Power meter specialists Stages have announced a new product – an indoor training bike. The bike will be available in two incarnations: the SC3 and SC2.
The SC3 is the top-of-the-range power-equipped model, that comes with a number of features that bear further explanation. The first is SprintShift, that enables the rider to change the resistance. Unlike spin bikes in a gym, though, resistance isn’t just cranked up or down by spinning the dial round, it basically mirrors shifting up and down chainrings. There are three settings in sprintshift, and then there’s the big dial for traditional spin class-style resistance variation.
Speaking of resistance, overall resistance on the bike in controlled by what Stages have termed Carbonglyde. It’s a carbon fibre drive belt (that comes with a ten year warranty) that goes from the front ring to the high inertia flywheel at the back. In addition to a claimed road-like smoothness, it also promises a lower noise level thus making indoor training less of a racket.
Integrated into the front end is the head unit. The EcoSCRN is packed full of data and draws its power from the bike, so you’re basically powering the computer with your legs, a pretty smart little extra. The SC3 will also transmit data wirelessly via Bluetooth Smart and ANT+, so you can connect it to your Garmin or smart phone and use it with various apps like you would a standard power meter.
Fit-wise, adjusting bar and saddle height looks very easy with one twist-and-lock dial for each. Plus, the Stages bike comes equipped with road bike style drop bars with a TT bar add-on available as an extra.
The SC2 is basically an identical bike but without the power measurement. Pricing and availability for both is TBC.
