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My New Fitness Friend: The Schwinn IC4 Indoor Bike

David has found his perfect at-home workout machine: robust, performance-tracking, and perfect for dance-cycling to Beyoncé.

With no more gyms, at least for the foreseeable future, I needed to figure out a way to get my endorphin rush and cardio training. Temporarily in Utah, I could, of course, just go for a good run. But in about 30 days the weather is going to turn; that will no longer be an option. Perhaps it is my urban gym background, maybe it is my need for performance tracking, but I also really like having a piece of indoor gear that can monitor how far, how fast, how well I am doing. 

Mirror Workouts

My good friend Rina is having a love affair with her Mirror. She’ll take short 15-minute breaks from her work and grab a Mirror workout. The device is what it sounds like: a big mirror that sits against a wall. It is filled with electronics that allow a person to watch themselves in the mirror while at the same time they see an instructor telling them what to do. Nice, but I didn’t want to be transporting a big heavy mirror thing around the country, nor did I only want to be watching a gym instructor implore me to jump about. 

Peloton

There is, of course, a treadmill, but again they become difficult to transport, make a lot of noise, and my knees don’t love the impact. What about Peloton? I have used them and initially it seemed fun, but the problem is the screen will only play Peloton. There are some black-hat instructions available on YouTube about how to hack the Android operating system that it uses, but do I really want to be going to all that trouble if I want to watch a movie while I ride?

Schwinn IC4 Indoor Bike

The other problem with Peloton is that it is a nice bike attached to a large digital device. The bike may last a long time, but digital devices have a way of quickly becoming obsolete. The Schwinn bike, on the other hand, has no electronic screen, you use your own phone or tablet. The bike is built like a tank, nicer than any other spin bike including SoulCycle studio bikes that I have used. It is also $1300 less expensive than a Peloton.

Handsome fella, isn’t it?

Having a bike in the living room is great. We don’t have to worry about sunblock, rain, snow, or where I am going; I just get on and ride. I have used the Peloton App for some classes, although I find the music hit or miss, same with the instructors. If I am doing a HIIT, high-intensity interval training workout, the app is helpful. But if I am doing a long heart rate zone 2 ride I’ll watch a movie or listen to a podcast. (Have you checked out the SuperAge Podcast yet?)

The Freedom of an At-Home Cycling Workout

One thing to note is that the effort level on the Schwinn is not the same as for the Peloton. I don’t really pay that much attention to effort levels, rather I use a heart rate monitor to stay in whatever zone I want to be in. But for those who do, just know that 50 on a Peloton is much easier than 50 on a Schwinn.

What I love about a good SoulCycle class is it is essentially a dance class on a bike. (Unfortunately, for the moment, the Varis app that does SoulCycle is only available to Equinox members.) When I am doing a HIIT class on Peloton, I’ll pick 30 minutes selecting pop music. I’ll put on my best over-ear headphones, and it is David’s Private Living Room Dance Party for the next half hour. I’ll totally lose my mind, sweaty, noisy, full-on, no-holds-barred crazy on the bike. This is why I love the Schwinn and its 130lbs of steel. It has no problem with the wild animal that is bouncing away and panting listening to Beyoncé.

What are you using? Apps, gear, teacher…let us know in the comments. Variety, right? Thanks!

The Schwinn IC4 Indoor Bike was $899 direct from Schwinn including delivery. At the time I ordered mine, it took 6 weeks to get the bike, arriving early from a  promised 8 weeks. The assembly took about an hour, and all the tools were included. 

See medical disclaimer below. ↓

26 COMMENTS

  1. Where else can I buy one, hopefully to shorten delivery time and price, retail stores? Eight weeks is a long time to wait while schwinn holds my $900!

  2. Hi Chadwick,
    I would check with Scwhinn about delivery times, they may have changed. They did not charge the CC until the bike shipped, which was nice.
    David

  3. Hi,

    Do we get clip on shoes with the IC4 purchase or we have to buy separately and whats the best place to get them? Also for return policy the schwinn website says it *does not * include the ship back cost, any idea how much could that be if we have to ship back for return? Thanks!

    • Hi Angela,
      There are pedals with clips on one side and cleets on the other. I just use my sneakers. The bike is over 100lbs, so the ship back would be spendy.
      Hope that helps,
      David

    • Dick’s Sporting Goods sells them. I got mine I nine day. Ordered online for curbside pick up. It only took me 40 minutes to assemble. The IC4 is the best out the box as you have everything you need to sync with the Peloton App. If you have an Apple device abs get the app your get 2 months free..then it goes back to the $12.99 fee. This is definitely a great buy. Especially if you get it locally as if you did encounter any problems you simply brake it back to the store.

