Sole is one of my favorite home fitness brands because I love that, as a brand, they focus their attention more on performance than anything else.

Sole exercise bikes are generally quite a bit heavier-duty than other similarly priced options, coming with heavier flywheels, larger components, and higher weight capacities.

They also offer amazing warranties and are reasonably priced, which never hurts.

That said, even though Sole is starting to dip their toe into the world of streaming (with STUDIO), they certainly aren’t the best option when it comes to HD consoles, instructor-led workouts, and everything else streaming offers.

So, if that’s what you’re looking for, you should probably consider another brand – but if you’re looking for a dependable bike that’s build to perform, Sole’s a great brand to explore.

And if you’re interested in learning more about the exercise bikes Sole has to offer, I think I can help.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll be going over all the bikes Sole has in their current lineup and discussing the major differences between their models.

After reading, you’ll know which (if any) Sole bike is the right fit for your home.

Let’s roll.

	Style	Resistance System	Frame	Warranty
Sole SB1200	Indoor Cycle	35 lb flywheel 100 magnetic levels	127 lb assembled weight 330 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor
Sole SB900	Indoor Cycle	35 lb flywheel 100 magnetic levels	123 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor
Sole SB700	Indoor Cycle	48 lb flywheel Friction brake	141 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 3 year parts 1 year labor *Light-commercial too
Sole LCB	Upright	30 lb flywheel 40 magnetic levels	130 lb assembled weight 350 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 3 year parts 1 year labor *Light-commercial too
Sole B94	Upright	20 lb flywheel 20 magnetic levels	123 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor
Sole LCR	Recumbent	30 lb flywheel 40 magnetic levels	145 lb assembled weight 350 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 3 year parts 1 year labor *Light-commercial too
Sole R92	Recumbent	20 lb flywheel 20 magnetic levels	134 lb assembled weight 300 lb weight limit	Lifetime frame 3 year parts 1 year labor

Sole 101

Sole’s been around for a few decades now and even though they’ve become known as one of the top providers of home fitness equipment, they started out with providing treadmills to hotel chains.

Well, those treadmills must’ve been pretty popular because they started branching out into home fitness and the rest is history.

These days, Sole offers a little bit of everything home fitness related, including some strength training gear and a cardio climber, but they’re still especially known for their treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals.

And as I mentioned above, they’ve earned a stellar reputation for creating heavy-duty equipment and then backing them with some of the best warranties in the biz.

FYI – Sole is a part of the Dyaco company, which also owns other popular brands, like XTERRA (budget-friendlier option) and Spirit Fitness (a similar brand with awesome warranties as well).

In terms of price, I would consider Sole a mid-range brand, with most of their equipment costing under $2k.

Anyway, when it comes to their exercise bikes, they have 6 to choose from at the moment and this includes 2 indoor cycles, 2 uprights, and 2 recumbent bikes.

As we go through this guide, I’ll primarily be comparing these bikes with regards to their key performance specs (flywheel weights, resistance systems, assembled weights) and console features.

I’ll also go over their warranties too of course, because we certainly can’t leave those out.

Let’s start things off with a look at their indoor cycles.

Sole’s Indoor Cycles

The Sole SB1200

The SB1200 is Sole’s newest addition to their exercise bike lineup and there’s a lot to like here.

Like the updated SB900 mentioned below, the SB1200 comes with a 35 lb flywheel and 100 levels of magnetic resistance.

By the way, I really like that Sole decided to change these bikes to a 100 resistance scale (instead of using a micro-adjustable system with no levels) because I’m not a huge fan of the micro-adjustable systems.

I mean they work fine, but I like to know what level I’m on.

Anyway, the resistance system on this cycle is great, but it also comes with a 10″ touchscreen console that’s loaded with workout programs and entertainment apps.

And with screen mirroring capabilities, you can hook your phone up to it and see anything you have on your phone through the larger screen.

This is a pretty big step forward for Sole when it comes to their consoles because they’ve been using dated LCD consoles forever.

