# Indoor Spin Bike for Winter Training



## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

I'm sure this question comes up from time to time.... but I'm looking for a good quality indoor spinner with all the bells and whistles. Power meter, preloaded courses, etc... 

The only one I know of is the tour de france bike they always advertise on TV. Something tells me that this spinner wont be the best bang for the buck. Any suggestions?


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## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

If you used google for good and not evil you would already have the answer to this question. I am getting DH a wahoo kickr for xmas, but really only so I can try it out LOL.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Why not just get a power meter for your bike and ride that indoors?


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## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

spade2you said:


> Why not just get a power meter for your bike and ride that indoors?


Thats what I did last winter. I don't like riding my bike indoors.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

O_o said:


> Thats what I did last winter. I don't like riding my bike indoors.


Nobody likes riding indoors. I like it more than riding against negative windchills and 5 minutes of daylight.


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## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

Regardless. I want a spinner. Not a bike mounted trainer.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

O_o said:


> Regardless. I want a spinner. Not a bike mounted trainer.


Why not try rollers? Have you ever spent a few hours on a spin bike and said, "ya know, this feels much better than my fitted road bike." What's the accuracy of a spin bike power meter vs. the power meter on your road bike? Does the spin bike fold up like a trainer or rollers? 

It's a fancy and bulky toy. Instead of preloaded courses, shift to the gearing you want.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

O_o said:


> Thats what I did last winter. I don't like riding my bike indoors.


Are you going to put the spin bike on the front lawn?

Trust me, it's not a good use of money if purchased as a cure for the boredom or riding indoors.

I suppose you could be the exception and time will just fly by if you have the bells and whistles on a spin bike instead of your road bike indoors. Maybe joining a gym that has spin bikes for a month is a way to test your plan before dumping a lot of money into it. Don't take spin classes though, because you won't have an instructor and others in your basement.


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## ucfquattroguy (Nov 10, 2012)

Get yourself a decent fluid stationary trainer to put your bike on, download some Sufferfest, and power through the winter. :thumbsup:


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

My Hungarian spinning friend sent me this link:
Wattgesteuertes Training: Tomahawk IC7 Indoor Cycle | RennRad


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

I've read a couple of threads on here about the Tour de France indoor spinner. The reviews were mixed. I'm not going to tell you not to buy one, but from your post, it really sounds like you are just looking for something to keep your mind busy while riding the trainer.


> but I'm looking for a good quality indoor spinner with all the bells and whistles. Power meter, *preloaded courses,* etc...


One thing to consider before buying one of these is, "Why aren't there a large number of options for this type of spinner?" Maybe it is because they don't offer any advantage over a trainer, a power meter, and a TV/laptop to watch while riding. 

If you are still stuck on one, search RBR for the ProForm Tour de France Indoor Cycle and see what others say.


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## fedrusion (Jul 26, 2010)

If you dont like riding indoors on a regular trainer what makes you think you will like a spin bike.

If you already have a powermeter and trainer you already have everything you need. Get some sufferfest video's, look into trainer road and get to it.


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## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

Not to be an *******... but I didn't ask your opinion on if I should get a spinner OR a bike mounted trainer. I already HAVE a power meter on my bike and a bike mounted trainer. My old bike is down at my Florida house. The only bike I have here (Michigan) is my $12,000 sapecialized venge I built last winter. I'm not going to mount it on an indoor trainer and put pointless miles on it. Last year when I had my other road bike here, I used that to spin indoors. I ended up bending the handlebars and the stem - not that big of a deal but I'm not going to put my Venge through that beating when I can just purchase a spinner and be done with it.

But I do appreciate the spinner tips and suggestions some of you have provided!


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## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

ABout this time of year costco will get a perfectly respectable solid spin bike with no bells and whistles in time for new year resolutions. You can easily put on a cadence monitor of some kind. Otherwise there is the cyclops as you have money to burn. Still, buying a cheapo or used bike to throw on the trainer with your actual real power meter still seems a win win. Bikes direct will have some perfectly reasonable bike you could throw on a trainer if you don't want used and then you still get to put pointless miles on your real power meter. The TDF bike is like a huge joke I think. Aimed squarely at the BIcycling reader. The ones who miss the wink.


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## fedrusion (Jul 26, 2010)

If your set on a spin bike, I really liked the Keiser M3's that my local YMCA uses for their spin classes back when I used to go. No courses, no auto adjustments but more than ample resistance range,power(based on apower curve), large base for stability and built like a tank. You would still need to supply your own entertainment/distraction though.


