Endurance racing cyclist Johnny Goldberg created an indoor cycling program and designed the first indoor cycling bikes in the late 1980s. At the time, cyclists mostly trained outside, with the option to put their bikes on rollers if they needed to train indoors. Stationary exercise bikes were the recumbent models with the wide seats or the upright models with pumping handles and fanning flywheels. Indoor cycling bikes were different because they had weighted flywheels, bike chains instead of belts and road bike positioning.
History
When the first indoor cycling program came about, the manufacture of bikes was licensed to Schwinn, which is why any older models you may come across in a gym have the Schwinn logo. As the program evolved, Star Trac — an international company based out of Irvine, California — took over the role. Star Trac has since expanded the line of indoor cycling bikes and has also made them available to individual consumers in addition to fitness facilities.
Types
Star Trac makes two lines of stationary bikes. The commercial bikes are aimed at health clubs, while the home bikes are more geared toward lighter home use by individuals. The commercial series includes the Pro, Elite and NXT. The home series includes the Sport, Fit, Velo and V. In general, the bikes in the commercial series are heavier-duty, built to withstand greater wear and tear than the home series.
Features
Indoor cycling bikes are designed to replicate the more aggressive dynamics of a road bike, with handlebars that you can set lower than the seat and multiple hand positions to support varied riding positions. Stationary bikes are fixed-gear bikes, meaning the wheel stops turning when you stop pushing the pedals. They have weighted flywheels and bike chain-powered drive trains. You add resistance by turning a knob on the bike frame that lowers a brake pad against the wheel. Indoor cycling bikes are adjustable at three points: handlebar and seat height, and the seat’s fore-aft position.
Differences
The bikes in the commercial series have heavier frames and flywheels than those in the home series. The commercial series bikes have better handlebar and seat adjustability and durable, dual water bottle holders built into the handlebars. The home series bikes have attached metal water bottle cages that tend to bend or break over time. Some models have have fully aluminum frames made to repel sweat. Some have built-in fans, cadence and heart rate monitors, and touch screens that play ride profiles led by an instructor.
Considerations
Stationary bikes come with platform pedals that have toe cages on one side and SPD-compatible clips on the other. Cyclists buying a stationary bike for home use can replace the pedals with ones that match whatever system they use on their own bike.
As of December 2010, the home series bikes have a one-year parts warranty, while the commercial series bikes have a two-year warranty for mechanical parts and a five-year warranty on frame welds — including corrosion. Neither warranty includes labor costs.
Member Comments