Exercise bike machines: 9 Best Exercise and Stationary Bikes 2023

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The best exercise bikes for 2023, tried and tested



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The huge variety of exercise bikes is enough to put even the most experienced cyclist in a spin. While the chunky, clunky indoor bikes of the 90s and noughties have been replaced by sleek spinning machines, finding the best exercise bike for you can still be tricky – as I discovered while testing the best for this piece. 

The right stationary bike can be a great investment. They’re smaller and more compact than a treadmill or rowing machine and offer a lot of bang for your buck. “Indoor cycling is low impact, but high intensity,” says Alana Murrin, Head of Ride at London’s Psycle studios. “It’s a huge mind booster and mood shifter. You get dopamine, serotonin, endorphins. Even when I just have small bursts of time, I can put on a 20 minute express workout and get that same feeling and sensation that I get from an in-person class.” 

You don’t need to commit to cycling for an hour or more to feel and see results. Studies have shown that cyclists who use stationary bikes for short, high intensity interval training can significantly improve performance on the road without having to put in hours of work. 

“20-30 minutes is the sweet spot for those working out at home,” Murrin says. “If you commit to doing that every other day, you’ll find that consistency is far more valuable than intensity.”

Scroll down to read our in-depth reviews of the most popular exercise bikes on the market and the best budget alternatives, followed by answers to frequently-asked questions such ase how many calories a spin workout can burn, and which muscles you’re using. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top six bikes:

The best exercise bikes for 2023, at a glance

  • Best spin bike – Apex Smart Bike
  • Best exercise bike for classes – Peloton Bike+
  • Best premium exercise bike – Technogym Bike
  • Best smart exercise bike – Wattbike Atom
  • Best recumbent exercise bike – NordicTrack Commercial VR25 Recumbent Exercise Bike
  • Best budget exercise bike – Roger Black Fitness Gold Exercise Bike

How to choose the right exercise bike for you

There are three main types of exercise bike. Upright exercise bikes (sometimes called static bikes) have an upright seat position and higher handlebars. They also tend to have a larger and more padded seat. Spin bikes have lower handlebars and geometry similar to a road bike – they are what you would find in an indoor cycling or spin class. On recumbent exercise bikes you sit slightly reclined, with your feet in front of your body. These are useful for those with reduced mobility. 

Once you’ve chosen your style of bike, the next thing to consider is its resistance. Most exercise bikes use a flywheel – a metal disc that provides the resistance to your pedalling. Alana Murrin recommends magnetic or electromagnetic resistance, which is quieter and smoother to adjust than direct contact or ‘friction’ resistance. “I’m looking for a fluid sense of resistance,” she says. “If it feels clunky, you’re not going to be able to work up to higher speeds.” 

Size is also a key consideration: you need to be able to fit the bike in your home and store it. Then there’s technology. Top-of-the-range models come with monitors to give you real-time feedback, show online cycling classes and simulate outdoor rides, or a tablet holder for using training apps such as Strava and Zwift. 

How I tested the best exercise bikes

I tested exercise bikes from leading brands

I put each bike through its paces and tried a variety of indoor cycling classes and simulated outdoor rides as well as strength workouts (where relevant). I rode at a range of speeds to test sturdiness and took into account the user interface, noise levels, and how easy each bike was to adjust.

If you were hoping for a £200 solution to your exercise bike woes, I’m afraid I haven’t found one. You really do get what you pay for and the difference in build quality as you go up the price spectrum is marked. Read on for my verdict on the best exercise bikes for 2023. 

Best exercise bikes

1. Apex Smart Bike

£599 plus £29. 99 per month subscription, Apex 

Best spin bike

We liked: the motivational trainers and quality of classes 

Apex Smart Bike: a connected exercise bike with top quality classes

  • Weight: 45kg
  • Flywheel weight: 4kg
  • Resistance levels: 30
  • Screen: No, but a tablet holder

It’s been dubbed as the UK’s answer to Peloton, but the Apex Smart Bike is in a category of its own. It’s a (slightly) less expensive connected exercise bike, but the build quality is similar to that of Peloton. 

The cost is kept down by the lack of a touchscreen – instead you use your own tablet (or phone, at a push) to stream classes via an app. The classes are of excellent quality, with experienced instructors and high-spec production. 

I particularly enjoyed the themed music rides, but there are plenty of others to choose from ranging from 15 minutes to an hour. There are also strength, mobility and beginner-friendly classes available. You don’t quite get the range of Peloton, which has a bank of thousands to choose from, but as Apex is new to the market, this will improve with time. 