    • I would say no, unless you are alone. It took me about 2 hours to assemble, and all the tools are included. There are a couple of times when having an extra person there is helpful, but otherwise, it is pretty easy.

  4. I bought mine at my local Dick’s sporting good. That way, if I wanted to return it, I could drive it there. Also, if you register your email with them, you’ll get 10% percent off first purchase. Another good point about this bike: it is completely silent! Sometimes I walk into the room and am shocked to find my kids or my partner pedaling away. Had no idea because it is literally that quiet.
    I would love to see more articles about apps and routines for this bike – I’m new to the fitness lifestyle and could use some guidance.

  5. Thank you for the Schwinn recommendation. We just bought one! It’s incredibly sturdy & compact. From ordering to delivery it took 4 days.

  6. Dick’s Sporting Goods sells them. I got mine in one day )same day) day. Ordered online for curbside pick up. It only took me 40 minutes to assemble. The IC4 is the best out the box as you have everything you need to sync with the Peloton App. If you have an Apple device abs get the app your get 2 months free..then it goes back to the $12.99 fee. This is definitely a great buy. Especially if you get it locally as if you did encounter any problems you simply brake it back to the store.
    Reply

  7. Thanks for the tip on the Schwinn! When the pandemic shut everything down, I got to work and converted my basement into a home gym. Besides free weights and various other equipment, I got a Concept 2 rowing machine. I hadn’t done much rowing previously but when I researched various exercise equipment – rowing has been shown to be the most effective form of exercise for a full body workout, is joint friendly, can help prevent osteoporosis and works up to 84 % of the muscles in your body. – I love it! I use various free apps like asensei among others to keep me motivated and guide my workouts.

  8. FYI ..love my new S IC4- order through Walmart..delivery in 2 days at door no shipping fees…Love the smooth ride easy to set up, put together and use. The easy to switch cadence RPM, levels as well as adjustable seat, handles and heights. Right now I am using free Utube apps for cycling with my iPhone or tablet. Love Ms Kaleigh!

  9. The Bowflex C6 is the same bike. I could not find the IC4 anywhere so I splurged on the $999 Bowflex bike and got it delivered in 2 weeks. I’ve never been a cyclist but using this bike with the Peloton app (Tunde) has made me a stronger runner.

    • I’ve heard similar things about indoor biking. I am a runner as well, so this is good to hear and does make sense. Doing my research now on bikes.

      • I use my IC4 almost every day. The thing is a tank. That said, I have not tried the Schwinn AC performance bike, it may be even better.

  10. I’ve heard that the Schwinn AC performance bike is much sturdier and better than this. Any input on this?

  11. Thanks for the information, David! Now that SoulCycle streaming is available, have you tried a SoulCycle class on your Schwinn IC4? If so, how was that experience?

    • Hi Jillian,
      I have tried SoulCycle streaming. It was fun for about a month or so, then I got bored with it, same with Peleton classes, although Soul is much better in my opinion. I’m finding I am liking my own Spotify playlists this summer. But I may go back to the classes. Its nice to have the options.
      Thanks!
      David

  12. Been using the IC4 for 15 months and love it. Previously attended cycle classes at the gym and this is as solid (or better) than all the gym bikes I used. Stages have a few more bells and whistles but they’re much pricier. The one big downside for me is that calibration for accurate wattage in apps like Zwift can be tough to configure and you only get three tries to set the values. I’ve heard they’ll send you another if you’re out of tries but haven’t wanted to mess with it as mine is quite close now- I used power meter pedals to validate. But nothing else in this price range will measure watts accurately (if at all) out of the box unless you want to put your “real” bike on a trainer. Also, make sure to wipe it down after usage or sweat will corrode the screws. Finally, my heart rate monitor did stop working after some time but I just use my watch or a chest strap. I’m sure they’d replace that as well, just haven’t wanted to mess with it since I have other options. What’s important to me is I’ve been using it heavily (2000+ virtual miles) with lots of power (I like to mash as hard as I can frequently) and it remains smooth and responsive. All in all a great indoor bike buy!

  13. This article helped me to decide to buy a ic4. My job is now computer based with large screens at home. Hours are long, but there are unpredictable lows where I can hop on the bike while watching for required actions. I researched many bikes and this one seems the best for me. Now it starts!

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The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.

David Stewart
David is the founder and face of AGEIST. He is an expert on, and a passionate champion of the emerging global over-50 lifestyle. A dynamic speaker, he is available for panels, keynotes and informational talks at david@agei.st.

 

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