Other highlights include a fully adjustable seat, dual-compatible pedals, a dumbbell rack, dual-water bottle holders, and a robust frame that cold hold riders weighing up to 330 lb.

All things considered, I think the SB1200 is going to become a very popular cycle.

 

The Sole SB900

The SB900 is Sole’s mid-range indoor cycle and with an asking price around $1k, I think it’s easily one of the best buys in exercise bikes at the moment.

For starters, this cycle is packing a 35.27 lb flywheel, so folks who like the idea of a nice heavy flywheel under the hood will like what this bike has to offer.

Sole pairs this massive flywheel with 100 levels of magnetic resistance, giving riders a ton of control over their workouts.

And since Peloton also uses 100 resistance levels, it makes it really easy to follow along with Peloton’s Digital App, for those of you who might be interested.

The SB900 is also literally one of the heaviest-duty indoor cycles on the market – with an assembled weight of 123 lb, you won’t have to worry about this thing feeling wobbly during workouts.

This bike comes with dual-compatible pedals (SPD, toe-cage), a fully-adjustable seat, and fully adjustable handlebars.

The console is pretty basic and lacks any more sophisticated features, but it can track all standard metrics and is compatible with chest strap heart rate monitors.

And Sole’s warranty on this bike is pretty awesome – lifetime frame, 2 year parts, 1 year labor.

Overall, if you’re looking for an easy to use, heavy-duty cycle that won’t break your budget, the SB900 is a wonderful choice. See full review.

 

The Sole SB700

The SB700 is Sole’s other indoor cycle and at first glance, it looks a whole lot like the SB900 – and even though it does have plenty of similarities, there are a couple of key differences too.

The biggest difference here is found in the resistance system: the SB700 uses the same 48 lb flywheel found on the SB900, but this bike uses a friction brake resistance, as opposed to the magnetic system found on the bike above.

Some folks might like friction brakes, but personally, I’m a magnetic guy all the way, so this is kind of a deal-breaker for me, but I could see how it might be worth it to save the extra cash (~$200).

Anyway, with a friction brake, this cycle also uses a micro-adjustable system, allowing you to make really small adjustments without being confined to set resistance levels.

The SB700 also doesn’t weigh quite as much as the SB900, but it’s still quite heavy in its own right (assembled weight 141 lb) and comes with the same 300 lb capacity.

The console on this cycle is pretty identical to the one found on the SB900 and it too comes with a fully adjustable seat and fully adjustable handlebars.

The only other difference is that the SB700 only comes with toe-cage pedals (not dual-compatible).

Oh, and Sole backs this bike with the same great warranty they offer on the SB900.

Overall, if you’re cool with friction brakes and looking to save a couple hundred bucks, the SB700 could be a smart option. See full review.

 

Sole Upright Bikes

The Sole LCB

The LCB is Sole’s highest-end upright bike and as I’m writing this, it’s going for right around $1k, which I personally think is a great price.

Anyway, what immediately stands out to me about this bike is that it comes with impressive performance specs -something I can’t say about a lot of home uprights.

The LCB is packing a 30 lb flywheel and 40 levels of magnetic resistance.

Not only does this make for a really smooth pedaling motion, but it also allows this upright to provide a surprisingly challenging workout (for when the need arises).

This bike also comes with a robust frame – with an assembled weight of 130 lb and a weight limit of 350 lb, I feel confident calling this a heavy-duty upright.

The console on the LCB isn’t overly fancy or anything, but it does come with 10 workout programs, USB charging, and is bluetooth friendly.

There’s also a built-in fan, bluetooth speakers, and a fully adjustable seat.

And the warranty on this bike is ridiculous for a bike in this price range: lifetime frame, 5 year parts, 2 year labor (as well as light-commercial guarantee).

Overall, if you’re looking for a comfortable upright that’s no-joke when it comes to performance, you’re not going to find a better option in this price range. See full review.

 

The Sole B94

The B94 is basically a smaller, lighter-duty version of the LCB, but with a significantly smaller price tag (~$400 less), it might be a better buy for folks simply looking for a smooth feel.

This upright comes with a significantly lighter flywheel, but at 20 lb, it’s still quite heavy for the price range.

