Concept2 is getting into the stationary bike game, but it’s not a stationary bike.
The Vermont-based fitness company is best known for their ubiquitous indoor rower — if you’ve spent much time in functional fitness gyms, there’s an extremely good chance you’ve broken a sweat on one of them.
They also manufacture the increasingly popular ski erg machine, which provides a low-impact, high-intensity workout that works most of the body’s muscles but primarily the lats, triceps, pecs, and abdominals, which are muscle groups that are often neglected by standard cardio machines.
Today, Concept2 unveiled their latest creation: the BikeErg. What makes it different from your regular exercise bike is that, like the rower and the SkiErg, the resistance is generated from a flywheel.
We spoke with Alexis at Concept2 to get a few answers to our questions.
BarBend: What’s the difference between the BikeErg and a bike for spinning?
Concept2: The bike uses air resistance, so when you push harder on the flywheel you increase the cadence and the effort required to maintain the speed increases. The faster you want to go, the harder you need to pedal.
The flywheel also has a function that’s similar to changing gears on a bicycle — it’s not made to be a spin bike. It has a wide range of dampers that allow you to set the cadence, or RPM, for your power or effort. It even has a clutch that allows it to freewheel like a real bike. It’s also very light, just 58 pounds.
What about this performance monitor that’s attached to it, what kind of data does it give me?
It’s the same PM5 as we have on our rowing machines and the SkiErg that lets you track your distance and intensity, and it measures you effort per 500 meters for more precise data.
The BikeErg weighs will cost $990, plus $50 for shipping. It’s now available for pre-order and starting from August 14, it will ship anywhere in the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico) and to military bases worldwide. International shipping is coming next year.
Featured image via @Concept2 on Instagram.
