Stamina 1346 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Unit	Size	Assembled weight	Supported weight	Resistance	Console
Stamina 1346 Check Discounted Price	L:50" W:20.25" H:42"	58 lbs	300 lbs	Manual magnetic, 8 levels	Time, Distance, Calories, Speed, Pulse, Goals, Scan

The Stamina 1346 is one of the recumbent bikes released by Stamina fitness in 2020. It’s a pretty standard exercise bike made for home use. In terms of features, it can be compared with the pooboo W258; however, its pulse sensors are integrated into the front handlebars, and not into the seat handlebars. Also, this recumbent bike is also referred to as “Stamina 346”; its model number is 15-1346.

Key Features and Specifications

• Assembled dimensions: 50L x 20.25W x 42H inches (127L x 51W x 107H cm)
• Assembled weight: 58 lbs (26.3 kg)
• Max. user weight: 300 lbs (136 kg)
• Seat: Adjustable
• Drive: Belt
• Resistance: Magnetic, 8 levels
• Console: Time, distance, speed, calories, pulse, scan, goals
• Warranty: Frame 1 year / Parts 90 days

Frame construction

The Stamina 1346 recumbent bike features a steel frame combining ovalized, rectangular, and cylindrical tubes in its construction. The only exceptions are the covers of the flywheel and other drive elements which are made of durable ABS material. All the steel bars are coated with a thick, corrosion-resistant, and chip-resistant paint finish. The color used is black, this being the only color available for this model.

The bike’s frame consists of two main pieces, the rear piece that supports the seat, and the front piece with the drive and resistance elements and the monitor mast. These two pieces connect in the middle via three screws. But as opposed to other recumbent bikes with a two-piece frame, such as the Gold’s Gym 400R for example, its seat has its own adjustment bar, rather than requiring the adjustment of the whole rear frame part.

The bike has a step-through design. This can be quite a plus for users with certain disabilities as it facilitates entry and exit without having to step over the bike’s drive system.

Since it’s a recumbent bike made for home use, the Stamina 1346 is not an extremely large fitness machine. With the frame fully set up, it is only 50″ (127 cm) long, and 20.25″ (51 cm) wide. However, Stamina recommends a usage area for it of at least 7′ x 4′ (213 x 122 cm).

The bike isn’t too heavy either. It only weighs approx. 58 lbs (26.3 kg). Therefore, it can be carried and assembled by only one person. Plus, its front base bar integrates transport wheels while its rear base features polygonal caps which can be rotated to serve as stabilizers.

Seat and handlebars

The Stamina 1346 recumbent bike is equipped with a seat designed for optimal comfort. Both its backrest and bottom pads feature two inches of foam padding and a durable vinyl upholstery which is also sweatproof. The bottom pad is approx. 14″ (35.5 cm) wide so it offers plenty of contact surface.

The whole seat assembly is adjustable. Its base rail offers an adjustment span of several inches. Differently put, the bike should be able to accommodate users between 5’2″ and 6’4″ (157 – 193 cm). It is also durable enough to support users up to 300 lbs (136 kg).

It’s important to mention that the bike’s backrest does not adjust independently from the rest of the seat. It attaches to the seat’s metallic frame via four screws and cannot be adjusted up or down; it also does not have a reclining function.

This Stamina exercise bike is equipped with two sets of handlebars, one is attached to the seat frame, the other to the front mast. The seat handlebars have short grips slightly inclined upward. Their grips are at approx. the same height as the bottom pad of the seat to provide an optimal hand positioning.

The front handlebars feature longer grips. They integrate stainless steel pulse sensors. They’re also non-adjustable as the seat handlebars. Both sets of handlebars have their grips covered by a thick layer of rubber foam material for optimal comfort.

Drive and resistance

The Stamina 15-1346 recumbent bike is equipped with a magnetic resistance system. It consists of a metallic flywheel which integrates a magnetic brake that is connected to the tension knob on top of the front unit of the bike. By turning this knob clockwise, the brake moves closer to the flywheel and increases the pedaling resistance.

The bike makes available 8 resistance levels. The first level is fairly light, great for recovery training, or muscle toning. The 8th level does not provide a super difficult pedal tension, but definitely offers more resistance than the first level, simulating a hill climb.

