Schwinn IC4 Exercise Bike Review – Impressive Value and Cardio
Overall Score 9.6
IC4 BIKE REVIEW OVERVIEW
OUR TAKE
The Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike is a lower-cost competitor to Peloton, SoulCycle at-home Bike, or Nordictrack Studio Cycles. It still delivers an excellent experience for bike exercise and works seamlessly when taking Apple Fitness+ bike workouts streamed to a smartphone, tablet, or cast to wider screens with Apple TV. It can connect with other apps like the Peloton Digital app, Zwift, or Equinox+ digital classes for SoulCycle rides.
We found the IC4 to be a sturdy, well-made, durable exercise bike and a good choice to ride at home, priced under $1,000. It ships with two 3-lb weights with easy reach holders, a Bluetooth armband heart rate monitor and has super-quiet magnetic resistance that provided a smooth ride.
The Schwinn IC4 is one of the better exercise bikes in its price range that delivers an effective way to hit your cardio goals at an affordable price. In fact, Apple Fitness+ instructors use the IC4 in their bike classes. You can find the IC4 bike's best price at Amazon or Schwinn online.
Identical to the IC4 is the Bowflex C6 Bike – same bike from the same parent company, Nautilus (who owns both Schwinn and Bowflex, just different brands). Check the price of both bikes to get the best deal before purchasing. You will find these are two excellent options for basic cardio or using connected apps like Peloton Digital or Zwift.
TRUST Our Fitness Equipment Reviews
Based on extensive use and testing, we summarize and compare equipment to help determine if it’s right for you. When testing the Schwinn IC4 Bike, we compared it to comparable models like the Proform Studio Bike Pro, NordicTrack S22i and the Original Peloton Bike.
maybeyesno review team understands what makes good fitness equipment – Exercise bikes, indoor rowers, treadmills, ellipticals, and strength equipment. If it’s good, it’s good – if it’s bad – it’s bad, we will tell you.
For over 10 years, we have tested and published exercise equipment reviews. We personally test gear and discuss components such as the flywheel, resistance mechanism, the feel, price, the screen (if there is one), subscription content, adjustment features, noise levels, warranty and durability.
IC4 PROS & CONS
PROS
Less expensive than similar alternatives
Well-made Stable Smooth, quiet ride
Lightweight and easy to move
Free to select your preferred Training workout App
Compatible with popular apps like Apple Fitness+, Zwift, Peloton, SoulCycle and Equinox+ Android or IOS
4-way adjustable seat and handlebars easily adjusted
easy to swap out Seat or Pedals (see options)
CONS
Lacks integrated workouts on a built-in screen
LCD screen metrics basic but not WATTS for instance
Seat can be uncomfortable on longer rides
The media holder is in fixed position and cannot pivot
Shop Schwinn IC4 on
Schwinn Online / Amazon Prime
Schwinn IC4 Bike Key Features
Schwinn IC4 ergonomically laid out features for a comfortable ride
FRAME
The frame of the IC4 is well made, stable and durable and can take heavy training day usage, day after day, supporting users up to 330 pounds. There is no noticeable shaking, knocking, or wobbling, even when pedaling hard. The stabilizers at the back and front of the bike frame help keep it stable and in place. The IC4 is lighter than other exercise bikes, such as a Peloton and NordicTrack Studio Bike, and is compact and easy to move around. It does not take up a lot of floor space in a room. Fully assembled the IC4 weighs 106 lbs., and it has a footprint of 4’x2’ (48.75" L x 21.25" W x 52" H)
SEAT (Saddle)
The seat is completely adjustable with a 2-way adjustment it can move up and down and back and forward, accommodating rider heights between 4’5” (With the seat at its lowest level, the inseam measurement is approximately 30") to 6'5" inches tall with an inseam of 39 inches.
2-way adjustable racing style seat (saddle)
The Schwinn IC4 has a race-style seat. You may want to switch out the saddle (seat) as it is a slim, performance-oriented design made for intense cycling workouts. For first time riders it can at first seem uncomfortable, but after a week or two you will get used to it. If not, swapping out a saddle for one that you find more comfortable is easy. We have some recommendations below you can find on Amazon – some wider, some with memory foam etc.
