Description
It feels like it’s been a very long time since I haven’t posted anything about bicycles. That’s because since 2020, I’ve barely slept and haven’t been able to ride my bike properly. I keep thinking to myself, “Someday, I’ll ride again…”, but it’s hard to get out of bed because my commute route and schedule are not fixed, and my house is small, so I don’t have an environment where I can install a roller and ride it often, and I don’t want the feel of a real bike. A dedicated smart bike to ride is too expensive (a similar model of a low-priced indoor bicycle, famous under the name of I had to send it…) so I just let go.
Not being able to use programs like Zwift or Rouvy is an excuse, but it is an excuse to install a roller (the trainer, which is a device that allows you to practice indoors by mounting an actual bicycle, is called ‘Rora’ – the Japanese pronunciation of roller, but it is commonly used as such). It was so cumbersome to put it away and put it away that it was hard to make up my mind. How narrow is the house? You may say that, but it’s really narrow haha. Still, I tried my best to pedal an indoor bicycle several times, but it was difficult to see the real effect of the exercise.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity of home training (short for home training) has increased significantly in Korea. If you just search YouTube right now, there are a huge number of home training videos that are similar to the following, and the types and demand for home training equipment have also increased significantly. Of course, this phenomenon is not limited to Korea, and it is said that it has grown rapidly in the United States as many companies have introduced new products and programs. One of them was Peloton.
Peloton Bike
Peloton originally refers to the ‘base’ where several athletes run together in a long-distance bicycle race. A player who jumps out of the base and runs ahead is called a breakaway. We created a brand that is similar to training that we do separately and together, in the sense that we are the main team that runs together. Peloton, created in 2012, finally hits the jackpot thanks to the home training boom brought on by the pandemic. We sell equipment such as smart bikes and treadmills or sell them on long-term installments and subscribe to the corresponding software. We provide a course that allows you to remotely participate in the training process, which is difficult to do on your own, by following the daily, weekly, and monthly growth process.
While Zwift is devoted to riding simulation for serious riders/adepts, Peloton is different in that it specializes not only in riding but also in spinning, which is one of the best aerobic exercises that burns calories. Spinning is an aerobic exercise designed to exercise the entire body through choreography using the upper body while pedaling on a bike. You can listen to music while riding, but spinning is a lot of fun because you can exercise as if you were dancing to the choreography of an exciting song. It can just be said that it is a completely different game from course riding. When you go to the gym or receive PT, you can use various exercise equipment or have various programs, but among them, it is rare for the average number of calories burned per hour to be more than 400Kcal while having fun, fun, and excitement. Spinning is just such an exercise.
Peloton is currently available as a program that uses two types of equipment, Bike and Treadmill. The basic version of the bike is available for $1,495 (or $39 per month x 39 monthly installments) and $39 for monthly membership. Using a dedicated smart bike like the one pictured above, riding, spinning and other training programs are available. It is sold and available for subscription only in the United States. Now, many of you may have been to the United States, but 100 kg is not that much to Americans. That’s why the Peloton bike is designed to be very heavy and sturdy, and is said to be able to stably support a rider’s weight of 150kg.
As Peloton gained sensational popularity, many similar products came out. Bike brands/programs such as NordicTrack, Echelon, Shwinn, and BowFlex are also competing with Peloton with similar bikes and products. Products similar to Yafit have been released in Korea and are being actively marketed.
Emergence of 25CENT RIDE
25 Cent Ride is the name of a smart bike supplied by Amway Korea.
25CENT RIDE Smart Bike
Before introducing it, let’s take a look at its differences from Zwift or Peloton. To use Zwift, you need a power meter because it requires the ratio of the rider’s weight and power (W/kg), but 25 Cent Ride does not come with a power meter. Also, since resistance is not adjusted automatically, uphill or downhill movements are not possible. Peloton can be integrated with Strava, but 25 Cent Ride does not natively integrate with Strava yet. There seems to be a way to indirectly link it through an app like Samsung Health or a smartwatch. Since there is no power meter or resistance control function, environments such as ERG mode or SIM mode implemented by Zwift cannot be implemented. (In order to have features such as a power meter or slope implementation through resistance control, the price would have to be much more expensive.)
The name 25 Cent Ride (from now on I will use 25C) comes from an anecdote between the two founders of Amway in the United States. The friendship between the two began when Rich DeVos paid 25 cents a week to commute to school together in Jay Van Andel’s car, continued through the founding of Amway, and continues to this day, over 60 years later, so it seems to have symbolic meaning.
Let’s briefly look at the specifications of the 25C.
