Sac Arrow
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- May 11, 2010
- Messages
- 21,565
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- Display Name
- Snorting his way across the USA
So I was teaching spin cycle class right (I do that as an occasional sub for friends, not as a living) and I've seen a few models of commercial, institutional stationary group exercise bikes. Schwinns aren't the best, and they use tension brake pads that tend to squeak a lot. Star Trac makes great stationary bike. Precor makes one similar to the Star Trac but it isn't as robust. We were using Star Tracs.
So I'm looking at this thing, and two things come to mind:
1. They have an enclosed plastic guard over the chain drive and sprockets which offers good protection from corrosion from dripping sweat but there is nothing to protect the left axle nut on the flywheel, which sits directly under the rider's head and chest area. Consequently, most of the left axle nut assemblies are badly corroded.
2. The tension adjuster is a round plastic knob. It has shallow serrations, but they are not enough to prevent your hand from slipping when it gets sweaty. This adjuster requires more turns than the typical half turn lever adjuster (more precise adjustment) but the use of a star or T knob (like on an outdoor water faucet) would make it much easier to deal with.
I mean the basic design and quality of construction of the bike is good, and they hold up well, but it's just a couple small things they could do to an otherwise good piece of equipment that would make it much better.
So, what kind of small improvements would you make to your "stuff?" Appliances? Airplanes? Cars? Cell phones? Etc...?
Oh by the way the cookies seem to like the Precor a little better because it's lighter and easier to move around in the room. But the Star Trac stands up to the sausages much better. Star Trac does make an aluminum frame version of the same bike but they are more expensive.
So I'm looking at this thing, and two things come to mind:
1. They have an enclosed plastic guard over the chain drive and sprockets which offers good protection from corrosion from dripping sweat but there is nothing to protect the left axle nut on the flywheel, which sits directly under the rider's head and chest area. Consequently, most of the left axle nut assemblies are badly corroded.
2. The tension adjuster is a round plastic knob. It has shallow serrations, but they are not enough to prevent your hand from slipping when it gets sweaty. This adjuster requires more turns than the typical half turn lever adjuster (more precise adjustment) but the use of a star or T knob (like on an outdoor water faucet) would make it much easier to deal with.
I mean the basic design and quality of construction of the bike is good, and they hold up well, but it's just a couple small things they could do to an otherwise good piece of equipment that would make it much better.
So, what kind of small improvements would you make to your "stuff?" Appliances? Airplanes? Cars? Cell phones? Etc...?
Oh by the way the cookies seem to like the Precor a little better because it's lighter and easier to move around in the room. But the Star Trac stands up to the sausages much better. Star Trac does make an aluminum frame version of the same bike but they are more expensive.