Home Gym · Head-to-head
Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike vs Peloton Cross Training Bike+
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Spin Bikes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Schwinn IC4 wins for most people: it delivers quiet, precise magnetic resistance and works with whatever app you choose, with no mandatory subscription. Step up to the Peloton Cross Training Bike+ only if the guided-class experience is the whole point and you will use the membership.
Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike
Buy itStudio-quiet magnetic resistance and true app freedom without a forced subscription: the value pick for most people.
- Magnetic resistance is near-silent and effectively maintenance-free, with 100 micro-adjustable levels shown on the console
- Bluetooth connects to popular apps including Peloton, Zwift, JRNY and Kinomap (each app's own subscription applies), so you are not locked to one ecosystem
- Comes ready to ride with dual-sided pedals, a media holder, a heart-rate armband and a pair of 3 lb dumbbells
- The console is a basic backlit LCD, so you supply your own tablet or phone for classes
- The resistance dial is analog, so on-screen targets are a manual match rather than automatic
Peloton Cross Training Bike+
Buy itThe most polished connected-class experience there is, worth the premium only if you will actually use the membership.
- A 23.8 inch Full HD touchscreen swivels through 360 degrees for off-bike workouts, and the class library and instructors are widely rated the best in the category
- An auto-resistance option sets resistance to match instructor cues, so you can focus on the ride
- Sonos-tuned speakers, a fan, a movement-tracking camera for form feedback and hands-free voice control come standard, on a 4 by 2 foot footprint
- Expensive hardware plus an ongoing monthly membership that the full experience depends on
- The bike is far less capable without the subscription and offers little third-party app support, so you are buying into one ecosystem
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike Our pick | Peloton Cross Training Bike+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Most home riders who want quiet, precise magnetic resistance and the freedom to choose among popular training apps | Riders who want the best guided-class experience and will commit to the monthly membership |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$$ · flagship |
| Resistance type | Magnetic, 100 levels | Magnetic, auto-adjust |
| Built-in screen | No, bring a tablet | Large rotating HD touchscreen |
| App freedom | App-agnostic via Bluetooth | Peloton ecosystem only |
| Subscription to be useful | Not required | Required for classes |
| Resistance precision | 100 numbered levels | Precise, auto-set to target |
| Ongoing maintenance | Low | Low |
| Included extras | 3 lb dumbbells, HR armband, media holder | Premium audio, camera |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike if
most home riders who want quiet, precise magnetic resistance and the freedom to choose among popular training apps.
Know before buying: the console is a basic backlit LCD, so you supply your own tablet or phone for classes.
Pick the Peloton Cross Training Bike+ if
riders who want the best guided-class experience and will commit to the monthly membership.
Know before buying: expensive hardware plus an ongoing monthly membership that the full experience depends on.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike - Studio-quiet magnetic resistance and true app freedom without a forced subscription: the value pick for most people. Choose the Peloton Cross Training Bike+ instead if riders who want the best guided-class experience and will commit to the monthly membership.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Spin Bikes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).