Keiser M3i
Highlights
- 24 gears
- Minimalistic, sleek design
- Game-changing magnetic resistance
- Easy-adjust to fit cyclists from 4’10” to 7″
Benefits of an indoor bike
Before making such a hefty purchase, we believe it’s important to bring awareness to the reasons you might want a spin bike in the first place.
The glaringly obvious one is the ability to get your cardio in at home. You’ve seen it in films your entire life; the wealthy, successful, type A personality character jumps out of bed and onto the spin bike before showering and moving on with their day.
Cliche aside, there is simply no better way to get started with your day. Imagine within the first 30 minutes of waking up you’ve already jump-started your metabolism into overdrive to burn calories at a faster rate before even having your first bite to eat.
But then again, you could always go for a run, right? So what’s different about having a spin bike in your home? Well, it sits there as a symbol of grit – inspiring you to eliminate your excuses and get your workout in each day.
I’m not saying you’ll turn into David Goggins overnight, I’m just saying the likelihood of you getting 15 minutes of exercise each day is a lot higher if you have a spin bike in your home calling your name.
What you should consider before buying an indoor bike
Make certain you have enough space! Imagine ordering a spin bike only to find out it doesn’t functionally fit, or even aesthetically where you had thought it would.
Before you know it, it’d end up collecting dust in your closet or even garage. Further down this article under specifications, we cover the exact dimensions of the Keiser M3i bike so you can take those down and measure up yourself to find out if it fits.
How to know if a spin bike is good
If you’re an indoor cycling class lover, you, along with all of us mortals who don’t max our heart rate every day, might be shocked to discover that not all indoor bikes are perfectly fine-tuned and taken care of as those in gyms usually are.
If you purchase the wrong spin bike, you might end up with a wobbly, squeaky, and frankly, just a low-quality bike that is nothing like you thought it would be.
The good news is we’ll make sure you don’t make that mistake… you’ve landed on the right website, my friend.
The easiest way to understand if a spin bike is good is by learning from people before you by reading hundreds of reviews on each product to get a well-rounded, unbiased perspective on each spin bike.
Fortunately, we’ve done the groundwork for you. Below, within our community verdict, we break down exactly what buyers are saying about the Keiser M3i, and yes, we include both the good and bad mentions.
Keiser M3i specifications
Height: 45” / 1143 mm
Width: 26” / 660 mm
Length: 49” / 1245 mm
Weight: 85 lbs / 38.6 kg
Sound
While you can’t expect an indoor bike to be silent, it’s reasonable to not want it to wake up your neighbors if you decide to spin at 5 AM.
The Keiser indoor bike is definitely on the quieter side due to the magnetic resistance (more on that further down this article), with many buyers mentioning how their family members heard their breathing more than the bike itself. So, unless you’re going all out in the red zone, you can expect to have a smooth and quiet workout on the M3i.
Settings
Coming with 24 gears you’re able to find your comfort zone if you’re wanting to ride steady or adjust accordingly if you want to push serious effort through multiple stages of difficulty.
Design
Using a sturdy, high-quality, V-shape frame, Keiser has made an effort to accommodate riders from 4’10” or 7’, or up to 350 lbs (159 kg). Whether you’re accustomed to road bikes or not, the V-shape should provide a natural, comfortable position for you.
Handlebars
One of the reasons buyers tend to choose the M3i over other models such as the Keiser M3 is because of the handlebars. They resemble a triathlon bike, allowing you to adjust your seated position exactly as you want it.
If you prefer a near-prone position with your elbows rested, or an upright, more standard-style position, you can alternate without stopping your legs for a moment.
Additionally, the Keiser M3i handlebars can be adjusted horizontally and vertically, so if you’re on the taller side (or shorter) you can quite easily make adjustments to get the fit just right.
Unfortunately, it’s very common for new cyclists to ride a bike that hasn’t been properly fitted which can result in injuries such as lower back pain, knee pain, etc. If you are new to cycling, we highly recommend you watch a few videos on bike fits while you’re waiting for your spin bike to arrive.
Aesthetics
Nobody wants an ugly indoor bike sitting in their home. Fortunately, the Keiser M3i looks pretty good with a clean black, a bit of red mixed in, and stainless steel finish.
Seat/Saddle
This is (far) more important than most new cyclists realize. If you get a cheap bike (whether a road bike, mountain bike, or even a spin bike) that has a cheap saddle, you’ll regret it very quickly.
An uncomfortable seat can easily cause chaffing or even pinch your…sensitive parts. The Keiser M3i seat is a very standard design that suits all sexes, so you shouldn’t have any issues with discomfort, although we’ll definitely uncover the answer to this question in the community verdict section below.
Similar to the handlebars, the seat can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally to fit your preferred position.
