Praep ProPilot trainer review

Is the Praep ProPilot core balance trainer a gimmick?

No definitely not and here’s why! This magic kit gives fun, motivation and unbelievable fitness at home. I thought it might be a gimmick, but it’s actually nails and really enjoyable. The Praep ProPilot has been designed to keep you motivated with this fun app, setting training goals and tracking your progress. But the key is its connection with moto and bike fitness. Life often means we can’t ride quite as much as we wish but with the ProPilot we can get some serious bike endurance going from our living rooms. The set-up mimics that faced on the bike, homing in on the core muscle groups and giving you a serious pump without being on the bike.

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What is the Praep ProPilot?

In short, it’s a bike handlebar balancing device, but in reality, it is so much more. The handlebar is mounted on a central unit with three difficulty settings, each giving more or less stability and wobble. The harder the setting the tougher the workout. Designed by bikers the ProPilot is designed specifically to support off the bike, bike fitness. There is a free app to use in conjunction which provides a selection of workouts, exercises, challenges and games! Yes games. My favourite is Game of B.I.K.E.

What is Game of B.I.K.E.?

This is a plank balancing game. You hold a blank, balancing on the Praep ProPilot so it’s far more than just a normal plank and then using the app you have to ride the bike down either a dirt track or street. The game plays a rolling display as you ride and random obstacles appear forcing you to weave and manoeuvre past them. You do this by leaning on the bars, adding to the strength and core stability required.

I challenge you to your best score in a Game of B.I.K.E!

Will the Praep ProPilot get boring?

With all thing there’s the risk of things getting old but I genuinely can’t see this happening.

There are loads of variation workouts in the app and the key for me is that it makes doing stuff that’s amazing for the body fun. Simple things like holding a balance blank…boring…but when you’re riding a downhill track it’s suddenly fun!

It also tracks your progress and gives you challenges, all bait to getting that workout done when the motivation might be lacking. But I really think the key for me is the enjoyment and the feeling of being on a bike. Ok, it’s not like actually riding a bike but you really can feel the similarities and thus know it is going to help your riding fitness.

What’s next for Praep?

Praep is a relatively new company too so given the app offering already I can almost guarantee there are going to be some epic updates coming soon. More content, more games, more challenges and an even more intelligent interface. I’m excited for what is to come and getting in early is always a good thing.

Can you use your own handlebars?

Absolutely! Praep offer a few variations:

ProPilot – this is just the central unit and you can attach this to any moto / bike handlebars. This is a big saving if you have an old handlebar sat around
ProPilot Moto Kit – this is the full handlebar set up with moto style grips
ProPilot Home Kit – here you get all the extras for the ultimate home workout. Such as skid plates for your feet and work out bands to add new moves to the workouts. This is what I have.
Gym-Edition comes with a handlebar that gives you numerous grip positions to train certain muscle groups even more intensely.

The App is completely free and there is no subscription cost.

Praep ProPilot unit — Praep ProPilot kit options

What is the difference between doing normal push-ups and Praep ProPilot push-ups?

With the need to balance and hold the core the push up is considerably more intense and using more of the body’s strength and muscle groups. So the main difference is the instability and the muscles it triggers: the deep muscles. These are not the classic bulking muscle pumped in the gym or with regular push-ups. It’s the muscles that ensure stability, strength, and endurance. The core.

Generally, we all have two different kinds of muscle fibres. The ones that burn sugar and get sore when engaged too hard and too long, and the ones that are close to your joints that burn oxygen and have a better long-term performance. They are called deep muscles and this is what we are triggering. The ProPilot isn’t going to bulk you up, it’s going to give you some serious core strength and toning!

Praep push-ups adding a huge core workout

Can you do more than just planks and push-ups?

Absolutely! Praep have been creative working with pro athletes and real riders to work out lots of ways to use the ProPilot. It’s not just planks and push-ups. Add a band for arms or use skip plates on the feet to give an even more intense all body workout. Keep any eye on the Praep YouTube for inspiration.

Band workout

with ProPilot

How does the Praep ProPilot connect with the app and phones?

Praep have a free app, simply download, sign up and go! With modern iPhones having various motion detections and sensors the app utilises these. You sit the device on the ProPilot [it comes with a small magnet to ensure it doesn’t slide off but it’s not vital] and the iphone sensors feed the app with what’s happening. It can feel the balance point knowing when you’re learning, when your face is near for a push-up count and takes in this information.

You can watch downhill YouTube videos, where you can enjoy virtual trail riding in the plank position and weave around obstacles. Something you need to try out. It makes the whole training more gamified, distracting the mind as the muscles start to burn.

Why is the ProPilot not counting my push ups?

This is something I noticed at first but it’s down to technique. For the pump push ups the ProPilot app uses the proximity sensor of your phone. This is the same features used by the phone to know when the device is next to your ear for a call, and thus turning the screen off. It ensures that the display is switched off as soon as you have the phone on your ear. However, this also means that it only triggers when you are really close to the display (1-3 cm). You can easily test this with your palm by holding it very close to the front camera. Here, however, the sensors of the various telephones react differently. In addition, the mode is programmed so that it ends the session after 5 seconds without contact. So put your chest / face down to the display and don’t pause too long.

You need to do reps in less than 5 seconds and go all the way down or it will time out or not count.

Overall Rating

The ProPilot turns monotonous workouts into fun and efficient training sessions, improving your coordination and stamina on the bike. I’m full on addicted, playing daily and seeing some serious strength gains in a short period of time.