Indoor Cycling: Smart Trainer vs Spin Classes

A smart trainer usually costs more up front and less per ride, while spin classes cost little to start and more per ride. The deciding number is how often you ride. Add up the trainer setup and any app subscription, divide by the per-ride cost of the classes you would otherwise take, and you get the number of rides needed to break even. Riders who train three or more times a week through the winter often reach it within a season or two; riders who go once a week for the social energy may be better off with a class pack. Training apps add a recurring cost: Zwift, for example, offers a 14-day free trial on its monthly plan and prices its annual plan at the cost of 10 months.

Trainer cost

Trainers come in three broad types. A wheel-on trainer clamps your rear wheel against a roller and is the cheapest way in. A direct-drive trainer replaces the rear wheel and is quieter, with more accurate power readings. A smart bike is a complete stationary bike with the trainer built in. Smart models of each type can change resistance automatically when paired with an app.

Budget for the extras too. You need a bike that fits (unless buying a smart bike), a mat to protect the floor, a fan, a towel, and a phone, tablet, computer or TV to run the app. Used trainers can be good value; check that the unit connects to your app and that the seller includes any power adapter. Retailers' return windows matter if you are unsure your bike is compatible.

Apps

Most smart training uses a subscription app. Zwift's own guide says new users get a 14-day free trial on the monthly plan with no commitment, that the annual plan does not include a trial but first-time subscribers can cancel within 30 days and get a refund, and that the annual plan costs the equivalent of 10 months instead of 12. The guide lists US, European and UK prices; Canadian prices are shown on Zwift's Canadian pricing page, so check there. Other apps price differently, and some offer free tiers or free group rides. Start with a free trial in December or January when you will actually ride, rather than in the fall when the trial may run out before the weather turns.

• Use free trials when you will actually ride.
• Pay monthly in your first winter; switch to annual only if you ride most of the year.
• Cancel in spring if you ride outdoors all summer.
• Set a calendar reminder before any renewal date.

Classes

Spin studios and gyms sell drop-ins, class packs and unlimited memberships. Per-ride cost falls with commitment, but only if you use it. Check how long a class pack lasts before it expires, whether unused classes roll over, and the cancellation policy for booked classes. Gym memberships that include spin classes can be cheaper per ride than a boutique studio; see budget gyms. In Ontario, some fitness contracts come with a cancellation window; see Ontario gym cooling-off rights.

Break-even

The comparison works per ride. Work out the class cost per ride from the option you would really buy. Work out the app cost per ride from the subscription and how often you ride. The trainer pays off once the per-ride savings cover the setup cost.

Riding more often lowers the app cost per ride and reaches break-even sooner. Riding less often does the opposite, which is why occasional riders usually do better with classes.

Example with made-up inputs: two winters

These numbers are an example with made-up inputs. They are not store, studio or app prices. A rider rides three times a week for 20 winter weeks, 60 rides a winter. Classes would cost $20 a ride, or $1,200 a winter. A used direct-drive trainer, mat and fan cost $900, and the app costs $25 a month for five months, $125 a winter. The trainer costs $1,025 in the first winter and $1,150 after two winters, compared with $2,400 for two winters of classes.

Using the method: the app cost per ride is $125 ÷ 60 = about $2.08, the saving per ride is about $17.92, and break-even is $900 ÷ $17.92 = about 50 rides, near the end of the first winter. At one ride a week, the same setup would take two to three winters to pay off.

Plan

1. Count how many rides a week you will really do from November to March.
2. Price the class option you would really buy, including fees.
3. Price a trainer setup, new or used, including extras.
4. Run the break-even formula.
5. If unsure, take a class pack for a month or try an app's free trial on a borrowed trainer.
6. Cancel or pause subscriptions in spring if you ride outdoors.

For commuting costs in warmer months, see e-bike vs transit pass.