By Robbie Ferri, Cyclist, Personal Trainer, and Group Exercise Instructor.
Nordictrack is a brand you probably would have heard of when it comes to researching spinning bikes. Spoiler, they make excellent indoor bikes, and if you’re looking for something really special, their website is one of the first places you should go to take a look. Over recent years they have brought out some incredible bikes and what sets Nordictrack apart from the rest is the rapid rate at which they improve and advance their products.
The Nordictrack S22i is one of the best bikes you can buy and offers so much for the rider. It has been around for a few years now but recently had a big upgrade, and we believe it could be one of the best or the best indoor home spinning bikes you can buy now. This article will tell you all about it and explain why it’s worth considering as an upgrade.
The bike itself is an incredible machine and has an incline and decline feature, which means when you ride, a motor will raise and drop the front of the bike. The screen is 22” HD and uses an application called iFit for all your live and pre-recorded classes.
What we liked and what we didn’t
If you’re short on time and just want a quick rundown of what to expect, here’s what we liked and what we didn’t like about the Nordictrack S22i.
S22i New vs Old Version: What’s Changed?
Nordictrack, unlike many other brands, is constantly changing, and generally, each year, they are improving the bikes and other equipment they make. We highly recommend going for the latest model and not buying second-hand. In the previous years, we have seen upgrades on the processor in the screen, making it faster and more responsive. The incline and decline motor has been improved to make it quicker and quieter. The newer models even come structurally very different, and because of this, they are much easier to assemble. You can tell the new model by the modern writing and the blue trim.

Detailed Review

The bike itself is an incredible machine and has an incline and decline feature, which means when you ride, a motor will raise and drop the front of the bike. The screen is 22” HD and uses an application called iFit for all your live and pre-recorded classes.
Specifications
- 22” 360° Rotating Smart HD Touchscreen
- NEW Hybrid SPD+Toe Clip Pedals
- NEW 30W Premium Audio
- -10% Decline to 20% Incline
- Rotating HD Touchscreen
- 205 Lb In Box Product Weight
- 61” L x 22” W x 58” H Footprint
- 10-Year Frame, 2-Year Parts, 1-Year Labor Warranty
The S22i may look like quite a large
Connectivity and Applications
As with many high-end bikes, they are locked to certain applications and have limited availability when it comes to other services. This is how interactive

iFit also has a very intelligent feature of learning your
Construction and Quality
Nordictrack is not just known for being great at implementing technology into their bikes. They are also known for excellent construction and high quality. When you order a Nordictrack product, you don’t just get an excellent experience. You get a
Resistance System
The
Incline Decline Feature
What does set this

The Incline / Decline feature in action.
It’s an incredible feature and the automatic resistance just makes the experience feel amazing. It really does add so much value to your riding, and it makes it feel like a real
Drive System and Flywheel
The resistance system is very good on the Nordictrack. It is an entirely frictionless belt drive system, making for a very quiet and extremely smooth
Comfort
One of the most important things when it comes to a spinning
Monitor
They call the Nordictrack the S22i because the screen is 22”. It’s an incredible quality touch screen and very easy to use. As discussed before, it is preloaded with the iFit application, and it works seamlessly. On the older models, you find the loading time was a bit longer but on the newer models seems to be much quicker.

On the latest model, you have uprated speakers on the screen which go nice and loud, and in between them you even have a cooling fan. The screen also has the ability to swivel around for those off the

Pedals
When it comes to pedals, you have a double-sided setup here. On one side, you have a typical flat pedal with a toe strap, and on the other side, you have a clip in SPD for spinning shoes.

The pedals spin well, and again they are of very high quality. They don’t look cheap in a nice glossy black and don’t feel it either when being used.
Portability
When it comes to these larger interactive bikes, people worry that they will be very challenging to move around, and some of them are. The Nordictrack is pretty good when it comes to moving it around. The light flywheel on the front and weights on the rear make it very evenly weighted, and the transport wheels on the front make moving it simple.
Adjustability
The S22i is well designed and fits the majority of indoor cyclists very well. The handlebars move up and down but not back and forth, which is the case with many bikes with screens. The saddle can move up and down and back and forth and is very easy to do with the micro adjusters. Overall the
Assembly
In previous models, the assembly wasn’t the easiest, but in the new models, they have made some structural changes which have made it a lot easier to build. The pedals come attached, and it’s pretty much all built already apart from attaching the legs and handlebars. I would allow a couple of hours but getting it right the first time is important.
Warranty
The warranty is pretty good, and Nordictrack gives you 10 years on the frame, 2 years on the parts, and 1 year of labor. As far as indoor bikes go, it’s good, but because the quality is high, I doubt it ever gets used.
Usual Problems
There are few common problems with the bikes, and anything that has come up in the past Nordictrack has resolved quickly. Sometimes you might need to reconnect the wifi when you turn it on very rarely, but that is it, and it’s no trouble at all.
User Reviews
After reading many reviews, we see many people very highly rate the
Comparisons with other bikes
When it comes to spinning bikes, it’s always good to look at a few competitors and understand where the
Nordictrack S22i vs. MYX II Bike

Used in elite cycling studios and gyms, MYX comes with a monthly membership that gives up to 5 people access to the widest range of workouts available.
The MYX II
Nordictrack S22i vs. Bowflex Velocore

Provides the rider with an incredibly realistic riding experience, closely simulating riding outside on roads or up and down your favorite mountain climb.
The Bowflex Velocore has an ability that very few indoor cycles have, and that is the ability to lean side to side while you are riding. It does make the
Related:
NordicTrack S22i vs Bowflex Velocore Detailed Comparison
Nordictrack S22i vs. Nordictrack S15i

The NordicTrack Commercial S15i iFit Studio Cycle includes a 14" HD Touch Screen and a one-year subscription to iFit. This bike is equipped with an inertial-enhanced flywheel and offers 22 digital resistance levels.
Like the comparison above, the big difference is in the screen, and the S15i has a 15” screen compared to the 22”. Another big difference is that it has only 22 levels of resistance compared to 24.
Nordictrack S22i vs. Nordictrack S27i

Nordictrack made the s22i years ago, and it has advanced consistently throughout the years. This advancement has ended up making the s27i which is just such an incredible machine, and we can highly recommend it as an excellent purchase.
These bikes are very similar in design and how they work. They are actually nearly identical. The only big difference comes in the size of the screen. The S27i has a 27” screen compared to the S22i’s 22” screen. It does make the experience a bit more full-on, having a larger screen, but we like that.
Nordictrack S22i vs. Peloton

Maybe the most popular indoor cycle, and for a good reason. Excellent quality with an excellent app for beginners and experts. The only downside it that users cannot change resistance when using apps like Zwift etc.
Although they look like they do the same job on paper, you do get more with the Nordictrack S22i. Firstly the incline and decline feature, the auto resistance, and there seem to be fewer issues regarding quality. Pelotons are incredible bikes though, and we do highly rate them.
FAQs
Is the Nordictrack s22i worth it?
Completely it is an incredible indoor cycle, and we highly recommend it.
Can you watch Netflix on the Nordictrack S22i?
There are users who use the screen to watch Netflix while riding, but Nordictrack doesn’t advertise this.
Can you use the Nordictrack connect to the Apple watch?
You sure can, and it also can be the heart rate monitor for your workout.
Do you need special shoes for the Nordictrack S27i?
The pedals work with both regular shoes and clip-in shoes, so either is fine.
Does the S22i have Bluetooth?
It sure dies and connects to heart rate monitors, Apple watches, and many other devices.
Conclusion

The S22i is an excellent