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Despite having a short 13 inch stride, the Body Rider BRD2000 Elliptical Trainer combines all the functions of a cross trainer, with the seated cycling position of an exercise bike.
But just how well do multi-function trainers really perform, and do they represent good value for money?
In this elliptical review we’ll walk you through each of the key design features, including the resistance control and workout feedback. We’ve also added a summary of pros and cons from customer reviews, to help you decide if the BRD2000 is the best choice of fitness equipment for your own home gym.
Design features
Part of a growing trend in combination trainers, the Body Rider BRD2000 is designed around merging an exercise bike with an elliptical trainer.
The result is a dual trainer that can provide effective cardiovascular workouts, with muscle toning for both upper and lower body muscle groups.
So that you can perform each exercise correctly in isolation, the foot pedals have been positioned to follow a universal range of motion, that’s suited to ellipticals and exercise bikes alike.
If you choose to remain seated and start a cycling workout, you can even adjust the position of the seat, both horizontally and vertically.
This helps to ensure you position yourself in a natural position that relieves pressure on your lower back, and lets you hold onto the short set of handles on either side of the display.
If you would rather enjoy a workout using the machine’s elliptical functions, then the larger set of handles and position of the foot pedals ensures that the seat doesn’t get in the way.
Resistance settings and transport
The resistance for each function on the Body Rider BRD2000 is controlled using the same friction belt system, with minor adjustments available using the tension adjustment knob positioned just in front of the seat.
Should these resistance settings not prove challenging enough for you, then you can always loosen or tighten the internal friction belt by re-strapping it.
This can take some practice though and may require some trial and error in the amount of belt you wrap around the wheel. This is really only something you should need to do once though, so it can really just be considered as an optional ‘extra step’ in the assembly.
The base stabilizers have been fitted with protective end caps to assist in the levelling of the machine and help provide a stable workout, even at higher resistance settings.
The front stabilizer even has a set of transport wheels fitted to make things easier if you need to move the machine after it’s setup.
Body Rider BRD2000 – Features Summary
- 2-in-1 fitness machine with settings for elliptical trainer and exercise bike use
- High-momentum fan blades produce a gentle breeze as you exercise
- Tension adjusts easily with the turn of a knob; offers minimal impact on joints
- Electronic console tracks your time, speed, distance, and calories burned
- Seat adjusts vertically and horizontally to fit different body heights and types
Display console design
If you’re looking for a cardio machine that lets you choose from hundreds of available workout programs, the Body Rider BRD2000 probably won’t be the best choice for you.
But the lack of pre-programmed workouts and display console functions is really to be expected from machines at this price point.
Often available for under $150 and with free shipping, you’re essentially getting two pieces of fitness equipment in one.
That being said, you do actually get some form of display console, albeit with limited feedback and functions.
The screen is only large enough to display one form of feedback at a time, which is why the single button has been added to allow you to scroll through until you find the feedback you wanted.
This allows you to keep track of your time, speed, distance, and an estimation of your calories burned.
Workout programs
Partly due to the price and partly due to the fact that workout programs on a dual function trainer are very rare, the Body Rider BRD2000 doesn’t provide any preset workout options.
Without any form of automatic workout tracking, this can make it difficult to monitor your progress using anything other than distance.
Although exercise bikes and ellipticals that allow performance tracking with a range of workout programs often cost hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, there are a few machines available for a similar price that provide some basic workout programs.
Currently one of the most popular is the Schwinn A10 Upright Bike, with 6 preset workout options to choose from for under $200.
If your budget can stretch a little further, then the Schwinn 130 model provides more than 20 different workouts and offers performance tracking. But at just under $500, this is generally considered a mid-range bike and shouldn’t be thought of as a fair comparison to the Body Rider design.
Ease of assembly
As with any new piece of fitness equipment, the first thing you’ll want to do when it arrives is get it setup and start working towards your fitness or weight loss goal.
But how do you know if the assembly instructions are easy to follow? Have other people found it difficult to setup and left lower rated reviews as a result?
Answering questions like these is why we included the ease of assembly in our reviews, and is generally based on the quality of the instructions found in the user manual.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out the user manual yourself, we’ve actually managed to find you a copy, which you can download for free here.
Skipping through to the instructions section, you’ll find several pages dedicated to providing a detailed parts list and exploded drawing of the entire machine.
Continuing through to the step-by-step guide, and you’ll see that each stage is broken down into 3 main sections:
- Textual explanation (including part references)
- Tools required to complete the step
- An exploded drawing showing how each of the parts in that step fit together
Once you have the base stabilizers attached, the only step that can take a bit of time is attaching the crank shafts.
Everything else you could probably manage without the manual, and there shouldn’t be any difficulty in completing the setup in under 40 minutes.
Customer reviews
While images and video are certainly useful resources for finding out what a product looks like, there’s really no substitute for high quality, honest reviews.
As with every product featured on USA Home Gym, we aim to provide you with as much information as possible.
But you will also want to take a read through at least a few of the hundreds of reviews currently listed on Amazon, to ensure you have a balanced opinion of the Body Rider BRD2000.
It’s also a great place to find used machines for a discount, although many manufacturers won’t honour a warranty if you aren’t the original owner, so be careful.
It’s probably going to take up too much of your day to read through the hundreds of reviews individually, which is why we’ve put together these lists of pros and cons, to act as a quick overview of the reviews left on ecommerce sites for this machine.
Pros:
- Smooth pedal motion during cycling and elliptical workouts
- Relatively lightweight design and transport wheels makes moving the machine easy
- Easy to follow assembly instructions
- Lets you perform cycling and elliptical workouts using the same machine
- Reversible handles
- Sturdy frame design keeps you stable throughout your workouts
- Low price means it can be used as a substitute to the commercial gyms, or as a supplement to your current routine
Cons:
- Due to the shorter stride length, it’s probably not the best choice for users over 6 feet tall
- Feedback for calories burned can be inaccurate at times
- Slightly noisier than magnetic resistance bikes or ellipticals
- Tools supplied to assemble the machine aren’t the best quality, and it’s recommended that you use your own if you have them
What’s included with the warranty?
- Frame: 1 year
- Parts: 90 days
Review Overview
Overall Review Rating
3.5 / 5
Although you do tend to sacrifice a lot by opting for a combination trainer such as the BRD2000, you do gain something that's equally important. Variation.
Rather than providing this through a collection of preset workout programs, you can instead choose to perform an elliptical or cycling workout, depending on the calories you want to burn and muscles you want to tone.
The shorter stride length does mean that taller users won't be able to build up a full running stride like with higher priced ellipticals, but the range of resistance settings should still enable you to put together a challenging workout.
Overall, considering how important variety is in your workouts if you want to stick to them, and the fact that basic feedback on your workout is still possible, we feel that this is one of the best dual function trainers available.
Product dimensions:
48" (L) x 28.5" (W) x 59.5" (H)
Product weight: 57 lbs
Weight limit: 250 lbs
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
