Over the last two years, we’ve seen significant reader interest in all things indoor exercise bikes, and it’s with good reason. In December, Apple launched Fitness+, an app offering various on-demand fitness classes, focused on spinning, treadmills and rowing, among others. The monthly Apple service costs $10 per month compared to Peloton’s $13 monthly schwinn spin bike digital app membership. In July, Peloton also launched a new video-game mode, Lanebreak, on its bikes, where users try to steer their bikes around virtual obstacles. Schwinn is an iconic American company that been around for more than a century. In 1966, Schwinn virtually started the at-home fitness craze with the revolutionary Exerciser bike.
In addition to its sturdy build, 40 lb weighted flywheel, and 100 levels of magnetic resistance, it is a smart bike with connected features. With more and more people exercising from home and latching onto the interactive at-home studio and virtual schwinn spin bike cycling trend, we felt this was a compelling model that was worthy of testing. We found the IC4 to provide an excellent workout, a high level of comfort, and functionality with popular apps like Zwift, Peloton, and Explore the World.
Overall, the bike provides a smooth ride and, even when I’m rocking from side to side, remains sturdily in place. The U-shaped handlebars offer a variety of ways for me to place my hands when riding and I found it easy to adjust the bike to my 5-foot-3-inch frame. With my current setup, I’m only able to view my heart rate and cadence on-screen during rides, not my output like Peloton bike users are able to see. Some Schwinn IC4 riders use the Kinetic app to track their output levels during rides, though I have not tested that myself. The more affordable C6 Bike from Bowflex comes equipped with a screen — or a backlit LCD for tracking metrics — magnetic resistance that allows you up to 100 levels of resistance and pedals built with toe cages.
If you’re already highly motivated you may not need the added inspiration that live streaming, on-demand, or virtual training can provide, but we think it’s really nice to have the option. Unlike the more expensive competition, the IC4 does not come with a high-tech console for streaming workouts, you’ll have to use one that you already have or purchase one for that purpose. It does have a device holder where you can dock your device for easy viewing, and it has a USB port to keep it charged while you ride.
The machine has a max weight capacity of 300 pounds (136.4 kg) and an adjustable seat to accommodate users of varying heights. However, as the seat only adjusts vertically, it may be more difficult to get the saddle perfectly aligned with the pedals. Schwinn is a well-known fitness brand that offers several types of home exercise bikes, all of which are durable, quiet, and easy to use.
Unless I’m taking a live class, I prefer to preload my Peloton workouts before riding and recommend you do the same. I experience occasional buffering issues with the Peloton iOS app (and trust me, you don’t want to run into that during the middle of a heavy climb) but preloading classes before starting fixed this issue for me. The answer to this is a touch more schwinn spin bike open-ended, because the IC4 can satisfy quite a few needs on a budget. The self-motivated on-road cyclists will be plenty satisfied here, as the bike is very well constructed and stable. With the IC4 you can also grab your tablet or iPad, and link up to apps like Zwift, and even the Peloton app for a similar experience to the Peloton on a smaller screen.
This bike is much less expensive than the big-name home-studio competition, yet it provides a similarly excellent exercise quality with connectivity that makes it compatible with the most popular training apps. If you’ve been wanting to join in on the at-home studio cycling craze but the price of the competition seems too high, we feel this is a more affordable option to consider. With a 10-year frame, 3-year mechanical and electrical parts, and a 1-year labor warranty, it’s also clear that this product is intended to stand the test of time. The IC4 is built around a beefy steel frame that is impressively stable, even under the hardest of out of the saddle pedaling efforts. The frame supports a belt-driven 40 lb weighted flywheel which has 100 levels of magnetic resistance. With so many levels of resistance, you can micro-adjust it to exactly the level you want during your workout, and there is ample range for riders of all fitness levels.
Compared with the Echelon EX-3, the IC4 is slightly larger, though it offers a higher weight capacity. While all the bikes are similarly priced, the Schwinn IC4 is the only option that includes free shipping. It also offers the greatest number of resistance levels and longest warranty period. Still, the IC4 comes with plenty of extras, including a pair of 3-pound (1.4-kg) dumbbells, a Bluetooth heart rate armband, dual water bottle holders, ergonomic handgrips, a USB charging station, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Schwinn IC4 is the newest indoor cycling bike offered by Schwinn Fitness.