Nope, it's not a Peloton - it's about a quarter of the price of a Peloton, but it works with (some) Peloton and Zwift apps.
It's a Schwinn IC4 Indoor Smart Cycle!
(This isn't its permanent location, we're just charging the digital monitor and heart-rate arm band after setup.)
If you have back, knee, or feet issues, bikes and ellipticals are the best choice for cardio because of lessened impact - although we still walk, too :)
(Mark has knee issues, and we both have separate back issues - he has a slipped disc, I have progressed scoliosis - now thoracic as well as lumbar - which believe it or not, causes foot pain/calluses due to the unequal distribution of weight caused by the curvature of my spine).
Back to the Schwinn IC4, it's ranked in top 10 (even top 5 at some ranking sites) for serious cyclers, and is also on Consumer Reports' Top 10 "Best Buys" recommended list.
(I research on Consumer Reports, expert subject sites, and product reviews at several different sites before I buy virtually anything ;)
According to most reviews, it's consistently given 5 stars, ranking it right along Peloton (which makes sense, considering it's basically a "me too"/wannabe Peloton).
It's very well made/stable, very compact, took about an hour to set up, and doesn't take up much space.
Super adjustable, super fun, and super quiet - and it's one of the best cycles for shorter people like us.
Mark's must-have features were the flywheel had to be in the front like a real bike (which is a tall task, these days), the flywheel had to be at least 40 lbs., and have magnetic resistance.
My must-haves were a heart-rate-monitor arm band, plus a digital calorie counter, RPMs, and resistance-level monitor.
Not a must-have, but a nice-to-have, was for it to be a smart cycle - meaning multiple app connectivity, like to Peloton or Zwift libraries - but only if it fell in our budget range.
I'm particularly interested in connectivity for the Explore the World types of apps while riding - riding in the mountains, the desert, different locations around the world - but you can get those right on your iPad or iPhone anyway:).
However, what neither of us wanted was automatic annual memberships to iFit and spinning classes, which typically come automatically with the purchase of most these smart bikes, but not this one - connection to them is optional, only if/when you want to.
I wanted those memberships to be optional, pay for the ones you want, rather than $400 automatic annual memberships that I won't use every day, and the ability to choose from a a library.
Neither Mark, nor myself, loved the of a live fitness class, with some super fitness Nazi yelling in our faces, first thing in the morning lol.
I don't have an iPad yet, just an iPhone, but the stand at the top accommodates either :)
We managed to get all of the must-haves and nice-to-haves all withing our budget - and I LOVE it!
The only drawback I have is the seat is still slightly uncomfortable, but better than the IC3 - we're just going to add a padded seat to it ;)
Here's the ad ...
And here's an example of one of the nonpaid, overall-happy-with-it reviews ...
(My favorite part of this video is little man in the background, just cycling away, on his "mini me" indoor recumbent cycle with screen, the whole time Dad is talking about putting the Schwinn together lol :)
He says it's not hard to put together, but also not step-by-step, so it took him an extra minute because of it - but actually, we found it a lot easier to put together than this guy did lol. I mean, the base and flywheel are already done, it's basically just a matter of adding the seat, handlebars, pedals and other features.)
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