Finding the best exercise bike can be quite confusing when you consider the range of price points, seating styles, and resistance options among models to pick from.
Spin bikes, for example, are immensely popular for cardio, yet recumbent and air bikes have distinct advantages, catering to various fitness goals. Recumbent bikes offer low-impact workouts, while air bikes ramp up intensity, making them stellar for full-body cardio and are, therefore, one of the best exercise machines for weight loss.
To simplify your search, we've curated a list based on price, reviews, and standout features, ensuring there's something for every budget and fitness need in your home or garage gym. Alongside top-notch spin bikes like the NordicTrack Commercial S27i, we've highlighted more affordable options such as the YOSUDA YB001. This lineup covers all bases, ultimately, and to aid your decision-making process, we've tackled common queries about choosing the right bike for your home setup too.
Best exercise bikes
- NordicTrack Commercial S27i - best bike overall
- YOSUDA YB001 - a great budget option
- Marcy NS-653 - a foldable delight
- NordicTrack Commercial R35 - recumbent excellence
- Schwinn Fitness AD 7 Airdyne - a top-tier air bike
- Peloton Bike+ - spin until your heart's content
1. NordicTrack Commercial S27i
Best exercise bike for home gyms
- NordicTrack - $2,299.00 / £1,999.00
- Amazon - $2,499.00
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the NordicTrack Commercial S27i
The NordicTrack S27i is one of the most versatile fitness machines currently available as this solid exercise bike is packed with technology designed to elevate your workout experience with every use.
One standout feature is its inertia-enhanced flywheel, coupled with a remarkable 27" rotating and tilting HD display. This immersive screen enables you to stream iFit spin classes, serving as a constant source of motivation as you strive to reach your fitness goals.
What sets the S27i apart though is its -10 to 20% live incline matching technology and a range of 24 digital resistance levels. These capabilities make this spin bike resemble a treadmill in its ability to facilitate continuous fitness improvement and add variety to your workout routines.
If you're in search of a top-tier fitness machine that offers a gym-standard experience in the comfort of your home, the NordicTrack S27i might be the perfect addition to your setup.
Reasons to buy:
- It has a massive 27" rotating and tilting HD display
- -10 to 20% incline options
- 24 digital resistance levels
Read More: Best home gym equipment
2. YOSUDA YB001
Best budget exercise bike
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the YOSUDA YB001
The YOSUDA YB001 is a top contender among exercise bikes priced under 500 dollars or pounds, offering an impressive array of features for your home or garage workout setup while maintaining an affordable price point.
With a substantial 30 lbs flywheel and eight resistance levels, this bike has enough in the tank for you to engage in a rigorous cardio workout, but with the option to up the intensity as your fitness improves.
It's incredibly sturdy too, featuring a heavy-duty steel frame that remains in line as you cycle. Don't worry though, as its handlebars and seat are adjustable to accommodate users ranging from 4'8'' to 6'1''.
With an LCD monitor tracking your stats as you ride as well, there are plenty of reasons why this YOSUDA exercise bike is worth investing in if you're looking for something toward the budget end of the spectrum.
Reasons to buy:
- Cheaper than rival exercise bikes
- 8 levels of resistance to keep workouts challenging
- Made from sturdy steel
Read More: Best cross trainers
3. Marcy NS-653
Best foldable exercise bike
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the Marcy NS-653
There are a lot of good things that can be said about the Marcy NS-653, chief among which is its foldable design. As you can fold this machine down to just 25L x 22W x 47H inches, this upright exercise bike is one easy bit of kit to store.
For exercising, however, this bike is also top-tier. It features eight levels of magnetic resistance to keep things challenging later down the line, an LCD screen that displays speed, distance, time, and calories burned, plus a padded recumbent seat to keep you comfortable as you burn calories.
It's also adjustable, with multiple options to tighten the foot straps for a secure lock-in, and it comes with transport wheels to make it easy to move once you're done training. All of this excellence comes at a reasonable price too, making it a strong option to consider if you need a foldable bike.
