The 1260sc Studio Cycle has rapidly become one of Diamondback’s most popular exercise bikes and it’s not that hard to see why.

Not only does this cycle come with a sleek, rear-mounted flywheel design, but it’s heavy-duty, affordable, and packed with awesome features.

Sounds pretty good right?

More specifically, the 1260sc comes with a 31 lb flywheel, 16 magnetic resistance levels, a fully adjustable seat/handlebars, and dual-compatible pedals.

And even though you won’t find any HD touchscreens mounted in front, its console is sophisticated for a cycle in this price range.

Not only is it bluetooth/ANT+ compatible, but it also comes with a watt meter and a self-generating power source.

Overall, there’s not much to complain about with the 1260sc, but there are several great bikes in this price range, so it’s got some stiff competition.

Is the 1260sc the right bike for you?

Well, that’s what I’m here to help you figure out.

In this article, I’ll be going over everything this bike has to offer, as well as where it has room for improvement – I’ll also compare it to some of the other top cycles in this price range to see how it stacks up.

After reading, you’ll know everything you need to know before deciding.

Well, let’s do this.

The Diamondback 1260sc Studio Cycle

Diamondback has a rather modest selection of exercise machines to choose from, but the ones they offer are highly regarded.

I think it’s fair to say they specialize in exercise bikes, but they do have a couple of interesting elliptical machines in their lineup and they’re generally well-reviewed too.

As a brand, Diamondback has a great reputation and you often see their products on yearly “best of” lists (myself included).

I actually owned their 510ic Indoor Cycle a few years ago and loved it – I ended up giving it away to one of my neighbors when we moved, but that was only because we got a Peloton and weren’t using it much anymore.

Anyway, the 1260sc is the newest addition to their lineup and Diamondback seems to be promoting it pretty heavily.

And is seems to be working, according to Diamondback, the 1260sc has become one of their best sellers.

And is it me, or are Diamondback exercise bikes getting more affordable…I’m pretty sure I had to pay a lot more than $500 for my 510ic a few years ago…

But back to the 1260sc.

Pros

• 31 lb, rear-mounted flywheel
• Belt drive
• Magnetic resistance system
• Heavy-duty frame
• 300 lb weight limit
• Fairly advanced console
• Bluetooth/ANT+ compatible
• Self-generating power system
• Fully adjustable seat
• Fully adjustable handlebars
• Dual-compatible pedals
• Tablet holder

Cons

• Only 16 resistance levels
• Warranty could be longer
• No built-in workout programs

Resistance

I always start my reviews with a rundown on the resistance system because this is really the heart of the bike – especially when it comes to indoor cycles.

Indoor cycles replicated the feel of riding a road bike, but I think most of us opt for ’em because they can offer a serious workout (and they don’t take up much space).

When it comes to home exercise bikes, there are really 2 types of resistances you’ll see – friction brakes and magnetic systems.

Most cycles these days are coming with magnetic systems, which is a good thing, but there are still plenty of friction brake bikes out there too.

The 1260sc is a magnetic bike, so I won’t bore you too much with the friction brake talk, but if you ask me, magnetic is the way to go because it offers a smoother ride and doesn’t require the replacement of brake pads.

The 1260sc comes with 16 resistance levels, which is ok, but I think it would be nice if it came with more.

The number of resistance levels doesn’t affect the amount of resistance the bike can provide, but it does affect how much control you have over that resistance.

More levels = more control.

And I say that because the more levels you have, the smaller the adjustments you can make to your resistance throughout your workouts.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a Peloton owner and as such, I’ve gotten used to having 100 levels to work with.

I love this because I can make tiny adjustments to the resistance, fine tuning the intensity as I see fit throughout each workout.

And there are other cycles in this price range that have also adopted the 100 level scale, like Schwinn’s IC4.

I would also expect more levels on the 1260sc considering their 910ic comes with 32 resistance levels, just sayin’.

But to be honest, this is a very small detail – let’s move on to something more important, like the flywheel.

The 1260sc comes with a rear-mounted flywheel, a design that looks really cool, but it also serves a purpose to protect the flywheel from sweat damage.

We have Keiser to thank for the rear-mounted design, but unlike Keiser’s M3i, the 1260sc doesn’t use a light flywheel – it uses a heavy one.

31 lb heavy to be more exact.

This isn’t massive by today’s standards, where even super affordable cycles can come with 40 lb+ flywheels, but I would argue it’s still heavy enough to provide a smooth pedaling motion.

I generally agree with the “heavier is better” theory for flywheels (most anyway), but I think it gets to a point where companies make flywheels heavier just to make them heavier.

And I think 30 lb is a nice imaginary line to draw in the sand, where flywheels that weigh at least this much are big enough to be considered “heavy”.

And most users agree the 1260sc provides a smooth, quiet pedaling motion (belt drive) and is able to provide more than enough resistance to challenge riders of all skill levels.

But again, don’t buy this cycle thinking it uses a lightweight flywheel because it doesn’t.

Overall, it would be nice to see a few more resistance levels on this cycle, but I like that it comes with a heavy flywheel and I appreciate the rear-mounted design.

Frame

It’s important to think about a bike’s resistance system, but it’s also important to consider the durability and feel of the frame.

Those are vague terms that can be difficult to objectively measure, especially without getting a chance to try the bike out first, but there are a couple of things you can look for to get a better idea before purchasing.

Like the assembled weight.

The assembled weight spec is always one of the first things I look for when researching a new bike because this spec gives you an idea as to how stable the bike’s likely going to feel during rides.

