ProForm Le Tour De France Spin bike - April 12th update

From my last post you will see that the repair only lasted 40 minutes of riding.

3/28/13 - Rode trainer for approx. 40 minutes before incline motor failed. Notified UTS
Received email notice that parts were ordered.

• 4/3/13 Parts arrived
• 4/4/13 Notified LAPD Engineering Inc. that the parts had arrived
• 4/11/13  LAPD Eng technician showed up for the repair
• UTS had sent a new handlebar with wiring harness, harness to connect handlebar to control unit in body of the bike.  (They forgot to include the heart rate monitor cable that connects the console to the wireless sensor.)
• Technician installed all the harnesses, no change, incline still did not work.  He checked out the incline motor.  When he tapped the relay, the incline started working.
• Technician said he would order a new lift motor as the current one would likely fail again.

So far these are the parts and number of times they have been replaced. (Note that I have not counted the lift motor that is currently on order)

Lift motor                               4
HAL Effect wire                    3
Console                                  3
Power Board                          4
Wire Harness 40"                   2
Wire Harness 15"                   1
Hex Nut                                  1
Loctite                                    1
Teflon lube                             1
Handlebars w/harness            1
Bushing                                  1
Axle                                       1

One of these days they may decided that this unit I have is actually a lemon and just replace it.

ProForm Le Tour De France Spin bike - The ever continuing saga

So continuing from my last post on March 13, 2013.

2/12/13 - Bike broke - notified UTS - sending new circuit board

2/13/13 - Notified by UTS part has shipped

2/18/13 - Part from UTS arrive - Notified LAPD engineering

2/20/13 - LAPD engineering shows up - they need a new lift motor.

2/27/13 - Contacted LAPD engineering to get status.
They state parts were ordered on Monday 2/25/13

2/28/13 - Notified by UTS that new parts have been ordered

3/1/13 - Nofified by UTS that new parts have shipped

3/7/13 - Parts from UTS arrive

3/8/13 - Notified LAPD engineering that parts have arrived.

3/14/13 - Called LAPD asking for status update

3/15/13 - Sent email and online request asking for status update

3/18/13 - received call from LAPD stating they are waiting for work order from UTS

3/21/13 - contacted UTS, "LAPD received new work order on Feb 28 and acknowlede it,  also re-acknowledged on March 7"

3/21/13 - Sent email to LAPD with update from UTS

3/21/13 - LAPD stated technician would contact me shortly

3/22/13 - Contacted by technician, repair scheduled for March 23rd.

3/23/13 - Technician showed and repaired bike.  He fully tested bike, incline, etc

3/28/13 - Rode trainer for approx. 40 minutes before incline motor failed.   Notified UTS
         Received email notice that parts were ordered.

Summary:  Repair took 39 days from time UTS was notified until bike was actually repaired.  Repair lasted 5 days.  Acutally broke again 40 minutes into my first ride on the bike.  The incline function does not work, but at least the bike is not tilted at a 20% incline this time.

The iFit.com website still is not working properly.  Every time I ride the bike it duplicates all the prior workouts but with the current date.  I can not download any routes (created or purchased) from the iFit website to the LTDF bike so that function, which is one of the main reasons I got the bike, does not work.  The only options I have on riding the bike is manual or one of the dozen 'canned' rides that are already programmed into the bike.

ProForm Le Tour De France Spin bike - The saga continues

I just updated my post from the breakdown in Janurary.  The bike again brokedown on February 12, 2013.  So I had about 3 weeks of use before it broke again.  Same issue, the bike is stuck in the 20% incline postion.

UTS =  Universal Technical Services -  Extended warranty provider - Owned by Icon Fitness
Proform = Manufacturer of fitness equipment -  Owned by Icon Fitness
iFit.com =  Online fitness tracking for compatible devices  - Owned by Icon Fitness

• 2/12/13 - Bike broke - notified UTS - sending new circuit board
• 2/13/13 - Notified by UTS part has shipped
• 2/18/13 - Part from UTS arrive - Notified LAPD engineering
• 2/20/13 - LAPD engineering shows up - they need a new lift motor.
• 2/27/13 - Contacted LAPD engineering to get status. 
                                 They state parts were ordered on Monday 2/25/13
• 2/28/13 - Notified by UTS that new parts have been ordered
• 3/1/13  -  Nofified by UTS that new parts have shipped
• 3/7/13  -  Parts from UTS arrive
• 3/8/13  -  Notified LAPD engineering that parts have arrived.

Proform Tour De France Indoor Trainer (Exercise Bike)

I got my TDF in October 2011, it was ordered in July 2011, but took 3 months to actually get it.  The bike was a little flaky at first, then the controller (control panel) stopped associating with the wireless.  I was sent a new controller, got it installed and everything worked well until March 2012.  The lift motor, controls the incline/decline, went out leaving the bike in a 20% decline.  The resistance was that of 20% decline as well, so there was no using it as there was basically no resistance.

They replaced the lift motor and sensing wire.  This did not fix it, so they replaced the console (second time).  Technician still could not get it to work, a third console was sent and a replacement power board.  Still not working and now we are into May 2012.  Fourth repair attempt by the technician was to replace the entire wiring harness from the console to the main unit, a second power board and a second lift motor was sent.

Technician could not get the lift motor out as the holding bolt was stripped.  My son actually got it removed for them.  Had to wait for a new bolt to arrive.  By the time it arrived, got technician rescheduled an actually got the unit repaired it was mid June 2012.  This was now great outdoor riding weather so I was not interested in using at this time.  So the next time I actually get on the bike is October 2012.

The great thing about the TDF is the interface with iFit.com.  The iFit.com website allows you to create your own routes with a google map interface, so when you do the ride it will simulate the hills.  You can also download other available maps, like some sections of the actual TDF route.  As I say this is a great feature, but it is the same as the bike, it is great when it works.

iFit.com upgraded their website at the end of November 2012.  Since that time they have not been able to restore my previous workouts or previously created routes.  New routes that I create and some of the downloaded routes fail to load on to the bike.

On January 1st, I was doing my first ride on the new year when my TDF broke down again.  It is now stuck in a 20% incline, the good thing is that the resistance is not affected.  It would be impossible to ride a 20% incline all the time.  So right now I am stuck with a bike sitting at a 20% incline that I have to manually adjust the resistance on.  Icon Fitness has ordered and sent me a wire, once it arrives I get to call the Technician and wait for them to come out and repair it.

I have really not had the use of the TDF as much as I would like.  It is a great bike when it works.  But the customer service from Icon Fitness is poor at best.  You tell them the issue, they guess at the parts you will need and ship them.  Once the parts arrive you call the service technician out, wait two weeks for the appointment date to find out they did not send what was needed.

I have the 1st generation TDF.  I have heard the 2nd Generation TDF is much better, and I see a 3rd generation model is due out this spring.  The 3rd Gen model has drop handlebars with standard controllers for shifting and a 7 inch touch screen.

Sorry for the rant, but I just had to get this off my chest.