikes allow for a home cardio workout that puts less pressure on the joints than treadmills and HIIT workouts. But since spin classes include plenty of sweating out of the saddle, they can still be aggravating for heavier riders or those with sensitive joints. 

Thanks to the shock absorption system built into the frame, the EX-8s can provide an even lower-impact ride than its competitors. When you rise and pedal, the frame is designed to flex along with you to help minimize the added stress and ease the overall impact on your knees and ankles. In addition to your lower extremities, the bike can also be kinder to your eyes. Studies have shown that curved screens, in particular, can reduce visual strain and promote immersion for some viewers. [1][2]

If you typically find yourself achy knees or nursing a headache after rides on other bikes, the EX-8s may be the right option for you. 

Size and Portability

Despite its dual-ring design, the EX-8s has similar specs to its competitors. It measures 59 inches long and 23 inches wide, the same as the Peloton and just one inch thinner widthwise and two inches shorter lengthwise than the S22i. 

The EX-5s-22 has the smallest footprint of the bunch at 58 inches long and 22 inches wide. At 124 pounds, it’s also 11 and 69 pounds lighter than the standard Peloton Bike and S22i, respectively. Our tester rated its portability a 3.75 out of 5, saying the built-in wheels and manageable weight make it so the “average, able-bodied individual” should likely have no issues transporting it, though the oversized display may prove awkward for some. 

Because of the display, it stands between four and 12 inches taller than the aforementioned bikes. If you have lower ceilings or a gym that’s already packed with cardio machines, you’ll want to break out the tape measure to make sure you have enough available space to accommodate the screen. 

Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike Vs. The Competition

There’s a lot of tech and hardware packed into the relatively small footprints of home studio cycling bikes. Some of it is necessary, while some of it is suited for a more particular kind of rider. Take a look at the chart below to compare and contrast the EX-8s with some of its top competitors. 

As you can see, the Echelon EX-8s costs a cool grand more than the Echelon EX-5s-22. It may be tough to grasp why when you weigh them purely against the essentials one looks for in an app-connected stationary bike. 

The EX-8s and its predecessor, the EX-5s-22, both have 32 levels of magnetic resistance, a 300-pound weight capacity, hybrid pedals, and Echelon Fit app integration. Why such a huge gulf in price? 

The answer is that the EX-8s’ most compelling features aren’t all that essential. Unlike the other bikes listed above, the EX-8s prioritizes style with a sleek dual-ring frame, which gives the appearance of two flywheels, and a rainbow of LED lights you can customize to suit your workout. It’s a neat feature that might transport you back to an in-person spin class, but it’s unlikely to have much impact on your actual ride. 

You won’t find the EX-8s’ larger, curved screen and built-in shock absorption system on the other bikes, either, but we’d argue these features don’t justify the higher price on the EX-8s, especially when you can get a bike with all the essentials for less than half the price. (Also, as the display wobble we experienced reminded us, a bigger screen isn’t always better.)

The vast majority of riders, however, should be able to work up a sweat just as well on any of the other bikes listed. With the Peloton and S22i, they’ll also have access to apps like Peloton and IFIT, which we prefer to Echelon Fit for their visual polish and deeper sense of immersion. 

That said, Echelon Fit is a content-rich app capable of helping you cultivate a comprehensive workout plan, and the EX-5s-22 offers all the same essentials as the EX-8s at a much, much lower price. 

Places to Buy the Echelon Connect EX-8s Exercise Bike

The Echelon EX-8s is available directly through Echelon’s website. You can also find it at select online retailers such as Fitness Outlet. 

Warranties

Echelon’s warranty situation is a bit weird. The bike comes with a 12-month total warranty, but subscribers to the Premier tier of the Echelon Fit app get a much more robust five-year total warranty. 

A subscription to the app’s Premier tier (starting at $29.16 a month) is the only way to access Echelon’s equipment-based classes on the bike — meaning it’s basically required for unlocking the majority of the EX-8s’ full potential. You can use it without a Premier subscription, but you won’t be able to stream classes, access past metrics, or get the extended warranty. The same goes for the $11.99 FitPass, which only unlocks classes that don’t involve Echelon equipment.

One- and two-year extended warranties are also available for $59.99 and $119.99, respectively. 

Customer Service

Our tester gave Echelon’s customer service a 3.5 out of five, saying that the website’s FAQs were helpful but the lack of a live chat option was disappointing. Otherwise, you can reach their customer service team through email ([email protected]) or phone (833-937-2453). You can also text HELP to 818181. 

Company Information

Based in Tennessee, Echelon Fitness makes digitally-connected exercise bikes, treadmills, rowers, ellipticals, and more. Echelon’s machines are enhanced by the Echelon Fit app, which provides access to thousands of live and on-demand workouts spanning cardio, strength, HIIT, yoga, and more.

Final Word

The Echelon Connect EX-8s has everything you need in an app-connected exercise bike — and a handful of things you probably don’t. We’re big fans of its 32 resistance levels, seat and handlebar adjustments, and hybrid pedals — not to mention the Echelon Fit app’s vast selection of live and on-demand cardio, strength, and flexibility classes. We do, however, think it trails behind the Peloton and IFIT apps in terms of its production design and presentation of metrics. We also like some of its non-essential features, like its built-in shock absorption, but not so much that we’d pay $3,079.50, which is well over twice the cost of the Peloton and Echelon Connect 5s-22 bikes. 

If you have the budget, though, there’s a lot worth considering about the EX-8s. We found the 24-inch display cumbersome and a touch wobbly, though some may enjoy the sense of immersion provided by its curved screen. And its dual-ring frame and customizable LEDs give it a look and attitude all its own, making it capable of livening up even the most dreary of gyms. 

FAQs

References

1. Na, N., Suk, H., Jeong, K. (2015). Do Curved Displays Make for a More Pleasant Experience?. Proceedings of SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering. 9394. 10.1117/12.2078102.
2. Choi, K., Bae, H., Ju, S., Suk, H. (2015). Visual Search and Attention: What Eye-Tracking Reveals about Visual Performance in the Curved Display. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 46, doi: 10.1002/sdtp.10003.

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