An epicyclic gear system features a cylindrical flywheel with a flywheel cavity, a plurality of mounting pillars, an annular ring gear mounted on the mounting pillars, and an annular sun gear mounted to and extending from the flywheel cavity. The epicyclic gear system has a planet carrier mounted to an axle shaft and a planet gear mounted to the planet carrier. The axle shaft passes through an axle aperture, a ring gear aperture, and a sun gear aperture. The planet gear engages the ring gear and the sun gear to provide a desired gear ratio for rotating the flywheel via rotation of the axle shaft, the planet carrier, the planet gear, and the sun gear.

Systems and methods are for determining and indicating a desired corrective change in exercise technique to an operator and optionally for determining and indicating a correct or incorrect fit between an operator and an exercise equipment. The systems comprise an exercise apparatus that is engaged by an operator at least a first contact location; a first load sensor device that senses an operator-applied load amount at the first contact location; a controller that determines a desired corrective change in exercise technique and/or the correct or incorrect fit between the operator and the exercise equipment based at least upon the operator-applied load amount at the first contact location and a current body weight of the operator; and an indicator device that indicates the desired corrective change in exercise technique and/or correct or incorrect fit, for example to an operator or an instructor.

A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class, detecting performance parameters from the first stationary bike at a particular point in the selected class, displaying at least one of the performance parameters on the display screen, and displaying performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the class are presented for comparison.

A switchably swingable spinning bike includes a bike body and a base. The base has a pivot portion and is pivotally connected to a swinging seat of a swinging device. The swinging seat has two buffers flanking the pivot portion. The swinging seat has a switching device that includes two undeformable propping members that flank the pivot portion. Each of the propping members is slidable with respect to the swinging seat until it props between the swinging seat and the base, thereby limiting the swinging seat's pivotal swing with respect to the base, and in turn switching the bike body from a swingable state to a non-swingable state.

A brake controller for spinner bikes has a frame body engaging a pair of connecting pieces, a shaft engaging a first block through a top end thereof and a second block through a bottom end thereof, and a magnetic encoder that has a PCB with coding circuit for detecting rotation of a magnet disposed under the second block. Thereby the brake controller controls two kinds of braking forces by a single button for spinner bikes.

A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class, detecting performance parameters from the first stationary bike at a particular point in the selected class, displaying at least one of the performance parameters on the display screen, and displaying performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the class are presented for comparison.

A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class, detecting performance parameters from the first stationary bike at a particular point in the selected class, displaying at least one of the performance parameters on the display screen, and displaying performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the class are presented for comparison.

The invention pertains to a stationary exercise bike along with a display that provides instruction to lead a rider through an exercise program. The invention allows a rider to obtain benefits of a group, instructor-led class though the rider's schedule does not permit the rider to participate in the class. The invention also describes a method of exercising with the foregoing bike and display.

The invention pertains to a stationary exercise bike along with a display that provides instruction to lead a rider through an exercise program. The invention allows a rider to obtain benefits of a group, instructor-led class though the rider's schedule does not permit the rider to participate in the class. The invention also describes a method of exercising with the foregoing bike and display.

The invention pertains to a stationary exercise bike along with a display that provides instruction to lead a rider through an exercise program. The invention allows a rider to obtain benefits of a group, instructor-led class though the rider's schedule does not permit the rider to participate in the class. The invention also describes a method of exercising with the foregoing bike and display.