Merach S26 Is an Impressive (and Affordable) Exercise Bike
Not everyone can afford a Peloton , but honestly, you don’t need one. If you’re looking for a serious cycling workout at home, there are plenty of more affordable alternatives. Quality varies depending on how much you’re willing to spend, but I think the Merach S26 is an impressive exercise bike for the money. (I’ve been using it at home for a couple of months while I recover from ACL surgery—Merah provided it to me for review.) It’s not perfect, but I found it to be much better than I expected. , especially after reviewing a budget rowing machine from the same company that left a lot to be desired.
Pros and cons of Merach S26
Pros
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Quiet : Even at full speed, you can’t hear much.
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Affordability : You can easily find this bike under $200 on Amazon.
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Stable: you will have to try very hard to fall from its stable frame.
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Portable : Front wheels make it easy to move.
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Application Features : The Merach application has free and useful metrics.
Cons
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Resistance is difficult : although there are “100 levels”, it is difficult to navigate between them.
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Motion detection drains the battery . When motion is detected, the screen constantly turns on, which quickly drains the battery.
Specifications:
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Display: Rotatable LCD (requires two AA batteries)
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Pedal Resistance: Friction (“100” levels)
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E-Bike Weight: 61.7 lbs.
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Rider Height Range: One frame accommodates 4’8″ to 6’2″.
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Maximum rider weight: 270 lbs.
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Bike Dimensions : 42.6 x 19.3 x 48.6 inches.
Easy to set up, quiet and stable
Setting up the Merach S26 took me about 20 minutes. This turned out to be very easy to do thanks to a simple assembly tutorial video . The bike is very quiet. The only sound it makes seems to come from the movement of the belt as you pedal and the wind the wheel makes as it spins, but it’s quiet enough that you can pedal as hard as you can, and that’s (surprisingly) doesn’t bother my fiancee, whose job – Installation from home is right next to the bike.
I was surprised at how stable the bike can be when set up correctly. There are four adjustable bolts that you can rotate at each corner to increase or decrease their height, which is great for uneven surfaces. Since my floor is level, I just made them as short as possible. I could ride at top speed and felt like I was in complete control without the fear of the bike tipping over. The bike also has two front wheels, making it easy to move around the house. Unfortunately, there is no way to prop it up and hide it.
I found the seat comfortable at first, but after 20 minutes it started to hurt. My fiancee, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable in less than 10 minutes.
Since this is a home exercise bike, I expected the pedals to be comfortable enough to be used barefoot or in socks, but I don’t recommend it. To go on this trip, you need to wear shoes. There are grooves for better friction with shoes, so walking barefoot is very painful.
Both the seat and steering wheel are adjustable to accommodate people from 4 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 2 inches tall, Merah said. I’m 5’7″ and had no problem finding the right position. You can also move the seat forward and backward to achieve a more comfortable position (useful for people with long or short torsos). I did worry when the seatpost would wobble back and forth slightly when I moved my hand, but it didn’t affect the ride at all.
I don’t like the LCD screen and resistance settings.
It may be true when Merah says this bike has 100 levels of resistance, but there’s no real way to know. To adjust the resistance, you turn a knob that is located between the seat and the handlebars. The problem is that nothing tells me what level I’m at. I just need to feel it. Once I get past some resistance, I don’t have to move much to dramatically increase or decrease my pedaling intensity, so realistically I gently move the resistance up and down within the same 20 degrees all the time.
Merach has two types of exercise bikes: the friction version, which I have (MR-S26B1), and the magnetic version ( MR-S26B2 ). I’m not sure what material is used in the friction version to create resistance, but it feels like some kind of rough thread. In the two months that I used it for ACL rehab, I managed to burn off a small ball of thread (see picture above). I estimate that this is about 5% of the material. (I reached out to Merach to find out how long this material will last and whether people buying a bike can replace the material if it wears out. I’ll update this post when I hear back.)
The more expensive magnetic version will obviously not have this problem.
I think Merach did the right thing by not including a big cheap LCD screen, but instead included a stand that you could rest your phone or tablet on. It’s tenacious at preventing devices from falling, but I wouldn’t trust a laptop on it (and I certainly wouldn’t put any device on it without a case).
The LCD screen tracks and records workout time, speed, distance, power (watts), cadence (revolutions) and calories. The display is difficult to navigate and not very user friendly – the app is a much better alternative. The biggest issue I found with the screen is the motion sensor that powers the LCD screen. I leave my bike where I pass all the time, so the screen constantly turns on and drains the battery. (I disconnected the sensor cable from the LCD screen and that seemed to help.)
Merach App Expands Possibilities
The Merach app is a subscription-free companion app that makes it much easier to see what you’re doing compared to an LCD screen. It’s very easy to connect your bike to the app and place your phone on the stand. The app logs workout data and displays information once it’s completed, including calories burned, average frequency, average resistance, max power, etc. If I want a quick workout, the app has an “ultra burn” feature. Pre-loaded Targeted Practice, Timed Practice and Free Practice workouts.
There are also free pre-recorded guided classes you can take depending on your goals, simulator rides that will show you beautiful scenery while cycling, and leaderboard challenges you can complete and see how you cope with other users.
Completion of Thoughts
The Merach S26 is a reliable budget exercise bike that is ideal for those looking for a quiet exercise bike on a budget. You can easily find deals on this bike for under $200, making it incredible value for money. Yes, it’s not perfect: the resistance knob is difficult to switch between difficulty levels, and the motion sensor can constantly turn on the LCD screen, draining the battery. But I think the pros outweigh the cons. It’s a very stable bike, easy to maneuver, and the Merach app offers enough free features that most people will find useful.