Motosumo Review [ Indoor Cycling Directly From Your Smartphone ]

The world nowadays has changed in terms of how and where we exercise.

Gyms were the main source of all fitness, and still are to some aspect. However, there has been a real focus and movement towards exercising from home.

I mean there are some clear benefits to it:

No travelling to the gym
Not having to wait to use any machines or equipment
Not paying any expensive gym memberships

Great!

The fitness industry has certainly changed and has had to adapt to the great pandemic of 2020.

People still needed to exercise but didn’t feel as comfortable going to the gym.

This is where the home fitness industry has really exploded. People all over the world are turning to online classes or apps that can help them get the same workout they would as if they were at the gym.

And one of these apps is Motosumo!

Brief Overview Of Motosumo

Based out of Copenhagen, Motosumo is a fitness app that brings live-streamed indoor cycling classes straight into your own living room.

They try to remove the stigma of overpriced and costly expenses associated with at home indoor cycling classes.

Instead of spending big money on expensive bikes and subscriptions such as Peloton or Echelon, Motosumo simply allows you to use the technology behind your very own smartphone.

Key Features

Access to Live Classes

Within Motosumo, you’ll get access to all their live classes.

The image above just shows USA and UK however they also have live streams for Australia and Singapore.

They previously were holding 2 classes a day but have now upped that to 4 a day most days. Very soon they will be ramping up their classes to over 40 per week!

That’s amazing!

So there should definitely be a class to suit everyone by then – whether you prefer to workout in the morning or the evening, or perhaps both! Motosumo will have you covered!

When you sign up for an account, you’ll see a timetable where you can book in for any one of the classes.

It’ll tell you who is taking the class, what type of class it is exactly and how long it will be.

The classes last between 30-60 minutes, and Motosumo has recently launched five new different class concepts with each providing a unique approach to the indoor cycling workout. The different class styles are designed to help you reach your training goals no matter what they are, and are entitled Beginner, Signature, Fast & Fun, Stronger Together, and Endurance Game.

This is really going to create a more diversified exercise routine which their users can benefit from and keep the excitement, enjoyment and fun of your own indoor cycling studio straight from your own home.

Using Motosumo

This is what sets Motosumo apart from other cycling apps on the market.

The ability to use your own smartphone’s motion sensors is greatly underused.

Most smartphones nowadays are equipped 3 different types of motion sensors

Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Magnetometer

Now, for purposes of using Motosumo, this mainly uses the functions of the Accelerometer and Gyroscope.

The Accelerometer detects the smallest changes in device displacement, orientation and tilt around 3 axes.

So, when you have your smartphone connected up to your indoor bike via a phone holder or strap and you begin to pedal, Motosumo is able to use guided algorithms to detect your cadence as you cycle -this is super accurate as the sensors in your phone measures 100 times a second and accurately shows your output into the bike!

You can also connect up a heart rate monitor and power meter if you wish.

For the classes I join, I connect up my Assioma power meter pedals via Bluetooth and it connects instantaneously!

However, by utilising the motion sensors within your smartphone alone – it will provide incredibly accurate results of your performance and is very easy on the pocket too!

Great!

Fully Interactive

This is what I really like about Motosumo, the interactivity and engagement your get within it.

It has all of the features of a live-class in Peloton or Echelon but without that hefty price-tag.

Within the class, the instructor can see your name, your cycling metrics in terms of speed, cadence, power and heart rate and what ‘zone’ you’re in where they can throw a ‘shout out’ to you to keep pushing.

The zones are all colour-coded so it’s really easy to follow along to. They range from:

Blue (this is where your RPM should be low)
Green
Yellow
Red (Your RPM should be at it’s highest here)

It’s basically like being in actual cycling class but it’s online, in your own home.

The instructor, other class members or yourself can also throw up some emojies to let them know how you’re getting on if you’re feeling the burn or giving it all you got where you’re nearly ready to grab the nearest bucket!

You can even take part in 3D races as seen above – where all the users are paired up into 2 teams and compete against each other to see who cycled the greatest distance – I especially like this. It’s a great feature to have as it adds that slight competitive edge and really makes you dig deep to push as hard as you can go!

Whatever way you like to cycle, whether you keep to yourself or join in on the fun of it all – it’s a great way to keep you motivated as you cycle!

Has Crystal Clear Aesthetic Visuals

Let’s be honest, there’s nothing worse than looking at an unpleasing app that looks outdated, clunky and simply just loses your interest straight away!

This is not the case with Motosumo though!

Motosumo has a team of software developers behind them that have designed this totally streamlined app with incredible visuals.

It’s very easy to use and makes the process of using it very enjoyable.

You may notice that the image above seems slightly blurry – this is because I took a screenshot during the class and Brooke, the instructor, is moving.

However, all the metrics are perfectly laid out and provides everything you need to see.

Taught By 4 Fully-Qualified Instructors

Your classes are going to be led by 4 amazing cycling instructors that added together have many years of experience in teaching indoor cycling.

The classes are currently taught by Brooke, Ben, Joanne and Josh. The instructor team spans four continents, with Brooke in the United States, Ben in the UK, Josh in Australia and Joanne in Singapore.

Each one bringing their own style to the classes so it’s a great way to change up your routine or stick with one of their own classes if you really enjoy that specific one.

These trainers are not only experienced cycling instructors, they are versatile athletes with diverse athletic backgrounds and infectious personalities that shine through in each class.

They bring their years of experience and motivation to each and every class and really help you get the best out of your workout.

Pricing

This is where Motosumo really wanted to differ themselves from any other fitness apps out there.

With certain fitness apps or softwares, you need to have access to a power meter with Bluetooth or ANT+ connectivity or even a bike that is this installed within it.

This can put your budget at a $600+.

As Motosomo has the ability to use just your smartphone’s motion sensors, you don’t need any big expense on a new indoor bike.

The app itself costs just $12.99 per month (£9.70) and what’s even better is you get a 7-Day Free Trial!

For this you’ll get access to all of the live indoor cycling classes for an absolute fraction of the overall price when you compare it to other cycling apps.

Pros & Cons

Uses the motion sensors on your smartphone to read cadence
Really easy to use
Currently offers 4 live exercise classes per day
Great interactivity
Can connect up Heart Rate Monitor & Power Meter
Instructors are incredibly motivational
Great gamified races - makes you work harder!

Who Is It Suited To?

Anyone who finds they lack the motivation of getting on the bike and exercising themselves.

I’m the same, I need something that is going to keep me pushing, keep pedalling especially when it comes to the most difficult part of the workout.

With Motosumo you can rely on your exercise instructors to provide that refreshing boost of motivation that will allow you to dig deep and really improve on your performance every single time.

It’s great if you want to see your own cycling metrics and what zones your hitting as the endurance and resistance increases.

If you have access to a smartphone and an indoor bike – Motosumo is an app should really think about investing in and it’s all for a the same price of around 4 cups of coffee!

Conclusion

Motosumo is the ideal indoor cycling app for anyone who wants to improve or just get into indoor cycling without any hefty price-tags.

All you need is a standard indoor cycling bike, a smartphone and your subscription to Motosumo and you’ve got yourself your very own home indoor cycling studio.

The interactivity involved within the app and instructors themselves is super motivational and just overall fun!

I do highly recommend you try out Motosumo and see if it’s for you – I guarantee though that you’ll be looking to see when the next class is available.

You can check out below:

If you do have any questions, drop me a comment and I’ll be sure to get back to you.