Cycling can take your fitness to the next level while causing least harm to your body. Cheap indoor spin bikes are popular because of their ease of usage and the benefits they provide. A plethora of options available making it difficult to choose one. The best indoor cycle spin bikes for the home can be a great fitness companion for you. Don’t worry; our experts have made a detailed guide to make the selection easier for you.
[table id=4 /]Top 3 Best Indoor Cycle Spin Bike For Your Home
Key Differences Between Spin Bikes and Stationary Bikes
So, how does a spin bike differ from a stationary bike? Spin bikes use a heavy flywheel that creates a resistance through the momentum user creates while riding. This resistance makes the workout challenging and is a lot similar to outdoor workouts. The indoor cycling bikes 2021 look like road bikes. But unlike them, the user has to lean forward toward the handles to ride these bikes. You can also stand up for upper body exercises if you want.
Advantages of a Spin Bike
- Fixed flywheel improves pedaling technique
- Better build quality than stationary bikes
- Easily adjustable height
- 4. Ability to climb and sprint more easily
- Muscle focused workouts
How to Set Up your Spin Bike to the Right Height
After making the purchase it is important to adjust the size to be compatible with yours. Just follow the instructions it is easy to do so.
1. Adjust the Saddle Height
When adjusting the height, make sure that the bike saddle is parallel to your hip bone. There is an easy method to do it. Take the support of a wall or a person; lift your height to 90 degrees which is at the same level as your hip. Your hips must be facing front and from here adjust the saddle with the center of your leg. That’ll do the trick.
2. Move the Saddle Forwards and Backwards
You can easily find the distance between your seat and handlebars using your knees. Knees should be over the feet but it must not pass the toes. Finding the neutral, a central middle point between the back and forth motion is the key to do this. It is the short pause you take before the next push on the saddle. It will take a while to figure it out. If you are not sure about it going to a fitness expert will help.
3. Handle Bar Adjustment
Make sure that your spine is straight while riding. Posture is important, so put a slight bend in elbows and rest your hands on the handlebars. You will feel comfortable this way so always adjust the size to your comfort for a good ride.
4. Safety Check
Do a quick round up check before the first ride. Accidents are anyway not worth the risk. Make sure the handlebars and saddle are fixed properly. Those coming off can be the worst things to encounter while riding the spin bike.
Key Features to Consider When Purchasing a Spin Bike
A lot of things must be checked if you want to get the best indoor cycle spin bike for the home for the money you spend. Read more and get a clearer picture.
1. Resistance
Resistance determines the intensity of your workout. So adjusting the resistance while working out is important. You can adjust the resistance by using the knob, lever or button. This varies with different brands and models. You can choose the one you like.
2. Adjustability
Adjusting the seat height forward and backward is as important as height adjustment. Adjustable handlebar is also a good feature. If multiple people use the same equipment then these features will be good.
3. Seat
The best indoor cycle spin bikes for the home have comfortable seats but sadly the majority of seats is hard and will take time to get used to. Or else buy additional gel overlay or padded shorts.
4. Flywheel Size
Having a heavy flywheel keeps the spin bike stable and secures giving you a smoother ride. It is good for high-intensity training. For Example, Marcy Club Revolution Indoor Cycle (JX-7038) has 40lb flywheel.
Flywheels Explained
The flywheel is the heart and it determines the capacity of your spin bike. The best indoor cycle spin bikes for a home have heavy flywheels which are almost like 50 pounds. The mechanical energy created while you ride gets transferred to the flywheel giving you resistance, unlike a normal wheel which is unsafe flywheels are solid discs kept in a protected casing keeping your workouts smooth and safe. The heavier the flywheel the better the intensity and you will find it harder to start working out due to the weight. Like the flywheel, resistance type is also important.
Types of Resistance
Three types of resistances are available with the spin bikes:
1. Direct contact resistance
2. Magnetic resistance
3. Fan based resistance
All the spin bikes are not the same so be careful to select the type of resistance you need. Understanding each resistance type will help you find the best spin bike for your home so read about them carefully. The most common resistance type is the magnetic resistance. They are not similar to natural bike ride but it can easily be adjusted.
