This is a story of denial and discovery with a happy ending. My wife and I tolerated three upright exercise bikes (one Schwinn and two Sears) before falling in love with the SportsArtFitness C53r.

The Schwinn was basic, boring, and collected dust until meeting its fate on recycling day two years later. Our first Sears bike was a step up from Schwinn, inspired by a brief infatuation with LifeCycles at our health club. We were physically attracted to their digital readouts and variable programs, but the commercial model was astronomically expensive, and the domestic model was flimsy and overpriced. So, we bought a Sears knock-off, which is like buying an O-me-ga from a street peddler, when what you really want is an Omega Chronograph. We literally peddled the peddles off (another recycling victim). Not having learned our lesson, we replaced it with a Sears bike with manual resistance settings, and logged more uncomfortable, unchallenging miles.

Here’s where the plot thickens! We can afford almost anything, but quality and value play key roles in major purchase decisions. We spend Thanksgiving in the Caribbean at Little Dix Bay. In the luxury resort business, staying one step ahead of the competition is the only way to survive. Last year, LDB opened a state-of-the-art exercise facility, a Precor showcase (i.e., bikes, stair-climbers, weight machines). I was temporarily smitten with their recumbent bike (Satellite TV might have influenced my thinking).

When our vacation ended (as they always do), I Googled commercial-qualityexercise equipment. That’s how I found Jimmy, Fitness Showrooms manager in Poughkeepsie, NY. I told him about my one week stand with Precor, and he laughed, agreeing Precor was a popular commercial brand, but said lagging innovation, built-in marketing costs, and a limited warranty make them as an overrated, over-priced choice, especially for individuals seeking commercial-quality equipment for home use. Then he showed me the SportsArtFitness C53r and her multiple, customizable features: tri-color dot matrix display, workout programs, resistance levels, diagnostics, CardioAdvisor, and an unbelievably comfortable seat with a mesh back for cooler workouts. Weighing-in at 172#s, she’s built like a tank, but wouldn’t be SportsArt, if she wasn’t beautiful! Believe me. The SportsArtFitness C53r is a no-brainer! I thanked Jimmy for his time, and said, “I will definitely be back.”

It was love at first sight, but I still needed to convince my wife: Should we take the high road or another ill-fated detour? I took her to Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sears to test-drive their bikes before visiting Jimmy. It didn’t hurt that Fitness Showrooms deal exclusively in state-of-the-art commercial-quality equipment. It pays to travel in good company. It was love at first sight for her, too! She loves the heart monitor grips, infrared remote, overall comfort, ease of shifting from one user to another, and C53r’s marriage of utility and artistic design.

When our C53r bundle of joy arrived, our surviving Sears bike took up residence in the attic. Since then, Champion Family workouts are more fun, more frequent, more comfortable, and far more productive. We expect to live happily and healthily ever after. We’re even thinking of adopting another piece of SportsArtFitness equipment, so we don’t have to fight over the C53r.

THE END