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The Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4 are two indoor cycling bikes in the same price range. Find out their differences and which one is the best choice.
Some of the main differences between the Sole SB900 and the Schwinn IC4 are that the Schwinn IC4 has a somewhat higher weight limit, precise resistance levels, Bluetooth connectivity, a one-year JRNY Membership trial, and a slightly more budget-friendly price.
On the other hand, the Sole SB900 has a somewhat heavier flywheel and light commercial warranties.
Something else to note is that customers tend to be happier with the Schwinn IC4 at the time of writing.
If you really like the somewhat smoother workouts of the heavier flywheel and/or need the light commercial warranties, the Sole SB900 can be the right choice.
That being said, you will likely prefer the features and price range of the Schwinn IC4.
This article also gives an overview of the smaller differences and common features of the Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4. Some of the most important differences will also be explained more in depth.
Most important differences Sole SB900 vs Schwinn IC4
The Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4 are both indoor cycling bikes but they vary in a few areas. These differences will make one or the other the better choice for you.
Not all of these differences are equally important. In the first table below, you can find the ones that are most relevant for most people.
| Feature | Sole SB900 | Schwinn IC4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight Limit | 300 Pounds (136 kg) | 330 Pounds (149 kg) |
| Resistance Levels | Turn Dial | 100 Levels |
| Flywheel Weight | 48 Pounds (21.8 kg) | 40 Pounds (18.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | Besides HR Monitor, No | Yes |
| Workout Programs | 30-Day Sole Studio Trial | 1-Year JRNY Membership Included |
| Warranties* | Lifetime Frame Warranty, 3 Years Parts And Electronics Warranty, And 1 Year Labor Warranty (Residential & Light Commercial) | 10 Years Frame Warranty, 3 Years Parts Warranty, 1 Year Electrical Warranty, 90 Days Labor Warranty |
| Price Category** | $$$ | $$$ |
| Check Current Price | Check Current Price |
*Warranties can vary from seller to seller
**Price category at the time of writing
Other features Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4
You may also want to know about the smaller differences and common features of the Sole SB900 and the Schwinn IC4. In some situations, these can be important too.
| Feature | Sole SB900 | Schwinn IC4 |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance Type | Magnetic | Magnetic |
| Dimensions | 40″ L x 21″ W x 42″ H | 48.7″ L x 21.2″ W x 51.8″ H |
| User Height Range | 59 to x 74 Inches (150 cm to 188 cm) (User Mentions) | 54 to 78 Inches (137.2 cm to 198 cm) |
| Handlebar Style | Elevated Bullhorn | Elevated Bullhorn |
| Handlebar Adjustment | Height & Fore/Aft | Height & Fore/Aft |
| Adjustable Seat | Height & Fore/Aft | Height & Fore/Aft |
| Screen | LCD Display With Speed, Time, Distance, Calories, And RPMs | LCD Display With Speed, Time, Distance, Calories, And RPMs |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Display On Screen With Your Own Bluetooth Measuring Device | Bluetooth Heart Rate Armband Included |
| Device Holder | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 160 lbs (72.6 kg) | 106 lbs (48 kg) |
| Pedals | Dual-Sided with Toe Cage & SPD-Compatible Clips | Dual-Sided with Toe Cage & SPD-Compatible Clips |
| Transport Wheels | Yes | Yes |
| Seat/Saddle Style | Competition | Vented Competition |
| Dumbbells | Not Included | Two 3-Pound (1.4 kg) Dumbbells Included |
| Bottle Holder | 1 Medium | 2 Large |
| Check Current Price | Check Current Price |
Differences between Sole SB900 vs Schwinn IC4 explained
If you are somewhat familiar with exercise bikes, the overview of the differences between the Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4 and a quick look at the prices can be enough to make a decision.
However, you may also be somewhat unsure about what certain features mean, why they are important, and how much they matter for your personal situation and preferences.
Weight limit
The weight limit of an exercise bike sounds and is straightforward but it matters for your workouts in more ways than one.
First of all, the Sole SB900 has a weight limit of 300 pounds (136 kg). The Schwinn IC4 is somewhat sturdier with a weight limit of 330 pounds (149 kg).
The biggest reason why you want to stay below these numbers is of course that the indoor cycling bikes can break if you do.
Additionally, even if the exercise bike does not break, going over the weight limit speeds up wear and tear and voids the warranty.
Besides being important for these things, the weight limit is also somewhat of an indication of the sturdiness of the materials and construction of the exercise bike.
As you can see, the Schwinn IC4 is slightly better than the Sole SB900 in this area.
Winner: Schwinn IC4
Resistance levels
Similar to other forms of exercise, riding a stationary bike can be healthy because it challenges your body through challenging movements.
By doing this, you start a variety of internal processes that can make you healthier and happier in the long term.
On the flip side, you also don’t want to make the movements too hard. This can reduce the quality of your workouts and potentially even lead to injuries.
To be able to get the right workout for your fitness level, most exercise bikes have some way or another to adjust the resistance. The same goes for the Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4.
More precisely, the Sole SB900 has a resistance turn dial. The Schwinn IC4 has 100 separate resistance levels.
While you can likely get to more or less the same resistance with both stationary bikes, the Schwinn IC4 will generally allow you to do this faster.
Especially once you have a few workouts under your belt, you will start to learn what Schwinn IC4 resistance levels equal what feel.
For things like HIIT workouts where you switch between periods of high-intensity and low-intensity, this can save you a nice amount of time and attention.
