Best Exercise Bike 2021: Top Indoor Bikes For Home, Gyms, And More

There’s a lot to factor into finding the best exercise bike, especially as it can be difficult to assess how much you need to spend and what features you get for your cash.

Thankfully, we’ve done some of the hard work for you by selecting a number of top bikes based on specs, reviews, and price, to kick start your search in the best way possible

Whether you’re looking for something relatively inexpensive, like this YOSUNDA Indoor Cycling Bike, or you’re searching for something slightly more premium, like this Peloton Bike+, we’ve got you covered right here.

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Best Exercise Bike

Best Exercise Bike – Nordictrack Commercial Studio Bike

Brand: Nordictrack | Maximum Height: Unspecified | Minimum Height: Unspecified | Maximum Weight Recommendation: 330 lbs | Drive System: Magnetic

The Nordictrack Studio Bike is arguably one of the most innovative smart bikes available to emulate the feel of some of the best road bikes around.

The Studio Bike provides you with a 22-inch rotating touch screen, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and a 1-year iFit membership.

In terms of training, you have 24 digital resistance levels at your disposal which is certainly something to note if you are a more serious and experienced rider.

There’s a large variety of destination-specific workouts available in the iFit library as well which should help you become immersed in your ride no matter how long you’re cycling for.

Best Folding Exercise Bike – Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Bike

Brand: Exerpeutic | Maximum Height: 6.1 ft user | Minimum Height: 5.3 ft user | Maximum Weight Recommendation: 300 lbs | Drive System: Magnetic

The Exerpeutic Folding Bike should be a solid, versatile bike for those who are limited in terms of space for their workout equipment.

Boasting a strong build that can hold a significant amount of weight, an affordable price tag, plus an apparently whisper-quiet ride, this bike sure does tick a few boxes and then some.

The Exerpeutic bike also comes with an LCD display which provides you with information on distance, calories burned, time, speed, and more.

Featuring eight levels of tension control, we’d say this bike is great for beginners and a fantastic ‘entry’ piece of equipment to accompany a top treadmill to help get you started on your fitness journey.

Best Smart Exercise Bike – Peloton Bike+

Brand: Peloton | Maximum Height: 6.5 ft user | Minimum Height 4.11 ft user | Maximum Weight Recommendation: 297 lbs | Drive System: Belt

One of the biggest brands in the exercise bike space, Peloton offers you the opportunity to take a spin class from the comfort of your own home on a well-constructed and effective exercise bike which we also featured in our list of the best spin bikes available right now.

Where the Bike+ differs from the standard bike is with its new “Auto-Follow” resistance system which scales based on your set target metrics and adapts to what the Peloton instructor is telling you to do.

Moreover, the bike boasts a larger rotating HD screen, optimal for switching between bike and floor-based workouts, and more optimised audio compared to the regular bike.

Another appealing element to the Peloton Bike+ is the 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, and even comes with the additional All-Access Membership, so if you’re serious about your fitness and want to invest in one of the best, it’s worth checking this machine out.

Best Upright Exercise Bike – SCHWINN 170 Upright Bike

Brand: SCHWINN | Maximum Height: 6.6 ft user | Minimum Height: 4.6 ft user | Maximum Weight Recommendation: 300 lbs | Drive System: Belt

Much like the Exerpeutic Folding Bike, the SCHWINN 170 is an upright bike meaning, as well as a killer lower body workout, it puts you in what can be a little more of a comfortable position for some.

The SCHWINN 170 also offers 25 resistance levels and 29 workout programs to push your cardio training to the next level.

Again, you’re getting a large backlit LCD display, a quiet ride, as well as its enhanced Bluetooth connectivity.

If you are in the market for a more expensive and static upright bike then the SCHWINN 170 might be the bike for you.

Best Exercise Bike On A Budget – YOSUDA Indoor Cycling Bike

Brand: YOSUNDA | Maximum Height: 35 Inches| Minimum Height: 25 Inches | Maximum Weight Recommendation: 270 lbs | Drive System: Belt

As featured in our best exercise bikes under 500 list, the YOSUNDA Indoor Cycling Stationary Bike is a great option to consider if you’re looking for something a bit more affordable.

Some key features of this bike include an LCD monitor that tracks time, speed, distance, calories burned, and more as well as a tablet holder which cuts a tonne of money off the cost of this bike.

The small LCD screen may be a turn-off for those wanting a smarter bike much like the Peloton, but with the tablet holder, you can easily catch up on your favourite TV show, scroll social media or participate in a high-intensity spin class whilst doing some all-important cardio.

It also packs a heavy 35lbs flywheel for intense workouts, plus the bike as a whole is highly adjustable making for one versatile piece of kit.

With that being said though, if you want to take your cycling to the great outdoor, then check out our top mountain bike picks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stationary Bikes

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 is the Difference Between an Upright Bike and a Spin Bike?

As we have covered both in this list, you may want to know some of the key differences.

An upright bike or stationary bike will generally have a wider, more comfortable seat for mostly seated workouts and fixed resistance levels.

Meanwhile, spin bikes or indoor cycling bikes are closer related to road bikes with their racing saddle and multi-grip handlebars. Spin bikes tend to offer a more intense workout and are ideal for HIIT training.

Are Exercise Bikes Worth it?

This really depends on the type of workout you’re looking for and ultimately if you enjoy cycling as a form of cardio.

The more expensive bikes on this list offer a wide variety of workouts via membership schemes to help motivate you further than before, but there is obviously an additional cost that you may not be able to afford.

Generally speaking, however, exercise bikes are a great way for beginners to start their journey and for more advanced riders to participate in some extremely high-intensity spin workouts.

To find out if a stationary bike is for you, check out our comparison of exercise bikes vs treadmills to help guide your decision.

Do Exercise Bikes Need Maintaining?

Exercise bikes need very little maintenance for the most part, especially if they are magnetically driven.

A chain-driven model will occasionally need to be oiled but this piece of exercise equipment should be one you can keep for years and years without having to worry about it at all.

How Do You Set Up An Exercise Bike?

Getting the right setup is key to a comfortable ride on your stationary bike so here are a few key tips to point you in the right direction.

Firstly, you’ll want to set up the saddle to be roughly the height of your hip bone whilst standing as this is a good starting point for you to then adjust from.

You will probably also want to check the saddle position and ensure you’re not sitting too far back and away from the peddles as this can cause unnecessary strain on your knees.

A final tip is to ensure the balls of your feet are over the centre of the peddles as this helps to increase cycling efficiency and should reduce numbness in your feet during a session.

Read More: Best Weight Bench 2021

Source: https://www.realsport101.com/real-kit/best-exercise-bike-top-picks/