| Unit | Size | Supported weight | Resistance | Apps | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exerpeutic 500 XLS Check Discounted Price | L:39" W:26.4" H:48.4" | 400 lbs | Magnetic | No | Frame: 1 year Parts: 90 days |
The 500 XLS upright bike is actually one of the newest models from Exerpeutic. It’s quite similar to the Exerpeutic 1200 model, but does come with several improvements over the older model. To begin with, it has a superior user capacity, better aesthetics, and overall, it’s a more solid exercise bike.
Just like the previous model, the 500 XLS does offer foldability, which makes it a great choice for anyone who doesn’t have the luxury of space. It’s one of the very few upright bikes that come with an affordable price, but without being cheaply made. Even though it’s a newly released model, this bike already benefits from a lot of positivity and 5-star ratings.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Assembled dimensions: 39L x 26.4W x 48.4H inches (99L x 67W x 123H cm)
- Assembled weight: 51.6 lbs (23.4 kg)
- Supported weight: 400 lbs (181 kg)
- Handlebar: Non-adjustable
- Seat: Adjustable
- Pedals: With straps
- Resistance: Magnetic, 8 levels
- Accessory holder: Yes
- Performance monitor: Yes
- Warranty: Frame 1 year / Parts 90 days
Frame
Have we mentioned enough so far, that this exercise bike features a folding design? There’s more than that, though. Not only this bike is foldable, it also features pretty high user capacity. It’s actually rated for 400 lbs (181 kg) of user weight, way more than other foldable bike. The frame is made of thick steel tubing, actually incorporating over 20% more steel than the frame of the Exerpeutic 1200. Thus, it’s slightly heavier than the previous model, but it’s still far from being a heavy machine. At a weight of 51.6 lbs (23.4 kg), it still is a pretty light bike, easy to transport folded or non-folded.
The bike’s front base features caster wheels, which help with its transport. The rear base offers a curved design, to increase the bike’s stability. The bases don’t have leveling feet, but they are however finished with plastic caps, which can be adjusted in order to maximize its stability.
The unfolded bike doesn’t have an extraordinary large footprint. It actually takes only 39″L x 26.4″W (99 x 67 cm) of floor space, being fit for a small apartment. When folded, it can easily fit in a corner or a small closet, its footprint being diminished to 24.8″L x 26.4″W (63 x 67 cm). It stands slightly higher from the ground when folded though, at 57.5″ (146 cm).
Seat and handlebars
One of the most important strengths of this Exerpeutic bike is its seat. Actually, many of the most expensive upright bike models don’t come with a seat like this. The seat supplied with the 
Exerpeutic 500 XLS features a simple, flat design, but this does eliminate any soreness that a generic bike saddle may cause. It’s 14″ (35.5 cm) wide and 9″ (23 cm) long, a wide, spacious seat, incorporating foam cushioning for excellent comfort.
The handlebar also features a simple design, but offer multiple grips, supporting different workout postures. It has built-in pulse sensors, the bike’s console being able to track your pulse.
Unfortunately this bike does not excel in microadjustability. The handlebar is fixed, while the seat is only 2-way adjustable (up/down). However, the bike can accommodate users between 5’3″ and 6’5″ (160 – 195.5 cm). Taller users can also use this bike, but depending on their inseam length, they may not benefit from a complete leg extension. This, of course, may cut back from the training consistency.
Resistance system
Like most basic upright bikes, the Exerpeutic GOLD 500 XLS features a manual magnetic resistance system, which involves a mobile magnetic brake pad connected via a tension wire to the resistance adjustment knob. As you turn the knob, the magnetic brake pad moves closer of farther from the bike’s flywheel, this way resistance being adjusted.
The bike offers 8 levels of resistance. Now, these 8 resistance levels closely depend on how tight the tension wire is. The bike should provide the training setting for a light to medium cardio workout. However, in case you feel that the final resistance settings aren’t enough, the tension of the resistance cable can also be adjusted, in order to enable the magnetic pad to move even closer to the flywheel, and squeeze a bit more resistance from this bike.