Winner: Schwinn IC4
Flywheel weight
An important part of an indoor cycling bike is its flywheel. This is the rotating disk at the front or the back.
Resistance mechanisms usually interact with this part and the flywheel often keeps the momentum of the pedals going. Exercise bike flywheels can vary in a few areas including their weight.
The Sole SB900 has a 48-pound (21.8 kg) flywheel. The Schwinn IC4 has a lower flywheel weight at 40 pounds (18.1 kg) which is a decent amount percentage-wise.
Most people will prefer a heavier flywheel on their indoor cycling bike. The first reason for this is that heavier flywheels build up more momentum.
This will offer smoother-feeling workouts because the flywheel stays up to speed more if/when you don’t apply pressure to the pedals optimally.
Additionally, a heavier flywheel takes just a bit more effort to get and keep going. Do keep in mind that this is only a small effect because of the extra momentum.
In short, the flywheel weight of the Schwinn IC4 is already very good but most people will prefer the smoothness of the flywheel of the Sole SB900 a bit more.
Winner: Sole SB900
Bluetooth connectivity
A lot of exercise bikes, especially in the price range of the Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4, tend to have Bluetooth connectivity. This allows you to send workout measurements from your bike to external workout apps and devices.
Bluetooth connectivity is definitely not essential to get in a good exercise bike workout.
However, it can make tracking your workouts, adapting your exercise sessions to things like heart rate, and using certain workout apps a lot more convenient and fun.
Interestingly enough, the only Bluetooth connectivity the Sole SB900 has is to a heart rate monitor device to show this measurement on screen.
On the other hand, the Schwinn IC4 does have this feature and works with popular workout apps like JRNY, Peloton, and Zwift.
Again, this functionality is not essential to get in a good workout and some individuals don’t use it.
However, there are many people that do use the tracking and workout apps. In these cases, the Schwinn IC4 will definitely be preferred over manually entering workout details of the Sole SB900 screen after each session.
Winner: Schwinn IC4
Workout programs
Using an indoor cycling bike can be done in many ways. Most of these will offer valuable health benefits but some sequences of intensities and time periods will be more effective in this area than others.
Additionally, certain exercise bike workout programs will be more fun than others.
Sole Fitness and Schwinn are aware of these things. They both have apps with a collection of workouts for exercise bike sessions and other types of exercise.
The Sole SB900 comes with a 30-day free trial of the Sole Studio app. The Schwinn IC4 does a lot better with their included one-year free trial of the JRNY Membership App.
On top of that, the Schwinn IC4 has the Bluetooth connectivity mentioned before. This can make using the JRNY Membership or other workout apps more convenient, effective, and fun.
How important the longer free trial and more in depth workouts are varies from person to person.
If you find workout apps very enjoyable and they help you improve consistency with your workout plan, this can be an important difference between the Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4.
On the other hand, there are also a good amount of people who just like to do their own things when it comes to exercise bike workouts.
Winner: Schwinn IC4 if you don’t always create your own workouts
Warranties
Warranties are how long brands are willing to replace certain parts if they break under normal use. The Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4 vary in this area.
More specifically, the Sole SB900 has a lifetime frame warranty, 3 years parts and electronics warranty, and 1 year labor warranty. These apply to both at-home and light commercial settings.
On the other hand, the Schwinn IC4 has 10 years frame warranty, 3 years parts warranty, 1 year electrical warranty, 90 days labor warranty. These are still relatively good but shorter than the warranties of the Sole SB900.
If you are looking for an indoor cycling bike for a light commercial setting, this part of the Sole SB900 may be enough to make a choice. Accidents can happen, especially when a lot of people use the exercise bike.
In at-home settings, the differences in warranties are not as big. That being said, the warranties for the frame and electronics of the Sole SB900 are definitely still longer by a good amount.
How important these are depends on things like how long you plan to use the exercise bikes and your risk tolerance.
Winner: Sole SB900
Price
The Sole SB900 and Schwinn IC4 each have their upsides and downsides. Something that can help you make a decision is the price of each indoor cycling bike.
How much each option costs depends on where you get it and can change over time. Even so, at the time of writing, the Sole SB900 is just a bit pricier than the Schwinn IC4 but only by a relatively small amount.
Something to note is that the JRNY Membership from the Schwinn IC4 and Sole Studio Membership also require extra investments after the initial free trials.
Winner: Schwinn IC4 but very similar
User reviews
When choosing between two stationary bikes, the feature differences can already offer a lot of information about what option is the best for you.
That being said, sometimes customer reviews can uncover unexpected downsides and trends in quality control issues.
Similar to other big cardio machines, both bikes have a few quality control issues here and there. These tend to be more common in the Sole SB900 than in the Schwinn IC4.
The customer support of both brands can use some improvement in terms of speed in both responses and actions.
Customers are still happy overall with both bikes. However, the Schwinn IC4 definitely wins in this area at the time of writing.
Is the Sole SB900 or the Schwinn IC4 better for you?
In short, the Sole SB900 has a heavier flywheel and light commercial warranties.
On the other side, the Schwinn IC4 is sturdier, has precise resistance levels, has Bluetooth connectivity, has a 1-year JRNY Membership trial, and has a slightly more budget-friendly price.
Customers also tend to be more positive about the Schwinn IC4. The Sole SB900 seems to have quality issues a bit more often.
Unless you really want the somewhat smoother workouts the heavier flywheel of the Sole SB900 offers and light commercial warranties, you will likely prefer the features and more budget-friendly price of the Schwinn IC4.
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