Picking the Best Home Spin or Indoor Cycling Bike for 2016

Why do I need a Spinning or Indoor Cycling Bike when I already exercise?

With a new crop of bikes out for the start of the New Year fitness season it’s worth a look to see which are the best.  Spinning is a great form of exercise and is the fastest way of burning fat in your own home.  Not only that, but it will keep your heart strong and keep you fit, especially during cold winter months.

Below we have reviewed some of the best spin bikes we first published this in 2014, now its all fresh and updated for 2016!   If you want to see ALL our Spinning and Indoor Cycling bike reviews click here.

Is it a Spin or Indoor Bike?

Good question!  Spin is the generic term applied to indoor Cycling.  The company who popularised Spinning back in the 80’s claims that Spin, Spinner and Spinning are trademarks.  However some companies dispute this claiming that it’s a generic term.  We will try and refer to Bikes produced by Spinner as spin bikes, but they are all the same thing- pedals fixed to a heavy flywheel with no free wheel.

What makes a good indoor or Spinning Bike?

At the heart of any spinning bike is the flywheel.  Anything about 35-40lbs is ideal.  A good heavy weight will make the bike feel smooth and much easier to manage at high resistance levels.  Better bikes will have even wheels that turn smoothly with very little wobble.

A good indicator to quality is the warranty period.  Anything over a year is good, but the longer the better. If the manufacturer does not have faith that the bike will last more than 12 months, why should you?

Pedals are another key item.   As you are riding a fixed wheel bike (the pedals keep turning if the flywheel is moving), it is important that you are attached to the pedals with clips.  These can either be toe clips, which can be used with any form of trainer, or preferably cleats.  Cleats are found on special bike shoes, and the normal system is the Shimano SPD cleats.

It is also important to consider the frame, you want this to be as solid and supportive as possible, and also the handlebars.  These should be strong enough not to flex.  It’s also handy if they have a water bottle rest on them.

Finally, Spin Bikes are generally “no frills” and you are unlikely to find them equipped with computers etc.  Our advice is to wear a heart rate monitor to keep your heart rate up during your exercise.

Our 2016 Indoor Cycling Bike recommendations:

Once you have a budget in mind, then you can begin to shop.  I hope you found this guide useful if you did please like our page, or leave  a comment below.

For all our spin bike and indoor cycling reviews click here