Indoor Cycle Trainer or Spin Bike?

As a cyclist you have a decision to make during the cold, dark UK winter. Do you brave it and continue to cycle outdoors, battling against the wet roads and cold winds, or do you move your cycling sessions indoors?

If you’re reading this thinking “What’s the point of cycling indoors? I’ll take my chances on the road” then we’ll thank you for your time and say goodbye at this point because this blog entry really isn’t for you. If you’re on the other side of the fence and are thinking about cycling indoors during the winter months then read on because we have a few options for you to consider.

The obvious choice for indoor cycle training is to buy a bike trainer that your bike fits onto. This isn’t really our area of expertise so we won’t comment too much, other than to point out the common complaints of this method of indoor cycling:

1) It’s a bit of a fiddle setting the bike up on the trainer
2) Any mud on the bike is transferred indoors
3) The rear tyre on the bike wears out very quickly

So, if these are the problems of using an indoor cycle trainer, what’s the alternative? Well, you could also consider an indoor cycle.

An indoor cycle (spinning bike, spin bike, indoor bike – they’re all the same) is an exercise bike that is designed to give the same cycling experience as an outdoor bike. There’s a wide choice of these bikes available in the UK today and we’ve covered in our previous blog entries how to pick a good one. So what we’ll do for the remainder of this entry is to concentrate on just one of the factors that is usually significant to the outdoor cyclist indoor cycle (if you get our meaning?) The factor that we’re referring to is whether the indoor cycle trainer is fixed wheel or free wheel. Most spinning bikes are fixed wheel bikes whereas most outdoor bikes are free wheel. Therefore, we’re going to point out a few indoor cycle trainers that are free wheel bikes which gives the ultimate compromise for outdoor cyclists.

The first range that we’ll point you to is the Kettler freewheel series of indoor cycles. Starting with the Kettler Racer 3 these are free wheel indoor cycle trainers that have the level of quality you’d expect from a premium brand like Kettler. The second range is a bit more expensive but offers the ultimate in indoor cycle training – CycleOps make just about the best indoor cycle training bikes on the market.

Take a look at the bikes and let us know what you think – they’re all great but which one would you choose?

Chain Drive Spinning Bikes

We’re talking about the virtues of chain drive spinning bikes in this entry, which might seem a bit odd when our usual advice is to buy a belt drive spin bike. However, there are exceptions to every rule and the chain drive spin bikes that we’ve listed below are definitely worth considering if you’re in the market for an indoor cycle.

Firstly, we should explain why we normally recommend belt drive spin bikes – they’re quieter; easier to maintain and at the budget end of the market they’re just better quality bikes. However, as you move up to the more expensive commercial grade bikes there are a number of chain drive models that are definitely worth looking at.
The most recognisable range of chain drive indoor cycles is from Schwinn – the brand that started the spinning bike revolution way back when. Their bikes are still the best that money can buy and their current UK range, including the Schwinn AC Performance Plus, is just fantastic. This indoor cycle has magnetic resistance; an aluminium frame and an optional console that gives all of the information that you could possibly need to track your training, including Watts. It also looks amazing…..

At over £1500 for the bike and the console it’s not a cheap option though, and for those who have a smaller budget but want the authenticity of a chain drive spin bike then we have a solution. It’s called the Waters Fitness Tsunami Pro indoor cycle and it’s a gem. We’re not expecting you to have heard of the brand because it’s quite new in the UK but the bike itself is exceptional – great quality with a heavy flywheel to give that all important smooth ride. It’s a commercial grade spinning bike so is up to the job of heavy use and is, in our opinion, another great looking spin bike….

Spotlight on Sprint Fitness Indoor Cycles

For this blog entry we're taking a closer look at the Sprint Fitness range of indoor cycles, currently available at Indoor Cycles.

Before we get too much further, it's worth establishing that an indoor cycle goes by a number of different names: spin bike; spinning bike; indoor bike trainer; group cycle; class bike and the old favourite exercise bike. All of these terms essentially mean the same thing and Sprint Fitness indoor bikes are excellent examples.

We're going to look at three models in the Sprint Fitness range: GB1, GB2 and GB-Pro. Prices start from £299 and each indoor cycle in the range has a good range of features for the price.

Sprint Fitness GB1
The Sprint Fitness GB1 indoor cycle is the entry level in the range. Don't be concerned by the term "entry level" though because this cycle packs a lot of great features for the price of £299:
* Belt drive
* 18kg flywheel (most other bikes at this price have a smaller weighted flywheel)
* Friction resistance and braking
* Console showing distance, time, speed
* Fully adjustable height and reach (handlebars and seat)
* Wheels for moving the bike when not in use

Sprint Fitness GB2
The Sprint Fitness GB2 is a high quality mid range indoor cycle that is built to commercial standards. We particularly like the design of the bike and the number of different positions for holding onto the handlebars:
* Belt Drive
* 20kg flywheel
* Commercial grade indoor cycle
* Friction resistance and braking

* Console showing distance, time, speed
* Multiple position handlebars
* Fully adjustable height and reach (handlebars and seat)
* Wheels for moving the bike when not in use

Sprint Fitness GB-Pro
The Sprint Fitness GB-Pro is our favourite bike in the range. It's a rear wheel bike, which doesn't necessarily suit everyone, but we love the design:
* Belt Drive
* Commercial Grade indoor cycle
* Magnetic braking and resistance (16 levels with lever control)
* Optional console
* Fully adjustable height and reach (handlebars and seat)
* Wheels for moving the bike when not in use

The great thing about the Sprint Fitness indoor cycles is that all of the models offer exceptional value for money and, with service being based in the UK, a good level of aftersales should you need it.

More information can be found at Indoor Cycles.