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## Alfonsina (Aug 26, 2012)

Kisers are nice and solid, but have a very wide q factor and power is an estimate, but for the bang for the buck with money to burn it is a worthy contender if real power isn't an issue. But if real power isn't an issue then no need to pay an extra $700 for bells etc.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I agree with others on buying a cheap bike just for t he trainer. I have an old Walmart bike on rollers. 150 would do it. 

But I have seen spin bikes for 300 - 400. If you just want to blow some dough the Cycle Ops at 4k or so have all the toys you could want.


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## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

I rode a Keiser for several winters in a spin class and bought one after I moved to a place that didn't have spin classes. It's a great piece of equipment.


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

Spinner® Blade ION? - Buy an Exercise Bike and Start Spinning® Today


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## billium v2.0 (Oct 22, 2012)

I settled on a dedicated indoor cycle after trying the bike/trainer, bike/rollers and a couple inexpensive spin bikes over the years. A tip my hat to those of you who can watch TV and/or scratch your nose and/or take on fluids while on rollers. 

I've been riding a Cycleops 300 for the past 8 winters, bought it used. The bike itself is built like a tank and very stable, maintenance is simple, accepts my choice of pedals as well as saddle. Q factor is reasonable at approx. 165mm. Saddle and bars adjustable fore/aft as well as height. It's dialed in as close to my road bikes as possible.

The computer is (was) a different story. Had issues a couple years in, costs to resolve were more than I cared to incur. So went cheap/simple with external HRM and a separate stopwatch. I don't race and am past the years of being a stats junkie, so never looked back. 

I replaced that bike (this week coincidentally enough) with a Cycleops Phantom 1 (their least expensive - zero bells/whistles model) as Cycleops has added a couple features I wanted and all their indoor bikes (including the Phantom 5 with all the bells/whistles including powertap hub) are 20% off and include free shipping through the first part of December. Ordered through their website on Monday, delivered today. YMMV as they're in Wisconsin, I'm in Iowa,

I can't speak to their current computers/displays/accuracy, et al. But the bike itself will take an awful lot of abuse and benign neglect. And the platform is stable as I've found anywhere and much better than any bike in a trainer combination I've been on.

That's my perspective, good luck.


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## serious (May 2, 2006)

I have been using the CycleOps 300 Pro for the last 2 years. It has been an excellent setup for me, including the Joules computer and power meter. And this is not a fixed spinner. It has a normal freewheel, so it has a realistic road feel.

Trainers and rollers are ok too, but for short, explosive intervals or for out of saddle riding and sprinting, a good spin bike is better, IMHO.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Are you going to put the spin bike on the front lawn?
> 
> Trust me, it's not a good use of money if purchased as a cure for the boredom or riding indoors.
> 
> I suppose you could be the exception and time will just fly by if you have the bells and whistles on a spin bike instead of your road bike indoors. Maybe joining a gym that has spin bikes for a month is a way to test your plan before dumping a lot of money into it. Don't take spin classes though, because you won't have an instructor and others in your basement.


Exactly. I have used spin bikes for years and I'm using my bike on a trainer (KK) atm... Why is one a cure for the other? I don't get that? If you don't like riding indoors what dif is it what you ride? I can't see the change in fit being worth the extra bells and whistles. For the scratch you are talking about you could get a bike for the trainer, rain, commute, visitors... You name it. But I guess if money is irrelevant than so are the opinions of the people that reply right? 

Having used many, many different spin bikes over the years, I have to say I greatly prefer my real bike. The dial down resistance on spin bikes feels artificial compared to the shifting on a real live bike that can go outside.


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## serious (May 2, 2006)

PBL450 said:


> Having used many, many different spin bikes over the years, I have to say I greatly prefer my real bike. The dial down resistance on spin bikes feels artificial compared to the shifting on a real live bike that can go outside.


This is true, although the CycleOps 400 Pro controls power via the Joule computer, so now dials involved. In fact the settings act like gears. But it is a very expensive setup compared to a trainer.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

serious said:


> This is true, although the CycleOps 400 Pro controls power via the Joule computer, so now dials involved. In fact the settings act like gears. But it is a very expensive setup compared to a trainer.


Cool! Do you know if any gyms use them or are they residential only? I'd go look to try them... I couldn't afford one of course, but it'd be nice to check them out...


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## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

Thanks guys. I'm going to check out the CycleOps and possibly the Keiser. 

Any ideas if one is significantly louder than the other?


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## SwiftSolo (Jun 7, 2008)

I think you may need to do some research on the TDF bike. Whan I was looking for an indoor bike the TDF was very poorly rated (about 4 years ago). I ended up with the Cycleops 410 with virtual training and could not be happier. I don't think this particular model is made any longer and you may need to talk with them to find out what replaced it. 