Bike Seat (saddle) Recommendations:
Swap out for one of these
Wittkop Slim Bike Seat- Memory-foam¹
Bikeroo Oversized Comfort Bike Seat
Bluewind Oversized Wide Bike Seat
Xmifer Wide unisex Bike Saddle Seat
Daway Comfortable Bike Seat
Tonbux Padded soft Bike Saddle
Bike Seat Covers:
Fitivate Premium Seat Cushion Cover²
Ushake Bike Gel Seat Cushion Cover
Zacro Gel Bike Seat Cover
RONUX Premium Seat Cushion Cover²
¹ very popular. ² makes a Peloton seat comfortable.
HANDLEBARS
The handlebars are also fully adjustable and have a multi-grip feature to support different riding positions (standard, narrow, wide) plus comfort. Like the seat you can change the position of the handlebars in both a vertical (height) and horizontal position Distance from saddle). The handlebars have a nice sweat resistant coating that feels good when riding.
Multi-grip handlebars - can use water-bottle holders for weights or use the built-in hanger
PEDALS
Dual-Sided Pedals - above shows SPD side
The IC4 ships with dual-sided pedals made for both clip-in cycling shoes and a toe-cage style for use with regular sneakers. So, on one side, you’ll find SPD clips that enable you to clip in cycling shoes; on the other side is a caged toe for riders who prefer to just go with sneakers.
This is a great option especial if you have different riders using the bike. If you prefer to use different pedals you can easily swap them out as the IC4 pedals use a standard 9/16” tread. Follow this link to understand more about types of pedals and cycling shoe options, along with recommendations and tips.
Tiem Cycle Shoe supporting recessed SPD cleats making easier to walk around, easier to wear
Cycling shoes can be 30% more efficient as your foot is better connected to the pedal. To Learn more, See 5 Recommended Cycle Shoes review.
Cycling Shoes
Get more out of your Ride
CONSOLE MONITOR
The IC4 comes with a simple LCD color monitor that is clear and displays metrics like speed, cadence, distance, heart rate, calories burned and level of resistance etc. It also has a side USB charging port for your smartphone or tablet which is useful.
There is a built-in device holder that allows you to keep your smartphone or tablet securely in place, so you can view any app you wish. The device holder fits everything from small smartphones to large tablets. There are two oversized water bottle holders.
IC4 FLYWHEEL
The Schwinn IC4 has a 40lb flywheel which is impressive at any price range and provides a smooth ride that feels great.
The Schwinn IC4 uses a high-end, 40-pound flywheel that keeps the bike stable and the feel smooth, even with fast-paced high-tempo riding. The MAGNETIC micro-adjustable resistance system gives you 100 resistance levels to work with and pairs well with Peloton instructor callouts. (Cues) see chart below.
IC4 RESISTANCE
The bike has a smooth high-quality electromagnetic resistance. The level of resistance is changed by turning the knob clockwise to increase the level, counterclockwise to decrease it. If you are planning to use the Peloton app on the Schwinn IC4 – below is a conversion chart so you can match the Peloton instructor resistance callouts using the IC4 column. Some riders use a post-it and stick it to the bike – low-tech but effective :)
Resistance Conversion Chart
| PELOTON | IC4 | Turns |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 5 | .05 |
| 30 | 9 | 1 |
| 35 | 17 | 1.5 |
| 40 | 25 | 2 |
| 45 | 33 | 2.5 |
| 50 | 49 | 3 |
Shop IC4 Bike
lets get into moving
JRNY APP - On-Demand Classes
JRNY offers several on-demand guided coaching options, trainer-led workouts, and virtual riding courses along with off-bike workouts, HIIT, treadmill and elliptical exercise sessions.
