Life Fitness IC5 Indoor Cycle Review
The Life Fitness IC5 indoor cycle is a step above the IC4 indoor cycle and a great fit for novices through intermediate and elite trainees. Featuring the tech-integrated top of the line Coach by Color monitor, the IC5 indoor cycle is both an instructor and an excellent exercise bike.
This high-end ICG series IC5 bike has an ANT/+ and Bluetooth connection for exercise data tracking and syncing with cycling fitness apps on mobiles, tablets, and other smart devices.
Other key specs include a rear-drive design with high inertia flywheel, adjustable ergonomic seat and handlebars, silent belt-drive and 100 levels resistance for better muscle toning and cardio. Upper-body workout variety and comfort is supported with multi-position grips on this Life Fitness exercise bike adjustable handlebars.
Life Fitness’s great ergonomics are a selling point for all their indoor cycling bikes. Some examples here include pedals with 155MM Q-factor as recommended by professional cyclists and physical therapists, pin-to-lock adjustable cushioning seat, and the user-assist handlebars to support on the go adjustment.
A compact good looking size, whisper-quiet magnetic resistance, and integrated transport wheels help make the Life Fitness ICG IC5 cycle a favorite choice for home gyms and spinning classes.
The Life Fitness IC5 cycle is a commercial spin bike. Meaning it is made durable enough to handle 3-5 hours of daily usage. From the top to the bottom, the ICG IC5 cycling bike is sturdy and solid.
Additionally, the Life Fitness IC5 features an assuring warranty to give you peace of mind for the investment. Last but not least, you can use the Life Fitness IC5 Indoor Cycle with Myride.
Myride VX Personal is a 10-inch touch-screen tablet by Life Fitness. It gets mounted on IC5 bike handlebars and allows you to watch spinning videos online and do live competition. You will find out more about the compatible ICG Training Apps and Myride VX Personal down below in this Life Fitness IC5 review.
To help you navigate through this Life Fitness IC5 spin bike review, we have created a table of content below.
- Technical Information
- Specs
- Monitor
- MyRide VX Personal
- Pedals and Q-factor
- IC5 Flywheel
- ICG 5 Resistance
- Drive system
- Handlebars and seat
- IC5 Cycle Price and warranty
- Shipping and Assembly
- Life Fitness IC5 Pros
- Life Fitness IC5 Cons
- Final Word on the Life Fitness ICG IC5 Indoor Cycling Bike
Technical Information:
Specs:
- Height: 47″
- Width: 20.5″
- Length: 52″
- Bike Weight: 112 Pounds
- Max User Weight: 330 Pounds
- Inseam Capacity: 27″ to 40″
- Shipping Weight: 130 Pounds
Designed for health clubs, the Life Fitness IC5 with Myride can accommodate all user heights. Unlike cheap spin bikes with lack of adjustment and non-ergonomic design, this Life Fitness bike fits you and everyone else in your family.
The 330 pounds of user weight capacity indicates the sturdiness of the Life Fitness IC5 spin bike. The compact design and transport wheels of Life fitness IC5 with Myride allow you to use the bike anywhere in the house.
One of the things that I love the most about this Life Fitness bike is safe construction. The entire bike is covered with durable plastic which increases the life of the bike and keeps the naughty fingers away from the moving parts.
So, you can place the Life Fitness spin bike in the house with the peace of mind if there are kids in the house. Note that we still recommend using a bike cover for extra safety and to keep the dust away.
Coach by Color Monitor:
- The IC5 monitor is backlit and uses batteries.
- Two quick Start programs: “Train with Power” and “Train with Heart Rate”.
- ICG IC5 exercise bike monitor is Bluetooth and ANT+ enabled.
- The WattRate LCD computer tracks RPM, Watts, Speed, HR, Calories, Time, Current resistance level, and training zone.
- The maximum and average of these values are shown as well.
- Life Fitness ICG IC5 spin bike connects with ICG Training App.
- Using a CooSpo ANT+ Dongle (with a USB-C converter for Mac) will also connect the Life Fitness IC5 with the Zwift. The power source (watt) and cadence (RPM) will be transferred to the app but not the speed.
Let’s start by saying, the IC5 Life Fitness bike has one of the best computers for spin bikes on the entire market. It is not just a monitor but also a coach for the rider.
Life Fitness ICG IC5 indoor cycling bike virtually instructs you through 5 different colors. It is also known as Coach By Color. Depending on how much effort you put when indoor cycling, the color of the screen changes.
Here are the five colors and what they mean. White (very light), Blue (light), Green (Moderate), Yellow (very hard), and Red (Maximum) effort. With this technology now it is easier than ever to know how hard you are cycling.
Aside from the coach by color feature, the Life Fitness IC5 exercise bike accurately tracks all your cycling information. I mentioned the stats that the ICG indoor cycle tracks.
In addition to the current values, you can see the maximum, and average values of all your spinning stats. You can also see your current resistance level on the screen which makes it easy to change intensity and go back to your last level.
ICG IC5 bike by Life Fitness has Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity. So, you can connect your TV, Tablet, Phone or computer to the bike in order to save your daily workout progress or join spinning apps.
The IC5 by Life Fitness is compatible with the ICG Training App. But unfortunately, it doesn’t work with the Zwift cycling App without an ANT+ dongle. This can change in the future. For now, the only Life Fitness spin bike that works with the Zwift without extra accessories is the IC8 bike.
MyRide VX Personal Package
- ICG IC5 indoor bike is compatible with the Life Fitness Myride package.
- The package includes:
- An Android WiFi-enabled 10.1″ HD touch-screen tablet.
- A handlebar mount for the tablet compatible with the IC5, IC6, IC7, and IC8 indoor cycles.
- Three installed Apps “MyRide® Studio Coach” “MyRide® Tour Coach” “MyRide® World View”.
- Through these ICG cycling apps, you can access tens of great pre-recorded cycling classes with the world’s some of the best instructors without a subscription.
- Yes, you read right. ICG apps are free to use and watch spinning classes.
- Myride vx Personal package is not included with the Life Fitness ICG IC5 exercise bike.
Earlier we talked about the IC5 bike’s monitor, now let’s see what is the Myride vx personal. It is an accessory that you can buy and add to your Life Fitness stationary bike IC5. But you don’t need it necessarily!
The Myride package is for those who like to exercise with an instructor but from inside their home. There are many workouts available on the ICG Apps for you to select and exercise.
Myride Personal also has three cycling apps that allow you to choose from On-demand Virtual Workout Selection. The apps are completely free unlike similar apps like Peloton that cost $240 yearly subscription.
Note: MyRide tablet is designed for ICG apps only. Meaning you can not install other fitness apps or use this tablet to watch videos on other platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, etc.
Pedals and Q-Factor:
- Life Fitness IC5 pedals are dual-sided SPD.
- IC5 Q factor is 155mm.
- Pedal straps are adjustable.
One of the selling factors of this Life Fitness exercise bike is the narrow q-factor. I can not think of any other indoor exercise cycling bike from other brands with such an excellent q-factor.
If you are new to indoor cycling and looking to buy spin bikes, the q-factor should be one of the first features to look at. But what is the spin bike q-factor?
The horizontal distance between the two pedals is the q factor. When there is too much distance between your feet, your ankle, knees, and hips can not stay aligned.
And from waist below, your lower body adopts a V-shape form which is not healthy for the long term cycling. Because it brings discomfort and stress on your lower body joints.
Thankfully you don’t need to worry about this when buying Life Fitness IC5 commercial bike because it has a very narrow q factor. And that is one of the great features that you can notice on all ICG IC5 exercise bike reviews.
If you are still reading this IC5 indoor cycling bike review, you already know I love this bike. But the q-factor is not the only reason. Everything single bit of detail is unique and probably that is why finding a Life Fitness ICG exercise bike on sale is difficult.
For instance, the pedals are high-quality Shimano SPD compatible on one side and regular athletic shoe compatible on the other side. So, you can exercise comfortably and safely using a pair of spinning shoes.
IC5 Indoor Cycle Flywheel:
- Life Fitness IC5 Flywheel is 9 pounds.
- Aluminum flywheel materials.
- The IC5 indoor cycle has a rear, evenly-weighted flywheel.
- IC5 flywheel has a full protection guard.
Forget what you heard about the flywheel weight when the bike has magnetic resistance combined with dual Pulley drive system. The magnetic system combined with dual pulley drive type creates fast and aggressive inertia.
ICG 5 has two pulley systems which you will learn more about it in the drive section down below this ICG IC5 review. But what I can ensure you of, is that the IC5 provides a road bike feel with 9 pounds flywheel.
But what I love even more about the Life Fitness IC5 indoor cycle flywheel is the material and protection guard. Unlike steel, aluminum doesn’t rust and it is always easy to clean.
The protection guard helps to have peace of mind when kids are around. It covers the sharp corners and holes so the naughty fingers are safe.
The ICG series IC5 plastic flywheel guard also protects the flywheel and the magnets if they accidentally come in contact with anything during transportation.
ICG 5 Resistance:
- Life fitness Ic5 with Myride resistance is magnetic.
- ICG IC5 cycling bike has 100 increments of resistance.
- The IC5 bike features lever adjustment.
- IC5 indoor cycle monitor displays the current resistance level.
Life Fitness IC5 Indoor Cycle features a maintenance-free and silent magnetic resistance. And in case you don’t know, there are two types of resistance. Friction and magnetic. Magnetic resistance is the best because it is extremely smooth, silent and doesn’t wear out.
The Life Fitness ICG IC5 cycle has 100 precise 100 increments of resistance levels which is unique on the entire market. With ICG5 you are not stuck with 10 levels. There are many resistance increments to allow you to precisely change the resistance to meet your fitness needs.
Another great feature of the Life Fitness IC5 cycle is the tactile lever. Compared to the knob, the lever is much easier to reach and control the resistance with.
It is located at the handlebar post which makes it easy to access from any ride position.
Last but not least, is tracking the resistance level. On most spin bikes, you need to guess the resistance level because they don’t display the resistance level on the screen. But the Life Fitness IC5 takes the guess workout out of the way. Resistance is displayed as 0-100 on the WattRate LCD computer.
IC5 Bike Drive System:
- Dual pulley system with 1:10 gear ratio.
- This Life Fitness bike has a Poly-V belt drive.
- Rear drive-train system.
- Full frame shroud.
Since we mentioned a few times in this Life Fitness IC5 bike review, you probably already know that the ICG 5 has a belt drive system. But that is very common these days. Some cheap spin bikes under $150 also have a belt instead of chain.
Now, let’s find out what is actually special about the IC5 drive system. First of all, the Poly-V belt drive is car-grade and doesn’t stretch. So, you don’t need to adjust the belt every week.
The drive mechanism is in the back of the bike which keeps the magnets, flywheel, belt, gears, bearings and everything else away from the sweat zone. So, there is less maintenance and very little to clean after exercise.
But what I love the MOST about the Drive-mechanism of this Life fitness exercise bike is the big belt-ring and two small pulleys that create 1:10 ratio. Meaning, the belt-ring will make 1 turn for every 10 turns of the small pulleys.
And that is how this Life Fitness bike manages to generate an incredibly fast flywheel speed and real rode cycling feels without the need for a heavy flywheel. It is the exact revolutionary dual-pulley technology that Keiser M3i indoor cycle has and it works perfectly.
ICG 5 Handlebars and Seat:
- IC5 has aluminum pin-to-lock adjustment posts.
- IC5 Cycling bike has user-assist handlebar adjustment.
- ICG IC5 Life Fitness handlebars are fore/aft adjustable.
- Life Fitness IC5 seat is fore/aft adjustable.
- The bike has a unisex padded sport saddle.
- Handlebars are equipped with dual water bottle holders.
Looking at the pictures I listed through this Life Fitness IC5 reviews, you easily spot this bike’s seat and handlebars are vertically and horizontally adjustable.
And that is very important for spin bikes because without adjustment it is difficult to set up the bike properly for all user heights. But thankfully you don’t need to worry about fitting the Life Fitness IC5.
Every member of your family should be able to do a spinning workout on the Life Fitness IC5 spin bike. There are a few details about the handlebar and seat of this Life Fitness spin bike that make it really stand out.
The IC5 cycling seat has a comfortable racing-styles that minimize chafing. And the handlebars have two easy to reach water bottle holders to keep you hydrated.
Seat and handlebars posts are aluminum which is durable, corrosion resistance, and lightweight compared to steel to make the adjustment easier. The pin-to-lock system doesn’t wear out and can last decades of use.
The ergo formed user-assist handlebars shouldn’t go unnoticed either. It is enhanced for comfort and performance providing a soft, durable rubber grip with innovative bar-ends featuring a natural curve.
Lastly, user-assist technology. It pushes the handlebars up when the adjustment knob is loosened. So, you wouldn’t need to get off the bike and can adjust the handle exactly how it fits you best.
IC5 Cycle Price and Warranty:
- IC5 warranty includes:
- 5 Years structure frame
- 3 Years mechanical components
- 1 year other parts and labor.
- Life Fitness IC5 price is under $1900.
Featuring top of the line commercial quality, Bluetooth, ANT+ Team ICG Coach by Color LCD monitor, excellent q factor and tons of other good features, it is fair to say Life Fitness IC5 price is reasonable.
The Life Fitness IC5 exercise bike has everything you can wish for in a spin bike and retails for the same price of Schwinn AC Performance which doesn’t even have a monitor.
Compared to many other indoor cycles on the market, the Life Fitness ICG IC5 spin bike has a more reasonable price coming from a world’s top fitness equipment brand.
It is also back with an excellent warranty. Not only it gives you peace of mind, this warranty is also a good sign of quality and shows how much trust the company has the IC5 indoor cycle.
Shipping and assembly:
- Life Fitness IC5 shipping is free in the United States.
- It comes in a single box.
- IC5 Assembly tools are included. (Torque wrench, 15mm pedal wrench, 6mm ball hex socket, 3 and 6 mm Allen wrenches and two people.)
- ICG 5 comes 70% assembled and requires little assembly.
Life Fitness ICG IC5 indoor cycling bike feature free shipping. It is around 130 pounds when shipped. And it often ships in one box. So, you might need help getting it in the house. In the box, you will receive the Life Fitness IC5 manual that will lead you through the assembly process.
Note that Life Fitness IC5 assembly is not difficult. The most important parts such as the flywheel, magnets, crank-arms are all factory assembled.
The only parts that you need assemble are the bottom stabilizers, dual-sided spd pedals, monitor, seat, and handlebars. Note, the IC5 cycle assembly process is easier if there are two people.
Life Fitness IC5 Pros:
Poly-V Belt Drivetrain:
The ICG 5 drivetrain is equipped with a Poly-V belt. It has a 1:10 gear ratio and is capable of transferring high levels of torque smoothly. This mechanism requires less maintenance and makes less noise.
Fully adjustable:
As we mentioned earlier in our Life Fitness IC5 indoor cycle review, this bike has superior vertical and horizontal adjustment. 4-Way adjustments ensure a finely-tuned fit for all riders.
- WattRate LCD back-lit computer.
- Training intensity Coach By Color system.
- Bluetooth and ANT+ connect technology.
- Compatible with Team ICG Training App for workout tracking.
