I have bought an IC5 recently and it makes very little noise and with the fan turned on in my home when cycling I don't even hear the bike. I noticed also in this video that the IC8 has more of a rattling sound when pedaling (not talking about the freeride noise), probably because of the 'improvements' to the drive train with the addition of a chain to it. The IC5 is more than 1000 USD/EUR cheaper than the IC8 and can also be connected to Zwift. To connect it to Zwift I used the North Pole Engineering CABLE device that adapts the ANT+ signals to bluetooth so your phone can handle them. Another alternative is the Viiiiva heartrate monitor that has a similar function of adapting ANT+ to bluetooth. From the review it appears that the IC8 also only sends the sensor data over ANT+ and that means you still need an adapter to use it with zwift on an android tablet/phone, so I don't know what they mean with zwift compatibility in this case. Given that the IC8 is also not a smart trainer since zwift cannot control the resistance, I would always go for the IC5 instead of the IC8. Differences between the models are very small. The IC6 has a rechargable battery inside whereas the IC5 has replaceable batteries (that should last for years with home use) and the IC6 has the improved power meter accuracy. The computer on the IC5 is black and white and a bit simpler. Then the IC7 adds a rotating knob for resistance instead of a lever, and the gas assisted setting. Then the IC8 has some improvements to the drive train and adds the freeride capability and the race steer. All in all, the price differences between the models are huge compared to what they offer and the accuracy of the power meter is not that important to me (consistency of the power meter is more important to me than accuracy). Looking for smart features, I would rely more on online platforms (garmin, zwift, trainerroad, etc.) and not on the computer of your spinningbike that will probably never get a firmware update. Therefore, I would not spend the money on the higher models. You can also go one model lower and use the IC4 which has the same hardware as the IC5 but does not have sensors. Instead, you can add power pedals (e.g. Garmin vector 3s) to get both cadence and power at high accuracy. However, power pedals also usually require special shoe plates whereas the standard pedals on the IC5 support both regular shoes and SPD. The IC5 feels very robust and is definitely two levels up from what they have at the local gym.
Thank you for the sharing, I think those comments are the most useful comparison for life fitness model that I could find from internet. I tried to find the comparison between IC5 and M3i, no luck with that ... : (
The reason for missing resistance control by zwift or other apps is security. If you stop to pedal at a normal bike this is not a problem but Indoor cycles has no freewheel - the flywheel is statically connected to the pedals. In this case it is better that the ic8 is not controllable externally. If you want to habe this functionality, you have to by a ergometer or standard bike mounted on a smart trainer.
Sorry, my misunderstanding. IC8 has a flywheel. The security aspect is only valid for lower IC models without flywheel. In past i used only Indoor cycles by ICG without flywheel at gym. I think technically in IC8 it could be possible to control the resistance level by ANT+. Of course, this would be a nice feature.
Great review! Im currently using this bike for ironman prep and it is hands down amazing indoor bike, best that i’ve came across. Very responsive preformance and comfortable but surely also very expensive - But definitely worth it.
Great review and great bike btw. I am training on it since few months at the gym. after this time i would love to have some automatic resistance adjustments or some intelligent training to choose from (no to adjust each time this f* knob) . What is the biggest drawback although is the touch screen which is self clicking/changing (!) when it gets the sweat drops dripping through it while running on drop bars .... this is such stupid but unfortunately true, got several times already...
Hi, great review. How did you record the data from the IC8 to import it into rubiTrack ? I'm testing rubiTrack actual and like to transfer my training-data from the IC8 to it. best regards, Stephan
Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the Kettler but the gearing system looks more like a road bike on the Kettler. I am not sure how well it works though. You will just have to try out both and see which one you like.
Many thanks for the superb review! I have tried to connect the IC8 with my Garmin Edge 1030 plus as a power meter and as a speed/cadence sensor. However, I am only able to connect as a power meter and as a cadence sensor, so without indication of speed and distance. Do you know if there exists a workaround to enable Garmin to also register spread and distance?
Garmin will not calculate your speed/distance. However, if you pair it to another app like Zwift for example, zwift will calculate your speed based on your power output.
Thanks for the great tutorial! So do you currently use it for any bike training today, or would you rather use a kicker or any other wahoo device? I'm looking to build up my "pain cave' I have the Lifecycle GX, but really like these new ones with all the software capabilities.
