Indoor cycling studio setup: Should you go secondhand for studio bikes?

by Angela Reed Fox

Setting up an indoor cycling studio? One way to get the party started is not to invest in the newest kit, but to go secondhand if there's a local opportunity.

You'll need to weight up the opportunity on its own merit - you need to be thinking about more than just the price. There are two main things to consider:

1. If they’re in a decent condition for the price
2. If they’re going to last you.

 
Are the bikes in reasonable condition?
You really need to have a good look, and definitely do checks on all the ones you’re considering buying. The things you need to consider especially considering the price, are:

• Why the studio is considering selling them – are they upgrading? Or are they unreliable? If they're upgrading and they're local to you, well that means your competitor just got more competitive!
  
• How old are they?
  
• How much use have they had? Think of it in pedal hours – if it’s a multi-purpose gym which has run a handful of sessions each week, the bikes will have had fewer ‘pedal hours’ per year, than if they belong to a cycle specific studio where they’re being used for 4-5 hours every day. More pedal hours, more wear and tear.
• How well have they been maintained? A weekly check is best practice, and regular servicing on top of this. If they haven’t been looked at least weekly, they’re less likely to run smoothly, and you’re far more likely to get niggles with them – and far more likely to be dealing with someone who doesn’t really know much about the condition of the bikes, which I’d be wary of.
  
• Do a few checks on each bike you’re interested in buying:
  • Check there’s no rubbing with the flywheel (you’ll be able to hear it).
    
  • Check all the adjusters can be loosened and tightened and that all adjustments can be made smoothly (saddle fore and aft, up and down as well as handlebar fore and aft, and up and down).
    
  • Check integrity of pedals – make sure there’s no play in them, check that you can clip in and out easily with cycling shoes. Check the cages and straps.
    
  • Have they been moved a lot? A single use studio means bikes will only been moved for cleaning, so they’re less likely to encounter problems than those in a studio where they’re being moved daily for other types of classes etc.
    
  • Check for rust patches – for the most part these are cosmetic, and therefore a reasonable negotiating point, but check that the casters and especially the handlebar adjusters are not seized by rust.
    
  • Check that the bikes are stable – you can make adjustments by screwing in or out the little feet – make sure you can do this on all of them. They sometimes get seized by sweat and dirt if they’ve not been properly maintained.
    
  • Is the warranty still in place? (This is different to the maintenance warranty) If there is no maintenance warranty, you will be able to get one – we can recommend a company for you if required).
    
  • Is it a belt or a chain drive? Belt drives are more durable and encounter fewer problems.
    
  • Check pedals are dual function (have clips and cages).
    
  • Check the brakes work properly.
    

So that’s all stuff to work out if they’re reasonably priced. But you also need to consider how to future proof the investment you’ll be making in indoor cycling for your venue.

Future-proofing your venue

• What features do the the bikes have? Console? Power? How is it calculated?
  
• Dial or gear resistance? Dial resistance can be notoriously temperamental especially with bikes that have not had regular and frequent maintenance – it doesn’t take for long for each bike to take on a different personality, and then you get riders all wanting the same ‘nice’ bike and not wanting the ‘evil’ ones. Aside from this being a bit of unnecessary politics, actually it clarifies that riders really need a measurable workout – which they can’t have if all the bikes are different, or if there’s no tech on the bikes (no display for RPM, power, gearing, heartrate, etc)
• Best practice is to have a decent level of tech so riders can take better charge of their workouts, get better results, measure improvement – all of which has an effect on member retention, satisfaction and motivation. The way the industry is going, more and more studios are upgrading their bikes so they have at least RPM and power – we’ve certainly found that those who are wanting weight loss results and whoa re at the start of their fitness journey love the measurable aspect because it’s rewarding to know that what they’re doing is definitely bringing them results. They’re also more educated and knowledgeable about their bodies, and that translates to riders who stick with us for years rather than months.
• If there’s no tech on the bikes, that’s really not ideal, but all’s not lost, because there are options if your instructors really know what they’re doing, and also if you make a small investment (which provides a quick return) in heartrate training. We can talk about this – but this would have massive benefit for those members who do different types of classes with you – and it’s again great for building a supportive fitness community improving satisfaction (and therefore retention) and giving you a secondary income stream.
  

 
It might be that you’re thinking of just getting some bikes in just to get started, and with a view to upgrading them in the next year or so – that could be an idea.

It might be that you're considering secondhand bikes as a first step, to build your studio, and then to invest in better bikes further down the line. There’s usually a way round most things that are not ideal, we’ve found, and we’re happy to help you find the best approach for you. And also we’ve found that gimmicks definitely aren’t the way forward (there’s a reason why cycling studios don’t have bubble machines! We didn’t know this before we bought one when we first opened!)

If you'd like us to help or offer advice, get in touch. We are keen to improve the quality of indoor cycling everywhere. It's a tremendously effective activity that can benefit a great variety of people when done properly - and we want to help you make it a success where you are.

Of course the best investment you can make in your studio is ensuring your instructors are trained to a high enough standard that they are able to deliver safe, effective and effiicient classes that will boost rider motivation, results, and stickability. A good instructor will make the best of the bikes on offer - a poor instructor will struggle to create an effective class with even the best bikes on the market.

We partner with venues to constantly improve their offering - and we endorse those who meet our standards and who are providing reliably good service to their riders. Ask us for more information.

Discuss your venue with us now