is The NordicTrack S22i Review
When I got an opportunity to review the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle, of course, I said yes. I had been shopping recently for an at-home option for cycling during the rainy winter months in Oregon, so trying out this cycle was an exciting prospect. Indoor exercise equipment has come a long way from when I was in my early 20s and there are many affordable options for those who want to skip the gym occasionally or try a training program on their own.
When I got an opportunity to review the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle, of course, I said yes. I had been shopping recently for an at-home option for cycling during the rainy winter months in Oregon, so trying out this cycle was an exciting prospect. Indoor exercise equipment has come a long way from when I was in my early 20s and there are many affordable options for those who want to skip the gym occasionally or try a training program on their own.
NordicTrack as a brand has been in the business for a very long time. My 12-year-old treadmill is a NordicTrack (and it still works perfectly). NordicTrack has a history of creating long-lasting and quality products for gyms and for home use. Most agree, there is a place for stationary equipment in the home.
About the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle
The S22i is a fully adjustable stationary bicycle. It has a 22” adjustable touchscreen that includes two digitally amplified speakers and an auxiliary port. There is also an HDMI option to use with a TV, but you may not need to because the monitor can tilt and also rotate 360 degrees.
You can track your stats, adjust the volume, and much more via the touchscreen. The monitor also includes an AutoBreeze adjustable fan, so when you are riding in the hot mountains of Chile, you can feel the wind on your face.
There are leveling feet installed on the base, so the bike remains stable during the workout. The frame is commercial-grade steel construction and is rated for riders up to 350 lbs.
Every part of the bike is adjustable, from the saddle position to the handlebars, and it is easy to customize the ergonomics to fit a range of body types.
The multi-position handlebars of the S22i start near the seat of the bike for closer hand positioning and go up to near the screen where adjustable OneTouch controls sit on the handlebars for manual resistance (24 levels) and incline adjustments from -10% to 20%. The handlebars have a non-slip grip, as well.
The saddle is adjustable vertically and horizontally to fit a range of inseams and comfort levels.
The studio cycle comes with a 1-year iFit membership, which gives you access to hundreds of rides of all types—studio, beginner, mountain bike, and road bike—and includes off-the-bike training options.
The workouts include boot camp style workouts, high-energy studio sessions, trainer-led global workouts, incline cycling, yoga, and full-body options, among many others. There is just about every type of ride and difficulty level available along with varying options for length of rides, some as short as 20 minutes, others longer.
The frame of the S22i is 56.9” high, 55” long, and 21.9” wide, so it is small enough for apartment living or storage when necessary. There is a 3-year parts warranty and a 1-year labor warranty included should anything come up.
NordicTrack iFit Programming
Once connected with wifi, and you are logged into your account, the user has a vast amount of programs to choose from. New workouts are uploaded daily and there are a wide variety of trainers to choose from depending on your mood, or your goals.
The programs all offer interactive training, so as the program moves along, the trainer adjusts the incline and resistance for the workouts. You can override this feature at any time during the workout, but you will most likely hit the calorie and watt goals if you can keep up with the cadence and allow the bike to adjust for you.
iFit programming uses Google Maps, so you can see parts of the world you might not normally during your training rides otherwise.
Pricing and Delivery
The S22i is $2999 (currently there a discount of $1000 applied to the cart) and includes a 1-year membership to iFit. There are financing options available, as well.
There is an option for White Glove Delivery and Installation for $249—this includes delivery, assembly, and installation. If you opt not to go with the delivery service, shipping is free and there is a 30-day return policy across the board.
So, What Did I Think?
This is one great looking bike. The quality of the frame and components are all very good.
I think the workouts available on iFit are truly fabulous—there really is something for everyone at every level. There is a wide variety of coaches, and some are former Olympic athletes. When you are riding, the experience is that you feel like you are there with them. All of the coaches are encouraging for the duration of each workout and all are excellent at communicating cadence and positioning during the ride so that you can get the most out of the workout.
The seat took a few sessions to get used to, as I expected. It can be easily switched with another seat type if it is not to your preference. By the third ride, I didn’t even notice the seat. My first few rides were with the pedals and straps included with the bike.
They are quality components, but for my preference, I switched those out for clip-in pedals and even though I got a lot out of the workouts, to begin with, the clip-ins made a big difference in my ability to keep up with the cadence needed on some of the workouts.
If you decide to purchase an S22i, I highly recommend installing clip-in pedals—the swap was fast, just a few minutes.
The bike is stable while you are riding and does not feel flimsy or light if you stand up and sit down quickly. The handlebars provide a comfortable hold and grip whether you are standing or sitting. At first, I couldn’t get the handlebars to move up and down but realized that because the monitor is part of the handlebar assembly, it took more force to adjust. The seat adjustment is much easier because there is no weight on the piece that slides into the frame.
The fan works well and the screen is very responsive to touch during the rides.
There is a separate warm-up and cool-down before and after each workout at a few minutes each. Some of the workouts provide warm-up and cool-down instruction within them as well.
One thing that I did notice is that the first time the incline adjusted, the sound of it surprised me. It isn’t silent like the spinning is. Besides, I should be pedaling hard enough I can only hear the trainer’s instruction, right?
One cool thing is that with the HDMI cable, you can play the ride on your TV. I have a separate good ol’ spin bike and my daughter sometimes hops on that and rides along beside me, and that makes it even more fun.
The Bottom Line
My opinion is that this bike is well worth the money. Along with the 30-day return policy, if you don’t like it, you really can’t go wrong. It is great fun and something that I look forward to using each time. This is an excellent purchase and I don’t see a downside to this bike. Everything works as it should and as advertised.
Two very enthusiastic thumbs-up from me.
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