Reasons to buy:
- Easy to store when not in use thanks to its foldable design
- It's fairly compact, even when unfolded
- 8 levels of magnetic resistance
Read More: Best rowing machines under 500
4. NordicTrack Commercial R35
Best recumbent exercise bike
- NordicTrack - $1,399.00
- Walmart - $1,399.00
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the NordicTrack Commercial R35
The NordicTrack Commercial R35 is a particularly well-rounded recumbent machine that offers a great solution to strengthening your legs and improving your cardio, without putting as much strain on your joints.
This bike also provides comfort like no other, featuring wide pedals, adjustable foot straps, and an oversized lumbar-supported seat to prevent discomfort, even if you cycle for hours.
What's more, you get 26 levels of digital resistance to ensure your rides remain challenging, while SmartAdjust technology automatically alters the difficulty based on your needs.
With its 14" HD touchscreen too, where you can watch your favorite shows or stream trainer-led workouts thanks to the included 30-Day iFIT Family Membership, there really isn't much to dislike about this excellent recumbent bike.
Reasons to buy:
- A recumbent machine is a little kinder to your joints
- Its oversized lumbar-supported seat helps to keep you comfortable
- Hands-free resistance adjustment through 26 digital levels
Read More: Best treadmills under 500
5. Schwinn Fitness AD 7 Airdyne
Best air exercise bike
- Amazon - $950.00 / £623.22
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the Schwinn Fitness AD 7 Airdyne
This Schwinn AD 7 Airdyne fan-driven machine is an ideal bit of kit if you're looking for an amazing air bike to get a full-body workout in whilst also improving your cardio.
It comes with a 26-blade fan, designed to offer you greater levels of resistance to ensure your workouts remain challenging, particularly with the handlebars working your upper body at the same time.
Moreover, you get a console display that includes a tachometer to visually signal how hard you're exercising, which can add a little extra motivation to help you achieve your fitness goals.
On the whole, we feel the fan-driven Schwinn is well worth considering if you're after a well-rounded air bike packed with tech.
Reasons to buy:
- Works both your legs and upper body
- The console's tachometer helps you keep track of how hard you're working
- Its 26 blades provide a ton of resistance
Read More: Best multi-gyms under 500
6. Peloton Bike+
Best exercise bike for spin classes
- Amazon - $2,495.00 / £1,995.00
* prices are accurate at the time of the last update
Why we chose the Peloton Bike+
The Peloton Bike+ looks to be well worth considering as it offers you the opportunity to take a high-intensity session from the comfort of your own home.
This particular machine differs from the standard bike as it comes with an “Auto-Follow” system which scales the resistance based on your set target metrics and adapts to what the Peloton instructor is telling you to do.
Moreover, the bike boasts a large rotating HD screen which is ideal for switching between bike and floor-based workouts, and more optimized audio compared to the regular bike.
Another appealing element to the Bike+ is its motivational aspect, as Live Rides along with monthly challenges and milestone badges should push you to achieve above and beyond your fitness targets.
This bike is certainly a premium choice, especially with the additional All-Access Membership, but if you're serious about your fitness and want to invest in one of the best, then we believe it's worth checking out.
Reasons to buy:
- Its “Auto-Follow” system scales the resistance based on your targets
- You get a beautiful HD screen to stream bike and floor-based workouts
- There are monthly challenges and milestone badges to complete
Read More: Best fitness deals
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
People often have a tonne of questions about stationary bikes, but we're here to clear up a few common queries to help you make your purchase.
What should you look for when buying an exercise bike?
We believe there are three main things to keep your eye on when buying an exercise bike:
- Type - As mentioned above, exercise bikes can come in many forms including spin, recumbent, and air-driven. Therefore, it's important to determine which is right for you and your needs before making a purchase.
- Resistance - Make sure you pick up an indoor bike with enough resistance levels to keep your workouts challenging whilst offering plenty of room for progress.
