Marcy XJ-3220 Club Revolution Cycle

Unit	Size	Supported weight	Resistance	Apps	Warranty
Marcy XJ-3220 Check Discounted Price	L:40" W:20" H:43"	300 lbs	Felt-pad	No	Frame: 2 years Parts: 2 years

The Marcy XJ-3220 Club Revolution cycle is pretty much similar to the JX-7038 model of the same brand. There are however, several differences between these two exercise bikes. For example, the XJ-3220 is chain-driven, it’s a little bit smaller and lighter. But nonetheless, they’re both great exercising machines, even though they’re not equipped with all the belts and whistles a gym-rated spin bike typically is.

In terms of fitness possibilities, the Marcy XJ-3220 has quite a lot to offer. Although it’s quite an affordable bike, it’s far from being a flimsy one. It features a solid build, a genuine pedaling feel and provides a decent setting for a heavy spin workout. So, in case you’re looking for a quality indoor cycling bike that won’t break the bank, this particular Marcy model is definitely one to put on your list, and here’s just about every aspect that you should know about it.

Details and Specs

• Assembled dimensions: 40L x 20W x 43H inches (101.6L x 51W x 109H cm)
• Product weight: 86 lbs (39 kg)
• Flywheel weight 40 lbs (18 kg)
• Supported weight: 300 lbs (136 kg)
• Handlebars: Adjustable vertically
• Seat: Adjustable vertically and horizontally
• Pedals: With toe-cages
• Drive mechanism: Chain
• Brakes: Direct-contact, top-to-down felt pad
• Resistance: Adjustable
• Bottle holder: Yes
• Computer: No
• Warranty: Frame and parts two years

Frame, seat, handlebars

The frame of this exercise bike is completely made of steel. The main frame is one-piece made, with solid welding points, and powder coated with industrial rated paint, highly resistant to corrosion. The only frame parts that require to be attached and tightened with bolts, are its bases. The bases are also made of steel, cylindrically shaped. Each base has two metallic leveling knobs, so you can obtain maximum stability for the bike, even if placed on uneven flooring. The front base features two transport wheels, plastic-made, which help with the machine’s handling. Although the assembled bike is not extremely heavy, it does weigh 86 lbs, which may be a problem to some, especially if the bike must be transported up a set of stairs.

The assembled bike doesn’t have a wide footprint, therefore it doesn’t take a lot of space, making it ideal for home use, especially for persons who lack storage space. At 20″W x 40″L, this bike is a rather small one, actually. But despite its small footprint, it excels in stability. It’s designed to support users up to 300 lbs weight, and won’t wobble or move around, supporting this much weight without any problem, even if the user engages in heavy spinning sessions.

The Marcy XJ-3220 features a pretty comfortable seat for a spin bike. The seat is slightly cushioned and contoured, with an ergonomic design. It adjusts both vertically, and fore to aft., giving you the possibility to select the exact posture that fits you best, or alternate between postures depending on the type of cycling workout that you require. The seat post offers 6 different height levels, ranging from 36″ (91cm) to 41″ (104 cm) from the floor. Differently put, this bike is designed to accommodate users between 4’10” (147 cm) and 6’0″ (183 cm). Of course, taller users can also use this bike, but they won’t benefit from a full leg stretch, which may affect their workout.

The handlebar is also adjustable, but only vertically. It’s designed to provide multiple holding positions, and includes aerobars as well. The whole handlebar assembly is padded with rubber foam material, in order to supply a firm and comfortable grip.

Both the seat and handlebar feature rectangular posts. This means the seat or handlebar assembly won’t turn right or left, as it might happen when riding a road bike, if they aren’t well-tighten. Adjustment of the seat and handlebar posts is done with ease, via the adjustment knobs on the main frame.

Drive system

As mentioned above, this bike has a chain-drive mechanism, using a single cog and a single crank. This being said, the bike is slightly nosier than a belt-driven bike. However, the level of noise produced during pedaling is negligible, the bike makes just a soft whirring noise when the flywheel and chain are set in motion.

