We’ve built our reputation through consistent innovation rooted in authentic cycling. Still, the company ranks easily in the top
10 and possibly in the top five among bike builders in the United States. Roughly 100 U.S.-based builders, companies like Waterford, Serotta, Lynskey
Performance Designs and Independent Fabrication, manufacture about 12,000 bikes
a year domestically.
For example, I pay a monthly subscription fee of $13 to use the Peloton app for workouts on my Schwinn IC4 bike. It’s a fairly low price to pay, considering that Peloton bike users fork over $44 a month schwinn bicycles for access to the same content. The one notable difference is that app users don’t have access to or show up on the Peloton leaderboard, which shows riders how they rank against others in the class.
More than six months later, the seat hasn’t gotten any softer but I’ve gotten used to it. I find it most uncomfortable when riding for 45 minutes or longer, or during classes when I’m not out of the saddle. The Echelon Connect Bike EX-5 operates through your own tablet (set in a tablet holder), which connects the bike to the $39-per-month Echelon Fit app (iOS, Android) over Wi-Fi or via Bluetooth. It has dual-sided pedals, and the display is very similar to the Peloton Bike’s, including a leaderboard. But in our tests, the resistance knob seemed unpredictable compared with that of the Peloton Bike, since we were often unsure whether the number we saw on the display matched the resistance we felt as we pedaled.
You can buy a conversion decal on Etsy to stick on your bike (or just write numbers down on a sticky note). 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 tricycle Schwinn IC4 riders use the Kinetic app to track their output levels during rides, though I have not tested that myself. The handlebars and seat are adjustable for riders of heights 4 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 6 inches, and it has a weight limit of 330 pounds.
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. Although a heart rate armband is included with the Schwinn IC4, I opt to use my Apple Watch to track my heart rate and calories during workouts on the bike, as well as log my workout in Apple’s Activity app. The Bluetooth-enabled bike also pairs with the Peloton app, so you can track your cadence on-screen as you ride.
And I have taken more than a hundred indoor-cycling classes (both in-studio and at home) since 2007. I’m also a certified personal trainer (NASM) with a particular interest in endurance sports. One tester, who thought the bike felt and fit fine, pointed out that it had a more “vertical” seated position schwinn mountain bike than other bikes she tried. “It didn’t feel like it was trying to compete with Peloton or other studio bikes,” she noted. “I think it’s for a different consumer.” One difference is the SF-B1805’s generously padded seat, which may take some getting used to if you’re accustomed to cycling in a studio.