With unlimited access to thousands of on-demand fitness classes, the Peloton experience has undeniably caused a huge wave throughout the fitness world, particularly with the current emphasis on training at home. Taught and led by elite trainers from across the globe, the app’s workouts cater to users of all fitness levels, whether you’re on day 1 of your fitness journey, or day 100. The sticking point for a lot of budding exercisers though, is the idea that you must own a Peloton machine (either one of their two indoor cycles, or the newly released treadmill) to gain access to this facility. In actual fact, there are machines that are compatible with the Peloton iOS app, including the Schwinn IC8, that bring the energy of a spin class in to the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the cost.

The Peloton app actually has two separate subscription options. The first, is the all-access membership which accompanies the Peloton bike, and costs £39 per month. The second subscription is for the iOS Digital App only, costing just £12.99 and offering connectivity with the IC8. With the Digital App, you’re benefitting from a significantly cheaper cost-per-class with a subscription that’s more than half the monthly price of the all-access membership, on top of the savings made on the bike itself! All you need is a phone, tablet, Smart TV or web browser (and a bike of course) to get going…

You can easily connect your cadence to the App to monitor your pedalling speed as you ride, and use the Bowflex Bluetooth Armband (or any other compatible heart rate monitor) to keep track of your pulse on screen. Save your data within the app to record your workout progress and see the proof of your increasing speed, strength and fitness.

The Digital App does miss out on some small features of the all-access membership though, but nothing that adversely affects your studio class experience. For example, you are unable to see where you lie on the class “leader board”, but you can still see who else is riding and can give out and receive encouraging “high fives” during classes. It’s also worth noting that both bikes operate on a 100-level resistance scale, although resistance isn’t precisely like-for-like. Some users have created a handy “conversion chart”, which can be found with a quick Google search, which helps riders match their IC8’s resistance with the Peloton instructor’s call-outs.

The Schwinn IC8 also benefits from the extra flexibility of compatibility with other cycling apps too! Virtually travel the globe with the Explore the World™ App, exploring dozens of high-definition destinations and cycling courses, or connect to Zwift and enjoy training plans, group rides and races with a community that motivates you past every mile marker.

See how you can easily connect your Schwinn IC8 to the Peloton Digital App

Check out the Schwinn IC8 for yourself on our website, or browse our entire range of racer bikes here!