Marcy AE660 Magnetic Cycle

Advantages: None at all
Disadvantages: too difficult even on the lowest setting

...I had one of these excercise bikes, used it once and gave it to a friend. I bought it from Index or Argos, cant remeber which for £100. It was a self assembly job which was not too difficult but on using the cycle it was a nightmare. Because it use magnets instead of a friction belt you had to constantly strain to keep the wheel going unlike a conventional cycle which sort of free wheels a bit. I used this excercise bike for less then 5 minutes and my legs were like jelly when I got off. I have since given it to a friend. It was a total waste of money and would not recomend it to anyone.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Simple to use, sturdy and reliable, great value for money
Disadvantages: A pain to set up

...story altogether. It was extremely fiddly. The magnet has to pass the sensor through a 'sensor zone'. This involves finding the closest spoke to the forks and putting the magnet on this. The magnet height then has to be set to ensure that this zone in passed. The instructions state that the magnet must be no more than 5mm away from the sensor when it passes it. This in incorrect. The magnet has to virtually touch the side of the sensor as it passes it. Getting the magnet to pass the sensor in the right place took a while. Firstly it was to far away. Then with a bit of adjustment I got the computer working. However, the magnet was rubbing against the side of the sensor. This resulted in a horrible 'tap - tap - tap' noise as I was cycling along. It was a bit like those plastic balls that I used to put on the spokes of my push bike when I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Such a simple idea - nothing to remember or buy batteries for
Disadvantages: Setting clearances of magnets is fiddly

...legs infinitesimally small. NO ORDINARY LIGHTS Never a truer word, Chris. Not only do these lights have no on-off switch, being intended just as much as daylight running lights as they are for night use, but they can only flash (i.e. once magnets start going past them to generate the current). The do however flash at an even rate; not according to how fast you cycle. FITTING When fitted what you get is one rear light trailing backwards on a bracket bolted down by the offside rear wheel nut, and the front lamp, thrusting forwards from the corresponding offside front wheel nut. Unlike the picture supplied by Ciao, the brackets are open-ended so you don't need to completely remove any wheel nuts, just loosen them. I'll freely admit that axle level is an odd height for a cycle light, and the smaller your wheels, the closer to the ground... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful