How to buy a spin bike

Spin bikes are becoming a popular trend and are best known for their realistic cycling experience as they closely replicate what you would experience on a road or track bike. They are equipped with all the advance and current features to offer you maximum comfort from the ease of your home.  If you are trying to save some bucks, save time, avoid visiting the gym, or just love working out at home and want to stay fit and healthy, then the spin bikes can offer you an effective and efficient workout performance.

So, how can you buy the best spin bike for yourself?

Frame:

You should not ignore the frame of the spin bike. always look for a strong stable frame, heavy-duty parts with wide legs for optimum balance. Most of the bike offers a solid frame to focus on the legs and make sure they are wide enough and offers the proper balance even on the extreme workout session.

Weight limit:

Most of the spin bike comes with a decent amount of weight, around 120 kg or 260 lbs. if you are overweight, make sure to check your spin bike can hold your weight. We recommend you always buy a bike with a weight capacity more than your body weight.

How comfortable is your spin bike?

For comfort and ease of working out, you should opt-in for a padded and cushioned saddle and handlebar. Usually, there are two types of saddle, performance saddle, which are long narrow and have less padding, and plush saddles, which are wider and have more padding.

Adjustability:

Try to find the spin bike with an adjustable seat and handlebar. If you are overweight or tall, you would need some adjustments. With adjustment ability, you can easily adjust the handlebar and seat of the bike horizontally or vertically, according to your need.

Pedals:

Most of the spin bike comes with a toe strap for stability. Some also feature a special type of strap for the SPD cleat, and they are more secure and sturdy.

Display screen:

The display screen will show your workout data including the speed, distance traveled, calories burned, real-time heart rate, etc. It allows you to set your goals based on distance traveled and real-time heart rate.

Flywheel:

The flywheel of the spin bike is located in the front and when you pedal the bike, the flywheel moves. Flywheel is important because it will make sure high smooth your ride is. The more the weight of the flywheel, the smoother the movement of the bike. Usually, around 40 lbs. flywheel weight is better for home gym spin bikes.

We recommend you get a flywheel with a weight of more than 35 lbs., as less than 35 lbs. will be too light to provide you with a smooth and seamless riding experience.

Drive system:

Spin bikes mostly feature two types of drive systems, chain-based, and belt-based.

The belt drive system is much superior to the chain drive system, it needs less maintenance and offers a silent riding performance, which means you won’t have to worry about disturbing your family members or neighbors while you exercise. Belt-driven systems are also easier to adjust.

Braking system:

Spin bikes often come with three types of braking systems, fabric brake pads, leather brake pads, and magnetic braking.

The fabric brake pads are often found in entry-level spin bikes, and leather brake pads and magnetic braking systems are mostly used on the higher ends spin bikes.

However, magnetic braking systems are completely silent and offer a wide range of resistance. They do not require any maintenance or replacement as well.

Types of resistance:

You can usually find four types of resistance systems on spin bikes, cable resistance, manual screw resistance, electronic, magnetic resistance, and electromagnetic resistance.

You can find the cable resistance mechanism on the low-end spin bike. we do not recommend them, as they tend to slip and are not reliable.

The manual screw resistance features a knob and works similarly to an analog system.

Electronic magnet brakes use a small hydraulic system to move the magnet to apply resistance to the flywheel, while electromagnetic resistance systems are recent addition to spin bike, utilizes the electromagnetic field to create resistance.

Transport wheels:

Spin bikes are quite heavy, as a heavyweight flywheel comes attached to them. So, it makes them nearly impossible to transport. However, with the transport wheels, you can easily move the spin bike around your house.

Extra features:

Bottle holder:

The spin bike can be strenuous and requires you to stay properly hydrated. Even though most of the spin bike offers a water bottle holder, some of the high-end models also offer a double holder.  Find the spin bike that is equipped with a bottle holder, and more importantly make sure the location of the bottle holder is at your reach while cycling.

Phone or tablet holder:

The built-in stand for the phone or tablet holder will easily allow you to watch spin classes while you ride. You can also watch your favorite movie or series or listen to your favorites to keep you motivated while you work out.

Connected fitness programs:

Nowadays, a lot of bike features an option to connect the bike’s display with your phone or other fitness devices via Bluetooth or cables. It allows you to connect to different workout apps and also helps you track your workout data directly to your devices.

Final thought:

Now you can easily find your right spin bike keeping the above factors and knowledge in mind. Remember that, while choosing a spin bike flywheel weight and mode of resistance is extremely important. You can easily find a cheap spin bike, with a cheap, light flywheel and resistance but in the long run, investing a little more money will help you get a much more solid and powerful bike.