Since the bike’s resistance system is manual, you don’t need to connect the bike to a power source, nor you need an adapter for it. But on the other hand, the included performance monitor cannot adjust the resistance automatically.

The exact weight of the flywheel is not specified. However, considering that the total weight of the bike doesn’t exceed 60 lbs, its flywheel is probably around 20 lbs (9 kg), give or take. It has a balanced structure designed to provide a smooth and stable pedaling motion. It is also bi-directional, giving you the possibility to pedal backward in case you want to put some diversity into your workouts.

The bike’s drivetrain uses a poly-v belt. This type of drivetrain comes with a few advantages. First of all, the pedaling motion is very smooth as the belt generates less vibration than a chain. And second of all, you don’t have to lubricate it periodically as it is the case for just about any chain drive.

This Stamina recumbent exercise bike is equipped with a three-piece crankset with a large pulley, almost the same in diameter as the flywheel. The crank arms are made of solid steel with a chrome finish. However, since it’s a recumbent bike, they’re not meant for standing up while pedaling.

The bike includes standard exercise bike pedals made of durable thermoplastic material with a textured, anti-slip surface. They have a weighted design in order to turn face-up if you remove your feet from them. They’re also equipped with adjustable straps.

Performance monitor

The performance monitor included with the Stamina 1346 recumbent exercise bike offers a few extra features than the average basic unit. However, it still doesn’t have pre-set programs or online connectivity. It features an LCD display that tracks time, distance, speed, calories, and pulse. Speed and distance are shown in miles per hour, and respectively miles. The unit does not offer the possibility to be set to metric units. Also, the monitor unit is not telemetric. This means it can only read your pulse if you hold on to the integrated sensors. It cannot read your pulse from an armband or chest strap.

The monitor unit is battery-powered. It requires two AAA batteries (not included). It starts up when you begin pedaling or when you press one of the buttons. It also automatically turns off if it doesn’t detect any flywheel movement for more than four minutes.

The performance monitor unit is very easy to operate. The Mode button allows you to select the workout metric that you want to view on the display or select the Scan Mode. During Scan Mode, all the metrics rotate on the display, each one appearing for six seconds.

The Set button allows you to set up a workout goal for time, distance, and calories burned. If a goal is selected for any of these metrics, the unit will show the remaining value until you reach your goal. And finally, the reset button clears all the values on the meter to zero.

One last notable feature with regards to the bike’s performance monitor is the device holder. This consists of a small shelf above the LCD display which can serve as support for your smartphone or tablet. However, it’s important to mention that the monitor unit does not have any ports to connect your device to it.

Assembly and Maintenance

The drive and resistance unit of the bike comes pre-assembled. However, the rest of the parts do require user assembly. You will have to connect the two main parts of the frame together, attach the front and rear base bars, the front mast, the performance monitor, the handlebars, assemble and attach the seat to its slider, and finally connect the pedals. This shouldn’t take more than one hour of your time. All the instructions are covered by the manual and all the necessary tools are included.

Maintenance doesn’t require much. All you have to do is keep the bike clean and periodically check for loose parts. The internal parts shouldn’t need any maintenance for a long period of time.

The Pros

• Sturdy construction – can support users up to 300 lbs;
• Adjustable stabilizers on the rear base;
• Transport wheels on the front base;
• Padded seat with a large and firm backrest;
• Adjustable seat – can accommodate users up to 6’4″;
• Pulse sensors integrated into the front handlebars;
• Quiet magnetic resistance system with 8 distinct levels; 
• Self-leveling pedals with straps;
• Exercise meter that can track time, distance, speed, pulse, and calories burned;
• Goal settings for time, distance, and calories;
• Device holder included;
• Bottle holder included;
• Fairly easy to assemble;
• Little to no maintenance required.

The Cons

• No backlight on the LCD display of the performance monitor;
• Users shorter than 5’2″ may not reach the pedals properly.

Summary

The Stamina 1346 is a recumbent bike made for home use. It features an adjustable, cushioned seat, eight levels of magnetic resistance, and a performance monitor with goal functions for time, distance, and calories. It’s a pretty decent bike for light to medium intensity cardio workouts, recovery training, interval training, muscle toning, and weight loss.