The bike tilts uphill so the climb actually feels real
NordicTrack S22i
Reviewed by
Michal Zucker · Fitness, Movement & Wellbeing Editor
For riders who find indoor cycling boring. The frame physically tilts -10% to +20% and auto-adjusts resistance to match iFit's scenic routes, so a climb feels real, and the screen rotates for off-bike work. It needs the ~$39/mo iFit, but for immersion it stands alone here.
The S22i is the connected bike for people who find indoor cycling boring. Its headline trick is automatic incline and decline — the frame tilts from -10% to 20% to match the terrain of a trainer-led ride through real-world locations, and resistance auto-adjusts too, so a Tuscany climb actually feels like a climb. The rotating 22-inch HD touchscreen lets you step off for iFIT strength and yoga, and the ride is smooth and quiet. It's the strongest Peloton alternative for immersion. The honest notes: the experience is built around an iFIT subscription, and it's a large, heavy bike that's a project to move.
$1,999
PickGrade may earn a commission from purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This never affects our grades. Full disclosure.
Last reviewed Jun 13, 2026
What we like
- ✓Automatic -10% to 20% incline/decline matches the terrain
- ✓Auto-adjusting resistance during trainer-led rides
- ✓Rotating 22-inch touchscreen for off-bike workouts
- ✓Immersive scenic rides through real-world locations
- ✓Smooth, quiet ride
Trade-offs
- −Scenic rides, classes, and AutoAdjust all require an iFit subscription (~$39/mo after the free year)
- −Can't sync to popular fitness wearables
- −Android interface can be slow to load
- −Large, heavy machine with a ~$199 delivery fee
Best for
Riders who want scenic, trainer-led rides where the bike auto-adjusts resistance and physically inclines and declines to match the terrain.
Avoid if
You only want simple steady cardio, or you want to ride any app freely — the iFIT experience is the whole point here, and it's a subscription.
The three lenses
How we grade →- 8.1/10
Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
Score breakdown
- fit9.2/10
- quality9.0/10
- ease8.9/10
- value8.1/10
Specs
- type
- Connected studio cycle (incline/decline)
- price
- $1,999 (+ ~$199 delivery)
- screen
- 22 in HD touchscreen, 360 rotating
- incline
- Powered -10% to +20%; AutoAdjust terrain matching
- include
- Hybrid SPD/toe pedals, 3-lb dumbbells, fan, 30W audio; 350 lb cap
- flywheel
- 32 lb inertia-enhanced
- platform
- iFit (~$39/mo, 1 yr free); 17,000+ workouts, scenic Google Maps rides
- resistance
- 24 levels digital magnetic; quiet
How we know
High confidenceLast checkedThe NordicTrack Commercial S22i is PickGrade's pick for riders who want their workouts to feel like the open road. Its signature feature is a powered incline/decline motor that physically tilts the bike from -10% to +20%, and when you ride iFit's scenic routes — filmed around the world and powered by Google Maps — the bike's AutoAdjust technology raises, lowers, and changes resistance automatically to match the terrain and your on-screen trainer. The 22-inch HD touchscreen rotates 360 degrees for off-bike strength and yoga sessions, and the 32-pound flywheel with quiet magnetic resistance gives a smooth, near-silent, apartment-friendly ride. It's well-equipped: hybrid SPD/toe-clip pedals, two 3-pound dumbbells, a cooling fan, 30W audio with Bluetooth headphone support, and a one-year iFit membership included. Reviewers at TechRadar called it one of the best home bikes they've tested, singling out the Google Maps integration and overall value. The honest trade-offs: the scenic rides, classes, and AutoAdjust all require an active iFit subscription (about $39/month after the free year) — in manual mode you lose most of what makes it special; it can't sync to popular fitness wearables; the Android interface can be slow to load; and at 350-pound capacity with a large footprint plus a $199 delivery fee, it's a big, heavy machine. For immersive, varied, low-impact cardio with real incline, it stands alone here.
Compare NordicTrack S22i with the top alternates side-by-side.
Compare picks →
Other expert reviews
Video reviews
YouTube — NordicTrack S22i Review
From real owners
Human reviews that sharpen our AI grade
No owner reviews yet. Be the first to share what you think.
Own this? Write a review
Related guides
All exercise bike guides →Jun 15, 2026
Best Budget Exercise Bikes Under $300: Cheap, Not Junk
You don't need to spend big to bike at home. Under $300 buys a capable bike — if you insist on magnetic resistance and a stable frame, and skip the screen. Here's how to buy budget without buying junk.
Jun 15, 2026
Best Peloton Alternatives: Keep What You Want, Drop the Price
Peloton bundles classes, hardware, and integration — but you can usually keep the part you want and drop the rest. The cheaper paths to each, including running the Peloton app on a $999 bike.
Head-to-head matchups
All exercise bikes matchups →VS · 2 products
Schwinn IC4 vs BowFlex C6
Schwinn IC4 vs BowFlex C6: the same bike on the same chassis, same $999, same magnetic resistance and app support. Buy whichever is cheaper the day you shop.
VS · 2 products
Peloton Bike+ vs Schwinn IC4
Peloton Bike+ vs Schwinn IC4: the IC4 streams the same Peloton classes for $12.99/mo and is the same bike as the Bowflex C6. What the Bike+ premium really buys.
Was this review useful?