If you fancy working out from the comfort of your home, then exercise bikes should be top of your list of home gym equipment. They can help you build strong legs and muscles while working on your cardio. Most fitness gurus agree that using an exercise bike over a period of time can help you lose weight and improve your overall well-being.
Connectivity
Both the Schwinn IC4 and Echelon EX1 don’t have a large touchscreen like Peloton but they both come with a device holder where you can place your own phone or tablet. In addition, the IC4 has an LCD console that displays key workout metrics such as time, speed, distance covered, amount of calories burned, etc.
Both bikes are Bluetooth compatible, so you can connect to a fitness app. However, while the IC4 will connect to almost any fitness app including the Peloton, the EX1 only works with the Echelon app, which costs about $40 per month. In other words, if you are a fan of the Peloton app or any other fitness app besides the Echelon app, you won’t be able to use it on the EX1.
This makes the Schwinn IC4 a more versatile bike.
Resistance
Both bikes use magnetic resistance, so they operate quietly. So, if you have neighbors around, you don’t need to worry about disturbing them.
The major difference can be seen in their resistance levels. While the Echelon EX1 has 32 resistance levels, the Schwinn IC4 has 100 levels of resistance which you can adjust by turning a knob.
Having more resistance levels doesn’t necessarily mean a bike will create more resistance. However, you will be able to make smaller adjustments between the minimum and maximum resistance settings.
It happens that the IC4 also has a heavier flywheel, so it’s definitely the winner for us here.
Frame & Flywheel
If you want to determine how sturdy or heavy-duty a spin bike is, you have to look at the overall weight and user capacity. Luckily, both the Keiser and Schwinn bike features a heavy frame that is capable of supporting a wide range of users.
Specifically, the IC4 has an assembled weight of 106 pounds and a weight capacity of 330 pounds, which is pretty impressive for its price. Likewise, the EX1 weighs about 105 pounds while the weight limit is 300 pounds, which is also impressive.
Thus, with both brands, you get a sturdy bike that can cater to most users.
Besides having a heavy frame, both bikes also come with a heavy flywheel. The IC4 features a 40 pounds flywheel while Echelon packs 29 pounds.
As you can see, both flywheels are heavy but that of the IC4 is significantly heavier. This, in addition to its weight capacity, makes it the heavier-duty model.
