The 4 Best Fitness Trackers For Spinning

Whether you’re new to indoor cycling or you’re a seasoned pro, the best fitness trackers for Spinning are designed to help you track meaningful metrics during your workouts. To choose the best fitness tracker for you, think about the statistics that you’d like to know (this is a personal decision based on the specific goals that you have for your sessions) and select a device that tracks them. For example, explains Lauren Wilson, ACE-CPT and a senior master instructor at indoor cycling franchise CycleBar, “if someone were interested in improving their cardiovascular endurance, they would ideally select a fitness tracker that monitors heart rate and rhythm metrics.” It’s also a good idea to choose a fitness tracker that has a specific mode for indoor cycling to ensure the device accurately tracks your session (some devices can’t track certain types of workouts unless you tell them to) or just so you can glance at your exercise history and know which sessions were indoor cycling workouts. Some picks even have indoor cycling workouts that are programmed directly into the device, allowing you to easily follow a preset session.

There are a ton of fitness trackers out there, but Wilson notes that “generally speaking, fitness trackers will be compatible with all stationary bikes.” However, it’s important to note that “some stationary bikes offer a built in tracking device that can sync with a fitness tracker,” so it’s best to determine if that’s the case for the exercise bike that you typically use in order to choose a tracker that can take full advantage of all the features. Because most fitness trackers utilize GPS, they likely won’t be able to directly measure statistics like the distance traveled, cadence, or speed, since an exercise bike is stationary. However, some bikes can track these types of stats (you may have to manually input the data, though), and some fitness trackers are compatible with helpful accessories that you can put on the bike to measure them, so be on the lookout for that if that’s of interest.

Beyond indoor cycling-related features, there are tons of extra considerations to take into account when choosing between the different fitness tracker options. Pay attention to details like battery life, especially if you want to track sleep in addition to exercise, and aesthetics, since some trackers can actually be quite sleek and stylish. If you want to use the tracker for exercises beyond just indoor cycling, make sure you choose one that’s compatible with all of your workouts — for example, you’ll need a waterproof model if you also want to use the fitness tracker for swimming. Depending on your preferences, you might find a smartwatch suits you better than a fitness tracker. Like fitness trackers, most smartwatches are also able to track helpful workout statistics, but they typically have many more built-in features, such as the ability to display calls or texts when paired with a smartphone. Smartwatches tend to be much pricier, though, so you’ll need to determine if these extras are worth the added cost.

These four fitness trackers all are great options for indoor cycling. They have the ability to track a variety of helpful statistics, plus they are packed with other features that you’ll totally love.

1. A Fan-Favorite Fitness Tracker For Less Than $100

With a whopping 56,000 and growing reviews on Amazon and a solid 4.5-star rating overall, the Fitbit Charge 4 is well adored on the site because it’s packed with helpful features all while being well-priced at less than $100. The fitness tracker is an excellent choice for both indoor cycling newbies and enthusiasts alike — it has a built-in mode specifically for indoor cycling (in addition to 20 other goal-based exercise modes), and it can track helpful statistics like heart rate. Utilize the Fitbit app to view a bunch of other valuable information, such as a workout intensity map that shows changes to your heart rate. The battery can last up to 7 days on a single charge or up to 5 hours when utilizing the built-in GPS to track your pace and distance during outdoor runs, rides, hikes, and more. This pick is water-resistant up to about 164 feet, so it can be worn during swim sessions, too. Other cool features include the ability to track your skin’s temperature and even your sleep trends.

Choose from a few different band color options.

Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Let's start by saying I workout 4-5 days a week, usually weights, spin and the occasional general cardio workout, along with this I bike to and from work 5 days a week. [...] For me the heart rate monitor helps figure out where I'm at in my workout and how much more I should push.”

2. An Editor-Approved Smartwatch With Tons Of Programmed Workouts

Not only is the Venu 2S from Garmin supremely stylish, it’s also a superior pick when it comes to functionality during workouts and frankly just every day life. The smartwatch can track more than 25 different types of exercise — including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf, and of course, indoor cycling — and even has a variety of workouts preloaded directly into the device. In fact, a Bustle editor specifically tested one of the watch’s programmed indoor cycling workouts and felt that it pushed her harder than when she was working out on her own, vibrating to signal interval changes and keeping her heart rate in the aerobic zone throughout her workout. But even when she was cycling on her own, she felt that the amount of information the watch provided was top notch. “I take a really data-driven indoor cycling class where the whole appeal is the dashboard they project, and the Garmin displays all that same info and then some,” she reported. The watch displayed stats like heart rate and intensity zones during use, with additional info, such as calories burned, available via Garmin’s corresponding smartphone app. The only potentially helpful information she couldn’t get related to speed and distance, but if you care about these stats there’s good news — the Venu 2S is compatible with this Garmin speed sensor. The watch makes it super easy to pair the sensor, too, prompting you the moment you click through to the indoor cycling tracker.

