I Want to Bike. Johnny G. Spin Me a Tune.
Written: May 14 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy resistance knob, several adjustments can be made, foot cage, amazing workout.
Cons: Needs to be maintained; no heart rate monitor.
The Bottom Line: In spite of my low ratings I recommending it. For the right person and if it is maintained you'll get an amazing workout.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Johnny G Elite Spinner Exercise Bike by Star Trac |
Before I review the Star Trac Johnny G Spinner Elite Exercise Bike I want to go over its names. You will find it listed as I just referred to it. You will also see it listed under the name Spinner Elite by Star Trac. You will see it with bottle holders and a brake system which I will describe. You will see it with bottle holders on top of the handles. You will see it with the button for the brake system in a different place though identical. You will see a price range of several hundred dollars starting at about $950. I am going to refer to the bike I use in spinning class as the Spinner Elite for practical purposes.
A bit about spinning:
A spinner is usually used in a spinning class or for those who want an intense workout without the bells and whistles of traditional stationary bikes. In my spinning class there are usually about 20 people and the instructor. The lights get dimmed and the music gets loud as she (depending on who is teaching the class) leads us through a series of moves simulating hills, intervals, sprints and recovery periods. Warm ups and cool downs are essential.
About the Spinner Elite:
The Spinner Elite is very similar to every other bike I have used in spinning classes. However it is quite different than a traditional stationary bike. Let’s take a look at the bike. The first thing you will notice is the lack of a console. Unlike traditional exercise bikes you cannot program the Spinner Elite. It will not tell you your heart rate, the time or how fast and how long have ridden.
You will find one wheel in the front. You can make more adjustments with the Spinner than on other bikes. I like that about the Spinner Elite. I can adjust how far away the seat is to the handlebars; how high or low I want the handle bars and how high or low I want the seat.
The handle bars are U-shaped. When you spin you will be putting your hands in one of three positions. The first one has your hands on the top of the base of the handle bars making your arms close to you; the second position has your hands gripping (lightly) the front of the handle bars but off to the side and the third position will have your arms extending holding the ends of the handle bars putting your back at the lowest position.
In class we use these positions at different times for different reasons. For example either while sitting or standing, holding the handle bars in the third position gives me the ability to turn my legs another rotation or two or three. If we are "riding on the canal" my hands would never be in the third position. Although the handle bars are coated with plastic I find the first position very uncomfortable to hold. One should not be leaning on the handlebars but that is easier said than done. Some people wear gloves which I would suggest to you if you find that position uncomfortable as well.
The seat is incredibly uncomfortable. Even with padded bike shorts my butt is sore the next day. Unless you are spinning several times a week rather than the two I do, be prepared for some soreness. I don’t know why Star Trac cannot put a more padded seat on the Elite. I have never seen anyone bring a padded cover to class but that is an option.
Since there is no console you may be wondering how I get resistance. This is one of the nice aspects of the Spinner Elite. A knob right in front of me below the handle bars turns. It is easy to turn and can be done quickly so I can go from an easy ride to a sprint in a second.
I mentioned that the Spinner Elite has two ways of braking. Our bikes use the same resistance knob to stop. All I do is push the button and the bike stops immediately. The other method works the exact same way except you would push down on a button rather than in. It is very simple to work.
The pedals move back and forward though in class we never pedal backward. You wouldn’t pedal backward on your road bike either. I may pedal backward just to warm up. Each pedal has what is called a cage. My foot slips into each cage securing my toes. The strap is easily adjusted and I can adjust it while sitting on my bike. I don’t have to get off the bike to fiddle with it and then test it out and then fiddles with it again. I just pull the strap and it tightens and secures.
The bike I use has two easy to reach water bottle holders. One is right in front as it would be on a road bike and the other is on the side. I wish the holders were bigger because I would rather have a larger bottle or my Nalgene bottle.
The bike measures 51 1/2 inches long by 20 inches wide by 40 inches high. It weighs 123 pounds.
The warranty is two years for part and the frame and one year for the motor.
There is a lot I don’t like about the Spinner Elite:
1. Although I mentioned how uncomfortable the seat is I want to mention that it also doesn’t seem to hold up. I have been on bikes where it is more work to stop myself from sliding off the bike because the seat is tilted down than it is to pedal. I have been on bikes where the front of the bike pointed it making it even more uncomfortable to say the least! These get a lot of use. If you are thinking of this for your home gym it won’t be getting the kind of use they see in spinning classes.
