Peter's Blog

Since I moved house I'm further from work than I would want to cycle so I was in the market for an exercise bike as I am in danger of becoming a blob. I wanted a good quality one, preferably commercial gym quality, one that had programs to simulate hills to make things challenging. New commercial bikes are multiple thousands so I decided to go second hand.

On ebay I found a Life Fitness 9500 being sold by a gym only 15 miles down the road. Current bid was £80 with three hours to go so for the first time I made a bid on ebay. I let the automated bidding do it's thing and three hours later I had 'won' it for £215.

I drove to the gym to pay cash and collect. It is in fairly good condition, it uses ancient red led's but it is very solidly built (it doesn't wobble when I stand on it). I put it in the car and drove it home and when I tried it again there was no resistance as the chain had come off. I undid about a million well-worn screws to take the covers off and the chain was flopping about. I got it back on but it could do with a few links taken out to tighten it up as it has probably been used for tens of thousands of virtual miles and is visibly stretched and droopy.

Since the bike is 'self powered' it has some batterys that you charge as you pedal to keep the thing going. I suspect that these could do with replacing as it goes dead at the slightest pause. They appear to be type D nicads but they are in plastic enclosures so I cannot be sure.

Wife has promised to wash it down with dettol before we take it into the house: I know first hand how much sweat can be poured on one of these things (I used to draw patterns as I used one).

I have found refurbished machines of this model on sale on the net for over $1000 so I'm feeling pleased with myself.

UPDATE:

• tried removing links from chain but then the ends would not meet up: it was only slack by half a link. Looked like a lot more. Put it back as was.
• did a session on it last night: bliss. Play loud music and let the endorphins flow. rowing is hard and boring. No hills.