I alternate between 3 and 4 moderately long indoor climbs per week during the rainy season here in western Washington. 

Several years ago I posted (on this site) a few photos of my built in emotion rollers (Underneath hardwood floor removable sections). I used these rollers for a couple of years with a TV on the wall just in front on which I could watch tour video. My experience is that rollers are both tedious and boring as hell at the same time. After about an hour, tedium, not fatigue, would win out and I'd quite.

With virtual training on my 410, I am able to ride indoors the same mountain routes that I do outdoors in the summer. Some of these indoor rides show video of the route as you ride it and require the same power output and gear combinations. Other rides for which you only have your garmin GPS data simply show a google earth view of your location as you move along on your ride but do continue to require he same power output and gear combinations (purchase of a garmin Virb elite allows you both the video and associated GPS data). After repeating these GPS only rides a couple of times you begin to recognized the Google earth view/location and associate it with the actual ride.

A big benefit, if you go on cycling vacations, is the ability to train on the rides you intend to do while on vacation and if they are well known climbs/rides they will include video. I found this incredibly useful on a trip to the famous climbs in the Dolomites and Italian Alps this past spring.

I hope this helps.



O_o said:


> I'm sure this question comes up from time to time.... but I'm looking for a good quality indoor spinner with all the bells and whistles. Power meter, preloaded courses, etc...
> 
> The only one I know of is the tour de france bike they always advertise on TV. Something tells me that this spinner wont be the best bang for the buck. Any suggestions?


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## fedrusion (Jul 26, 2010)

IIRC the keisers were very quiet since the resistance is from magnetic inductance rather than through a brake like on some machines. Though I have no means to compare to the other units as I have not used them.


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## serious (May 2, 2006)

PBL450 said:


> Cool! Do you know if any gyms use them or are they residential only? I'd go look to try them... I couldn't afford one of course, but it'd be nice to check them out...


Have never seen one in the gym!


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## DaveLeeNC (Jan 12, 2011)

FWIW, I put a good time of time on my Lemond Revmaster spinner bike. I put a racing saddle and Look style pedals on it, it will set up mostly like my road bike (other than no drops), and I was happy with that with one exception. You just get no feedback WRT progress (I do have cadence and a HRM). 

So I have decided to go power using Garmin Vector pedals. These can be moved to my road bike when desired, but it isn't something that you would do a couple times per week from what I know.

FWIW, my choice of a spinner bike is interesting. I really wanted something that I could leave permanently set up in 'my room' which is really our third bedroom. The Revmaster is relatively sleek and modern looking and my wife does not object to it being left set up. Not the same story WRT a bike/trainer. Beyond that I don't see a big advantage to a spinner over a trainer (if I were to go that route I would most likely be using a different bike on the trainer).

dave


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## Mr Grinch (Aug 1, 2012)

We have a LifeCycle GX that is fully adjustable for fit, accommodates SPD pedals, or any if you want to switch them out, and is built like the proverbial tank. It is _extremely_ quiet and uses magnetic resistance that is quickly set and changed via a small, easily reachable lever under the bars.

However, it does not provide for fancy integrated graphics and power meter. It shows cadence and speed, calories and heart rate. It doesn't matter, I use heart rate and videos on an iPad mini and have a blast on the beast.

Hope this helps, and GL with your search!


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

DaveLeeNC said:


> Lemond Revmaster spinner bike.


I made puddles with one this morning. 










There are three or four different spin bikes at my gym. The revmaster is the most basic, lacking any display. Regardless, I am able to get a good workout using my heart rate monitor.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

O_o said:


> Thats what I did last winter. I don't like riding my bike indoors.



What training videos did you have???


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## O_o (Jun 8, 2007)

anyone know anything about the PELOTON BIKE? Is it quality built for the money? How does it compare to the cycleops? I like the idea of live stream classes.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

O_o said:


> anyone know anything about the PELOTON BIKE? Is it quality built for the money? How does it compare to the cycleops? I like the idea of live stream classes.


Have not tried one but it looks pretty simple. Same type as I have seen in Soul Cycle. Could be wrong but I think the key for Peloton is just the streaming.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

As mentioned before, if I was crazy enough to buy my own spin bike, I'd get this one.
Spinning® - Spinner® Blade ION? - Buy an Exercise Bike and Start Spinning® Today
Only $2500.
I do my solo workouts at a facility the uses these..Spinning® - Buy an eSpinner® Exercise Bike and Never Be Too Busy to Spin®
Spin classes use a cheaper model.
I only ride my bike w/ trainer twice a week. The other 4 days are on a spin bike (often twice a day).


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