The Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike has become one of the most popular exercise bikes on Amazon, which is no easy feat considering how many thousands of different bikes they have to choose from.
It probably has something to do with the Yosuda’s combination of performance specs and the fact that this cycle is very affordable.
More specially, this cycle is packing a 35 lb flywheel and a belt drive train, allowing it to provide smooth, quiet workouts.
But with a friction brake resistance system and a max weight limit of only 270 lb, the Yosuda Cycle isn’t going to be for everyone.
Personally, I think there are better options in this price range, but more on that later.
Anyway, if you’re considering the Yosuda Bike, there are some things you should be aware of – but that’s what I’m here for.
In this review, I’ll go over everything you can expect from this cycle and I’ll also discuss how it stacks up against some of the other most popular comps in its price range.
After reading, you’ll know whether or not this is the right bike for you.
The Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike (L-001A)
I mentioned that this Yosuda Cycle is one of the most popular exercise bikes on Amazon – well, that was a bit of an understatement.
At the time of writing this, this is actually the #1 best selling exercise bike on Amazon.
Yeah, let that sink in for a minute.
And yes, a large part of that has to do with how affordable the Yosuda is, but there are a boatload of really affordable cycles on Amazon and this one is somehow outselling all of ’em.
And there’s nothing particularly unique about Yosuda as a brand either – as far as I can tell, it’s just another budget Chinese brand that offers a little bit of everything.
Anyway, at the time of writing this, Yosuda actually offers 3 different bikes, but it’s kinda hard to differentiate between them based on model names alone (because they’re all named kinda the same).
But there are differences between the cycles when you look at the details.
The Yosuda we’re here to discuss now is their entry-level model (L-001A).
Pros
- Affordable
- 35 lb flywheel
- Belt drive
- Fully adjustable seat
- Height adjustable handlebars
- Toe cage pedals
- Tablet holder
- Water bottle holder
Cons
- Friction brake resistance
- Lightweight frame
- Weight limit only 270 lb
- Short warranty
Resistance
In this price range, most bikes will be using a friction brake resistance system.
This means the resistance is created by mechanically pushing a felt pad into contact with the spinning flywheel – and the resistance is increased of decreased by moving that brake closer or farther away from the flywheel (which happens when you turn the resistance dial).
Friction brakes have the advantage of being cheaper than magnetic systems, but magnetic systems are usually touted for providing a smoother feel.
Plus, with magnetic systems, you don’t have to deal with replacing the felt brake pads.
Friction brakes do give you a lot of control over the resistance though, because they offer what’s called a “micro-adjustable” system.
This means you can make really small changes to the resistance because there aren’t any set resistance levels.
Some riders prefer this, others don’t like it because it makes it a little harder to replicate workout conditions.
Personally, I prefer set resistance levels.
Well, the Yosuda uses a friction brake, so it comes with a micro-adjustable resistance system.
Even though this is the norm for bikes in this price range, there are some models out there that use simple magnetic resistances (which I prefer).
The Yosuda comes with a 35 lb flywheel too, which is heavy for any price range.
With such a heavy flywheel, the Yosuda is well-equipped to provide a smooth pedaling motion because the extra weight builds more momentum as it spins.
And this momentum reduces lag between pedal strokes, creating a smoother feel.
This bike also uses a belt drive, which helps with the smooth feel and keeps things quiet.
Overall, the Yosuda scores highly with its heavy flywheel, but honestly, this is common these days – most affordable cycles are packing heavy flywheels and belt drives, even in this price range.
Frame
The Yosuda is pretty average when it comes to the resistance system, but how does it stack up in terms of its frame?
Well, let’s find out.
When comparing bike frames, I’m mostly concerned with 2 things – the assembled weight and the weight limit.
The weight limit spec is pretty self-explanatory – I mean you have to make sure you’re safe to ride the bike.
But the assembled weight spec might not be as obvious.
I assume most of us are looking for a bike that’ll feel secure during workouts, in other words, heavy-duty.
But how can you compare how heavy-duty bikes are without seeing them firsthand?
Looking at the assembled weights is how.
This spec tells you exactly how heavy the bikes are and if you ask me, having a heavier bike is always a good thing.
And that’s because the extra weight will provide a more stable base and be less likely to wiggle and wobble during use.
