What is the best spinning bike for home use?

This is one of the questions that we get asked most often – “what is the best spin bike for home use?” Despite it being a simple enough question there isn’t really a simple, straightforward answer that we can give because spin bike users have different requirements and different needs. To demonstrate our point we’ll pose these questions:

1. Do you want a belt drive or chain drive bike?
2. What type of resistance do you want?
3. Do you want programs on your spin bike?
4. How many hours per week will you use the spin bike?
5. Is the spinning bike just for you, or will other family members use it?

The best spin bike for home use depends on your answers to these questions, and since there is no single answer to any of these questions there’s lots of answers to which is the best bike.
So, how do the answers to the above questions influence which spinning bike to choose? Here’s our quick guide:

1) Belt or Chain Drive
Belt drive bikes are quieter and require less maintenance. For outdoor cyclists who are buying a spin bike for indoor winter use the chain drive is sometimes a better option because it feels more like a road bike. The general advice is avoid cheap chain driven spin bikes and if you’re not into outdoor cycling then always go for a belt drive spin bike. A top belt drive bike is the Gym Gear M Sport and a really good chain driven bike is the Waters Fitness Tsunami Pro.

2) Resistance Type
Magnetic and friction resistance are the two options – both are perfectly fine but magnetic bikes generally give more accurate control and don’t have pads that wear out.
A great example of a magnetic resistance bike is the Gym Gear M Sport, and a top friction brake bike is the Sole Fitness SB700

3) Programs
Spin bikes with programs keep training interesting because you can choose a profile to cycle (for example up and down hills) and the spin bike will change the resistance for you as the gradient of the “route” changes. A good example of a spin bike with programs is the BH Fitness Spada.

4) Hours of use per week
Different spin bikes are designed for different levels of use. As you’d perhaps expect the cheaper bikes (even the really good ones) won’t be as durable as more expensive spin bikes. If you think of these as entry level bikes (say up to 8 hours use per week); mid range bikes (up to 20 hours use per week) and top end bikes (unlimited use per week) then the following are good examples to consider:
Entry Level – Sprint GB1
Mid Range – Sprint GB Mag
Top End – Gym Gear M Sport

5) Who will use the bike?
If the bike is just for you then choose the one that you like look of the most (given the criteria above). If it’s for family use then more often than not the bikes with programs are the most popular. The BH Fitness Spada is a good example of a bike that’s often chosen when multiple members of the household want to use the bike.

So, does that help to answer the question about “which is the best spin bike for home use?” Maybe not directly but hopefully there are enough examples above to help you produce a shortlist.

What’s the difference between an upright bike and a spinning bike?

This is a question that we get asked all the time, so if you’ve seen the title of this post and are reading on then suffice to say you’re not alone.

First and foremost both upright bikes and spinning bikes are great ways to get fit and stay fit. They give great cardio workouts; are non-impact so your joints don’t suffer; and are very easy to use so they suit most people.

But what is the difference between an upright bike and a spinning bike? Here are three of the main differences:

1) Riding Position
A spinning bike is as close as you can get to an outdoor bike for indoors, and so the riding position is very similar to an outdoor bike. Handlebars and seats are fully adjustable to you can get a riding position that is comfortable for you. This means that you can set the spinning bike up to feel like a Sunday afternoon cycle or a full on sprint or hillclimb. There’s less adjustment with an upright bike and they generally don’t feel like an outdoor bike.

2) Resistance Control
Upright bikes will tend to have computers that control the pedalling resistance for you – the harder the resistance the harder it is to pedal. This is usually done by a series of programs on the bike console that will replicate different cycling profiles (e.g. cycling up and down hills). With the vast majority of spinning bikes the resistance control is manually adjusted by the cyclist. There are some exceptions where the spin bike has a computer and this gives you the best of both worlds – a spinning bike that automatically controls the pedalling resistance for you.

3) Fixed Wheel vs Free Wheel
All upright bikes are free wheel bikes. This is like an outdoor bike – you can stop pedalling and the wheels keep moving. Spinning bikes (with the odd exception) are fixed wheel bikes. But what does this mean in practice? The best way of thinking about a free wheel bike is by considering what happens on an outdoor bike when you’re cycling downhill – at some point the road wheel will travel faster than you can pedal and at that point you’re not making the wheels turn. This is OK when you’re out cycling because you can enjoy coasting down the hill. When you’re on a spinning bike you want to be getting the most out of our workout, so coasting isn’t an option. Therefore, with a fixed wheel spinning bike, you can’t coast – there is always resistance for you to pedal against and the wheel (flywheel) can’t spin faster than you’re pedalling.

There are other differences of course but the three above are the main things to be aware of.

Which is best, a spinning bike or an upright bike? It depends on what you want to get out of your exercise. Spinning will get you fit and keep you fit and it can be very demanding if you want it to be. Upright exercise bikes can also give you a great workout but there is the option to just stop pedalling and coast which kind of defeats the object (in our opinion – then again we would say that as we focus on spinning bikes). Whatever you decide – a spinning bike or an upright bike – then we think you’re choosing a great form of exercise.

Diamondback Fitness Now at Indoor Cycles - June 2013

We're pleased to announce that Indoor Cycles are now stocking Diamondback indoor cycles. Diamondback Fitness have won awards three years in a row in the USA for their 910lc indoor cycle and Indoor Cycles now have this range exclusively for the UK.  As well as looking great; the Diamondback indoor cycle range feels great to ride too - with great detailing; fantastic attention to detail and a great range of programs on the bikes it's sure to be as popular in the UK as it is the USA.

To launch the range in the UK, we're offering the award winning Diamondback 910lc indoor cycle at just £599 (RRP £999). This promotion won't last forever so if you want one be quick.  See more at Indoor Cycles.