Without the cardio equipment, can you really say that your at-home workout gear and gym equipment are complete? Cardio might be the least liked part of anyone’s workout routine, but this kind of exercise is essential for weight loss and can help improve brain and joint health — especially when paired with weight training. It’s also considered the best exercise for cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) fitness. A way to incorporate some low-impact cardio into your routine is through indoor cycling. Hence the exercise bike.
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Exercise bikes strengthen your legs and lower body without putting too much pressure on your joints, making them the perfect fitness equipment for beginners. Alternatively, exercise bikes can be employed in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for increased fat loss and improved stamina. So even if you despise cardio, you’ll reap the benefits of this versatile home gym equipment. To narrow down your options, we rounded up the best exercise bikes, geared toward every type of rider and lifestyle.
Best Smart Bike: Bowflex C6 Bike
Bowflex has been the king of home gym fitness for decades, and the C6 bike is proof that the brand deserves to keep its crown. It offers a smooth, quiet ride, and the backlit LCD metric console tracks your workout in real time so you can track your progress. Bowflex didn’t try to reinvent the wheel with this exercise bike: It connects via Bluetooth to your favorite
Read more: Best Full-body Workouts
Best-Rated Exercise Bike: Echelon Connect Sport Exercise Bike
The affordable Echelon features all the bells and whistles of a standard indoor cycling bike, including 32 levels of resistance for varied intensity, no-slip handlebars, and a cushioned seat. It is bundled with a free 30-day trial of Echelon United, which gives you access to a myriad of expert-led fitness classes. This indoor bike also comes with the brand’s equipment-free membership, the FitPass. The pass offers a plethora of resources for equipment-free exercises, such as yoga and HIIT, making it ideal for users who don’t have the necessary gym equipment at home.
Read more: Beginner’s Guide to Indoor Cycling
Best Interactive Bike: ProForm Carbon CX Indoor Studio Bike
The ProForm Carbon CX turns your home gym into a cycling studio with trainer-led workouts and automated resistance control, which allows your trainer to control the resistance on your bike to realistically match the terrain for your workout. Spin classes aren’t limited to hot, sweaty rooms anymore, either: Trainers can take you on outdoor rides that allow you to see the world.
Best Compact Bike: Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike
Schwinn knows bikes. The brand’s indoor exercise bike is no exception to its dedication to high-quality biking, indoor or outdoor. Featuring magnetic resistance, the bike doesn’t come with a tablet, but it does come with a mount for you to easily set yours up on and stream your favorite spin classes from any fitness app. It also comes with a Bluetooth heart rate armband that syncs with the bike and other apps, along with 3-pound weights. Overall, it can definitely compete with the pricier bikes on this list and is a good value for a studio-quality exercise bike.
Best Budget-Friendly Bike: Sunny Health & Fitness Indoor Exercise Cycling Bike
For under $300, you can’t get more basic than the Sunny. Featuring a 49-pound flywheel and adjustable handlebars, seat, and resistance, it’s nothing fancy, but it’ll get the job done. The bike has a performance monitor to track your workout along with a pulse sensor. The device holder allows you to stream your favorite workouts or TV shows while you ride. It won’t win an indoor bike beauty pageant, but over 4,000 reviews on Amazon agree it’s a great value.
Best for Cycling Enthusiasts: Wattbike Atom Smart Bike
The Wattbike Atom looks like a bike from the future — and it’s priced like one, too. The Wattbike Atom is made to attract serious cyclists who are used to the feel of a true road bike. This sturdy bike delivers in terms of top-notch design, features, and customization. It can adjust completely to your size and preferences, and it’s built with a rock-solid foundation that makes you feel supported while you push through challenging workouts. The app is free, unlike Peloton, which means the hefty price tag pays for itself and pays dividends, the longer you use it.
Best Upright Bike: Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Bike
If you’re low on space and think you don’t have room for an indoor exercise bike, think again. This foldable exercise bike tucks away under your bed or in your closet until you use it, and at under 40 pounds, it’s easy to move around. The large seat cushion, LCD display, and eight-level magnetic tension gives you a comfortable yet difficult ride without the clutter. If you’re not sold on spending a ton of money on an exercise bike, this is a solid investment.
Best For On-Demand Streaming Services: Joroto Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike
The Joroto Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike is designed with streaming in mind. The bike puts your tablet and content at the center of your experience so you can immerse yourself in your workouts from Peloton, Studio Sweat on Demand, or other popular streaming fitness apps. The chrome flywheel and magnetic resistance make for a smooth ride, while the digital monitor tracks your workout progress. It’s one of the more affordable indoor exercise bikes on this list and pairs well with on-demand streaming services.
Best Desk Bike: Exerpeutic ExerWork 2000i Bluetooth Folding Exercise Desk
Work out while you work with this ergonomically designed desk bike. Featuring a large, fully adjustable desktop with the ability to tilt forward, back, up, and down, this bike allows you to get your heart rate up in a meeting or a conference call without stepping away from your desk. It’s also foldable, which makes it easy to stow away after your workday is over. Never use the excuse of “I don’t have time to work out” again with this 2-in-1 desk bike.
