You are also able to adjust the level digitally with the press of a button. The USB port is an awesome add-on for a bike that requires the use of a separate device. I love being able to charge my phone or tablet while completing a ride without the worry of my device dying mid-ride. As schwinn spin bike bikes with high tech features tend to cost more, it’s important to decide which features you feel are worth paying more for. While Schwinn offers two models, the Airdyne AD6 is the best overall option, as you get many of the same features as the AD7 but at a more affordable price.
It has loads of handlebar and seat adjustability to dial in the fit for a vast range of rider heights and preferences, as well as an agreeable performance seat and multi-position handlebar. While the IC4 is a smart bike with connected features, you can use it as a stand-alone schwinn spin bike bike for manual workouts without the need to connect to a device. In manual mode, you can start pedaling and adjust the resistance however you like. You also have the option of setting a time, distance, or calorie workout goal through the bike’s console.
One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher cost. The Schwinn comes with 3lb weights and Peloton gives you the option to purchase 1, 2, or 3lb weights. The Peloton classes denote whether or not they use weights or not. The Schwinn IC4 comes in a large, but narrow cardboard box, and requires two people to carry it inside. You will end up with a lot of styrofoam, but assembly is fairly straightforward. Be sure to follow the directions provided, and there are plenty of YouTube videos that can help.
The IC4 is built around an impressively stable and beefy steel frame, even under the hardest out-of-the-saddle pedaling efforts. The frame supports a belt-driven 40 lb weighted flywheel with 100 levels of magnetic resistance. With so many resistance levels, you can micro-adjust it to get precisely the challenge you want during your workout, and there is ample range for riders of all fitness levels. During testing, we rarely turned the resistance above 70, which was plenty challenging for quad-busting intervals.
Both the seat and handlebar have loads of adjustability, both up and down and fore and aft. It comes with a performance-oriented seat as well as a sizeable multi-position handlebar. Below the handlebar are two bottle holders with cradles to hang the included 3 lb hand weights.