Size: 1210x520x1420mm (length x width x height)
Weight: 50kg
Maximum allowable rider weight: up to 150kg
Wheel weight: 11kg (aluminum), magnetic resistance type, emergency braking system, belt drive type
Saddle height/front/rear position and handle height adjustable
Half clip pedal with SPD cleats (both sides)
Memory foam spring saddle, front tablet holder (tablet not included), water bottle holder (2), mobility wheel
Digital 7-level fine resistance adjustment, cadence support
exclusive mat
The software is available as an app that supports Android and iOS and allows for virtual riding similar to Zwift. Group riding, such as a meet-up where multiple riders ride together, is also possible, and it is also possible to compete with each other. A power meter is not supported, but the riding speed is proportional to the resistance value and pedal rotation speed. During actual riding, there is almost no noise caused by pedal and wheel rotation, so you are almost completely safe from interfloor noise.
Let’s look at each part:
Now let’s look at the details one by one.
This is the 25C installed in the living room. (The nose of the saddle must be adjusted so that it is level.) The black floor shown in the back is a special mat that comes with it, but it was taken separately because I moved it to the front to take a picture. It’s about the size of a normal yoga mat. It’s quite large, but doesn’t take up much space. If it’s an apartment, you could probably use it on the veranda. Since it gets very hot while riding, you may want to place a fan in front or next to you and turn it on. he
The width is 52 centimeters, and the weight is 50 kg, so when actually used, it is supported stably without moving at all even when an adult man climbs on it and shakes it from side to side. Compared to the left and right width of a bicycle trainer that allows dancing, it is quite narrow and is made to take up less space. The two mobility wheels on the front are designed to allow the 25C to be moved easily and lightly with just a slight lift from the back.
The handle has a complicated shape, but when you actually use it, it is comfortable in many positions. The entire surface is covered with a rough urethane material that is comfortable to grip and does not slip. Below the front bar, there is a cage where two beverage containers can be placed. Since it is used for indoor training, it is not a dedicated water container, but is made in the form of a stand so that you can place a regular tumbler, bottle of water, or other drinks on it. You can adjust the height of the handle by turning the lever, and although it has a scale, fine adjustments are possible. It doesn’t adjust back and forth, but since it’s indoor training, it doesn’t seem to be too inconvenient.
This is a resistance control lever. It can be adjusted clockwise to be strong, counterclockwise to be weakly adjusted, and 7 levels of fine adjustment are possible using a digital method that runs very smoothly. Anyway, the magnetic method is very, very, very quiet. By pressing this lever, you can brake by applying the brake on the flywheel.
The saddle provided as standard is not professional, but it is soft with memory foam and has a spring attached to the bottom. They are very comfortable for general indoor training and there seems to be no need to wear separate padded pants.
The saddle mount is a double-tightening type used on living bicycles, etc., and is secured by tightening from both sides with a 10mm nut. To adjust the tilt of the saddle, you need to loosen the nut, and a special tool (spanner) is provided. It is recommended that the top of the saddle be level. The front and back can be adjusted up to 6 levels (approximately 6cm) and the height can be adjusted up to 9 levels (approximately 15cm). Fine adjustments can be made front and back, but the height can be adjusted on a hole-by-hole basis. To adjust the height, you have to pull out the lever almost all the way, align it with the hole, and then turn it back in, which is a bit cumbersome, but it is the method that provides the most reliable and stable support (if you think about a 150kg large man riding on the saddle). Multiple people can use it by recording and adjusting the front, rear, and height values according to each family member.
Equipped with Shimano’s MTB cleats, SPD, and half-clip double-sided pedals with tightening buckles. There is no need to use SPD-SL’s road cleats for indoor training, but if you do not want to purchase separate MTB cleat shoes, you can replace them with road cleat pedals. The initial cleat attachment part is adjusted to be very strong, so it is recommended to adjust it slightly with a 3mm hexagonal driver. In actual use, the half clip holds the foot very stably, so it doesn’t seem to be a big problem to just use light sneakers.
The drivetrain is a belt type. It is covered with a translucent cover that prevents sweat and dust from entering and provides safe protection. The resistance adjustment and cadence sensor are attached to the frame above the left pedal. The flywheel is made of aluminum and weighs 11kg, but it is stronger and is said to have the same performance as a 20kg steel flywheel. When you press the resistance control lever, the brake attached to the upper front part catches the wheel and enables braking.
The wheel rotates at high speed, and there is a risk of injury if a child or pet touches it while exercising, so you can purchase and use a safety guard (protective wire mesh) as a separate accessory.
This is a tablet stand provided at the front. (You must purchase the tablet separately) It has a ball head so it is easy to adjust the angle, and can stably hold tablets ranging from the size of a cell phone to a 12-inch tablet.