Star Trac had the new Spinner® Blade Ion on display at IHRSA. I rode one during Josh Taylor's 6:30 am demonstration ride this past Thursday. After the class I discussed the Ion's new features with Josh. I then got an overview of Spinning's new Spinpower™ education from Program Director Angie Sturtevant, which I'll share as a separate article.
Basics
The “Ion” differentiates this bike with Power from the conventional Spinner Blade. It uses the same chain drive and friction resistance system, found on all Spinner® Indoor Cycles.
Console / Monitor
Very simple… and I'm a huge fan of simple, so right away I appreciated how easy it was to use the Ion's console. I was told they are making a few minor changes so the final version may look different. Working down from the top, the display shows:
Heart Rate
Cadence
Power
Elapsed Time
Just three buttons
Left button turns the back-light on/off. It doesn't time out because it doesn't need to preserve battery life. It will stay on until you want it dark or you stop pedaling. I might not have this completely right – but you get the point – the light will shine all class 🙂
Center button scrolls through screens displaying; real time and averages + calories
Hold down the Right button for 2 seconds resets the Elapsed Time – Josh explained that this button will also add a “digital marker” to any Ant+ enabled devise, identifying the beginning or end of an interval, similar to the “Stage” button found on other consoles.
Josh made the point during his demo ride that their console will show ZERO watts when there's no resistance, regardless of the cadence = this will show all of our “spinners” that they aren't doing any real work until they've added some load.
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Measured Power
Strain gauge measures the amount of pull on the brake pad.
The Blade Ion measures power with a strain gauge connected to the brake pad – again more simplicity. This technique is actually over 100 years old and how the horsepower of early engines was measured; by measuring the force acting on the brake, as the flywheel tries to drag the brake around it's circumference.
If you have an NXT available you can see exactly what they are doing. Remove any resistance and start the pedals turning slowly. Now carefully touch the slowly turning flywheel with one finger. Feel how it wants to drag your finger along? Can you see how the harder you press against the flywheel, the more effort it takes to hold your finger in place? By measuring that force, the speed of the rotating flywheel and then doing a bit of math, we could calculate Power.
That Black Box contains the strain gauge and replaces the normal brake pad holder on the standard Blade or NXT – which begs the question; will they ever offer a retrofit power meter for older NXT's?
What about Calibration?
I was told that the Ion will be factory calibrated and that no other calibration will be necessary – which I find very hard to believe.
This isn't the right time to get into a lengthy discussion over what I see as fundamental differences between; how the Ion measures the amount of Power coming out vs. how FreeMotion (and also any bicycle crank arm/spider or pedal based power meter) is measuring the amount of Power the rider is putting into the cycle. Or if it's really of any value…
So I don't leave you hanging here, the factory calibration may indeed accurately display the amount of coming out of the Ion forever… but does that precisely reflect the amount of power the rider is putting into the cycle?
What I'm questioning is there's a lot of drive train (multiple bearings and the chain) between the pedals (work in) and the brake mechanism (work out). This engineering article describes the efficiency of bicycle chain drive system and how losses can vary between 2% and 20%. I'm sure Star Trac's engineers have a very sophisticated algorithm to work all this out on a new Ion – but what happens over time? Worn chains and bearings, sprocket alignment and chain tension will all have an effect. Potentially some of the Ion's in your studio could become favorites because they display a higher wattage, relativity to the amount of work introduced by the rider, simply because its chain is in better alignment. Does that make sense?
No Batteries Required
Angie said she likes this because it's “green” (no batteries to throw out) – this blue light is a very cool touch.
Hands down my favorite feature of the Ion is how it charges itself. Josh told me that it incorporates a smart charging system that will allow the batteries to discharge before recharging. That wire runs from the hub charging unit & cadence counter up to the handle bars.
Phone cord allows adjustment.
How it felt to ride & my overall reaction.
Adding a cool blue Instructor platform will be de rigueur for any studio with Blade Ions
Let me start by saying Star Trac makes a phenomenal Indoor Cycle. Solid and smooth – I'm sure Jeff Wimmer had his hands on these. They fit me perfectly – or after riding & teaching on them for all these years do I fit them perfectly? Either way they're very nice to ride… and you hear the yeah-but coming… but I've really become a fan of magnetic resistance over the past 4 years. I understand how Spinning's® brand goes to the “feel” of a Spinner® and that “feel” comes in part from a friction based resistance system. I prefer riding magnetic and was disappointed that the Ion still uses a friction brake.
