The bikes came in and I've been on them during circuit sessions this week. (They're just another station in the circuit, like the ladder drill or hula hoop.) I've also spent a bit of time just playing around with them and talking them over with the owner of the gym, and getting my son's input, too.

They do NOT work like the fake motorcycles at the arcade. They don't just lean over. They are articulated in two places, the front "fork" and under the seat post, so the resistance wheel in the back goes opposite of the bars.

It IS hard to lean them over, and I guess that's intentional to get that core workout. What I didn't like is that there were pressure points on my inner thigh against the saddle. I tried to lean it by just turning the bars, and that required a lot of pressure on my hands. Because there's no momentum like on a real bike, just leaning over seems awkward (and pointless) but that's just my opinion.

Overall, I think they're fine as spin bikes, and you'll never get "real" riding out of a stationary bike, but they're a good approximation. If I spend more time on it, and my opinion changes, I'll let you know.

Karen