I personally prefer to use my own bike rather than a stationary bike. So to answer your question, for my daily training, I use my own bike with a direct drive trainer.
Cool👍 I have not been down to my local gym to try to connect it but without any luck. It would be very cool if you could let us know how you do this, and perhaps also share how you get the most out of your setup😀
I will see what I can do but I made a video a long time ago on how to pair a Garmin to a smart trainer. The process is basically similar. But with this bike, you need to pair it as a powermeter not a trainer ruclips.net/video/Qo1eIkDmK30/видео.html
@@SmartBikeTrainers Cool :-) Thanks for the link, I will try that when I get to the gym again. One more time, thanks a lot for your help here, I really appreciate it!
how has this bike held up since the review? Still working well and no issues? Considering getting an IC7 but there are surprisingly no reviews online, anywhere. Is there routine maintenance that needs to be done on these?
I still have it but haven’t been using it much. I prefer using my road bike on a trainer than a full stationary bike. Haven’t don’t anything as far as maintenance. Looks to be maintenance free and just works.
hello, great video, I have a question, I have a ic5 bike and the bike have powermeter too, but I can't connect to my Garmin edge 520, I saw in some websites that the bike works with Garmin but I don't know how pair, thankssss
+XaviTambu-bike TambuVilla Zwift compatibility is extremely limited with this bike and it’s kind of outdated. There are much better options now like the wahoo kickr bike: smtbk.co/KickrBike
Tiago Almeida speed of connectivity is as fast as you can turn your app on and start up the bike. It’s not a controllable bike. A great quiet solution for home if you have more than one user.
I was told by Lifefitness that they plan on making that connection possible via a firmware update later this year. I wouldn’t count on it though until it happens.
I enjoyed your review. I have a question regarding testing on this bike. I do VO2 Max test and training for a living. I have two Velo-trons and am looking for alternative bikes to test on (due to price and ease of mobility). Do you feel this bike has the ability, based on it's current test protocol (ftp and ramp test), to do manual VO2 Max testing on? ....My Very Best. ~Paul Drake, MS www.first-cardio.com
Glad you enjoyed the review! You should be able to and capture the data (power and HR) using a third party device such as Garmin and use to analyze for your VO2 max testing. Hope that answers your question.
indeed! not sure if that's a mic glitch or he was testing and got a lemon. kinda find it hard to believe it to be that loud. i think they've discontinued the ic8
@@junglestrut Mine sounds exactly like his. The idea is that it should feel like a road bike (aka a chain). So, with that comes more sound. If i put in headphones though, I can't hear it at all when I listen to music
That's why most go with belt driven bikes and why I went with the IC7. The IC7 has a carbon poly-V belt and is near silent in operation and much smoother. If you want that noisy road bike feel then go with the IC8. The IC7 is a much better choice for most. Life Fitness updated the IC7 sometime in 2020 I believe and the new one has the Watt TFT 2.0 device plus all exposed aluminum from flywheel to handlebar and seat posts have ben anodized black for increased durability.
I have bought an IC5 recently and it makes very little noise and with the fan turned on in my home when cycling I don't even hear the bike. I noticed also in this video that the IC8 has more of a rattling sound when pedaling (not talking about the freeride noise), probably because of the 'improvements' to the drive train with the addition of a chain to it. The IC5 is more than 1000 USD/EUR cheaper than the IC8 and can also be connected to Zwift. To connect it to Zwift I used the North Pole Engineering CABLE device that adapts the ANT+ signals to bluetooth so your phone can handle them. Another alternative is the Viiiiva heartrate monitor that has a similar function of adapting ANT+ to bluetooth. From the review it appears that the IC8 also only sends the sensor data over ANT+ and that means you still need an adapter to use it with zwift on an android tablet/phone, so I don't know what they mean with zwift compatibility in this case.
Given that the IC8 is also not a smart trainer since zwift cannot control the resistance, I would always go for the IC5 instead of the IC8. Differences between the models are very small. The IC6 has a rechargable battery inside whereas the IC5 has replaceable batteries (that should last for years with home use) and the IC6 has the improved power meter accuracy. The computer on the IC5 is black and white and a bit simpler. Then the IC7 adds a rotating knob for resistance instead of a lever, and the gas assisted setting. Then the IC8 has some improvements to the drive train and adds the freeride capability and the race steer.
All in all, the price differences between the models are huge compared to what they offer and the accuracy of the power meter is not that important to me (consistency of the power meter is more important to me than accuracy). Looking for smart features, I would rely more on online platforms (garmin, zwift, trainerroad, etc.) and not on the computer of your spinningbike that will probably never get a firmware update. Therefore, I would not spend the money on the higher models. You can also go one model lower and use the IC4 which has the same hardware as the IC5 but does not have sensors. Instead, you can add power pedals (e.g. Garmin vector 3s) to get both cadence and power at high accuracy. However, power pedals also usually require special shoe plates whereas the standard pedals on the IC5 support both regular shoes and SPD. The IC5 feels very robust and is definitely two levels up from what they have at the local gym.
Thank you for the sharing, I think those comments are the most useful comparison for life fitness model that I could find from internet. I tried to find the comparison between IC5 and M3i, no luck with that ... : (
Feuerschnitzel
Thank you very much for your comments. You’ve saved me a lot of money!
The reason for missing resistance control by zwift or other apps is security.
If you stop to pedal at a normal bike this is not a problem but Indoor cycles has no freewheel - the flywheel is statically connected to the pedals.
In this case it is better that the ic8 is not controllable externally.
If you want to habe this functionality, you have to by a ergometer or standard bike mounted on a smart trainer.
Sorry, my misunderstanding. IC8 has a flywheel. The security aspect is only valid for lower IC models without flywheel. In past i used only Indoor cycles by ICG without flywheel at gym.
I think technically in IC8 it could be possible to control the resistance level by ANT+. Of course, this would be a nice feature.
Right, the ic8 has a pretty good flywheel.
thanks a lot for this review. the "smart bike" market is becoming interesting.
Great review! Im currently using this bike for ironman prep and it is hands down amazing indoor bike, best that i’ve came across. Very responsive preformance and comfortable but surely also very expensive - But definitely worth it.
😬😬😬 Definitely not worth the price
Thanks for the review. I would like to hear your opinion about the Domyos Challenge Bike, which is app-controllable and has freeride.
Great review and great bike btw.
I am training on it since few months at the gym.
after this time i would love to have some automatic resistance adjustments or some intelligent training to choose from (no to adjust each time this f* knob) .
What is the biggest drawback although is the touch screen which is self clicking/changing (!) when it gets the sweat drops dripping through it while running on drop bars .... this is such stupid but unfortunately true, got several times already...
Hi,
great review. How did you record the data from the IC8 to import it into rubiTrack ? I'm testing rubiTrack actual and like to transfer my training-data from the IC8 to it.
best regards, Stephan
I was wondering if the IC8 bike of LifeFitness is as good as the SkillBike of TechnoGym ?
Very interesting review. I'm actually trying to choose between this and a kettler racer s. Do you have any advice please ? Thanks in advance !
Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the Kettler but the gearing system looks more like a road bike on the Kettler. I am not sure how well it works though. You will just have to try out both and see which one you like.
Ok, thank you!
Build quality def IC(, Kettler Racer 9 also a good option
Many thanks for the superb review! I have tried to connect the IC8 with my Garmin Edge 1030 plus as a power meter and as a speed/cadence sensor. However, I am only able to connect as a power meter and as a cadence sensor, so without indication of speed and distance. Do you know if there exists a workaround to enable Garmin to also register spread and distance?
Garmin will not calculate your speed/distance. However, if you pair it to another app like Zwift for example, zwift will calculate your speed based on your power output.
Thanks for the great tutorial! So do you currently use it for any bike training today, or would you rather use a kicker or any other wahoo device? I'm looking to build up my "pain cave' I have the Lifecycle GX, but really like these new ones with all the software capabilities.
I personally prefer to use my own bike rather than a stationary bike. So to answer your question, for my daily training, I use my own bike with a direct drive trainer.
Hi, great video👍
Can you connect it to a Garmin device?
Yes you can connect it as a powermeter.
Cool👍 I have not been down to my local gym to try to connect it but without any luck.
It would be very cool if you could let us know how you do this, and perhaps also share how you get the most out of your setup😀
I will see what I can do but I made a video a long time ago on how to pair a Garmin to a smart trainer. The process is basically similar. But with this bike, you need to pair it as a powermeter not a trainer
ruclips.net/video/Qo1eIkDmK30/видео.html
@@SmartBikeTrainers Cool :-)
Thanks for the link, I will try that when I get to the gym again.
One more time, thanks a lot for your help here, I really appreciate it!
Do you know how to charge the battery?
When you ride the bike and pedal, the battery will charge.
how has this bike held up since the review? Still working well and no issues? Considering getting an IC7 but there are surprisingly no reviews online, anywhere. Is there routine maintenance that needs to be done on these?
I still have it but haven’t been using it much. I prefer using my road bike on a trainer than a full stationary bike. Haven’t don’t anything as far as maintenance. Looks to be maintenance free and just works.
hello, great video, I have a question, I have a ic5 bike and the bike have powermeter too, but I can't connect to my Garmin edge 520, I saw in some websites that the bike works with Garmin but I don't know how pair, thankssss
How do you turn it on?
Just pedaling
Hi, I am interested ic7, but a don't now is compatible with zwift, and to connect with my garmin, thanks, good job 👍👍
+XaviTambu-bike TambuVilla Zwift compatibility is extremely limited with this bike and it’s kind of outdated. There are much better options now like the wahoo kickr bike: smtbk.co/KickrBike
The latest models have a new console with Bluetooth open for use with zwift. Check out Team ICG on the web
@@jameslamb6020 hi, do you have any feedback from this new model with zwift? Thanks
Tiago Almeida speed of connectivity is as fast as you can turn your app on and start up the bike. It’s not a controllable bike. A great quiet solution for home if you have more than one user.
@@jameslamb6020 thanks a lot, do you know any problem about the power readings on zwift? I ask because i read a user complaining about it. thanks
Hey, Nice review, what's the best smart trainer bike(s) to use with apps that will allow the app to control the resistance of the bike?
It's a great bike the selling of the bike could be better. He really needs to convince me to get it ! .. get me jordan belfort lol
The Life Fitness IC7 and IC8, their top of the line bikes are worlds better in quality than the cult-like Peloton.
Any ideas on how the ICG 8 connects to zwift via IOs
You will need to use an ant+ to Bluetooth bridge like CABLE: www.amazon.com/dp/B071S929ZC/?tag=sbiketrainers-20
SMART Bike Trainers thanks, seems silly to have to get a different device when it uses Bluetooth to connect to its own app! But helpful thank you
I was told by Lifefitness that they plan on making that connection possible via a firmware update later this year. I wouldn’t count on it though until it happens.
I enjoyed your review. I have a question regarding testing on this bike. I do VO2 Max test and training for a living. I have two Velo-trons and am looking for alternative bikes to test on (due to price and ease of mobility). Do you feel this bike has the ability, based on it's current test protocol (ftp and ramp test), to do manual VO2 Max testing on? ....My Very Best.
~Paul Drake, MS
www.first-cardio.com
Glad you enjoyed the review! You should be able to and capture the data (power and HR) using a third party device such as Garmin and use to analyze for your VO2 max testing. Hope that answers your question.
The watt bike pro with the wattbike app has a vo2 test programed in.
Assistência técnica dessa bike no Brasil é muito ruim...
Whoa! Too LOUD.
indeed! not sure if that's a mic glitch or he was testing and got a lemon. kinda find it hard to believe it to be that loud. i think they've discontinued the ic8
I just assembled my ic8 this evening. Unbelievably loud.
@@junglestrut Mine sounds exactly like his. The idea is that it should feel like a road bike (aka a chain). So, with that comes more sound. If i put in headphones though, I can't hear it at all when I listen to music
@@t14dann18 awesome! no idea that what it was for. I love my IC7 despite of it
That's why most go with belt driven bikes and why I went with the IC7. The IC7 has a carbon poly-V belt and is near silent in operation and much smoother. If you want that noisy road bike feel then go with the IC8. The IC7 is a much better choice for most. Life Fitness updated the IC7 sometime in 2020 I believe and the new one has the Watt TFT 2.0 device plus all exposed aluminum from flywheel to handlebar and seat posts have ben anodized black for increased durability.
This bike is overpriced