The popularity of some exercise equipment and workout techniques come and go, but not indoor cycling.
Indoor exercise bikes have long proven themselves to be a staple for any good home gym, and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
With that in mind, we’ve taken two of the most popular and functional exercise bikes, Stages’ SC3 and Keiser’s M3i, and pitted them against one another.
In this post, we’ll briefly discuss why your home gym simply isn’t complete without a good indoor exercise bike as well as detail the main differences between the Stages SC3 and the Keiser M3i.
Let’s take a look at them now.
Benefits of an Indoor Exercise Bike
There is a ton of awesome benefits to owning your own exercise bike, here are the main ones:
- No excuses: Whether it be extreme weather, a lingering pandemic, lack of time, or simply for convenience, having an exercise bike in your home gym means there is never an excuse not to get a much-needed cardio workout in.
- Data-rich training: A quality exercise bike offers athletes the opportunity to collect a massive amount of workout data. Metrics like heart rate, VO2 max, pedaling effectiveness, and revolutions per minute are all easily tracked and recorded for later reference.
- Immersive cycling experience: Indoor cycling bikes offer athletes an immersive experience that is not only realistic but also super motivating. Features like real-road feel, handlebar-mounted air fans, gear change simulation, and downhill drive inertia make the transition from the open road to indoor cycling that much more exciting.
- Proven fitness and health results: Regular use of indoor cycling bikes has many scientifically proven fitness and health benefits. Studies have shown that the use of exercise bikes helps lose weight, reduce blood pressure, increase cardiovascular health, and improve lipid profile (a measure of cholesterol and triglyceride levels).
Stages SC3 vs Keiser M3i
Both the Stages SC3 and the Keiser M3i are a great solution for anybody searching for a quality indoor cycling bike. There are, however, a few differences between the two.
Here’s how their specs compare to one another:
| Stages SC3 | Keiser M3i |
|---|---|
| Fiber belt resistance | Silent magnetic resistance |
| Aluminum alloy and stainless steel frame | Stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions of L 1105mm (43.5″) x W 620mm (24.5″) | Dimensions of L 1143mm (45″) x W 660mm (26″) x H 1245mm (49″) |
| The bike weighs 96lbs/43kg | The bike weighs 85lbs/38.5kg |
| Stages Flight app | Keiser app |
| Price: $2,690 | Price: $2,260 |
|
Warranty: Frame: 10 years Carbon belt: 10 years Mechanical system: 3 years Labor and electrics: 1 year Wearable Parts: 6 months |
Warranty: Frame: 10 years Parts: 3 years Wearable Parts: 6 months |
Stages SC3 and Keiser M3i Pros and Cons
Both the Stages SC3 and Keiser M3i have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at them here:
Stages SC3 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The SC3’s SprintShift resistance system is a definite highlight. This system makes changing between different levels of resistance super smooth and easy.
- The SC3’s EcoSCRN is another great feature. This digital console runs off an athlete’s pedaling power, meaning no mains power or batteries are required.
- Adjustable padded seat and forearm-aft make for a super comfortable ride.
- Awesome 10-year warranty on both the bike’s frame and resistance belt.
Cons:
- Cannot be folded away for storage.
- Heavier than the M3i.
- The SC3 is slightly less affordable than the Keiser M3i.
Keiser M3i Pro and Cons
Pros:
- The M3i has a massive range of 24 different resistance levels.
- The bike’s Poly-V belt drive is self-tensioning, meaning maintenance is kept to an absolute minimum.
- The M3i features a Brand New Keiser M-Connect Computer giving you the ability to transmit to multiple Bluetooth devices at once, connecting to your favorite fitness apps with ease.
- The M3i is lighter than the SC3.
- The M3i is more affordable than the SC3.
Cons:
- Cannot be folded away for storage.
- Lacks a bottle holder or other form of an integrated storage system.
- Lacks extras like built-in speakers and wireless data logging.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the good news is, whichever indoor exercise bike you decide to choose, you are going to end up with a high-quality, super functional, and reliable training companion.
Both the Stages SC3 and Keiser M3i are great options.
And really, when it comes down to it, your final decision is likely to come down to slight personal preferences. Purchasing considerations like product cost, integrated features, and warranty length will likely be the final deciding factor.
If you believe the Stages SC3 or the Keiser M3i is the bike for you, check them out below.