If you're thinking about training at home over the next few months, in addition to strength training (which you can do either or ), you'll need to have your cardio training covered. And a spinning bike is the perfect equipment for a good aerobic workout without leaving your living room.
Both on specialized sports websites and on shopping platforms, we can find a good number of spinning bikes at different prices, but do you know what you need to look for before making your purchase? We'll tell you so you can get the bike that suits you best.
The flywheel or inertia wheel
One of the most important things to consider when buying a spinning bike is the flywheel or inertia wheel: it's the one that accumulates the kinetic energy that we transmit from our legs through the pedals and the drivetrain. It's usually made of aluminum and its weight ranges between 13 and 30 kilograms.
The flywheel is what gives us the feeling of riding a road bike when we pedal on a spinning bike, and it's the most important part when distinguishing it from a traditional exercise bike (not suitable for spinning, ). It can be placed on either the front or rear of the bike, although it's most common for it to be placed where the front wheel of the bike would be.
Profun Professional Spinning Exercise Bike, Adjustable Resistance, LCD Screen, Gym Fitness Bike with Inertia Flywheel, Adjustable Seat, Max.130kg (Black with App)
The most important characteristic to look at regarding the flywheel is its weight: to get a good quality bike, the flywheel weight should not be less than 18 kilograms. If we're going to use it intensively (more than two or three hours a day), it's advisable for it to have a greater weight.
A heavier flywheel makes, on one hand, our bike more stable, and on the other hand, pedaling much smoother. Additionally, it's also related to greater resistance when exercising: the more force we exert on the pedals and the more resistance we use, the greater the load on the flywheel, so it's best for it to be heavy.
Fit-Force Spinning Bike with 24Kg Inertia Flywheel
The drivetrain: belt or chain
The drivetrain is the other element we should pay the most attention to when purchasing a bike: it's what connects the pedals to the flywheel and, as its name suggests, transmits the effort from our body to the bike.
We can find them in two types with different characteristics:
- Chain drive: It's more reliable than belt drive, although it requires more adjustments and maintenance, and it's also noisier. It's the same drive system used on commuter or road bikes, with a metal chain attached to a disc with sprockets.
- Belt drive: Personally, I think it's a better option, as it requires no maintenance at all and is much quieter than chain drive.
SALTER Indoor Bike Space PT-1890 Magnetic brake, Inertia flywheel Equivalent to 16kg, Poly V Rubber Belt Drive, Domestic use without Usage Hour Limit.
Other aspects to consider
Although the two most important features are the flywheel and the type of drivetrain on our bike, there are other features we should consider before buying our spinning bike:
Type of resistance
The resistance used by spinning bikes can be of two types: either magnetic or friction.
- Magnetic resistance: It's much more modern, more durable, quieter, and ensures progressive braking. The only "downside" is that it makes the price of the bike much higher than in the case of bikes with friction resistance.
- Friction resistance: This is done using one or two brake pads. If it has one pad, the brake is placed on the flywheel, while if it has two pads, both are placed on the sides of the flywheel, similar to how brakes work on a standard road bike. They tend to be cheaper, although they require maintenance (the pad needs to be replaced with use) and they're usually less progressive.
HOMCOM Professional Exercise Bike Fitness Bike with LCD Screen Adjustable Seat and Exercise Intensity Magnetic Resistance 47x120x104.5-117cm
Bike materials
When getting a good spinning bike, we must ensure it's robust and stable. It's most common for the frame to be made of steel and the flywheel of aluminum.
Adjustability of handlebars and seat
Both the seat and the handlebars should be (that is: in height and from front to back). This ensures we can while pedaling.
Of course, other aspects such as handlebars with a triathlete grip, the possibility of changing the pedals to or the fact that it has wheels for easier transport are features we should consider.
ANCHEER Spinning Bike Indoor Bike with 18kg Inertia Flywheel Connects with App Adjustable Resistance and LCD Monitor for Home Exercise (Black (18kg flywheel))
Have you ever bought a spinning bike? What did you pay attention to?
Note: some of the links published here are affiliate links. Despite this, none of the mentioned articles have been proposed by brands or stores; their inclusion is a sole decision of the editorial team.
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