Although it’s a smaller, and lighter bike than the JX-7038, it has the same, 40 lbs (18 kg) flywheel, the optimal weight for a consistent momentum. The flywheel is also balanced, perimeter-weighted to ensure a smooth pedaling feel, and reduce the unwanted stairmaster effect, especially if training on a higher resistance setting.

The crank assembly features a solid pulley, finished with two extremely sturdy, steel-made crank arms, which can support the maximum 300 lbs of a user working out in a complete stand-up posture. The crank arms are completed by pedals with toe-cages and straps. Pedals do not feature cleats for spin shoes, but they do have standard dimension threads, so you can easily find replacements, in case you desire a different type of pedals.

Tension system

The Marcy XJ-3220 Club Revolution bike features a pretty simple, direct-contact brake mechanism. It consists into a single felt pad that comes in contact with the flywheel in a top-to-down manner. The tension adjustment is done by tightening the tension knob on top of the main tube of the frame. There aren’t any resistance levels specified on the knob. However, you can basically tighten the pad on the flywheel up to the point you cannot pedal anymore. The tension brake also acts as an emergency brake, in case you need to quickly stop the flywheel.

Although the brake pad is made to last quite a long time, it’s still prone to wear and tear and will require replacement after a while. However, since it’s a standard pad, you should be able to easily find replacements for it.

Assembly and Maintenance

The assembly of this exercise bike is fairly easy. In fact, most of it comes already assembled. You don’t have to worry about adding the flywheel, chain or brake mechanism, as these are already attached to the frame. All you have to do is connect the bases to the frame, add the posts for the seat and handlebar, then add the seat and handlebar assembly in their place, pedals, bottle holder and that’s about it.

Maintenance does require certain specific tasks though. To begin with, if the brake felt pad emits squeaky noises when in contact with the flywheel, it requires a bit of lubrication. For that, you can either lubricate the pad or the edge of the flywheel, using some silicone-based lubricant. Chain also requires greasing from time to time, and for that, some WD-40 should do. Other than this, all you have to do is keep the bike clean, wipe the sweat excess that might drop on the frame or flywheel, and check or re-tighten the bolts in place from time to time, if it’s the case.

Last but not least, in case you place this bike on a wooden floor, it’s a good idea to place a mat under it. The leveler knobs on the bike’s bases are steel-made and might damage the floor.

Bike Pluses

Everything we’ve mentioned about this bike so far is basically a plus. However, in case you’ve missed any, here’s a summary of the best aspects regarding this Marcy exercise bike model.

• Durable, sturdy and stable frame, with solid welding points, made to last a lifetime.
• Heavy, perimeter-weighted flywheel for smooth pedaling and consistent momentum.
• Solid crank system, being able to support the maximum listed weight of 300 lbs.
• Quiet bike, great for apartment use.
• Wide spectrum of resistance levels, beginning with the resistance level of a normal bike driven on a flat surface, and up to the point you can barely pedal.
• Ergonomic seat, adjustable vertically and fore-to-aft.
• Multi-grip, ergonomic handlebar.
• Small footprint, again great for apartment use, or for people who lack storage space.
• Quite easy to assemble.
• Low maintenance.
• Super price/quality ratio.

Bike Minuses

This bike does comes with a few drawbacks.

• For starters, it doesn’t have a performance monitor. So, the bike’s name may be a little misleading, as most “club” bikes do have at least a basic type of performance console.
• Second of all, the bike isn’t designed for tall people. So, if you’re over 6’2″ tall, you might want to opt for a different indoor cycling bike, such as the Diamondback 510Ic, or the SOLE SB700 for example.
• Lastly, when it wears out completely, the brake pad requires replacement. However, the supplied felt pad should last for at least two years (with daily use of the bike) before completely wearing out.

Overall

The Marcy XJ-3220 Club Revolution cycle is an excellent exercising machine for home use. It provides the perfect training setting for a superior cardio workout, allowing you to maintain a healthy cardiovascular shape. It’s a bike fit to last, sturdy and stable, allowing heavy spin sessions for anyone who wants to sweat buckets and lose weight. You can actually burn over 700 calories per hour on this bike if you train hard. Needless to say, it’s a great bike for keeping in shape, building stamina, toning muscles, and strengthening your bone structure. It’s a top-quality bike that meets its purpose perfectly and also comes for an affordable price.