Rowing and cycling are two of the most effective forms of cardio that you can ever do. If you’re setting up a home gym, then you cannot do better than having both of these pieces at your disposal. The problem, of course, is that most of us have neither the money nor the available space to get both.
Enter the hybrid cardio machine.
In this article, we are going to get up close and personal with one of the most popular hybrid exercise bike/rowers on the market – the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower.
About Stamina
Stamina was founded in 1997. Since then, they have established a reputation as a reputable supplier of quality home fitness equipment in both the cardio and strength training market sectors. They were the first fitness equipment manufacturer to start selling home fitness gear through infomercials.
As well as their line of cardio equipment, Stamina is also a market leader in providing home Pilates equipment. The Stamina mission is to
"Outperform the competition through successful partnerships while maintaining effective communication, consistency, superior service, and honest, active marketing programs."
Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower
Key Specs:
- Material: Steel frame, aluminum rowing beam
- Resistance: 8 levels of magnetic
- Features: Molded seat, padded rowing handles, textured pedals, footplate strap
- Weight Limit: 250 lbs
- Warranty: 3 years frame / 90-days parts
PROS:
CONS:
Build Quality
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower has a steel frame and an aluminum rowing beam. It provides a decent level of rigidity for general use. However, when used at full intensity, the machine tends to jump around a little. The limited max user weight of 250 pounds is a sign that this unit is not designed for heavy-duty use.
Two-in-One Functionality
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower provides you with two machines in one; an exercise bike and a rowing machine. This saves both time and space. The functionality is enhanced even further thanks to a series of cables that allow you to perform a number of resistance exercises for the biceps and triceps.
The recumbent bike function is excellent for people who have lower back problems. It provides you with full lumbar spine protection and puts you in an ideal ergonomic position to work your quads, calves, hamstrings, and glutes.
The rowing function of the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower gives you a fantastic calorie-burning exercise that also delivers a great cardio workout while also working nearly every muscle group in your body.
Space Saver Design
For the functionality that you get with the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower, the minimal footprint is very impressive. The folded dimensions are 35.5” x 20” x 56”. When fully assembled, the unit is smaller than most rowing machines on the market.
Lumbar Support
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower seat is generously padded and provides high back support. In fact, it seems just like you are sitting in an office chair. This makes this machine great for anyone with a lower back concern.
8 Levels of Resistance
The Stamina Conversion II provides you with eight levels of magnetic resistance. The transition between resistance levels is smooth and fluid without the annoying jerkiness that you get with many other models in this price range.
Display
The display unit on the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower allows you to track the following workout data points:
- Distance
- Time
- Calories Burned
- Speed
- RPM
- Pulse/Heart rate monitor (only when using the recumbent bike)
Ease of Assembly & Transport
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower is pretty user-friendly when it comes to assembly. For a pretty involved piece of machinery, the fact that you can put it together in less than an hour is quite impressive.
You get transport wheels with this machine, which makes it easy to move the unit away for storage. The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower can also be folded for storage.
What’s Not So Good
- Low Max Weight
The maximum user weight on the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower is 250 pounds. That is a little too low for comfort if you want to use this machine for hardcore HIIT style training. At full intensity, it will shake around and may even move several inches.
- No Preset Programs
There are no preset programs built into the Stamina Conversion II. This limits your workout variety, which may lead to boredom.
- Limited Warranty
The warranty on the Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower is three years on the frame and 90-days om the parts. We don’t have an issue with the frame part but would have liked to have seen the parts warranty at least doubled.
- Seat Comfort
While it does provide generous lumbar support, some people have mentioned that the seat itself is quite uncomfortable after you’ve been on it for a while. Of course, this can be remedied by putting a cushion down before you sit on the machine.
Final Thoughts
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower is a quality two-in-one cardio machine that packs quite a bit of functionality into a compact space. While not overly sturdy, it will perform well for light and medium intensity use. We do not recommend buying this machine, however, if you are regularly planning to do HIIT training workouts.
The Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower represents good value, though the parts warranty is a bit of a disappointment. It provides a quiet, smooth operation, though the rowing range of motion is quite limited. Overall, however, Stamina Conversion II Recumbent Exercise Bike/Rower is a quality machine that delivers a versatile all-over workout experience at a reasonable price point.