Vision Fitness R2050 Review

Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of upright exercise bikes than I am of recumbent bikes.  It could be because I’ve been riding bikes as a mode of transportation for more than three decades and I just like that fact that I can mimic that feel while I’m working out indoors. 

That being said I know that there are a ton of folks out there that consider recumbent bikes much more comfortable than uprights, and for those folks that makes a recumbent a much better option in terms of home gym equipment.  After all, you certainly aren’t going to regularly use a piece of equipment that you don’t really enjoy being on.

Generally speaking, a good recumbent will cost you more than an upright in most cases – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t find a great recumbent to fit your budget.  In fact, the Vision Fitness R2050 is an incredible piece of equipment that can be had for under $1000.

I’ve been on both the R2050 and R1500 semi-recumbent bikes from Vision and though I thought both were top notch I did find the R2050 a bit more comfortable for longer rides.  This bike is rock solid, even when cruising at warp speeds, and as far as indoor cardio equipment goes it is incredibly quiet.  The resistance on this bike from Vision Fitness is super smooth and the console is user friendly enough for even those that aren’t overly friendly with the latest technology.

Vision gives you the option of “building” your own bike by choosing one of three consoles.  Only the model with the most basic console comes in at under a grand, but the “simple” console as they call it should have more than enough features to satisfy most people.  You get more than a dozen different programmed workout options plus plenty of feedback including heart rate, distance travelled, calories burned and more from the least expensive version of the R2050.

If you think a thousand dollars is a bit too much to spend on a single piece of equipment, but this beautiful recumbent is backed by a lifetime frame and magnetic brake warranty.  Knowing that you’ll probably never have to buy another bike, even if you are going to use it every day, makes justifying a price tag of a thousand dollars a whole lot easier.  In all seriousness, this is a great bike and despite the fact that it is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment we’ve reviewed thus far, it is definitely a good value and would make an excellent addition to your home gym.

Kettler Power Stepper Review

When I hear the name Kettler I automatically think of high end rowers – and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of working out on a Kettler rower, you should be fully aware why.  I was admittedly a bit skeptical prior to getting on the Kettler Power Stepper, but this piece of equipment proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this German manufacturer is far from one dimensional.

The first thing I noticed about the Kettler Power Stepper was its size, or lack there of.  This unit seems quite a bit smaller than most other units in the same price range, but the smaller frame size doesn’t seem to do a thing to the structural integrity.  As I said before, I’m far from a big dude, but I’ve been on countless pieces of exercise equipment in my day and I can tell when one feels as though it won’t hold up to regular abuse and this is certainly not the case with the Power Stepper.  Even when I was moving at a pretty good clip I didn’t feel as though there was ever an issue with how this unit from Kettler would hold up.  The smaller frame size can be a big benefit for those of you that live in smaller apartments or that want to keep the size of your home gym under control.

As far as versatility goes, the Power Stepper has got that going for it as well.  There are twelve different levels of resistance to choose from so just about any body can find a perfect starting point for their fitness journey and still have room to grow.  The hydraulics seem super smooth through every level and the computer console gives you just about all the features you would expect from a unit in this price range.

And that brings us to the very important question of price…  At about eight to nine hundred bucks this stepper isn’t exactly what you would call cheap.  What you’ve got to consider though, is the fact that you can use this piece of equipment all year round for an awesome cardio workout and if you don’t downright abuse it, it will probably last you a lifetime.  There are other steppers out there with comparable features and the same buttery smooth resistance, but in all likelihood you’d pay quite a bit more for any of them.  If you want a high quality, versatile and rock solid unit that won’t totally demolish your home gym budget I definitely recommend taking a look at the Kettler Power Stepper.

Welcome to Gym Gear Guy!

A membership to a commercial gym can cost a lot of money, and getting their multiple times a week can be a real hassle if you’ve got a tight schedule.  Thankfully it is totally possible to build a gym in your home and apartment, without to great of an investment, that will help you to reach your health and fitness goals.

This site is designed to help you folks out there that want to save time and money by getting a great workout at home rather than spending money each month on an expensive gym membership.  We’ll be reviewing pieces of fitness equipment in virtually all categories and at virtually every price point to help you find the best and most effective equipment for your budget.

It doesn’t matter if your primary goal is to lose fat, build endurance, pack on muscle or carve out a perfect six pack, you’ll find the reviews of equipment on this site to help you achieve those goals.  We’ll be looking at everything from basic jump ropes and old school medicine balls to high end elliptical trainers, rowing machines and complete home gym packages to help you find the gear that you need to succeed in your quest for a better you.

We welcome your questions, comments and probably even take on some specific requests for reviews if you’ve got them.  We look forward to being able to help you build the best body possible by steering you in the right direction to affordable, versatile and functional equipment for your home gym.