Echelon EX3 Max exercise bike review

While there are Wattbike comparisons, Echelon’s main rival is the £700 more Peloton (they of £8bn stock market value and dubious Christmas adverts) in the home training market, with both offering reams of live and pre-recorded indoor spin classes and training content on their apps. So, does the Echelon warrant a place in the upper echelons of the indoor training market for triathletes?

The EX3 arrives in a mightily-heavy box that won’t be welcomed by anyone on upper floors with no access to a lift. Assembly is largely straightforward, however, even for someone who’s at their upper limits with Ikea bookcases, and once built the bike is easy to move due to the front wheels. Unlike Peloton, the Echelon comes without a data screen so you’ll have to use your own phone or, preferably, a tablet. Connectivity is instant between the paid-for app (the free version is too basic) and unit, and what becomes instantly apparent is how fluid and quiet the machine is. Even with the latest gen of turbo trainers, there’s still a freehub or crankset hum. To mention the word noise in relation to the Echelon does it a disservice; this is the sound of silence and is perfect for those of us with paper-thin walls or children (potentially) sleeping upstairs. That family-friendliness continues with the usability. Our partner, Karry, who has one tri to her name but is turbo-agnostic, got a huge amount of use out of the Echelon; it involves no daily set-up, no faffing with cassettes, and the breadth of classes and upbeat presenters kept the motivation high.