Life Fitness Symbio Switchcycle hometrainer

The Life Fitness Symbio SwitchCycle is an exercise bike that combines two bikes in one frame: you sit upright on it as on a classic fitness bike, and you get out of the saddle on it just as well for climbing and sprints. With 100 resistance levels and macro gears that jump the resistance in one move, this is a bike for anyone who wants to do real interval training at home rather than only pedal along steadily.

Symbio SwitchCycle at a glance

• Two riding positions in one bike: pedalling upright and climbing out of the saddle on the same machine, so you do not have to choose between a fitness bike and an Indoor Cycle.
• 100 resistance levels: you adjust the load in small steps, which lets you stay exactly on your target effort during a steady ride.
• Macro gears: a direct jump in resistance, so during intervals you are on the heavy setting straight away instead of clicking dozens of times.
• Comfort+ saddle with 42 adjustments: wider and softer than on a classic Indoor Cycle and finely adjustable, so you find a position that still works after an hour.
• Sensor-guided set-up: the screen helps you put the saddle and handlebars at the right height, which saves time when several people at home use it.
• Dual pedals: cage pedals and SPD clip-in pedals on the same pedal, so trainers and cycling shoes both work.
• 24 inch touchscreen in 1080p: access to more than 500 classes through Life Fitness On Demand+ along with your own training data.
• Compact footprint of 123 by 61 cm: this bike fits in the corner of a room and weighs 80 kg, so moving it is manageable.

Two bikes in one frame

An ordinary exercise bike is set up for sitting upright and gives you little once you want to get out of the saddle. An Indoor Cycle is the other way round: fine for standing climbs, but sitting upright on it for an hour is rarely comfortable. The SwitchCycle is built to do both: the geometry, the handlebars and the saddle are made so you can switch within a session between a steady seated block and a standing sprint. For households where one person wants a long easy ride and the other short, hard intervals, that means one machine instead of two.

Resistance that follows your session

The 100 resistance levels are there for fine control: you can set your effort very precisely in a zone and make small corrections during a long ride. The macro gears do the opposite and shift the resistance up or down substantially in a single move. That is exactly what an interval needs, because there you want the load on the second rather than spending twenty clicks adjusting. In practice that combination makes both a structured endurance ride and a demanding block session workable.

Saddle, handlebars and pedals

The Comfort+ saddle is wider and softer than the narrow saddle of a classic Indoor Cycle and has 42 adjustment positions, so you can dial in height and position precisely. The handlebars are ergonomic racing bars with several grip positions, which helps when switching between seated and standing riding. The pedals are dual-sided with cages on one side and SPD clip-in inserts on the other: trainers on for a quick session, cycling shoes when you want your foot locked in at high power. The bike suits users from roughly 145 to 196 cm in height.

Screen and connectivity

On the 24 inch touchscreen in 1080p you follow your data and the more than 500 classes from Life Fitness On Demand+. Connectivity runs through Bluetooth 5.0, wi-fi, ANT+ and NFC, and the bike pairs with an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch for your heart rate. Your phone charges wirelessly on the Qi pad and Smart Lighting can be set in sixteen shades and three brightness levels, so the bike is not too bright in a living room late in the evening.

Worth knowing

At 123 by 61 cm and 80 kg this is a compact and relatively light machine within the Symbio range, so moving it around a room is feasible. The maximum user weight is 181 kg. Do bear in mind that a bike without back support is less logical for anyone who wants some support during longer sessions; a recumbent bike suits that better. And if you are mainly after full-body work, a cross trainer or rowing machine does more with your upper body.

Frequently asked questions about the Symbio SwitchCycle

How does it differ from an Indoor Cycle?

An Indoor Cycle is built around a sporty, forward-leaning position and standing climbs, with a narrow saddle and a heavy flywheel feel. The SwitchCycle can do that too, but it also works as a normal upright bike with a wider and softer saddle. So you do not choose between two types of cycling training in advance, you switch within the same session. For households with several users and different training goals, that is the key difference.

How much space do I need?

The footprint is 123 by 61 cm and the bike is 157 cm tall. On top of that, allow room to get on and off from both sides and clear height above the handlebars for when you stand up. That means this exercise bike fits in the corner of a living room, bedroom or home office. At 80 kg the machine can also be moved if you want to change the layout.

What height and weight does the bike suit?

Life Fitness gives a range of roughly 145 to 196 cm user height, so almost everyone in a household can use it. The maximum user weight is 181 kg. The saddle and handlebars have plenty of fine adjustment, with the screen helping you find the right position. That makes switching between two or three regular users straightforward.

Can I use my own cycling shoes?

Yes, the pedals are dual-sided. One side has cages with straps for ordinary trainers, the other side has SPD clip-in inserts for cycling shoes with SPD cleats. Flip the pedal over and you switch between the two. Clip-in pedals are especially useful if you ride out of the saddle a lot or train at high power, because your foot stays put.

How finely can I set the resistance?

There are 100 resistance levels, so you can adjust the load in very small steps during a ride. For interval work there are also macro gears that move the resistance up or down by a large amount in one go. That way you do not have to click your way to the setting at the start of a block. This combination of fine and coarse control is one of the main reasons to choose this bike.

Warranty

• Frame: 7 years
• Parts (electrical and mechanical): 3 years
• Labour: 3 years
• Cosmetic parts: 6 months