2. I have some problems with the pedals. This may be my issue. I have not taken a poll. I asked my husband if his toes got numb and he said no but mine do. It may have nothing to do with the cage. It might have something to do with my sneakers or my autoimmune disorder. There are biking sneakers in which I could invest and you can think about that if you have the same problem. I can’t guarantee it will help. In fact you may not have the same issue with the pedals as I do.
Another problem I have run into is inconsistency of the smoothness of the turning of the pedals. Just the other day in class I noticed that as soon as I stood up and loosened the resistance the pedals caught giving me a rough ride. This isn’t true on all the bikes but it is another inconsistency in durability and the need for maintenance.
3. The many adjustments are wonderful however they are not easy to adjust. We can blame it on my fingers which get sore but I see others struggling as well. The bike has what is called a three turn locking pop pin. What that means is that first I turn a knob that loosens it. Then I pull it out and then I move the pole to the position I want and the knob pops into that. I often find it hard to turn and I often find various moving parts hard to move. In addition the knob, particularly the one that controls the height of the handle bars loosens up. The instructors go around and tighten them for us. However even when tightened the pole wobbles a bit which can be an uncomfortable feeling.
4. It is beyond my imagination how a spinner bike cannot have a heart rate monitor. One of these days some one will drop dead in class because their heart rate is 200 times their maximum heart rate and perhaps that will push the company to add heart rate monitors. You might want to think about bringing your own or buying one if this is for your own home use.
More of my thoughts:
I cannot think of a really good reason to buy this bike for your home gym. You can buy what is called a trainer. These will run you anywhere from $100 to $300 and turn your road bike into a stationary bike. You can buy inexpensive but functional bike for a few hundred dollars if you look around or you can spend $1800 on the LifeFitness 925HR as an example for $1800 retail which has displays and a heart rate monitor.
The Star Trac Johnny G Spinner Elite is intended to most simulate real life biking. It does do this better than any other stationary bike I have been on. So if you are a racer, for around $1000 you will get an amazing workout. I sweat in this class like I do in no other. You can stand up and sit low as you would on your racing bike. However as I said you can just put your bike on a trainer although there is something to be said about how easy the Spinner Elite is to change resistances.
The bike has two rollers on the front. It is fairly easy to move and we move the bikes around all the time. Just tilt it up and it will roll.
Although the bike is coated with sweat and corrosion resistance powder and a primer you want to be careful how you wipe if off. Stay away from wiping down anything but the handle bars and seat.
When you set the seat height do it so your knees are bent slightly with the pedal at the lowest point.
Make sure you stay hydrated. Forty ounces of water is good for a 60 minute ride.
There is no doubt that the Spinner gives me an amazing cardiovascular workout. Although I have been spinning for years my husband is fairly new to it and has noticed that he has more endurance. He can run up stairs without being out of breath. In addition there is nothing like biking to shape and build your quadriceps (from of thighs), hamstrings, back of thighs and calves.
The estimated calories burned in an hour is at least 600 depending on your weight and age of course.
Is this a piece of equipment I would run out and buy? No it isn’t unless I were spending a lot of money on a home gym and specifically wanted a Spinner. In spite of the complaints I have I have reviewed several Star Trac pieces of equipment and generally like them. I think they are good quality items. What I am seeing is a lot of wear and tear from the amount of use. If yours will get that kind of use be prepared to buy a new seat and keep it maintained.
I hope this helps and thanks for reading. Feel free to leave me a question or comment. Some related reviews are below but most of my fitness related reviews are on my profile page. If you don’t see something you are interested in, let me know. jo
Star Trac Recumbant Bike • Star Trac Pro Treadmill • Landice Treadmill • Stamina Precision Rower • Tony Little's Gazelle • Total Gym 3000 • Total Gym 1500 • Nordic Track Futura 2600 • Fitness Quest Air Rower • ProForm Treadmill • StairMaster 4600PT Stepper • Cybex Pro Teadmill • Cybex 900T treadmill • Cybex Arc Trainer • Precor EFX546 Elliptical Trainer • Concept II rower • Precor C846 Recumbent • NordicTrack Classic Pro skier
Recommended:
Yes
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