Indoor cycles for home use

Which indoor cycle for home use suits you?

The resistance system and the adjustment range decide whether you sit on it every week. The display comes after that.

You want to train as quietly as possible: choose magnetic resistance. There is no contact between the brake and the flywheel, so there is no rubbing noise and no wear. That is the logical choice if the bike stands in a living room or a flat.

You want the heaviest feel for the lowest amount: then friction resistance is worth considering. A brake pad on the flywheel gives a direct, heavy feel and the construction is simple. The pad does wear, and it is a part you will replace at some point.

You want to train on power or ride along with an app: look for a console with power measurement and bluetooth. Without power you train on feel and on speed, which works out differently from bike to bike; with watts you have a number that means the same thing everywhere.

You share the bike with several people in the house: look for a saddle and handlebars that adjust both in height and horizontally, preferably with a measuring scale. That way everyone sets the bike up correctly in ten seconds instead of searching every time.

You ride a road bike outdoors: look at clipless pedals or pedals with a double side, and at a seat post that takes your own saddle. The closer the riding position is to your road bike, the better the training transfers.

You want as much bike as your budget allows: then also work through the used indoor cycles. These include refurbished machines from a higher segment, with a heavier frame and a more precise resistance system than you would get new for the same money.

Indoor cycle or exercise bike?

An indoor cycle is built to work hard: forward leaning, narrow saddle, heavy flywheel and the option of getting out of the saddle. An exercise bike is built for comfortable, longer riding: upright or recumbent, a wider saddle, a backrest on the recumbent version and a console that guides you through a programme.

If you want to ride intervals, sweat and be finished in half an hour, choose an indoor cycle. If you want to pedal gently for an hour while you watch something, rehabilitate or take it easy, an exercise bike is more pleasant. Have a look at the exercise bikes for that, or first read our blog on exercise bike vs. spin bike.

What should you look out for?

Resistance system

Friction resistance works with a brake pad on the flywheel: direct and heavy, but audible and with a part that wears. Magnetic resistance works without contact: quiet, maintenance free and usually easier to meter out. For a bike in a living room magnetic is almost always the better choice, while for a bike in a garage or a shed friction can be perfectly fine.

Flywheel: mass and position

A heavier flywheel keeps the pedal stroke smooth and forgives an uneven stroke, which you notice most when you get out of the saddle. The position matters as well: a rear flywheel keeps your sweat away from the bearing and the brake, while a front flywheel makes the bike more compact and puts more weight on the front wheel.

Adjustment of saddle and handlebars

This is where comfort really comes from. The saddle and handlebars have to adjust in height and in the horizontal direction, because up and down alone is not enough to set the reach to the bars correctly. A measuring scale on the posts helps if several people use the bike. Sit too far from the bars and you load your lower back; sit too close and your knee runs into your stomach.

Pedals and shoes

As standard the bike comes with pedals with straps, so you can ride in trainers. Double sided pedals offer straps on one side and a clip mechanism for cycling shoes on the other. With clipless pedals you can pull as well as push, which makes the power delivery more even and keeps your feet in place.

Console and power measurement

On an indoor cycle, cadence, resistance, heart rate and power are the values you steer by. Power in watts is the only number that is comparable between bikes and between weeks. Heart rate is measured with a wireless chest strap, because in this position your hands do not let go of the bars. Many bikes can be paired with training apps for virtual rides or training plans. Those apps are optional and usually need a paid subscription for the full functions, although some offer a limited free version or a trial period.

Stability, sweat and floor

You get out of the saddle on an indoor cycle and that is when the frame is really loaded; a higher own weight and levelling feet keep the bike still. Sweat is the main enemy: wipe the frame and the bars down after every ride, because salt attacks bearings and bolts. A mat underneath protects your floor and absorbs vibration. Mats, saddles and bottle cages are with the indoor cycle accessories.

Our advice: set the bike up properly first and then ride for ten minutes before you look at the console. A bike you can set precisely in height and in reach matters more in the long run than a larger screen. If the bike stands within earshot of other people, choose magnetic resistance; that is the one choice you cannot change later.

Who is an indoor cycle for home use suitable for?

• Anyone who wants to train briefly and intensively. Intervals of twenty to thirty minutes give a lot of effect per minute.
• Road cyclists and triathletes in winter. The riding position and the power output are close to riding outdoors.
• Anyone who enjoys spinning classes. The same position and the same heavy flywheel, but at a time that suits you.
• Anyone who wants to lose weight with peaks in training. Working hard in blocks is easier to keep up for many people than long easy riding.
• Anyone short of space. An indoor cycle has a small footprint and stands on transport wheels.
• Families where several people ride. With a measuring scale on the saddle and bars the bike is set up in seconds.

An indoor cycle is less suitable if you have back complaints, find it hard to step on, or want to ride long and gently with a wide saddle and a backrest. An exercise bike or a recumbent version is then more pleasant. If you are unsure about the type, first look at the full range of indoor cycles.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy an indoor cycle for home use but are you not quite sure which one suits your wishes and needs best? Then we are happy to help you further. You can reach our indoor cycle specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an e-mail or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about indoor cycles for home use

How much space do you need for an indoor cycle?

An indoor cycle has a small footprint, roughly that of an armchair, plus half a metre of clear space to get on and off and to adjust the bike. For the height, allow for your own height when you are standing out of the saddle. Virtually all models have transport wheels, so you can put the bike against a wall after your ride.

What is the difference between an indoor cycle and an exercise bike?

The riding position and the purpose. On an indoor cycle you lean forward with your hands on wide bars, with a narrow saddle and a heavy flywheel, so that you can also get out of the saddle. On an exercise bike you sit upright or recumbent, with a wider saddle and sometimes a backrest, built for long and comfortable riding. A spin bike is more intensive, an exercise bike is more comfortable.

Do you need cycling shoes on an indoor cycle?

No. As standard the bike comes with pedals with straps that work perfectly well with trainers. Cycling shoes with clipless pedals do have advantages: your foot is always in the same place, you can pull as well as push, and your power delivery is more even. If you ride a road bike outdoors, it is pleasant to use the same shoes indoors.

How do you set up an indoor cycle properly?

Set the saddle at hip height while you stand next to it; with your heel on the pedal in the lowest position your leg should be almost straight. Then set the horizontal saddle position so that your knee is directly above the pedal axle when the crank is horizontal. Set the bars level with the saddle first and then higher or lower as you prefer; higher is more comfortable for your back, lower is sportier.

Is magnetic resistance better than friction resistance?

For home use, usually yes. Magnetic resistance makes no rubbing noise, does not wear and can be metered out more finely, and that counts if the bike stands in a living room. Friction resistance gives a very direct heavy feel and costs less, but the brake pad is a part that wears and can start to squeak. If the bike stands in a garage or a shed, that difference matters less.

How much maintenance does an indoor cycle need?

Very little, as long as you keep the sweat off it. Wipe the frame, the bars and the seat post dry after every ride, because salty sweat eats into bearings and bolts. Check monthly that the pedals, saddle and bars are tight, and level the bike on its levelling feet. With friction resistance you check the brake pad for wear; with magnetic resistance there is no maintenance on that at all.