1. Direct Contact Resistance
This is the one that is most similar to natural bike rides. They involve breaking pads coming in direct contact with the flywheel and offering resistance while working out. The friction causes a reduction in rotational speed and increases the intensity of the workout. The major disadvantage of this type of resistance is the easy wearing out of the brake pads despite the materials being used. So if you buy a spinning bike with this kind of resistance, then be ready to replace them anytime.
2. Magnetic Resistance
Magnetic resistance is the most commonly found resistance type in the best indoor cycle spin bikes. Due to their non-contact operation, they will not wear out with continuous workouts. Spin bikes with magnetic resistance are comparatively silent and the resistance can be adjusted easily. Electromagnetic induction is used between the magnets to give resistance to the flywheel. It is similar to the working of bullet trains. EFITMENT Magnetic Indoor Cycle is a magnetic adjustable spin bike.
3. Fan Based Resistance
Spin bikes with fan resistance are a thing of the past but still, it can be considered as good purchases as the cost of maintenance is comparatively less when compared to other kinds. The fan rotates when you pedal through causing the air to flow through them. The faster you pedal the higher the resistance would be, it is as simple as that.
Spin Bike Warm-Ups
Warming up is important before doing any exercise. It will not only pump you up to work out more but it is also necessary to prevent injuries that can be caused due to sudden workouts. Cycling and running are considered to be the best warm-up exercise but you should warm up well before that.
You might already know this but stretching is the most important and the most avoided thing by fitness enthusiasts. Having tight hamstrings, hip flexors and glutes will cause a big mess if you don’t stretch yourself up before workouts. So stretch before and after workouts to increase your muscle recovery capacity.
We can suggest some useful stretches for you:
1. Shoulder Rolls
Shoulder rolls can relax your upper body. People generally avoid this when they workout for their legs so always make sure to workout with loose shoulders by stretching them first. Stand straight roll your shoulders to your ears and then backward. Do this 5 times then reverse it. That will be enough.
2. Neck Stretches
If you have tight shoulders then you must also have tight necks so loosen it up too. Lower your chin to chest hold for 15 seconds then reverse and do the same towards the sky. Then put your right year to right shoulder hold for 15 seconds then swap the side and do the same. Do this at least 3 times. This is especially useful if you have a desk job or if you use mobile phones a lot.
3. Wrist Stretches
Now take your wrist, hold it with your middle finger and thumb of the other hand then do 10 wrist circles. Do it on both your hands. Then hold your arm in stop position and stretch out every finger using the other hand for 15 seconds after which drop the finger pointing to the ground. Repeat the same on the other hand too.
4. Lower Back
Stand straight put your hands on the head then hinge using the hips to make right angles with the floor. Use a chair if you need help to make a 90-degree angle. After making the right angle pull yourself up and stretch out the lower back and drop to the floor releasing yourself. Do this few times.
5. Stretch the Hips & Legs
Cycling is a good exercise for your legs but your legs must be flexible enough to begin exercising. Leg kicks can be really useful for relaxing your legs. Bring your legs up and down 10 times. A quad stretch is also effective; you can do it by bringing your right heel to your right butt cheek and keep holding it for 15 seconds. Hamstring stretching can be done by sitting and leaning down the leg you stretch and reach the toes.
Bottom Line
An indoor cycle spin bike is very comfortable equipment which resembles your normal bike. With the best spin bikes, you will able to get fit within no time in the comfort of your home. Being the favorite of many home gym users, there is a wide competition in the magnetic spin bikes markets so it is difficult for a newcomer to easily pick up the best one for their gyms.
Make sure that you buy the spin bike with a heavy flywheel with good resistance adjustments. You can choose to buy Keiser M3i Indoor Cycle Bundle as it overweighs other indoor bikes in many respects. Our experts only pick the best equipment so you can trust us on what we say. The choice is yours so make sure to buy what is perfect for you. Check reviews before the purchase and ride yourself to a healthy life.