A one-year membership to the JRNY® digital fitness app is included in the cost of the Schwinn IC4 bike. ($149 Value) After the first year, it costs $19.99 per month or $149 per year. Jrny runs on a tablet or similar smart device. The app is available on the Apple Store and Google Play™.
With the Schwinn IC4’s Bluetooth, you can connect apps like Zwift and Peloton just like you would with any other Bluetooth product.
A major reason people purchase and like the IC4 Bike is they can use it with Apple Fitness+ or Peloton Digital App workouts and classes, which provides a less expensive solution for a bike and monthly subscription.
If you are going to use the Peloton app, be aware that Peloton digital app users will not have access to or show up on the Peloton leaderboard, which displays riders and how they rank against others in a session. If you are the competitive type this might be an issue, but you do save $31 per month by only paying $12.99 month for Peloton Digital vs. $44.
Cast your workout app of choice to a wide screen TV or large tablet monitor.
FAN NOTES:
Cassidy S. IL. It’s not a SoulCycle bike but it will do just got this today and set it up! About to take my first at home ride! Beautiful and wicked sturdy bike.
Laura O. NC. I got this bike, looks great! I stream the app to a TV. Love the larger screen a little further away!.
Ilona R NY. I have this bike and love it!! Just keep your core engaged and make sure you have enough resistance on when you’re moving out of the saddle. It’s super sturdy but not quite as sturdy as studio bikes
Shop Schwinn IC4 on AMAZON
Price
The Schwinn IC4 is $999. You can find different prices based on the retailer and promotion at the time of purchase. Amazon often runs promotions on this bike. You can find the IC4 at Amazon here or on the Schwinn website here.
MYN PRO NOTE: The Bowflex C6 Bike is identical to the IC4 – same bike from the same parent company, Nautilus (owns both Schwinn and Bowflex, different brands). Check the price of both bikes to get the best deal before purchasing. They are both excellent options for basic cardio or using connected apps like Peloton Digital or Zwift.
Delivery and Assembly
The IC4 bike comes with FREE shipping. You will have to put the bike together yourself or you can pay for assembly usually around $150. Amazon offers a good Bike assembly deal for $89.
Warranty
Schwinn stands behind its bike products. The Schwinn IC4 warranty agreement is better than most (and way better than Peloton’s). For the price the IC4 warranty is impressive:
Frame: 10 years
Parts/Electronics: – 3 years
Labor: 1 year
You can add an additional five years to the parts and labor warranty with the Schwinn Protection Plan for an extra $109. Or choose a warranty plan on Amazon.
IN THE END ─ Final Thoughts
The Schwinn IC4 offers a good value inexpensive Peloton Alternative option for a quality budget exercise bike and used by Apple Fitness+ instructors online in their bike classes. One of the big selling points of the Schwinn IC4 is the price. For under $1,000 you get a quality well-built indoor bike with some nice pro features and a smooth ride to keep you moving towards your goals.
Included in the price are free shipping, a one-year subscription to the JRNY workouts and rides subscription ($149 in value), a heart rate monitor and a set of three-pound dumbbells, which makes the IC4 exercise bike a good value option to buy.
Although often called a Peloton dupe when using with the Peloton digital app, you will not experience the exact features like real time performance data tracking or the leaderboard. If you decide to use the Peloton App with your IC4 it can become a little burdensome to manually input your performance stats into the Peloton app to track and compare improvements in progress.
The Schwinn IC4 is very well engineered, with flexible easy to adjust options to suit a rider’s height and comfort, is easy to assemble, setup and use.
| SCORE BREAKOUT | Points |
|---|---|
| OVERALL SCORE | 9.6 |
| Resistance | 9.7 |
| Content | 9.4 |
| Stability | 9.8 |
| Durability | 9.7 |
| Customer Service | 9.0 |
| Price | 9.8 |
MYN PRO NOTE: The Bowflex C6 Bike is identical to the IC4 model – same bike from same parent company (Nautilus owns both Schwinn and Bowflex) just different brands. Check the price of to get the best deal before purchasing. They are both excellent options for basic cardio or using connected apps like Peloton Digital or Zwift.
