What to Keep in Mind When Buying a Commercial Spin Bike

So you are focused on improving your health and want to purchase a commercial spin bike!

Commercial spin bikes are a great piece of exercise equipment that focuses on cardiovascular health as well as building strength. You may be considering buying a spin bike for home because of the cost of studio spin classes, or maybe you prefer streaming your favorite Peloton instructor in the comfort of your own home or you might prefer not being tied down to a studio’s schedule! Whatever the reason, we’re going to be sharing what to keep in mind when buying a commercial spin bike down below!

Anatomy of a Spin Bike

We first want to focus on the anatomy of a spin bike and review what the different parts mean. Although each bike will be slightly different from each other, most of these parts will remain the same.

Spin bikes typically feature a seat with a seat slider or adjuster. This is often 4-way adjustable, meaning the seat goes up and down and forward and back to ensure your ride is comfortable.

Pedals and handlebars are straightforward! Feet go into the pedals, which can be either caged (so straps running around your sneakers) or clipped, which use specialized spin shoes. Handlebars can often be adjusted as well, usually up and down and sometimes forward and back. Your instructor may call out different spin positions (1, 2, and 3) during class as well.

Your resistance knob controls how intense it may feel to pedal, with increased resistance making it harder and decreased making it easier. Resistance can be either magnetic or friction.

Your drive is the part that connects from your pedals to your flywheel and spins the flywheel. Drives can be chain or belt (we’ll go over that in some more detail!).

Finally, your flywheel is a weighted wheel typically located at the front of your bike. It gives the bike inertia in pedaling to make sure your ride is smooth and consistent.

What Should You Keep in Mind When Buying a Commercial Spin Bike?

There are a handful of things you want to look out for when looking at bikes. We first recommend establishing what your budget is. Here are some bike features to keep in mind when comparing bikes:

Friction vs Magnetic Resistance

Magnetic resistance is often found on newer, more expensive bike models and uses a set of magnets that will move when you adjust the resistance. These magnets, in turn, make it harder for the flywheel to turn, thus increasing the intensity of your workout. Friction resistance essentially does the same thing, except it uses a felt or leather pad to physically touch and hold the flywheel. Magnetic is often quieter and in need of less maintenance, however, friction is usually less expensive, a little bit noisy, and will need check-ups to ensure the bike is ready to roll.

Belt vs Chain Drives

Drives connect your pedals to the flywheel. Chain drives look like the typically chain you would see on an outdoor bike, whereas belt drives look like car timing belts. Belt drives can be quieter and are more durable, however, typically are more expensive. Chain drives may have some noise and may give the bike a more rugged feel but are less expensive.

Pedals

Most bikes under $500 use caged pedals as opposed to clip ins. Neither of them are bad or less safe if used properly. Caged pedals use straps to hold in your shoes, which can be every day comfortable running sneakers if you choose! Clip in pedals will require specialized spin shoes and clips, however, can give you a more secure feeling ride as you are ‘clipped in’. They can also ensure you use a full range of motion (specifically on the upward motion of spinning) when cycling on the bike, thereby using more muscles. Some bikes come with dual caged and clip pedals. Most spin bike pedals can be swapped out for caged pedals, if you wish, but keep this in mind as it may be an additional expense.

Adjustments

Nearly all spin bikes will have 2-way adjustments of the seat and handlebars. This means the seat will go up and down. However, some bikes do have 4-way adjustments where the seat and handlebars can go forward and back as well. 4-way adjustment bikes will typically allow for more customization to find the most comfortable and safe riding position.

Other features

Take a look to ensure that your bike has things like a water bottle holder, tablet or phone mount, as well as a monitor that tracks your speed, distance, cadence, power, etc. If your bike doesn’t, you can almost always buy these things as additional accessories. Another thing to keep in mind is the weight of the bike and whether it has (and if you need) wheels for transport.