Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike reviewed: A budget-friendly alternative to Peloton, made for apps

If you know a Peloton owner, then you already know the appeal of riding high tech indoor bicycles with training programs. But the high price tag is something that scares many folks off. 

Horizon Fitness’ goal is to bring the general consumer a more affordable high tech indoor bike with the freedom to use one’s training apps of choice. 

Somewhere between a traditional flywheel spin bike and the modern smart bikes like Peloton, Horizon’s latest offering, the 7.0 IC (Indoor Cycling) Fitness Bike won’t adjust the ride feel and resistance for you (read: no ERG mode), but it does sport bluetooth connectivity so you can connect your phone, tablet, or any other bluetooth-enabled device to the bike and join in on classes and rides from popular apps such as Zwift, Wahoo SYSTM and even, Peloton.

The bike will communicate the speed, cadence and other activity metrics to the apps, but you’ll still have to manually adjust your resistance, of which there are 100 levels.

I received one to test at the most opportune moment: when I couldn’t ride outdoors due to a broken rib as a result of a bike crash, and the impending and subsequent winter and snowstorms. Having a couple of bike races I needed to train for, I was happy to use an indoor bike as an alternative way to keep my fitness up and my bike-loving brain happy.

Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike: at a glance

• Make and model: Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Indoor Cycle
• MSRP: Currently listed at $799 USD
• Weight: 300 lbs
• BlueTooth/ ANT+ connectivity
• 100 resistance levels
• Dual water bottle holders
• Easy to assemble, easy to use digital console, smooth and quiet flywheel 
• Available on Horizon’s website, and select other online outdoor retailers

Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike: Setting up

Horizon Fitness boasts a long line of indoor fitness equipment and seems to specialize in treadmills, but also offers rowers, ellipticals and indoor bikes. The brand’s name for fame comes from the approachability of their medium-priced, medium-tech equipment which claims to open doors for folks who aren’t looking to spend more than $1,000 on an all-in-one bike. They offer their potential clientele professional grade equipment without locking anyone into subscriptions or memberships and want to give folks the freedom to use anyone’s own favorite fitness app or bluetooth fitness device. 

The Horizon 7.0 IC Indoor Cycle follows the slightly cheaper 5.0 IC model with upgrades including better bike adjustments, another water bottle holder, a USB charging plug in and an included bluetooth heart rate monitor. When purchasing, there are three options for delivery including Curbside, In-Room, and White Glove which means you’ll get more help moving the bike into your house and assembly, respectively. 

The bike arrived at my door for In-Room Delivery and I was able to have the bike left in my desired room in my studio where I could easily unpack it and set it up myself. 

Set up was relatively easy and straightforward. There were few small parts to keep track of and the kit came with the necessary assembly tools and clear instructions. The wiring for the computer was the trickiest part, but it was made easier by a lead wire to get everything where it needed to go without damaging or losing anything. In all, it took me a very slow, pretty relaxed hour. 

My only issue was finding where the electrical outlet plugged into the bike. The outlet did not show up on any diagrams and as someone who has not owned a power-sourced bike, I found this very frustrating (it’s a small divot on the lower left, front fork).

Adjusting the bike to fit my specifics, and the hardness of the seat were probably my biggest grievance for the bike as a whole. As someone who spends almost everyday in the saddle, I was hoping to get the bike to feel comfortable for the long-haul. I maxed out the handlebar height and could not move the seat or the handlebars inward any farther. I eventually felt comfortable in my position but worry about anyone taller than my 5’9” frame, or those with a short torso. 

Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike: the ride

The pedals are dual pedals with SPD clips and cages on either side that move smoothly and quietly, as do the aluminum, magnetic resistant flywheels. The straps on the cages are a little long and intrusive, and flap around while in full ride mode. It gets annoying but can be fixed by tucking or cutting. 

The resistance on the bike goes up to 100 and as someone who has maxed out other indoor bike resistances, I didn’t even get close to topping out. The transitions between resistance levels were also very smooth without a jarring shift, but still noticeable and, as the largest buttons, resistance changes were easy to access on the computer, even during a quick sprint.

What I love most about the bike is the exact thing that it boasts about: its Bluetooth connectivity and the USB charging outlet. I’m relatively new to indoor training apps and previously only owned indoor bikes to have something to do while I watch Netflix, but I decided to use the included free heart rate monitor and I signed up for Zwift to get the full experience. 

The Zwift app was downloaded on my phone, which I could perch nicely on the bike’s amble-spaced tablet holder and easily see the screen. The app could connect to the bike and the heart rate monitor via bluetooth, and the bike monitored the basic stats such as speed, time, distance, cadence and calories, while the fitness app kept me entertained. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun on an indoor bike. I quickly got sucked into the otherwordly Zwift universe and soon, I started racing. Hard. The bike and the fitness app were able to keep up with my manual resistance changes, and slowing down or coasting didn’t feel dangerous or hard as some other heavy equipment bikes can be. There is, however, an emergency brake on the bike, just in case. The dual water bottle holders are key for strenuous longer rides and easy to reach. 

Besides a very sore tush at the end of my ride, I loved the bike. The bike itself is small enough not to be intrusive or an eyesore in my small studio home, and with wheels on the front, I don’t have any problems moving it around. 

It has the smooth resistance and easy transition range I need, with the technological capabilities I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Connecting the bike to a training app was such a different and fun experience, and if you don’t have a training app, or don’t want to use one, the bike has five simple training method options to use as well: manual, distance training, calorie burning, weight loss and interval training. 

Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike: Value and conclusion

Overall, I’d say the Horizon Fitness 7.0 IC Fitness Bike is perfect stationary bike for an average to avid cyclist who's looking for the quality riding experience and technological advancement of a modern indoor bike without breaking the bank. 

The ability to ride with a training app and then upload my rides to Strava changed the way I look at stationary cycling. I can now join in with my friends on virtual group rides and races, and I use this bike significantly more than I did my previous cheaper “analogue” indoor bike. There are still a few quirks that I'll have to tackle, such as a different saddle for the longer rides and altering the straps on the pedal cages, but for the technological benefits at the price point —and the opportunity to ride a bike even with a broken rib— those are small alterations I am happy to make.