stationary bike or spinner

[newby]

i'm looking to buy something to ride indoors this winter. my wife wants to ride also, so it has to have a seat that adjust forward as well as up and down. would you choose a spinner bike or a stationary one an if so which one?

[ghostpedal]

Yeah, a question I can answer with a strong opinion. I have owned two indoor cycles of gym quality. I had a Lifecycle with all the fancy programs that varied resistance, cadence, etc. I now have a Johnny G Spinner Pro spinning bicycle. They are night and day. I very much prefer the feel of the spinner over the Lifecycle. It is much more realistic, the adjustments are available to make it fit better, it takes regular clipless pedals, and it has made me a better cyclist. The Lifecycle couldn't take regular pedals, adjustments were limited, and it was very different from a real bicycle. It did have the advantage of programmable workouts, but I either design my own or use Spinerval DVDs with the spinner. I sold my Lifecycle, and bought the Johnny G if that tells you anything. I can't recommend a spinner over a regular exercise bike enough. If you have any more questions, or need clarification on anything, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with your goals!

[newby]

do you ever miss not having electronics so you can see how far you've ridden?Yeah, a question I can answer with a strong opinion. I have owned two indoor cycles of gym quality. I had a Lifecycle with all the fancy programs that varied resistance, cadence, etc. I now have a Johnny G Spinner Pro spinning bicycle. They are night and day. I very much prefer the feel of the spinner over the Lifecycle. It is much more realistic, the adjustments are available to make it fit better, it takes regular clipless pedals, and it has made me a better cyclist. The Lifecycle couldn't take regular pedals, adjustments were limited, and it was very different from a real bicycle. It did have the advantage of programmable workouts, but I either design my own or use Spinerval DVDs with the spinner. I sold my Lifecycle, and bought the Johnny G if that tells you anything. I can't recommend a spinner over a regular exercise bike enough. If you have any more questions, or need clarification on anything, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck with your goals!

[ghostpedal]

No, I really don't miss that stuff at all. I ride more for time than miles. I find the much smoother and realistic motion of the spinner much more satisfying. I also really like Spinervals, which cannot be done on a regular exercise bike. The noise level is also much quieter, which I like. In all aspects, it's just more like regular biking, which is what I desire. I admit that the spinner isn't as tech geeky, which is something I usually go for, but is beautiful in it's function. Try them both out, and see what you think, but to me spinners are the better equipment.

[tanggoman]

I have the Giant Tempo spinbike and it's really a good quality spinbike. Everything you can adjust to your fit and comfort just like your road bike. Much more quiet than trainers, I should say. If your budget allows it, go for a spinbike, but make sure its a quality one not like those cheapo stationary bikes that don't give you any quality workout. Also try loooking at Lemond, Schwinn, Giant as they have very good quality spinbikes. Good luck!

[ghostpedal]

I have to agree with you tanggoman. If you are going to buy a spinner, spend the money and buy a high quality one. It might cost more upfront, but will work better and last longer. It will also feel better, which will cause you to use it more than you would a cheap one. All of the brands mentioned are of good quality. My one caveat would be that some models of the Schwinn and Johnny G spinners are the same, and made by Schwinn, but the ones labeled Schwinn cost more. As with real bicycles, once you start looking at gym quality equipment for a decent amount of money, it would be really hard to go wrong with any of them. I know I will be spinning often soon, now that the colder temps are on the way. Keep riding!