- Industry leading narrow q factor.
- 100 Level magnetic resistance.
- IC5 indoor cycle monitor shoes the current resistance level.
- Myride VX Personal compatibility.
- Fully shrouded frame and parts.
- The IC5 bike features stretch pads and adjustable floor protection feet.
- Dual water bottle holders.
- Generous warranty.
Life Fitness IC5 Cons:
Myride vx Personal not included:
ICG 5 spin bike is compatible with Myride vx Personal but this accessory is not included. Therefore, if you want to ride the Life fitness IC5 with Myride tablet, you need to purchase it separately.
Chest strap not included:
The fact that ICG IC5 cycling bike monitor connects with coded straps is great. But for this price tag, I was hoping the heart rate strap is included with the ICG spin bike IC5. Unfortunately, it is not.
- Handlebars don’t have armrest.
- It doesn’t connect with the Zwift cycling App without an ANT+ dongle.
Final Word On the Life Fitness IC5 Indoor Cycling Bike:
Smooth and durable, the Life Fitness IC5 exercise bike has earned several awards. It is a top option in its price range for newcomers to indoor cycling training as well as people with more experience.
Now it is sold for hundreds less than usual because the newer models are out. The price, quality and features are unbeatable for all the competitors. We couldn’t say enough good about the Life Fitness IC5 commercial bike.
IC5 Life Fitness bike is going to give you fantastic value for a starter price point of just $1800. It’s a great choice for those who are looking to lose weight, firm up their body, and help take the stress and strain off their joints that come from other high-impact workouts.
IC5 by Life Fitness is also ideal for most people to use comfortably because of its adjustable features. As long as you are of below 330 pounds, this ICG indoor cycle should be sufficient to meet your fitness needs.
Pair it with an iPod or tablet computer and you’ll be enjoying each spinning session while saving your daily progress on the Apps for monthly and weekly comparison.
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs.
Where can I buy one of those? The Amazon link seems to be dead. The office site is still asking for $1,999. Do you guys have another source to buy one? Thanks!
Hi Robert, unfortunately at the moment that is the price for this bike. For $1999, I would personally recommend the Keiser M3i, it is completely made in the US (unique quality) and has great ergonomics.
FYI I use this bike with Zwift: I achieved this by purchasing an ANT+ USB dongle and plugging this into my Windows laptop (MS Surface in my case). This picks up the required power and cadence levels and works perfectly. I also use it with the Peleton app which I run on my Android phone and cast to the TV. Again this works well, provided the phone has ANT+ capability.
Hello. I have the ic5 and I am interested in using it with Zwift. Could you please tell me what dongle brand did you bought. Do you think it will work with a Mac? Have you tried with any other app, like sufferfest or Rouvy? Thanks
Hi Gabriel, thanks for stopping by
I can confirm that using a CooSpo ANT+ Dongle (with a USB-C converter for Mac) will connect the Life Fitness IC5 with the Zwift. The power source (watt) and cadence (RPM) will be transferred to the app but not the speed. I am not 100% sure but I believe using the ANT+ dongle will connect the IC5 indoor bike to The Sufferfest app as well.
I hope it helps
Thanks a lot. You have been very helpful
Very disappointed in the product, ic5. I have been riding the ic5 twice a week for 3 months and the monitor is not working properly anymore. The monitor would turn off and on or will not work at all…The gym I work out at has 35 bikes and 18 of the bikes are not working properly..
I can’t make the resistance work. Above level 6 is sets the breaks off (doesn’t break but makes the very loud metallic noise). Anyone knows what I’m doing wrong?
Hi Sara, you need to open the flywheel cover and see what is coming in contact with the magnets that make the noise. Either there is something attached to the magnets or they are are not properly aligned so when you add resistance, they come in direct contact with the flywheel. It is not a difficult fix if you are good with the tools.