I also felt weak/less powerful on the Spinner Blade Ion. Or said differently, for a given amount of effort, I was seeing a lower wattage number than I'm used to seeing from a recently calibrated FreeMotion or a Schwinn AC. You could add embarrassed to my list of feelings. I actually felt compelled to cover my readings while Josh was off the bike checking in with his class 🙁
Thinking it may just be me, I went directly to FreeMotion's area and jumped into a class with Cameron Chinatti. Nope, it wasn't me. There on a familiar cycle, I was seeing/feeling my normal ~250 FTP. So back to the Ion (different bike this time) but the same results. A similar effort/HR and only saw ~180 watts.
I talked to Angie about this and she suggested that you just can't compare the two, they're different. I've asked Angie to join me on the Podcast to discuss this in detail and will let you know if/when she'll come on as a guest.
Later that morning I also tried a little experiment that I've wanted to do for years…
What happens to your Power / Wattage when you accelerate from a set point, say; 100 watts @ 60 rpm to 90 rpm on friction based system, as compared to a magnetic system? Do they react the same way?
If you teach an early morning class, it is not unusual to skip a morning meal before leaving for the gym or club. If you have done this, then you’ve done fasted cardio. Maybe not fueling before a class is a necessity, or maybe, like myself, you just can’t stomach eating that early. Either way, there is a fair amount of buzz linking fasted cardio to weight loss and performance benefits. So, should you be exercising on an empty stomach? Here’s what the experts at bicycling.com have to say.
What Is Fasted Cardio?
Fasted cardio isn’t a hard concept to understand. “It literally just means doing a workout after not eating for some amount of time,” explains Lauren Antonucci, R.D.N., a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in New York.
Some people may claim they’re doing fasted cardio by skipping lunch and heading straight into a post-work ride, but the scientific literature specifies that the body needs a 10- to 14-hour period of not eating to be truly fasted, adds Meghann Featherstun, R.D., board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in Cleveland. So, for most people, fasted cardio would occur first thing in the morning. 

What’s the point of exercising on empty? Once you’ve been in a fasted state for enough time, there’s no glycogen available for energy, and your body needs to find another source of fuel. Within a few minutes of starting a fasted workout the percentage of fat you would burn in that workout would be a little bit higher, says Antonucci.
The research is clear: If we exercise fasted, we tap into our fat stores as a fuel source sooner, so we’re running more on oxidized fat versus glycogen or carbohydrates, says Featherstun. People who ran on a treadmill in a fasted state burned 20 percent more fat than those who ate in one small study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. And people who consistently trained in a fasted state over the course of six weeks showed more endurance improvements than those who ate before working out, an older study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found.
The Drawbacks of Exercising on Empty
People tend to latch on to those concepts, and see fasted cardio as a path to weight loss (you’ll burn more fat!) or enhanced performance (if you can tap into fat stores for long periods, you’ll never bonk!).
When it comes to weight loss, all that fat-burning potential does sound appealing. But in the end you are still be burning the same amount of calories for the workout, says Antonucci. If you’re eating within the nutritional budget determined by your training plan and weight loss goals, “burning a little bit higher percentage of fat is not really that important to your body weight over time or your body composition,” she says.
Keep in mind, your body doesn’t automatically burn fat instead of glucose in a fasted state; it could turn to protein instead. “Research shows that there’s an increase in muscle breakdown when we exercise fasted, so it could actually decrease our strength,” says Featherstun. Working out in a fasted state yielded twice the amount of protein breakdown in muscles than in a non-fasted state, according to a study published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal.
And about those endurance benefits… People were actually able to perform aerobically for longer after eating than when they fasted, a more recent meta-analysis published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found. As we all know, other research shows that fasting has negative impacts on the intensity and volume of training.
Any time you do any high-intensity workout, you’re going to burn a much higher percentage of carbs. “Not fueling beforehand just shortchanges your energy and ability to work hard,” says Antonucci. Plus, your rate of perceived exertion is much higher at a lower intensity when you’re exercising off fat versus carbs, says Featherstun, and you’re likely to finish fasted high-intensity workouts feeling terrible or hit a wall sooner in longer efforts.
So, should you do fasted cardio?
If you’d rather use your mornings to sleep in a little bit or you can’t handle the idea of eating early in the morning, sure, it’s okay to do fasted cardio. “Just make sure you’re only doing easy workouts when you’re in a fasted state,” says Featherstun. Cap those low-intensity rides at about 45 to 60 minutes, which is about how long it will take before your glycogen stores get low.
Otherwise, when it comes to really putting in the work, it’s better to exercise within one to three hours after eating breakfast. “When you’re properly fueled, it’s going to feel better mentally and physically,” says Antonucci.
Fun pic from Julie's facebook.com/TheWallCyclingStudio
Hi John,
My name is Julie and I am the owner of a cycling studio in Philadlphia, PA called “The wall cycling studio.”
