
By Robbie Ferri
Personal Trainer & Cycling Instructor
Robbie from “Riding with Robbie” is a Personal Trainer living in in Norfolk, UK. He has bikepacked all over the World, and also raced ultra distance at a top-level. He has worked closely with industry leaders such as Shimano.
When it comes to getting your
There are many on the market available to choose from, and getting one that is going to be right for you is challenging. We have been lucky enough to be around a lot of exercise equipment and know what to look for regarding quality goods.
There’s a lot of hype currently about the Keiser M3i total body trainer, and in this article today, we will be telling you all about it and why you might consider it for your home
- The Short Answer
- Pros and Cons
- Who Are Keiser?
- What Is The Keiser M3i Total Body Trainer?
- The Keiser M3i Total Body Trainer In Detail
- Our Verdict
- Alternatives

The Short Answer
The Keiser M3i Total Body Trainer is an amazing piece of
We highly recommend it, but it is a very unique piece of equipment. We feel it offers a great workout, and we recommend it for someone with experience with
What Is The Keiser M3i Total Body Trainer?
The Keiser M3i Total Body Trainer is a cardiovascular machine that is designed for a full-body workout. It’s very much like a cross trainer, but instead of standing, you are sitting. It has the base of an exercise
Bikes like these are becoming very popular. They are commonly used not just in gyms but also it is a common piece of equipment when it comes to certain cross-fit routines. We are seeing more and more turn up in gyms regularly and are waiting for more to break into the home gym market.
The Keiser is unique because it is a much more refined version of a general all-body trainer and assault
What Are The Benefits Of The M3i Total Body Trainer?
The Keiser M3i is very different from many machines you will see, and because of that comes some amazing benefits.
All Body Work
Very few machines have the ability to work nearly all the muscles at once, but the Keiser M3i Total Body does just that. You get a great workout from the upper and lower of the body, and it is a natural movement.
Low Impact
The Keiser M3i is not only excellent because it uses all the body, but it also is very low impact. It’s not like a treadmill, which can take its toll on the knees. It all feels much more natural. Many people who struggle with joint issues look for low-impact exercise machines such as these.
Comfortable
Exercising generally isn’t the most comfortable experience for everyone. Cardiovascular exercises such as running and spinning can sometimes be uncomfortable and difficult on those long workouts. The Keiser M3i is incredibly comfortable compared to other machines, and longer workouts are easy.
Exercise Variety
What we really like about the Keiser M3i is the fact you can vary the workout easily. You can just use your legs and get a lower body workout, or you can switch it up and just use your hands instead, or both together.
How Is M3i Total Body Different From A Spin Bike ?

The M3i is very similar to a spinning
Although it may look quite similar to an exercise
What Muscles Can You Work With The M3i Body Trainer?
The M3i works a lot of muscles that are all over the body. Let’s break it down to the upper and lower body.
Upper
On the upper side of things, you have the pecs and triceps pushing the arm forwards and the back and biceps bringing it back. Alongside all the muscles in the core stabilizing and in the hand and forearm holding the grip.
Lower
On the lower side, we have a lot going on. You are generally using all the muscles you use when cycling. So in the front of the legs, we have the quads firing predominantly, and in the rear, you have the glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Overall though, you are using everything in the body to keep yourself supported and to push the pedals down and arms back and forwards.
The Keiser M3i Total Body In Detail
So now you know a little bit about what the
Key Specifications
- Type: Stationary
Bike With Arms - Cost: $2390
- Size: 54” x 24” x 49”
- Weight: 112 lbs
- Resistance: Magnetic
- Drive: Belt
- Flywheel: Rear Facing
- Display: LCD
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Max Weight: 350 lbs
- Height Range: 4ft 10” to 6ft 10”
The Breakdown
Design
Let’s start with the design, and there’s no denying it is an interesting-looking piece of
It’s got a huge amount of little details which really impressed us, such as the rear-facing flywheel with a protective cover and matte black finish combined with chrome components. Coming in at only 54” x 24” x 49”, it’s incredibly small compared to anything that can work the same muscles.