Pedals
The pedals on the Keiser M3i are exactly what you’d expect out of a spin bike. Obviously, if you’re a serious rider with cycling shoes, you can swap out these pedals for your own. But on this spin bike, all you’ll need to do is slip your feet in with your favorite pair of workout shoes. The pedal trap design will allow you to also pull in rotation, not just push down, which increases energy output and furthers your power while working a few extra muscles, specifically on the front/side of your leg.
You can feel which muscle I’m talking about by flexing your feet upwards while pushing your hand on the side of your lower leg just below the knee. The muscle that contracts will be engaged thoroughly with the pedals on the Keiser M3 indoor bike.
Interestingly enough, these are NOT pedals that you’d want on a typical road bike. These are often described as “death trap pedals” as if you’re out on the road and for whatever reason end up crashing, you wouldn’t be able to pull your foot out to save it, you’d simply fall down head or hip first. But just to clarify, these are 100% safe and ideal for a spin bike.
In fact, Keiser went a step further with a curved crank arm design which makes the position more comfortable with people that have larger hips or wider shoes.
Magnetic Resistance Wheel
This is definitely something that separates the Keiser M3i bike from other indoor bikes on the market. Instead of using friction for resistance across the settings, Keiser took things a step further in being the first indoor bike on the market that uses magnetic resistance.
This also helps deliver a significantly quieter ride in comparison to the other bikes.
What’s included
Admittedly, a huge benefit of the Keiser M3i is that it can come pre-built. Yep, you read that correctly, the 3-hour session where you struggle and scream at the so-called “instructions” can be skipped this time around. As soon as you take your new Keiser M3i out of the box it arrives in, you’ll be ready to knock out some miles.
*Please note, not all listings do come pre-built, some have a separate charge for assembly, check before you buy!
Aside from the Keiser M3i indoor bike itself, here’s what else you’ll get:
- Media tray (a spot to place your phone)
- Stretch pads (for resting your feet and stretching during warm-ups/cool-downs)
- Floor mat (protects from scratching any floors!)
- An integrated power meter (in fact, (according to Keiser) one so accurate it was the first indoor cycling bike to pass the EN957-10 European Standard for accuracy and safety)
- Bluetooth® enabled technology (capable of streaming workout data to multiple devices)
Maintenance
Maintenance is a very important consideration. If your indoor bike constantly breaks down, needs repairs, or is just a pain to clean, it will be a regretful purchase.
Fortunately for us, Keiser has thought through it all. From engineering the bike to improving the flow of sweat around the bike (gross, but important thought for cleanliness), to better corrosion resistance, this bike is remarkably maintenance-free.
A simple wipe down with some disinfectant wipes post-workout will be nearly all maintenance needed for this bike.
Adjustability
Being able to adjust your seat on the fly without it being an absolute pain is a must. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been that person (or at least seen that person) at the gym that struggled heavily to adjust the height of a spin bike and eventually gave up.
With the Keiser M3i you don’t have to be that person. Now it’s not just because you’ll be alone at home with nobody to see you fail, it’s due to the smooth engineering that allows seamless adjustments.
Conclusion
As a tradition here on PhytoMethod, we end every review with a two-part conclusion. The first part is an analysis of public reviews across various platforms, picking out common pain points and top features mentioned. The second part is our compilation from our pool of fitness experts that regularly use and purchase these products; including gym owners, pro athletes, and certified trainers.
Community verdict
Seat comfort
While the saddle isn’t exactly a revolutionary design, complaints about its comfort are challenging to find. Everyone seems quite pleased with the seat on the Keiser M3i.
Quality
With very few buyers having any issues whatsoever with this product, it’s clear that the overwhelming majority are beyond pleased with their purchase. The only notable mention is a ‘clicking sound’, but for every mention of this flaw, there are 95+ reviews that contradict it by praising the quality.
Customization
Quite a few reviews point towards the ease of adjustability and mention being able to easily switch heights on the handlebars and seat in order to comfortably fit both the person typing the review as well as their partner, regardless of large height differences.
Design
If you go looking through public reviews in an effort to find someone complaining about the design, you might be out of luck. On the contrary, most of the reviews actually mention how they chose it over Peloton due to how minimal and sleek the design is, and ended up being pleased with that decision.
Overall community verdict
With roughly 1,000 reviews public for this spin bike and literally only a handful being negative, it’s fair to say that overall, the community consensus is very positive for the Keiser M3i.
Phytomethod verdict
Pooling in multiple gym owners that have extensive experience buying (and hearing feedback) on quite a few indoor bike brands, there’s only one real complaint with the Keiser M3i that we can bring up: Bluetooth® compatibility Despite advertising the extensive compatibility, it seems to be lacking apps for a positive experience.
Other than that, we’re really happy with the design, feel, and quality of the Keiser M3i. It’s not exactly the cheapest option on the market, but in my opinion, that’s a good thing; cheap products are cheap.
