Due to the sheer amount of cardio machines there are at the gym it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Rowers, treadmills, ellipticals, steppers, bikes—there are tons. When it comes to bikes, there are air bikes and spin bikes. So, which bike is better for your fitness goals? Here’s everything you need to know about both bikes, making the decision of which to use easier.
Spin Bikes
Spin bikes are everywhere and thanks to Peloton and SoulCycle they’ve become super popular. They’re created to replicate the experience of outdoor cycling indoors and they require you to clip into pedals and lean into static handlebars. The resistance is controlled by a knob that operates standard friction brakes or magnetic brakes. These are the bikes used in spin classes.
Air Bikes
For air bikes, the resistance is created by a giant fan that takes the place of a front wheel. The harder you pedal and the more effort you give to pushing and pulling the handles, the greater the air resistance is. The resistance builds really quickly.
Which is Better?
This depends on how you plan to integrate indoor biking into your workout. For aerobic-based HIIT or to add upper-body to your cardio, an air bike is ideal. For steady workouts, spin bikes are better.
