Quick Summary
Life Fitness has long been a player in the commercial grade fitness equipment space, and they’ve just added an entire series of high spec indoor cycles to their repertoire. In total, 5 models make up the ICx lineup, with the IC4 being their entry point into the segment. Entry point does not mean entry level, as this is a serious piece of commercial kit. At over $1,700 and with zero tech/console to speak of, the Life Fitness IC4 is geared towards seasoned indoor cyclists that just want to get on and ride, or who are set up to stream training programs through different means. It sounds like a big ask from a price standpoint, but we’re talking about commercial grade equipment here; this bike is designed to endure countless daily hours of use, and similarly to offerings from Sole and Keiser, is worth your consideration.
Specifications
| Model | Life Fitness IC4 Indoor Cycle |
| Rating |  91.5% |
| List Price | $1,778.99 |
| Best Price | |
| Resistance | 0-100% |
| Resistance Type | Magnetic |
| Type | Indoor Cycle |
| Drive System | belt |
| Frame | Heavy-Duty Steel |
| Seat | Adjustable horizontally and vertically |
| Pedals | Toe Cages + SPD Clips |
| Programs | no |
| Heart Rate | no |
| Display | no |
| Max. Weight | 330 lbs |
| Dimensions | 52" x 20.5" x 47.2" |
| Accessory Tray |  |
| Speakers | |
| Cooling Fans | |
| Portable? |  |
| Warranty | Frame: 5 years Mechanical Parts: 3 Years Other Parts: 1 year Labor: 1 Year |
Rating:
Our Rating
Rating: 91.5/100. As noted above, the Life Fitness IC4 Indoor Cycle is a bare-bones offering in the tech department, bit in all other categories this bike excels. From a design standpoint, the formed cowl work that covers its frame and flywheel gives the bike a distinct aesthetic, all while providing the added security of a covered flywheel. while not especially relevant to some, those with children and pets in the household will appreciate having the rear flywheel covered. Of course, design isn’t everything—Life Fitness knows all too well. The IC4 features commercial grade construction, and fantastic ergonomic adjustment as well. Fore and aft adjustment of the handlebars and seat are available to fine tune your position regardless of height/weight.
Max user weight is 330 lbs, which is plenty for this type of bike. Those with bigger builds and those who are new to indoor cycling might find the road bike style seat a bit uncomfortable at first, but this is the name of the game when it comes to spin-style indoor cycling. If this is a concern, the seat design is that of a standard bicycle, so swapping out the seat or slipping on a gel cover isn’t a difficult or expensive task. Depending on your riding style, both toe cages and SPD clips are fitted to the Life Fitness IC4’s pedals so you can opt for clip-ins or running shoes as you see fit.
Though we don’t have specification on the flywheel weight on the Life Fitness IC4, It’s safe to assume that it’s in the standard range of 35ish lbs. The bike uses magnetic resistance with the typical lever-style adjustment, which is preferred over the knob-style controls when it comes to having more precise resistance control. number of resistance levels is not noted, as this these setups are treated as a ‘1-100%’ resistance setting.
Unlike many bikes that are fitted with displays/consoles, the Life Fitness IC4 is relatively compact, taking up a modest 50″ by 20.5″ footprint in your workout space (wherever that may be. The bike has a pair of transport wheels to help move it around the room, so even though the whole bike weighs 110 pounds, it’ll still be relatively easy to shuffle it around the room if you plan on tucking it in a corner when not in use.
Pros:
- Smooth magnetic resistance
- Silent v-belt drive
- Adjustable padded saddle with universal stem
- Toe cages & SPD clip compatible
- Great ergonomics
- Two water bottle holders
- Commercial grade construction
- Shrouded flywheel design
- 330-pound user weight capacity
- Transport wheels
- Decent warranty terms
- Good brand reputation
Cons:
- Pricey
- No training metrics available/no computer
- Reasonable warranty
- Faces stiff competition
Comparing the Life Fitness ICx Model Range
As with a number of other companies out there, you can easily work your way up the model range of Life Fitness indoor cycles, though with each upgrade comes a price. Currently four bikes are on offer, including the IC4, IC5, IC6, and IC8. At a basic construction level the model range doesn’t change until you reach the IC8, which uses a chain drive instead of a belt, and is fitted with a different handlebar setup (including drop bars).
Unlike the IC4, the other models all have built-in consoles displaying different training metrics, however their capabilities and functionality increases up the scale. With the IC5 a basic console is fitted, and he screen displays watts, heart rate, RPMs, exercise duration and resistance level. It can also link up to the ICG Training app; ICG is the company that Life Fitness has partnered with to expand its technology offerings. All bikes have a colored light as part of their console, in order to be compatible with a training system known as Coach By Color. The IC5 is only a touch more expensive (about $300 more) than the IC4, so for those who’d rather not be connection-free this would be the way to go.
Basically speaking (and surprisingly, if we’re being honest) the IC6 is merely an IC5 with a further upgraded display unit. Switching from LCD to full color, the same basic metrics and configurations are available on both units. In our opinion, this option would only be something we could see new fitness clubs setting up if they wanted to have their bikes seem a bit more flashy and new.
Last up the food chain is the IC8—the most feature-rich of Life Fitness indoor cycles. This, again, is really a club-focused bike rather than a home one. key selling features are the swap to a chain drive, strong magnetic resistance, and very accurate Watt rate power output measurement. Its console is the same as the IC6, and the best use/application of this bike is in a studio setting. Its price of entry is just shy of double that of the IC4 ($3,299).
Warranty & Guarantee
The standard warranty for the Life Fitness IC4 indoor cycle provides:
– Frame: 5 Years
– Mechainical Components: 3 years
– Other Parts: 1 year
— Labor: 1 year
While we do see longer warranties from other brands, especially at this price point, the overall quality and simplicity of this bike makes us confident that there’s little to worry about when it comes to longevity.
Conclusion
While it’s the least expensive of its cohort, the Life Fitness IC4 indoor cycle is easily the best pick of the pack when it comes to at-home training. It’s simple, silent, and built like a tank—the perfect choice for someone wanting a no-frills high quality bike that will feel smooth and sturdy no matter how hard they’re pushing themselves each training session.