This past weekend I had a couple instructors over and after a little time we somehow got on the discussion of how one of my biggest dreams to live is to show up to a spin class while on vacation, the instructor not show up and for me to be able to jump up and say “I'm certified and ready with a playlist!”
My friend then sent me the most recent email from you about traveling instructors. I think it is amazing and a great way for places to be able to offer quality classes!
Could you let me know some more info? This would be a dream trip for my husband and I!
Thanks again and I look forward to listening to your pod cast!
Julie we've helped hundreds of Indoor Cycling Instructors make this fantasy a reality – except for the part about the absent Instructor – unless it's you who's supposed to teach, but you're asleep in a hammock, on the beach 🙁
My wife Amy and I have been teaching group fitness classes, at All-Inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, pretty much every year since the mid 90's. Every trip has been a dream and we could not have afforded to travel as often as we have, without the assistance of our (now friends) at Fit Bodies, Inc.
We have a separate site devoted to these teaching fitness vacations – and the process is super simple. Here are the basics:
About Fit Bodies, Inc.
Fit Bodies, Inc. has been offering international leisure travel for the fitness instructor since 1992. FitnessProTravel.com is home of the Fit Bodies teaching vacation program.
Instructors offer a couple hours of teaching to resort guests daily and in exchange you and companion(s) stay at luxury all-inclusive resort with accommodations and amenities provided just like a full paying guests. You wine and dine, enjoying an all-inclusive vacation usually costing thousands of dollars for a fraction of the price.
How does it work?
With the Fit Bodies, Inc. program you do not pay the hotel for your stay. You pay a fee for each week you travel, it’s roughly $500 for you and a companion (family resorts include two kids 12 or younger as well) to stay at the resort with all-inclusive everything for seven nights. The resorts are 4-5 star all-inclusive luxury destinations. Teach one or two indoor cycle classes on your non-travel days. It is a WIN WIN! You get a low cost vacation and guests have a great fitness experience! There are even more opportunities to the cycle instructors who also offer group exercise formats.
The details are instructors’ pay for flights and sometimes airport transfer costs (to and from hotel). All resorts participate in the GIFT FUND where we keep the hotel’s activities and sports department up to date with items or money contribution. The gift fund has a value of $150 at most hotels so that is part of your expenses.
There is no cost or obligation when you apply but I encourage you to apply by completing an online account with us at FitnessProTravel.com. The account gives you real time booking availability at all the resorts you qualify to teach at. So then you can choose when and where to travel, book it online with us, and be quickly confirmed with permission to buy flights.
Once you are online at FitnessProTravel.com and going through the app process you will come across membership levels. I know it’s explained on the site but want to elaborate here- With the BASIC (free) membership you can view complete availability but with your free membership you only have access to book 15 resorts. By upgrading to any premium account (including TRAVEL) you will then have booking access to every resort you qualify to teach at. You can view resort details without even having an account by clicking on “TRAVEL SPOTS” on the FitnessProTravel.com home site.
This Podcast is was originally published on February 22, 2009, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey
Keiser Master Trainer Suzette O'Byrne and I discuss the initial response to their new correspondence Indoor Cycling certification course. Keiser has recently introduced their new M5 elliptical trainer and have created a certification program so you can bring the cross training benefits of an elliptical trainer into your class. Update: here is a video of the M5 in action - http://www.keiser.com/m5/
149 Keiser® Striding and Cycling: An Indoor Collision
Workshop PREMIERE (Description from IDEA's site) Suzette O’Byrne and Krista Popowych Group elliptical classes are HOT in Europe! Now you can be among the first in North America to experience “striding” in combination with indoor cycling in this fun and innovative workout format. First, we will cover striding foundations and teach you how to use the on-board computers so you may monitor your progress. Next, discover how you can implement a variety of training methods (i.e., interval drills, speed drills, hiking drills, recovery drills, etc.) for ultimate fitness. Finally, get information on how to develop a class that blends these two formats into one amazing workout. Repeated as sessions 209, 249 and 309. Listen to the Podcast below or subscribe for free using iTunes or Zune.
Bill Pryor from Spynergy Consulting visited the annual IHRSA Show last week to learn what’s new for cycling studio owners and entrepreneurs. Here are some highlights and photos from his report.
“……once I got over the sensory overload, I made a point of visiting all the bike manufacturers to ride the bikes and hear about new trends. I also tried to see what kinds of metrics, programming and video content are out there. I even spent some time with the flooring, lighting, sound system and insurance folks to see if there's anything new studio owners might want to hear about……”
StarTrac. The market leader in bike sales, they were of course showing the NXT and the Blade which have been recently re-designed (very cool styling.) One of their engineers also walked me through a demo of a new console (measuring power) that will be built into the Blade within the next year. You'll be able to get the Blade with or without a power console.