It’s also worth noting that the trainers are British spin instructors from the boutique Boom Cycle studio in London, which may be more palatable to those who find Peloton’s earnest instructors and affirmations a bit cheesy. However, Apex would be more suited to class cyclists and spin fanatics than to those looking for indoor performance training. There are no options for simulated outdoor rides (yet), nor is there much scope for free-riding.

Onto design: this is one exercise bike I wouldn’t mind having on display in my living room. It’s sleek, stylish, has a compact 4ft by 2ft footprint, comes in four colours and dual sided Shimano pedals. It has a wireless phone charger, tablet holder for streaming classes, plus a water bottle holder and rack for weights (which don’t come included, but are reasonably priced at £25). Most importantly, it feels incredibly sturdy and doesn’t budge as you pedal.

Despite the fact that it’s comparatively light and has a very light flywheel there’s a great range of magnetic resistance. It’s smooth and quiet so is unlikely to cause any neighbourly disputes. I do have one minor gripe, which is that the resistance knob isn’t the best; it feels nice but is overly sensitive and goes up four or five levels with one turn. It’s a bit fiddly when you’re trying to change gears quickly in time with an instructor on-screen. 

This would still be the bike I would wholeheartedly recommend for at-home spinning, if you need a slightly cheaper Peloton alternative. And, best of all, Apex bikes are delivered fully assembled and ready to go. 

£599

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Price at

Apex

2. Peloton Bike+ 

£1,995, plus £39 per month subscription, Peloton

Best for classes and community

We liked: the wide range of classes which keeps you coming back for more

Peloton Bike+: the king of home spin

  • Weight: 63kg
  • Flywheel weight: 10kg
  • Resistance levels: 100, plus an auto-adjusting resistance mode
  • Screen: 23. 8″ HD touchscreen

It’s three times the price of the Apex but roughly on a par with the other smart bikes and, if that’s your budget, this souped-up version of the original Peloton bike (which goes for £1,345) is, quite simply, the most impressive exercise bike on the market

It runs on personality – even the most reluctant of cyclists would struggle to stay demotivated when faced with Peloton’s peppy instructors who encourage you to push and pedal from an immersive touchscreen. “With Peloton, what you’re paying for is the convenience and motivation – you can squeeze in a session any time without having to go to the gym,” says Lucie Cowan, Master Trainer at boutique gym Third Space. 

But why buy the Bike+ for £650 more than the original? The key difference is that the Bike+ is geared up to offer more than just cycling. The screen can be rotated for strength, yoga and mobility workouts and it has a bigger screen and better sound quality. You can save money on packages that include cycling shoes, weights and a yoga mat.  

It also has auto-adjusting resistance, so you don’t even need to lift a finger to go up a gear in time with the instructor on-screen. The Bike+ can also sync with your Apple Watch or fitness tracker. However, these are doubtless luxuries on top of an already-luxurious bike.

There are thousands of live and on-demand classes to choose from. You can filter rides by music genre, focus, duration and instructor. On Peloton, everyone has a personal favourite; mine is New York-based Hannah Corbin, because she tells me I’m a rockstar. I almost believe her. An optional leaderboard taps you into a community of other riders. You can even video chat with friends while you ride, if you like. 

The equipment itself is of a very high quality. The bike has a welded, coated steel frame, a comfortable saddle, and the flywheel is powered by magnetic resistance with an especially quiet belt drive. There’s a huge range of resistance for every type of rider and, as previously mentioned, it can auto adjust. Responsive and accurate feedback is shown on screen as you pedal. 

It’s undoubtedly expensive, but for an ever-expanding library of workouts and a top-of-the-range bike, I’d argue that it’s worth it if you can afford to splash out. You can get a 100 day free trial if you change your mind.

£1995

Buy now

Price at

Peloton

3. Technogym Bike

£2,990, plus optional subscription from £9.99 per month, Technogym

Best premium exercise bike

We liked: the HD screen and quality build, but expect to pay a premium

Technogym Bike: a bike worthy of a luxury gym

  • Weight: 67kg
  • Flywheel weight: 17.4kg
  • Resistance levels: 20
  • Screen: 22″ HD touchscreen

Technogym’s live exercise bike is the piece of kit you need if you want boutique gym-standard quality at home. It’s probably too big an outlay for most casual riders, but over the years it may work out slightly cheaper than Peloton when monthly costs are taken into account. The Technogym is no different to the high-end tech you find in gyms and health clubs and you can tell it’s built to commercial standards. It pedals smoothly and silently, feels very sturdy, and has a 22” HD touchscreen. 