For us, it’s the little details that make this
Usability
The M3i Total Body can cater to a wide range of different users. It has a maximum weight limit of 350 lbs and a height range of 4ft 10” to 6ft 10”. This means it will work for the whole family, and it’s very easy to adjust.
Resistance
Then we have the resistance, and you can only expect the best from Keiser. It’s a belt drive system that uses magnetic resistance. It’s incredibly smooth, and even when you’re giving everything, it responds well and feels sturdy.
It has 24 levels of resistance which will work with anyone from a beginner just using their arms to a professional athlete going flat out on both arms and legs. Once you find the right gear for you, it’s fun to challenge yourself further with a higher gear.

What’s incredible about the resistance system on this
You have a lever, unlike most bikes that use a dial or buttons to change resistance. By pushing it up and down, you can change the level of resistance and see the level displayed on the screen we will be speaking about next.
Display
Unlike many other machines, this
Having the watts is a great way of understanding how hard you are working, and it’s a great way to see if you are getting fitter and how hard you can push those intervals. Although basic, this LCD screen gives you enough for a workout and has some connectivity we will discuss next.
Connectivity
Then we have connectivity, and surprisingly, although the screen may look basic, it does have a Bluetooth connection inside. You can use this for accessories and connect it to applications such as Keiser M Series, Goind, Ride Buddy Buckets, Empowered, and Betrained.
This takes this machine to the next level knowing you can get properly structured workouts that are going to keep you challenged. We do feel in the future, there will be lots of other options to choose from.
Special Features
Then we have the special features. Although this
Another amazing feature is that it runs off your power, so it doesn’t require plugging in. It doesn’t sound like much, but it makes such a difference when it comes to moving the

Our Verdict!
The Keiser M3i Total Body is an amazing machine you can use to work out. It’s got some amazing features, and very little else on the market could offer the same experience. We appreciate that it’s not cheap, but it’s built to last and requires no maintenance.
Is It For You?
If you’re looking for a machine that is going to offer a full-body workout and something different from a spinning
Alternatives
With the Keiser being such a unique machine, what are the other alternatives? Well, we have some here and wanted to tell you all about how they compare.
M3i Indoor Cycle
The sibling to the M3i Total Body is the M3i Stationary bike. This is basically the same machine without the arms and footrests. It’s an incredible stationary
If you plan to go down this route, you will be missing out on the upper body workouts. You can do some upper body exercises on the
Blitz Air Bike 2.0
The Blitz Air
Unless you are going really slow, you need to be giving it your all. It is not something you will spend a long time on generally. With the fan, it is also incredibly noisy. You might save yourself some money, but you won’t have the best cardio experience compared to the Keiser.
Assault Bike Classic
The Assault
I recommend this if you want to use it as just a quick bit of intense exercise in a circuit or as a short cardio block in a workout. Aside from that, it’s not the
Teeter FreeStep LT3
Finally, we have the Teeter Freestep LT3, and this is one of the only cross-recumbents you will ever see. It works in a completely different way from the Keiser in the fact it’s more like a sitting cross-trainer. It’s easy to use and great if you lack mobility or recovering from injury. We like it, but it doesn’t offer the quality of the Keiser, it’s a very large machine that can take up a lot of room, and it is tougher to get your heart rate up in a machine like this.
Similar to the LT3 is the Teeter LT1, a cheaper version of the series. You can find more information in our detailed comparison of LT1 vs LT3.
A Final Note
We hope you enjoyed our review of the Keiser M3i Total Body. It is an incredible machine and offers a great
Who Are Keiser?
Keiser is a big brand when it comes to exercise equipment. They make some incredible quality machines, and they are built to last. Not only will you see them in people’s homes, but they are that good they are even the choice for many gyms. It was founded in 1976 in California by Dennis Keiser. What makes Kesier a special brand is they think outside the box and seem to differ from their competitors’ designs.
A piece of equipment that put them on the map for many was the Keiser M3i spinning