The Yosuda Bike comes with an assembled weight of about 73 lb, which might sound like a lot, but it’s actually pretty light for a spin bike.
To be fair, most budget cycles weigh somewhere in the 70 – 80 lb range, but higher-end bikes will usually weigh well over 100 lb.
And even as budget-friendly cycles go, there are still heavier-duty options out there.
Like the Cyclace, which weighs in at around 86 lb or the JOROTO X2 that weighs about 94 lb.
At only 73 lb, the Yosuda Bike is pretty lightweight, which is also illustrated by the low weight limit seen on this bike.
With a weight capacity of only 270 lb, larger folks won’t be able to ride this bike.
For the sake of comparison, most indoor cycles, even really affordable ones, come with a 300 lb weight limit.
Personally, I like to see at least a 300 lb weight limit on any bike I’m considering because it shows a certain level of heavy-dutiness.
Overall, the Yosuda is a lightweight bike with a lower than average weight limit. Smaller riders might not notice, but larger folks might want to consider a more robust cycle.
Warranty
The Yosuda Bike comes with the following residential warranty:
- 1 year parts
This is a really short warranty, but to be fair, all bikes in this price range (under $500) basically offer the same guarantee.
Sunny Health & Fitness offers 3 year frame guarantees, but only 6 months on their parts.
When shopping for bikes in this price range, you have to expect a short warranty because that’s one of the reasons these bikes are more affordable in the first place.
So yeah, the warranty sucks, but on a positive note, Yosuda’s customer service gets really high remarks from users.
Features
The Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike comes with the following features:
Digital monitor- this bike comes with a small, very simple monitor that really only tracks your time, distance, speed, and calories. There aren’t any workout programs or anything like that and it doesn’t track your cadence either (you’d have to buy a cadence sensor separately, but they’re affordable).
Height adjustable handlebars- you can’t adjust the fore/aft position of the handlebars, but you can adjust their height to help find a comfortable riding position. The Peloton doesn’t have fully adjustable handlebars either and I’ve never noticed.
Fully adjustable seat- the seat is fully adjustable though, meaning you can adjust both the height and fore/aft position, making it easier to find your optimal riding position.
Toe cage pedals- the pedals are designed to be used with sneakers, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right kind of cleats.
Tablet holder- there’s a little place on the handlebars where you can put your tablet in case you want to follow along with streaming workouts or watch entertainment apps.
Water bottle holder- and yes, there is a place to store your water bottle.
Price
Prices change all the time, but as I’m writing this, the Yosuda Bike is going for about $310 on Amazon.
And even though there are cheaper bikes out there, I think we can all probably agree that $300 for an indoor cycle is very affordable.
But again, there are a lot of similarly priced bikes out there to choose from, so how does the Yosuda compare?
Well, let’s compare it to a few of the other top models out there to see for ourselves.
One of the Yosuda’s biggest competitors is the Cyclace, which costs about $50 more, but it comes with a significantly heavier frame and a much higher weight limit (330 lb).
There’s also the pooboo Indoor Cycle, which is a few bucks cheaper than the Yosuda, but it comes with a magnetic resistance system and a 300 lb weight limit.
JOROTO’s X2 comes in about $100 more than the Yosuda, but it comes with a magnetic resistance system, a much heavier frame, and fully adjustable handlebars.
There are a bunch of other bikes we could mention here, but my point is, the Yosuda Bike doesn’t really have anything that sets it part from all the other budget cycles out there.
Final Thoughts
Ok, that about does it for the Yosuda Bike.
When you stop and look at the specs, this cycle is pretty darn average from top to bottom.
I like that it comes with a heavy flywheel, but as I mentioned earlier – pretty much all budget cycles these days are coming with massive flywheels.
So that’s not enough anymore.
Otherwise, the Yosuda comes with a friction brake resistance, a lightweight frame, and a relatively low weight limit.
There’s also nothing particularly noteworthy about its warranty, seat, or monitor either.
Honestly, the only real selling point I see for this cycle is the fact that there are so many people buying it – and to Yosuda’s credit, most buyers seem happy with their purchase.
Overall, if you’re looking for one of the most popular cycles in the world, by all means go with the Yosuda Bike, but I think there are better options in this price range.