Drive system
The drive system and brake mechanism are enclosed in a pretty small box compared with other bikes. Therefore, it’s pretty obvious that the bike has a small flywheel. But nonetheless, the flywheel is balanced and does not come in contact with the brake pad, the pedaling is smooth, without rendering the stair-climbing effect, even when it’s set to the highest resistance setting.
Like most magnetic exercise bikes, the Exerpeutic 500 XLS features a belt drive system, involving a heavy duty V-belt, resistant to stretching, and basically maintenance free. This is an element that adds to the smoothness of the pedaling, also rendering the use of the bike extremely quiet.
The last component of the bike’s drive system that we should focus on here, is the crankset and pedals. The crankset is a 3-piece component, with steel crank arms. It’s pretty solid, but keep in mind that this is an upright bike, for light to medium exercising routines, not a spin bike. Thus, the crankset is not solid enough to hold the whole weight of the user, in a stand up pedaling routine. In fact, due to the bikes folding design, pedaling while standing up would be quite awkward.
Finally, the pedals supplied with this fitness machine are weighted, self-adjusting, also featuring straps. The threads on the pedals are standard size, therefore you can easily find replacements if it’s the case.
Console
Since it’s a basic bike, the console supplied with it is also pretty basic. Does not offer any 
preloaded workout apps, but it does supply information regarding the most essential data a user would want to know during their workout. This performance monitor tracks time, speed, calories, pulse and distance. It also has an odometer function which saves the accumulated travelled distance.
The unit is quite easy to operate. It’s automatically powered on when you begin pedaling on the bike, and it will automatically turn off 4 minutes after you stop pedaling. It only features one buttone (MODE) and it can also be turned on by pressing this button. By pressing the button multiple times, the display will cycle between the aforementioned values, and you can choose the one you want to view at any time. However, it also has a SCAN function, which allows it to automatically cycle through these values, showing each one for 4 seconds.
The console requires 2 AA-type batteries which are supplied with the bike.
Assembly and Maintenance
The assembly of the Exerpeutic 500 XLS is far from being difficult. Even if you don’t have any mechanical skills, it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. The tools for assembly are supplied, as well as the user’s manual which will guide you step by step through the process. The two pieces of the frame come attached together, and the resistance / drive system already mounted to the main bar of the frame. You need to attach the front and rear stabilizers, pedals, the seat, and finally the handlebar with the console, connecting the tension and pulse wires.
Maintenance for this bike is pretty much zero. All internal components are pre-lubricated, and since the bike has a belt drive system, it pretty much doesn’t require any lubrication. Thus, for maintenance, all you have to do is wipe the dust from the frame, and periodically check the bolts to make sure they hold tight in their places.
The Pros
- Extremely solid frame for a foldable bike, being able to support users up to 400 lbs;
- Small footprint when fully assembled;
- Foldable, great for a small apartment;
- Comfortable, spacious seat;
- Multi-grip handlebar with pulse sensors;
- Quiet magnetic resistance system;
- Smooth belt drive;
- Performance monitor included;
- Easy to assemble;
- Very little maintenance required.
The Cons
- Pulse tracking is not extremely accurate;
- Not for very short users, the minimum user height is recommended is cca 5’2″ (157.4 cm).
Final Conclusions
The Exerpeutic 500 XLS is one of the sturdiest and most durable foldable upright bikes that you can find at the moment. It’s also one of the most affordable. Actually, this exercise bike pretty much comes with a really high price/quality ratio. It’s a great choice for apartment use since it doesn’t take much space when assembled and easy to store. It’s great for a light to medium cardio training, to alternate cycling with other types of training, and for muscle toning, actually training on this bike will have a great impact on your quads. And finally, you can also shed an important number of pounds, if working out regularly on the highest resistance settings.