Indoor Spin Bike?
 

Anyone here have a Spin Bike for indoor riding in the Winter? I was looking to maybe get something to turn my bike to and Indoor rider, but I think I will just get a specific Spin Bike for the purpose. I have a Recumbent indoor bike, but I don't work the same muscles, and when spring comes, it takes me WEEKS to get back into shape for long rides.

Wish I had one this week, rain all week. I'll never make 400 miles this month. Hitting the Treadmill pretty hard though.

Wouldn't a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine be cheaper? And the workout would be more realistic -- like riding on the road. That's what I have.

Didn't we just do a trainer thread?

Spin bikes are ok but again, not a replica of your bike. I would stick to a trainer and maintain your geometry on your saddle on your bars in your pedals. Keeps it all real.. well, almost.

+1... I have used both and like the trainer more than the spin bike. Spinner is certainly one way to go if you like it... but pricey.

Most manufacturers void the warranty because of the stress these put on the machines. Plus I'd have to get another wheel and tire. I'm looking at these three:

http://watersfitness.com/products/in...ycles/tsunami/

http://www.motususa.com/cardio/indoor_fusion.htm

http://www.lemondfitness.com/product.../revmaster-pro

They will take my seat and pedals.

I have an old Tuntori stationary bike. It has the large, heavy flywheel and adjustable resistance using large brake pads. All pre-electronics, too. (Even has a mechanical timer, LOL.) I got it while I was rehabbing a busted knee. You can find these used. There's one on my local Craigslist now for $75. These were high quality and don't have a lot of slack in the pedals like some cheap exercise bikes which can be hard on the knees. It's an upright position.

It looks as though you have done your research. Enjoy whichever you get.

I use a trainer with the same wheel and rotate the tires. I've never heard of a voided warranty from using a trainer.

voided warranty on what?

I have a spin bike. It is a very good quality one. Spin bikes are very durable and heavy. They are made to stand up to several hours a day of health club use, so they are definitely sturdy. Mine cost around $700 used. For me, it is worth the price, when I figure out "cost per use", but as the thread a few days or a week or so ago pointed out, spinning and cycling are two different things. I need the extra security that I can get on a spinner because I do not have good balance yet following my long re-hab from hip replacement. The spinner lets me get a good workout without the danger of wiping out. It uses a lot of the same muscles as cycling, but since it is so sturdy, it does not use all of the little muscles that allow you to keep your balance, and keep your bike upright. For me, that is good. For a biker with normal balance, it might actually set you back some. Dunno. I would love to hear more about this topic, though.

When the weather breaks, I take the opportunity.....................to do something else. Life's too short to be stuck doing one thing. Biking is great but I like doing lots of different things. Plus, riding indoors and stationary is just boring as hell.

This is the one I have. Works well. No cheap though. My wife works for a company that sells them. http://mseries.keiser.com/m3.html

Spinner bikes are common on craigslist. I got mine for free.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...ZiDQQ99gx0ioXw

A friend of mine had a spin studio (just closed :( ) and used the CycleOps 300PT bikes with Powertap built-in. Great workout bikes!
Here's the latest models:
http://www.cycle-ops.com/en/products...&category_id=7

Voiding warranties is an old myth. It's not true. All trainers do is clamp on to the outside of the skewer. You put much more stress on a frame climbing a steep hill.

The problem with spin bikes is they don't match your road bike in terms of fit. Lots of people get injures putting in heavy miles on spin and stationary bikes. If you spend time indoors it's best to use a trainer or get a high end stationary bike that you can replicate your road fit on.

If you don't ride trainers a lot, just keep the regular tire on all the time. Trainers do wear them out but not as much as many think

The LA Fitness I go for (5:45AM) spin class has these. Only a couple of issues for me, I can't get it low and forward enough without hitting my knees. And what unit of measure is the odometer? It can't be miles...sure, I spun 27 miles in 60 minutes this morning........really?!

I only plan to get a trainer that I can match to my road bike pretty close. Will use my seat and pedals also.

I have a spin bike. Not all of them will take real bicycle seats and pedals. If you get one that doesn't you will be stuck with an uncomfortable fat-ass seat and lousy pedals.

Even with real seat and pedals, it's not that much fun. I don't like fixed gear- I keep forgetting and try to stop pedalling like I do on a road bike. I may be able to fit a freewheel to mine. And the fit is not the same, as pointed out earlier.

OTOH, vs putting a bike on a trainer- I can just go use the spin bike. I don't need to set up the trainer, then get a bike from the garage and mount it on the trainer.

If you are concerned about your wheels and tires, you can get one of these, and still use your bike. I love mine, except for the noise. It's loud.

http://www.lemondfitness.com/sites/l...1290108645.jpg

The Lemond looks nice, but noise will be a factor. I think I will go Spin Bike because it is always ready to ride, and to be honest, I love working out inside with a good football game or something on the TV, makes the time go very fast. I seem to burn more calories inside on the treadmill and recumbent bike...because there is no downhill coasting. :D

Yes, but OTOH, when winter is over with, I can fold my trianer up and put it in the closet and not have it in the middle of my bedroom or office. Unless your house is large enough and/or you have a separate room in the house for exercise equipment, a spin bike is always in the way. Even if you store it in the garage, it's still fairly big and will be in the way.

Also, I can take my trainer with me when I go on vacation. It fits very nicely in the trunk of a car or behind the seat of my truck.

I have taken my bike and trainer to many a spin class as well. Spin bikes though, are also convenient if kept near an ironing board. The handle bar configuration is apparently excellent for hanging clothes on.

Your right about fit, your bike will fit much better then a stationary bike, and if more then one person is using it, then, it's often simpler to switch bikes then to readjust the bike for each user. As for trainers and tires, what I do is leave the summer tire on the bike, use it on the trainer, then order a new tire for the spring riding season. In the spring I take the trainer tire off, put the old front tire on the rear and a new tire on the front.

You seem to have decided to buy a spin bike. In my spin classes we use the LeMond Fitness bike. It is great for class work where we are working on intervals, leg strength for climbing, etc. in hour long classes. It is sturdy and easily adjustable to get a good fit.

That all said it is not any substitute for a real bike. It just doesn't work like a real bike and so has its' limitations.

It all depends on what you want. For conditioning I think a spin bike in a class taught by a knowledgable instructor is hard to beat. For cycling technique and methods a rider needs a real bike. Maybe not an expensive bike but at least a bike that is the same type as you plan to ride outside.

I went to the fitness store today, and I'm really liking the Waters Fitness bikes. The decision now is between the Elite and Sport. I'm thinking the Elite because the programming of the computer controls the resistance. These two are both belt driven. The pro has a chain, and it was quite noisy.

These will take my seat and pedals.

Interested to hear if anyone has one of these.

http://watersfitness.com/products/indoor-cycles/

Quick question to Spin Bike owners. Is it normal for Spin Bikes not to freewheel? I stopped pedaling on the demos, and damn near threw myself over the handlebars with that 50 lb. wheel. It has a button to push that stops the wheel fast, but I think one I used a while back, would let you stop pedaling like on a bicycle and coast. Maybe this is a good thing...no coasting!