And I think being a heavier bike is almost always a good thing.

I say that because heavier bikes are going to be less likely to wobble or move around during use, making for a more solid, secure feel.

A heavier-duty bike should, theoretically, last longer too.

When it comes to indoor cycles, I like to see an assembled weight of at least 100 lb, although I’m more forgiving for cycles that utilize really lightweight flywheels.

The M3i mentioned above, for example, only weighs in at around 92 lb, but it’s flywheel only weighs 8 lb – if it had a heavy flywheel like most, it would weigh well over 100 lb.

Anyway, with this in mind, I’d like to point out that the 1260sc comes with an assembled weight of 130 lb, which is heavy for any indoor cycle, but especially so for one in this price range.

This is very close to what the Peloton Bike weighs and is significantly more than Schinn’s IC4 mentioned earlier (weighs around 106 lb).

The only bike in this price range that I can think of immediately that’s heavier-duty is Sole’s SB900, which weighs an astounding 160 lb (but it comes with a 48 lb flywheel, so that helps).

But this is how Diamondback rolls – they create heavy-duty, robust bikes that feel solid during workouts.

The other thing to look for is weight capacity – seeing higher limits is another good sign of overall durability and build quality.

The 1260sc only comes with a 300 lb weight limit, but this is pretty standard for indoor cycles (Sole’s crazy heavy-duty SB900 comes with the same weight limit).

Oh, I also want to point out that according to Diamondback, folks between 5’2″ and 6’5″ tall should be able to fit this cycle, so that includes folks of most heights.

Overall, I’m very impressed by how heavy-duty this cycle is and you shouldn’t worry about this bike feeling wobbly during use.

Warranty

Diamondback covers the 1260sc Studio Cycle with the following home warranty:

• 5 year frame
• 3 year brake
• 1 year parts/electronics
• 90 day labor

Alright, I wouldn’t call this a great warranty, but it’s not awful either.

Five years is pretty common for the frame, even for luxury bikes (Peloton, Keiser), but it could certainly be longer (Sole offers lifetime frame guarantees, NordicTrack offers 10 years).

A year on parts is kinda short, but again, this isn’t unheard of, even for more expensive cycles (Peloton).

That said, other brands offer 2-3 years, so definitely room for improvement here.

90 days on labor is also really short, considering most brands in this price range offer 1 year.

Overall, Diamondback’s warranty could use some work, I’d say it’s average at best.

Features

The Diamondback 1260sc Studio Cycle comes with the following features:

LCD console- the console isn’t touchscreen or designed for workout streaming, but it’s still pretty advanced as consoles in this price range go. It’s large enough to track all your workout stats at the same time and it comes with a watt meter that displays your output. It doesn’t come with any loaded workout profiles though.

Bluetooth/ANT+ – but it is bluetooth and ANT+ compatible with devices, so you can hook heart rate straps up to it for tracking your pulse or connect with fitness apps like Zwift, Myzone, and others.

Self-generating power- and since this bike is self-generating, you don’t have to plug it in for power. You can put it anywhere you like because the only thing powering it is you.

Fully adjustable seat- you can adjust the height and fore/aft position of the seat, making it easier to find a comfortable riding position.

Fully adjustable handlebars- the handlebars are also fully adjustable, for even more control over your fit.

Dual-compatible pedals- the pedals come with standard toe cages on one side and are SPD compatible on the other, so you can use cleats or sneakers as you prefer.

Tablet holder- there’s a built-in tablet holder mounted over the handlebars, making it easy to see your tablet during workouts.

Water bottle holder- there’s even a place to hold your water bottle during workouts.

Price

At the time of writing this, the 1260sc is selling for $999.

Considering what this cycle comes with, I think this is a fair price, but this is a competitive price range with plenty of competition.

I’ve mentioned Schwinn’s IC4 a couple of times already, but I want to mention it again because it’s one of the top cycles at this price point.

It’s priced pretty identically to the 1260sc and it comes with a 40 lb flywheel, 100 magnetic resistance levels, a better looking console, an included heart rate strap, and a longer warranty.

But the 1260sc is significantly heavier-duty and sleeker looking if you ask me.

Sole’s SB900 is another top contender and it’s priced just a bit lower at around $899.

The SB900 comes with a 48 lb flywheel, a micro-adjustable magnetic resistance system, dual-compatible pedals, a ridiculously heavy-duty frame, and the best warranty of the bunch.

But its console is very basic.

I also want to mention Sunny Health & Fitness’ Asuna 6100 because it too uses a heavy, rear-mounted flywheel design.

The 6100 comes with a 37 lb flywheel, a micro-adjustable magnetic resistance system, fully adjustable handlebars/seat, and dual-compatible pedals.

But its console is basic and Sunny’s warranty is even shorter than Diamondback’s.

Final Thoughts

So, based on these comps, I wouldn’t go as far as saying the 1260sc is the best indoor cycle in this price range, but it’s easily in the top 5.

I like how heavy-duty this cycle is and the rear-mounted flywheel design is certainly pleasing to the eyes.

I also think Diamondback did a nice job with the console on this cycle, making it compatible with a lot of different devices.

It would be nice to see more resistance levels on a bike of this caliber, but the biggest downside I really see is the warranty – again, it isn’t awful, but it could be quite a bit longer.

Overall though, I think the 1260sc is a great cycle for the price and folks looking for a durable, easy to use bike should certainly consider it.

P.S. – you can use the promo code HOMEGYM10 for 10% off.