Workouts aside, you’ll love wearing this pick on a daily basis. The watch can be paired with Android or Apple smartphones, so you’ll never miss a call, text, or social media alert since the notifications will be delivered right to your wrist. The watch is highly customizable using Garmin’s app, which also allows you to view even more data collected by the watch, and you can even download up to 650 songs directly to the device — including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer — for phone-free listening. Garmin Pay allows for contactless payments while on the go. This pick has a 5 ATM waterproof rating (meaning it can be submerged up to 50 meters, aka about 164 feet, for up to 10 minutes), and it has a battery life of up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 7 hours in GPS mode with music.

Choose from a range of different-shaped watch faces and band colors, including the larger Venu 2 and the rectangular Venu Sq.

Enthusiastic Amazon review: “First off, I'm a personal trainer and triathlete, and I've been a Garmin fan for years - their devices last a long time, and are the best at fitness tracking. [...] Lightweight, extremely comfortable, no metal in the buckle (I'm allergic to nickel, used in most watch buckles) [...] Has all the exercise modalities I use, and lots more: swimming outdoors, swimming in pool, biking indoors, bike outside, run indoors, run track, run outside/road, yoga, strength training, hiking.”

3. A Budget-Friendly Fitness Tracker With A Long Battery Life

If you don’t want to fork over big bucks for a fitness tracker, the Amazfit Band 5 fitness tracker costs less than $50 — a total steal! But despite its low price tag, it actually has a number of features that you’ll find useful. With 11 different sport modes (indoor cycling included), the device is designed to accurately track meaningful statistics during your workout sessions such as heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. This pick has a superb battery life of 15 days (or up to 25 days in power-saving mode), so you won’t have to worry about constantly plugging it in for a charge.

Fitness tracking aside, this pick has Amazon Alexa built in, allowing you to ask questions, get translations, set alarms and timers, create shopping lists, check the weather, control your smart home devices, and more. The 1.1-inch screen is touch-friendly, and you can choose from two built-in custom watch faces or from 45 others in the compatible app. This pick has a 5 ATM waterproof rating, and it monitors sleep patterns.

Choose from a couple of band colors and a few different styles, too.

Enthusiastic Amazon review: “This band is really good, [tracks] every step you perform. The sleep tracking is very accurate, and the workout options are really nice, battery is good also. Now I have a very accurate tracking of my activity with feedback of my goal achievements. Outstanding [price]/quality relation. [Fully] recommended.”

4. A Highly Rated Apple Watch With Advanced Health-Measuring Features

A near-perfect 4.8-star rating overall on Amazon — after a whopping 40,000-plus reviews — is a true testament to just how many people love the Apple Watch Series 6, with tons of reviewers indicating that the touchscreen smartwatch is worth every penny because it’s easy to use and filled with features. From a fitness perspective, this pick has 14 built-in workouts that it tracks, including indoor cycling, running, walking, cycling, yoga, swimming, and dance. During indoor cycling sessions, the watch will measure your heart rate (BPM) and the duration of workout. You can also check your heart rhythm with the ECG app, and measure your blood oxygen with a built-in sensor and app. Then, view all of your workout trends in the Fitness app on your iPhone.

When it comes to other features, this pick can receive both calls and texts (when paired with your iPhone), and you can even sync your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly to it. The smartwatch can track sleep, too. This pick is water-resistant, and it’ll run up to 18 hours on a single charge.

Choose from different colors and watch bands, two sizes — 40 or 44 millimeters — and from either a GPS-only model or a model that uses both GPS and cellular data.

Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I am extremely pleased with my new purchase. Everything Apple said it does it does extremely well. Love the EKG, the sleep tracking, the oxygen level and for me for the gym the tracking of my workouts. I would definitely recommend. It is a quality product and if you can take care of it I know from my series 1 watch that it will last and is a great investment.”

Expert:

Lauren ‘Lolo’ Wilson, ACE-CPT, Senior Master Instructor at CycleBar in Charlotte, NC