Spin Bike gathering dust. Need workout ideas

[ThatsWhatImTalkinAbout]

I own a Schwinn Spin Bike and it is gathering dust as I have got bored cycling to songs.
The bike doesn’t have any attachment for a tablet to use it like a Peloton bike. So, wondered what do people do for a workout on a standard spin bike?

I have a Smart TV in the room where my Spin Bike is and I follow You Tube spin classes from Kirsten Allen. There's loads of free videos, although we've now signed up to the membership ones at £2.99pm, as most of the new videos are released though membership only now - but as 2 of us use them 3 times a week I think it's worth the payment.
Plenty of other free or cheap spin classes on You Tube though.

What about a universal bike mount for a tablet or phone? Then you could watch You Tube vids, there's loads of spinning ones on there.

It does sit facing a smart tv. But thought I’d need some apps. Never thought of YouTube!

You could get the peloton app and stream it to the TV? I have the peloton bike but the classes are what keeps me coming back

I don’t spin, I’ve got a road bike on a turbo, but the GCN cycling workouts on Youtube are pretty good….they’d be fine for a spinning bike.

Les Mills spin classes are really good!

Sorry this has probably been asked hundreds of times before but what are the main differences between a spin bike and a road bike on a turbo trainer?

I have a technogym bike - old and basic so no computer to tell me resistance or cadence. Cadence is fairly easy as you're cycling to the beat of the music. Resistance I go by feel and effort level.

I have a smart tv and cast to that. I have a Les Mills subscription and they have loads of spin classes - Sprint which is HIIT style - RPM which is a mix of cycling styles - The Trip which is cycling through digital worlds. I like all 3.

I have the free Peleton app which has a small choice of free spin classes.

I also use YouTube and StudioSweat have a good selection of free spin classes.

A spin bike has a very heavy fly wheel that creates resistance. It’s a fixed stationary machine.
The road bike is just that. It can be taken outside and used on the road, but I assume the turbo trainer is something you attach the road bike to for stationary indoor workouts.

This!!! You can usually trial the peloton app free for a month or 2. And it goes on smart tv

@ThatsWhatImTalkinAbout actually if you want 2 months free just PM me and I can send a link

I will look into that.
Many Thanks ☺️

You just need a tablet holder like THIS.

There are plenty of good apps depending on what you enjoy:

Peloton
Les Mills
Intelligent Cycling
Ciclozone
Keiser Ride

Most of them will have a free trial.

Does your bike not have Bluetooth or ANT connectivity (I just looked on the manufacturer website and saw this connectivity advertised for many of their stationary bikes.) If so you should be able to link it to a laptop or tablet (you generally need to be pedalling for it to send any signals) which will enable you to do virtual rides on apps like zwift or bkool. If your model is old and doesn't have options to connect to anything you can still do spin class workouts as people have described.

@Thunderball05 A road bike mounted on a turbo trainer uses either the wheel or chain to work against a unit which creates resistance (generally magnetic or fluid). It can be equipped with sensors for speed, cadence and/or power that can drive virtual apps. A dedicated turbo machine has all of that built in, plus can increase resistance to simulate hills, but they're much more expensive. A spin bike of the sort you have in studios is generally less sophisticated than a turbo and gives you some control of resistance but is aimed at people doing general fitness more than serious cyclists so isn't as realistic or controlled as the other sorts I have mentioned.

I had one during the pandemic. I just used to attach my phone to the handle bar and follow YouTube classes.

UnaOfStormhold
Does your bike not have Bluetooth or ANT connectivity (I just looked on the manufacturer website and saw this connectivity advertised for many of their stationary bikes.) If so you should be able to link it to a laptop or tablet (you generally need to be pedalling for it to send any signals) which will enable you to do virtual rides on apps like zwift or bkool. If your model is old and doesn't have options to connect to anything you can still do spin class workouts as people have described.

No, mine is a dinosaur spin bike. No fancy Bluetooth connections etc. just big standard stationary Schwinn IC Pro.

im going to look at the Les Mills app as I used to do a lot of their classes years ago in a sports hall. Just not liking £15/mth membership fee…

Global Cycle Network on youtube has some really good classes - look for the ones that are with UK instructors and filmed in a nuffield gym, they're a lot less irritating than the american ones!