- Metrics - Some exercise bikes come with monitors that can track workout metrics like your heart rate, calories burned, and distance. If this is something you deem necessary, make sure you find a machine that comes with the right tech.
Is an exercise bike worth it?
Havard Health Publishing recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, something we feel an exercise bike can easily provide and, therefore, makes owning one worth it
However, your fitness goals and whether you enjoy cycling as a form of cardio will determine whether an exercise bike is worth it for you.
That said, exercise bikes are a good place for beginners to start their fitness journey and for more advanced riders to perform more intense routines, in our opinion.
If you look at some of the more premium bikes as well, you may find you gain access to a wide variety of challenging workouts away from cycling to keep your motivation high and push you past your comfort zone.
Can an exercise bike help you build muscle?
Regularly riding a stationary bike can help build your lower body and leg strength as well as improve your cardiovascular fitness, especially if you use a higher resistance.
More specifically, the pedaling motion is great for targetting your calves, hamstrings, and quads, making exercise bikes the optimal machines for lower body sessions.
Can you lose weight using an exercise bike?
Exercise bikes can be very effective if you're looking to use weight as they offer a low-impact alternative to other cardio-based workouts, such as running.
In fact, you'll burn around twice as many calories on an exercise bike compared to a brisk walk, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Havard Health Publishing goes on to state that a 155-pound person who cycles vigorously for 30 minutes on a stationary bike burns an estimated 391 calories.
This is supported by a systematic review by Chavarrias et al.. The study found a combination of indoor cycling and diet is effective for improving your lipid profile, losing weight, and reducing blood pressure.
Exercise is just one piece of the puzzle though, as you need to team it up with the right diet, sleep, and stress management, plus a regular and consistent training regime tailored towards your weight loss goals.
That being said, what we like about exercise bikes, in particular, is that they're extremely accessible and easy to use, meaning almost anyone can jump on and start cycling right away.
Recumbent bikes especially are a great way to introduce exercise into your life, without having to get used to the often uncomfortable feeling of a bike seat.
What do the different types of resistance mean?
Indoor bikes often use one of three resistance methods to create tension whilst you pedal. These include fan, mechanical, and magnetic resistance.
The fan creates resistance as it moves through the air, with the tension increasing as you pedal faster.
Mechanical resistance provides tension via a belt wrapped around a flywheel. With most flywheel bikes, you can adjust the tension via a knob that applies more pressure onto the strap, thus creating more resistance.
A magnetic resistance system also utilizes a flywheel, however, instead of direct contact, the flywheel interferes with the magnetic field between the two magnets.
The resulting attraction of the flywheel brings about resistance, but the magnets do not come into contact with the flywheel.
The magnetic system is perhaps the most popular mechanism available right now, with many bikes choosing it over the aforementioned resistances. Whether it's the best for you though will come down to personal preference.
Can you adjust the seat and handlebars on an exercise bike?
It's important to get the setup correct in order for you to perform to the best of your ability and avoid injury on your exercise bike. As a result, most stationary machines allow you to adjust the seating position and handlebars.
Firstly, we'd recommend adjusting the saddle height roughly to around your hip bone when standing next to your machine.
To double-check this is right for you, place your heels on the pedals and extend one foot to the bottom of your stroke. If you have a very slight bend in your knee with the heel on the pedal, you're in the correct position.
You should then move the saddle either forward or backward to ensure your knees are slightly above the center of your foot, but make sure they don't extend past the middle of your shoelaces.
We'd then suggest adjusting the height and distance of your handlebars until they're around a forearm length away from the start of your saddle. This should ensure a comfortable ride for both upright and spin sessions.
How accurate is an exercise bike?
No cardio machine is 100% accurate at counting your calories.
VeryWellFit estimates that cardio machines overestimate your calories burnt by 15-20% as they can't account for all the influencing factors.
Having said that, it's important to keep in mind an exercise bike tracks only the calories burned during the workout, not those you would burn otherwise, so you may be using more calories than you realize.
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