Body-Solid Endurance ESB250 Indoor Cycle
The ESB250 is a belt driven indoor cycle with a 44 lb. flywheel and a cowhide leather friction brake. It weighs 139 lb. assembled and measures 47 in. long by 20 in. wide by 46 in. tall. Body-Solid rates it for riders up to 350 lb.
Intended use: Light Commercial. Model: ESB250. There is no console, screen or heart rate monitor on this bike.
Does the ESB250 come with a screen or computer?
No. It has no console, no display, no programs, no built in heart rate and nothing to plug in.
We put this first because it surprises people. At this price most shoppers expect a monitor. Body-Solid's own parts list for the ESB250 contains no computer, no sensor and no wiring anywhere in it. What you get is a frame, a flywheel, a brake knob and a set of pedals.
That is a real trade off, and for some riders it is the whole point. There is no battery to die, no display to crack and no circuit board to fail. Most people ride it with a phone, a watch or their own bike computer clipped to the handlebar. If a screen is part of what you expect for your money, this is not the bike for you.
How does the resistance work?
A knob on the top tube presses a cowhide leather pad down onto the flywheel. Turn it clockwise for more resistance and counterclockwise for less.
There are no numbered levels. The adjustment is smooth the whole way through, so you set it by feel. Pushing that same knob straight down stops the flywheel immediately. That is the one touch emergency stop.
Leather pads wear. That is the honest cost of a friction brake, and Body-Solid treats the pad as a wear item with six months of coverage. It is sold as a service part, so replacing it is routine rather than a repair. A magnetic bike has nothing rubbing, but it also costs more and puts electronics on the machine.
What does a 44 lb. flywheel actually change?
Weight in the flywheel carries you through the dead spot at the top and bottom of each pedal stroke. A heavier wheel smooths that out, so the pedals feel closer to a real bike on the road and less like a machine fighting you.
The wheel is 18.1 in. across and weighs 44 lb. (20 kg). It runs on a 5PK poly-V belt instead of a chain, so it stays quiet and never needs oiling.
How is it built?
- 2 in. by 5 in. oversized steel main frame
- 44 lb. (20 kg) balanced flywheel, 18.1 in. (460 mm) diameter
- 5PK poly-V belt drive, no chain
- Top down friction brake with a cowhide leather pad
- One touch emergency stop through the same brake knob
- ABEC rated ball bearings at the crank and flywheel (6302 and 6004 ABEC-5, 608ZZ ABEC-7)
- Four way fit adjustment: seat up and down, seat fore and aft, handlebar up and down, handlebar fore and aft
- Road style dual sided pedals with toe cages and adjustable straps
- Four base levelers and two transport wheels
- Water bottle holder on current production units
- 350 lb. maximum rider weight
See the ESB250 on video
Photos flatten a bike like this. The video gives you the proportions, the shape of the frame and where the brake knob and the adjustment pins sit, which is easier to judge moving than still.
Will it fit me?
Body-Solid rates the ESB250 for riders 5 ft. and taller, up to 350 lb.
The seat moves up and down and forward and back. The handlebar does the same. Both lock with pop pins, so the fit changes in a few seconds with no tools. If two people of different heights share the bike, that matters more day to day than any other spec on this page.
Specifications at a glance
| Specification |
ESB250 |
| Resistance type |
Top down friction brake, cowhide leather pad |
| Flywheel |
44 lb. (20 kg), 18.1 in. diameter |
| Drive |
5PK poly-V belt |
| Console |
None. No display, programs or heart rate |
| Frame |
2 in. x 5 in. oversized steel |
| Fit adjustment |
Seat and handlebar, up and down plus fore and aft |
| Pedals |
Dual sided, toe cages and straps on one side, SPD clip on the other |
| Maximum rider weight |
350 lb. (158.8 kg) |
| Minimum rider height |
About 5 ft. |
| Assembled size |
47 in. L x 20 in. W x 46 in. H |
| Assembled weight |
139 lb. |
| Shipping weight |
154 lb., one carton |
| Grade |
New, light commercial |
Frequently asked questions
Does the ESB250 have a display or console?
No. There is no screen, no program list, no heart rate readout and no power supply. Body-Solid does not sell a console kit for it either. Riders who want data use a phone, a fitness watch or a separate bike computer.
Can I use my own cycling shoes?
Yes. The pedals are dual sided. One face has a toe cage with an adjustable strap for regular sneakers, and the other takes an SPD cleat. Current production units include a pair of SPD cleats in a small bag inside the carton.
How much room does it need?
Body-Solid's manual lists a minimum usage space of 47 in. long by 21 in. wide by 53 in. tall, and suggests giving it about 6 ft. by 4 ft. The bike itself is only 47 in. by 20 in., so the extra room is for getting on and off and for standing out of the saddle.
How long does assembly take?
About an hour for a professional installer, and longer if it is your first build of this type. The manual calls for two people. You supply a standard wrench set, a metric wrench set, an adjustable wrench, an allen set, a rubber mallet and silicone spray. Three installation wrenches come in the box.
How does it ship?
As a single carton with a gross weight of 154 lb., measuring 44.5 in. by 10.6 in. by 34.3 in. At that weight it moves by freight truck and lands at the curb, so plan how it gets from there into the room. The longest side is 44.5 in., which clears a standard doorway.
Can I put it in a gym that charges membership dues?
Check the warranty terms first. Body-Solid's light commercial coverage applies to facilities that do not charge monthly dues and where no more than 50 people a day use the equipment. Hotels, apartments, condos, training studios and police and fire stations fit that definition. A dues charging health club does not, and the bike would be outside its warranty there.
Is the brake pad a wear item?
Yes. The pad and the seat are both covered for six months as wear items. That is normal for a friction brake bike. The pad is a stocked service part and swapping it is a short job with a wrench.
Is this the same bike as the ESB250.2?
Yes. ESB250 is the part number you order and ESB250.2 is the current revision of it. The revision added a water bottle holder and the pair of SPD cleats. One service note: the newer revision uses an M18 x 1.5 pedal thread, while the original ESB250 used 9/16 in. like a standard bicycle. Check which one you have before buying replacement pedals.
Purchase benefits
- Free shipping to addresses in the continental US.
- Endurance by Body-Solid warranty. Lifetime on the frame for in home use and 15 years on the frame for light commercial use. The full terms are in the Warranty tab on this page.
- No sales tax outside Maryland.
Bottom line: Buy the ESB250 if you want the heavy flywheel road feel of a studio bike and would rather have nothing electronic on the machine to break. Skip it if a screen and a program list are part of what you expect for the money.