The B94 also comes with 20 magnetic resistance levels to work with, giving folks considerable control over the intensity of their workouts.

This bike is also surprisingly heavy-duty, coming in with an assembled weight of 123 lb, making it only a few lb lighter than the LCB.

Which really says something, considering there’s a 10 lb difference in flywheel weight…

Anyway, the console is very similar though, coming with pretty much all the same features the LCB does – same workouts, fan, bluetooth, heart rate monitoring, etc.

And this bike also comes with a fully adjustable seat, so that’s good.

The only other difference is the warranty – Sole covers this bike with a lifetime frame, 3 year parts, and 1 year labor guarantee.

So, again, the B94 is a lighter-duty, more affordable option than the LCB, but its specs and warranty are still amazing for an upright at this price point. See full review.

Sole Recumbent Bikes

The Sole LCR

Moving our way down their lineup, we come to their recumbent bikes and again, they offer 2 to choose from.

And between these 2, the LCR is the higher-end model.

It’s sometimes a mystery where brands come up with their model names, but in this case, I’m pretty sure the “LCR” stands for “Light Commercial Recumbent”.

So that actually makes a lot of sense, considering this bike is warranted for light-commercial use…

Anyway, if you took the LCB Upright mentioned earlier and stretched it into a recumbent bike, the LCR would be the result.

Like the LCB, this bike also comes with an impressive 30 lb flywheel and 40 levels of magnetic resistance and its console is damn near identical.

This bike also comes with a 10″ console with 10 workouts, bluetooth, a fan, speakers, and heart rate strap compatibility.

And the seat on the LCR is large, cushioned, and easily adjustable.

And since this is Sole we’re talking about here, of course this bike is robust from top to bottom – the LCR comes with an assembled weight of 145 lb and a weight limit of 350 lb.

The warranty on this bike is no joke either: lifetime frame, 5 year parts, 2 year labor (and there’s a light-commercial warranty too).

Overall, I think the LCR is easily one of the best recumbent bikes around. See full review.

The Sole R92

The last bike on our list here is Sole’s other recumbent model, the R92.

The R92 is quite a bit more affordable than the LCR, coming in with an asking price right around $1k, and it comes with several downgrades.

But for the price, it’s still a whole lot of recumbent bike.

The R92 comes with a lighter, 20 lb flywheel and half the resistance levels found on the LCR, but with 20 magnetic levels at your disposal, you still get a lot of control over your intensity.

This bike is also a little lighter, coming with an assembled weight of 134 lb and a max weight limit of 300 lb – but again, still impressive when compared to many other comps in this price range.

The display on this recumbent is a little smaller than the LCR’s (9″ vs 10″), but otherwise, the console features are mostly the same.

The only other big difference is the warranty.

Sole offers a nice guarantee on the R92, but not quite as generous as the one they offer on the LCR (and no light-commercial warranty here): lifetime frame, 3 year parts, 1 year labor.

Overall, it’s going to be hard to find a better performing recumbent in this price range. See full review.

Final Thoughts

Wow, that actually didn’t take that long… nice.

Sole’s exercise bike lineup is really pretty straightforward – they offer 2 models in each category with 1 bike coming with upgraded performance specs over the other.

The consoles are pretty identical across the board here, with all bikes coming with the same included workout programs and more or less the same features.

This makes it pretty easy to compare ’em because again, you’re really looking at the flywheel weights, the assembled weights, and the warranties to make your decision.

Well, and the prices of course.

I want to mention one more time that I really like Sole as a brand and I do think they generally offer some of the best exercise bikes in their respective price ranges.

Of course I’m a guy who appreciates simple consoles and impressive performance specs, so these bikes speak to me.

If you’re looking for more advanced consoles with streaming capabilities, Sole isn’t the best brand for ya – you might want to consider checking out NordicTrack or maybe even ProForm.

But when it comes to affordable performance, Sole is the way to go.

Anyway, that about does it.

I hope you found this guide helpful and if you have any questions or comments, leave ’em below and I’ll get back to you shortly.