Schwinn. I also rode the magnetic resistance Schwinn AC and got a close look at their console. Power is measured as well as heartrate, cadence and more. Data from the console can be downloaded to a USB pen drive, or wirelessly transmitted via ANT transmission to a garmin or other device.
New Keiser handlebar
Keiser. A new handlebar design for the Keiser M3 should silence complaints from some smaller riders who had troubles with bike fit. They have an established power console and also numbered resistance which lots of people really like. Performance IQ was co-exhibiting with Keiser…they have a system for projecting on-bike data to a screen so instructors and students can view their data.
RealRyder. This uniquely designed bike with the swaying motion is becoming a favorite with some studio-starter who want to have something to clearly delineate them from the large gyms and health clubs. Optimizing the experience does require some special training for instructors and students, but they make a compelling case about the differences and benefits once folks learn.
Freemotion. These guys are the newest player but have created good buzz as they have made the power console and related programming an integral part of what they provide. The design of their console is well organized and highly readable. At this show, they also introduced a quieter “carbon drive” to make for a more smoother, quieter ride, with good durability
Livestrong. I had not ridden their bike before and found it really comfortable. Outside riders will love the fact that there are a wide range of hand position options including actual “drops”. The bike was cool, but to be honest it was hard to focus on the bike because they were showing it in conjunction with the MyRide virtual ride video system with was absolutely astounding….more on that below.
MyRide video management
Non-Bike Highlight: No matter what bike you have or choose….the good news is that if you want to use a video system, there's an amazing one out there. I have seen a lot of video for indoor cycling classes, but the MyRide systems from Matrix/Livestrong was absolutely stunning. The video itself (multiple terrains and imagery), but also the control system interface. There are systems deployed in Europe, but this is brand, brand new in the U.S. A pilot studio is up in San Francisco.
Bill Pryor owns a 48 bike studio in the Boston area and is also founder of Spynergy Consulting, helping entrepreneurs launch and develop their businesses.
Minimal required maintenance – the belt doesn't stretch and you never need to lube it.
Should last forever
Did I mention that it's very quiet?
Weaknesses
More expensive than a chain drive
It may require the pedal crankarms be spaced further apart = wider “Q-factor”
That's all I can think of.
Disclaimer and perspective: I have taught on the FreeMotion S11.9 for the past year at two Life Time Fitness clubs. I train at home on a S11.0 (the home trainer) that was given to me for evaluation purposes.
My only real complaint with the original chain drive FreeMotion S11 series Indoor Cycles has been the amount of chain noise coming from the drive system. That noise, multiplied by 50 or more cycles in a class (or just one in a basement) can be very distracting/unsettling/frenetic and it requires much more volume of both you and your music.
If you've every experienced how calm/relaxed a class with belt driven cycles is, you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about.
Where does this additional noise comes from? It's from the chain wrapping around very small front sprocket used to rotate the flywheel at a much higher RPM than on a friction IC.
Big drive gear x small driven gear = very fast flywheel RPM
All Indoor Cycles use some form of weighted flywheel to mimic the momentum of riding a bicycle. Cycles with magnetic (Eddy Current) resistance (FreeMotion S11.x, Keiser M3 & Schwinn AC) all use an aluminum (or combination aluminum/steel) flywheel. All steel alone won't work when you're using Eddy Currents to create resistance.
Aluminum is lighter than steel = less mass = less rotating momentum. Also the design of the combination flywheels has the “steel” portion closer to the hub, resulting in less mass around the perimeter of the flywheel. The flywheel needs to rotate quite fast to create enough of these “Eddy Current's” to make the requested resistance, which is good because this additional speed makes up for the aluminum's lack of mass. The gear ratio (big crankshaft gear x small flywheel gear) needed to achieve this flywheel speed = additional chain noise.
By using a belt, instead of a chain, FreeMotion has eliminated the noise problem… but all belts are not the same…
There are a number of popular Indoor Cycles using a belt drive system; Keiser M3, Livestrong/Tomahawk and the LeMond RevMaster. All of these cycles all use a Kevlar belt – perfect for most people, except for the cyclists in your class. For them, these Kevlar belts feel very foreign. They don't “feel” like a bicycle because chains create a vibration as it rolls across the sprockets and that vibration is missing from a super smooth Kevlar belt.
I'm sure that Gates did a bunch of research and testing when they developed the Carbon Drive system as a replacement for bicycle chains. Their success (I'm presuming here) would be dependent on creating a replacement for a chain that eliminated all the negatives; maintenance, wear, weight, grease and noise – while retaining the familiar feel of riding a bicycle. The “teeth” of the carbon belt, as it rolls across the pulleys, create a similar vibration to a chain = the “feel” of a bicycle, W/O any of the negatives of a chain.