Thank you for your reply, I’ll give it a go
Hi,
My bike makes lot of noise at 0 resistance and above 70RPM.
What could be wrong? It’s a new bike and had this issue on first use.
Hi Roger,
Did you sort out the noise issue? I am asking as I also bought an IC5 and experience the same issue. Noise starts at 70 RPM, loudest at around 100 RPM, no noise past 115RPM.
Hi Roger, it’s hard to say what is causing the noise, it can be the magnets touching the flywheel because even at zero resistance, they remain close to the flywheel or it can be the bearings that cause the noise. Also, check and see if the belt is aligned as this can also cause the noise. Spin bikes, in general, have an extremely simple mechanism and they are easy to repair.
Unless your IC5 is still under warranty, I suggest you open the covers and try to fix the issue yourself, it shouldn’t take too long as long as you have the right tools.
YEB Team – Phenomenal site! Thank you for the effort to put together really detailed reviews.
I have not come across any other website that goes to the great lengths that you do.
My wife and I are looking to buy a spin bike for home use.
Currently considering the Life Fitness IC5 and the Schwinn IC8 (IC4 in the US) as there are not a lot of options in our part of the world.
Based on your reviews on the two bikes, both appear to be at par or are closely comparable w/ many of the bike’s features. The LF IC5 though is so much more expensive than the Schwinn.
Are the incremental improvements noticeable w/ the LF IC5 vs the Schwinn IC8 (IC4)?
Trying to find a compelling reason to shell out the extra $ for the LF IC5.
Many thanks!
Thanks Keddy, we are glad to help
IC5 has a better drive system and more accurate fitness tracking technology plus “MyRide VX Personal package compatibility”. And even more importantly, IC5 has a narrow industry leading Q-factor (155mm vs 190mm). It uses direct Watt rate tracking which gives the top-of-the-line power output accuracy. Additionally, its monitor is more advanced featuring “Couch by Color” technology. LF IC5 included a few other superior features as well.
If these are not important factors for you and the price difference is $1000 or more (not a couple hundred), I recommend the Schwinn IC4 (AKA IC8 in the UK). IC4 by Schwinn is a great value indoor bike for the price but it’s not comparable with LF IC5.
Life Fitness IC5 all the way to IC8 feature the combinations of highly adjustable magnetic system, high-gear ratio, and lightweight flywheels which helps them create similar to road bike cycling experience.
I hope we answered your question, if you have more concerns, questions, or opinions to share, please reply to this comment.
We are always happy to hear our readers’ feedback.
Have a beautiful day!
Best,
YEBT
Many thanks YEB Team for the swift detailed reply – Very helpful!
Can the MyRide VX Personal package be done via a non-LF tablet like an iPad?
Can the LF IC5 provide seamless integration w/ 3rd party apps like Peloton or Zwift?
Any feedback on LF’s ICG app classes? (Appears to be free w/ the bike purchase)
Does the coach by color make a difference for someone using the bike alone?
(ie not part of a commercial group fitness class or not with a spin coach)
Thank you!
Hello, I’m considering a used LF IC5 versus a new Schwinn IC4 or a Peloton bike. I don’t want to spend the money for Peloton, but I will use the Peloton app if I get the Schwinn of LF IC5. My question is at $800 used from a fitness equipment reseller is the LF IC5 considered a good buy?
Hello Darren, thanks for stopping by, and sorry if my response is a bit late!
It depends on the condition of the LF IC5, if it is in great condition and comes with some sort of warranty and its Coach By Color monitor included, I would suggest the IC5, but otherwise, it is better to buy the brand new Schwinn IC4. Or, since you will be using the Peloton app, I recommend you to join this Facebook Group “https://www.facebook.com/groups/pelotonbst/” where they sell and buy second-hand Peloton bikes.
I hope it helps
Best
YEB Team
To anybody interested in this POS, I have a lightly used one going to the curb. The app is worst in class. If you don’t care about data, then get a mechanical brake for half the price.