When it comes to exercise bikes, there’s a lot to choose from, and they come in all different shapes, sizes, and specifications. We get a lot of questions about exercise bikes, and one that comes up all the time is about resistance levels. Some bikes have 24 levels, and others have 100, but does it matter?
You might be looking for a
- What Is Resistance On A Spinning
Bike ? - Friction or Magnetic Resistance?
- Understanding Resistance Levels
- Do Resistance Levels Matter?
Check out my video!
What Is Resistance On A Spinning Bike ?
Resistance is the measurement of opposition against a movement. In the case of a spinning
Resistance is a key part of the spinning
Friction or Magnetic Resistance?
On modern spinning bikes, you have two types of controllable resistance, and they give a very different experience. Here’s what you need to know:
Friction Resistance
Friction resistance is where you will typically have a wool brake pad that is pressed on the
Friction resistance is typically seen on older, more budget spin bikes. It’s great because you can go from no resistance at all with the brake off the pad to practically impossible to push. It can be adjusted smoothly and doesn’t have levels. You can adjust it wherever you want.
Magnetic Resistance
Then we have magnetic resistance, and this is what is seen on more modern and high-end spinning bikes. It’s where the
Instead of being adjusted anywhere you want, you have levels. So magnetic resistance will have a certain amount of level, such as 1-100 or 1-24. Magnetic resistance makes understanding how hard you are working easier and typically offers a better, quieter experience than friction.
Understanding Resistance Levels
When it comes to resistance levels on a spin
If you have a magnetic frictionless system, then you will have set resistances to choose from. The
Does More Levels Mean More Resistance?
There’s a common misconception that the more levels you have on a spinning
For example, if you own a Peloton and get 1-24 levels of resistance, it offers the same resistance range compared to a Bowflex C6, which has 100. The Bowflex offers more options to dial that resistance in perfectly.
Do Resistance Levels Matter?
Resistance levels are important but not as important as you might think. 99% of spinning bikes will offer resistance low enough to challenge a beginner and also enough to give a professional a great workout.
The only consideration you need to make is how many levels you want when using a magnetic resistance system. Having 10 levels doesn’t really get you enough to dial in the perfect resistance, but anything about 20 is more than enough.
A Final Note
When it comes to exercise levels, it’s easy to overthink it. 20 levels, 40 levels, and 100 levels generally offer the same range of resistance to give you a good workout. We hope you enjoyed our article and now understand spin