NordicTrack Commercial Studio Cycle S22i

There are some really good reviews on here, so I will just go ahead and write a summary of my experience.   I am a casual bicycle rider and have been for 40 years, always consistent but never approaching enthusiast level.  The way the bike is promoted misses the best feature.  To see that, skip ahead to 'The best feature they don't talk about'.  Again, there are some good reviews on here that are more comprehensive than mine.   Pros-Easy setup-iFit is included for the first year and reasonable after that-Great riding experience-Nicely designed and equipped-Able to be ridden without special equipment-Can ride without having to figure out how to make adjustments-Has in integrated fan-More than just bike riding content Cons-No in-home setup or fit guide-No intro ride-Less community oriented than some other systems (live classes are now available but not tested)-No freewheel takes getting used to-The website experience for iFit seems to be behind the  I looked at several different bike options and decided to focus on  what appears to be the three leading bike systems for home.  I know there were less expensive options and there were some reservations about buying into a complete system, but in the end it was about what I needed to do to reduce the everyday friction presented by trying to fit in a workout as a busy parent.  Most of the time when I was going to the gym, I was going alone anyway.  The key feature of this bike system is the iFit content.  The other bike systems have on-demand and live classes too, but what really appealed to me were the interactive outdoor rides.  More on that later.  This bike also includes pedals with toe cages so you or anyone in your home can ride without special equipment.  Some bikes require special bike shoes for everyone which is unnecessarily restrictive.   Delivery & setupSome bikes come with (non-pandemic) in-home setup.  I did not see that offered, so mine was delivered to my (garage) door.  It was very heavy, but not too difficult for a reasonably fit person to carry piece by piece down a few steps and put the bike together in its final home.   It is packed extremely well (as it should be at this price)  and I highly recommend two people for the initial unpacking.  Assembling the bike took an hour with the included tools, and the directions were fine.  The inclusion of the water bottle holder and weights are a nice feature that did not cost extra like some others.  The pedals are platforms with cages, allowing everyone to ride without bike shoes.  You can change them without voiding your warranty.  There is also a fan which is a nice touch.  There really should be a bike fit guide for the new user.  I had to figure out how to setup the seat and handlebars, and I think this could have been handled in an intro video.  The bike itself is high quality and feels very solid, even sitting on carpet.         iFIT AppThe setup of the app was easy and the interface boots up quickly (it is Android based). The app took an update and has received several in the past 5 weeks, providing additional functionality. It is easy to navigate and I have continued to discover new features.  The screen is nice and is responsive.  You can also log in online and via an app.  I don't do this much since the screen is great and everything I need is there.  It is heart rate monitor compatible and so far has worked effortlessly with mine.   iFIT ContentAll the other bikes I looked at have a manual control for the tension, which you have to adjust via mechanical knob while you are riding.  I have done studio classes and have always found this to be a somewhat annoying and arbitrary function.  Sure,mechanical systems are possibly more reliable in the long run but there is a good warranty, not much to fail and I don't like having to constantly make adjustments and guess the tension.  You can focus on wattage of course, but I still don't like it.  Instead of a knob, this bike has electronic tension that is right on your handlebar.  You also get something that I have not seen on any other setup, which is elevation and declination.  This adds a whole new set of options to your ride which become evident very quickly, especially when you take a non-studio ride.  I have taken studio rides, and they are fine, but not my first choice now that I have an option.  My preference is to ride outside, which I find to be more engaging, and appears to be unique to iFIT.  The screen also moves so you can take advantage of yoga and crossfit content.  There is an HDMI out too if you want to see the content on an even larger screen.   The best feature they don't talk aboutThe bike's ability to change elevation and tension electronically allows you to leave the trainer in control during your ride, and it is fantastic.  Not only do they have recorded studio (live classes coming out now, but I have not done one yet) -they have rides on trails, roads, and cities all over the world and even on the hardest workouts, the time flies by.  They do not do a great job showing this.  They show the studio content, they show people riding head to head, They show the bike a bunch (who cares) but they miss what I think is the coolest part - the interactive outdoor rides!.  It is like being on your own Disneyish ride with the fan blowing (set it or have it on auto), the bike adjusting to the elevation, and the tension adjusting based on the elevation and the type of workout - automatically.  You can override or return control to the trainer anytime, but it makes the experience so smooth I rarely touch it.  Once I experienced this, I had no doubt that I made the best choice.  I would like to provide a link to a video, but I only found one brief one on their FB page and it just is not enough.  This is really their loss, so I would not deduct anything. SummaryIf you are deliberating between the higher end indoor bike options and you want more than just a studio experience, I don't think there is anything else like this out there.  This is not an inexpensive toy, but there appears to be a lot of value in the bike combined with the iFit app. There should be introduction and setup rides, but there are not. That is a quarter star.  It is still very easy to get the hang of the equipment and to start riding,  The bike has enough options and adjustments to make it comfortable, the app is easy to navigate, the experience is fairly immersive and it is a great alternative when the outdoors are not accessible.