It also stands out for its endless ride and entertainment options. You can stream cycling and strength classes from Technogym’s own studio as well as spin classes from top studios (1Rebel and Virgin Active’s Revolution) live and on-demand. There are a wide range of immersive ‘outdoor’ rides and you can also stream from apps including Netflix, Youtube and many more. I tried a handful of classes but only scratched the surface. This means it’s one of the rare indoor exercise bikes that’s suited to every type of rider, whether your priority is spinning, simulating outdoor training, or just pedalling while you watch TV. I enjoyed that you have much more freedom than with comparable bikes. 

Another point of differentiation between this and other high-end models is that you aren’t tied into a subscription – even paying nothing monthly you can access a selection of on-demand classes and use Chromecast or a Fire TV stick to stream from your phone. Frustratingly, though, it doesn’t link to the app Zwift, which could be a dealbreaker for some. 

As for the tech specs – as I mentioned, you can tell that this is a top-of-the-range bike simply from how it feels. The bike itself is very heavy, which is indicative of its sturdiness, although do note that it’s not easy to move or store. 

Overall, a hugely impressive bike with the best entertainment package out there. Just expect to pay a premium for it. 

£2990

Buy now

Price at

Technogym

4. Wattbike Atom

Currently £2,149, Wattbike 

Best smart exercise bike

We liked: A true-to-life cycling experience for serious riders

Wattbike Atom: realistically emulates real-life road biking

  • Weight: 40kg
  • Flywheel weight: 9.28kg
  • Resistance levels: 22
  • Screen: No, but a tablet holder

“Wattbike is the best choice for serious performance cyclists, as the information it gives you is a cut above the rest,” says Cowan. It gives you more detailed and accurate data than any other exercise bike at this price point (accurate to ±1%).

All the basics are ticked off (speed, power, heart rate and cadence) and you get custom metrics including a “Pedalling Effectiveness Score (PES)” and “Maximum Minute Power (MMP)” to work out individualised training zones. It doesn’t have a built-in screen, so you’ll need an iPad, tablet, smartphone or smart TV to use the Wattbike Hub or another training app of your choice. One small downside is that, unlike the Apex smart bike, it doesn’t have a USB charger to keep your device topped up while you cycle.

It’s also worth pointing out that as someone who prefers spin to outdoor cycling, I’m not exactly Wattbike’s target market. And if you’re like me, you may find Wattbike a little heavy-handed on the performance data. But there are enough training programmes to suit every type of rider, from simulated hills to HIIT sessions. 

That being said, I found it very impressive. The bike itself is of excellent quality with a racing saddle, padded handlebars and sturdy-feeling road bike frame. You adjust the gears via buttons on the handlebars, as on a real-life road bike. It has 22 gears of electromagnetic resistance, more than enough for riders of every level of fitness and experience.

The Wattbike is very much like outdoor cycling, but without the wind and bad weather, and with much more data. If that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t be disappointed.

£2149

Buy now

Price at

Wattbike

5. NordicTrack Commercial VR25 Recumbent Exercise Bike

£1,199, plus option £11 per month iFit subscription, Fitness Superstore

Best recumbent exercise bike

We liked: the comfortable chair design

NordicTrack Commercial VR25: sturdy and comfortable

  • Weight: 75kg
  • Flywheel weight: 11kg
  • Resistance levels: 26
  • Screen: 7″ touchscreen and tablet holder

John Lewis’s fitness buyer Sophie Ebejer recommended this bike as, for a commercial-standard piece of equipment, it’s “great value. It provides interactive entertainment features, as well as providing great comfort for the user which is typically a high consideration when purchasing a recumbent bike.” 

The NordicTrack Commercial VR25 is much more comfortable than the spin bikes above, as it has a padded chair-style seat, wider foot pedals, handles and even an integrated fan. It has an easy-to-use 7″ touchscreen for checking the progress of your workout or watching TV, and a tablet holder for your personal device. You also get access to iFit: “an integrated app that helps keep you motivated… It features over 12,000 real cycle routes, allows you to race against friends, and much more,” says Ebejer. 

£1199

Buy now

Price at

Fitness Superstore

6. Echelon EX-5s Smart Connect Bike

Currently £1,299, plus £29.99 per month subscription, Echelon

Best padded exercise bike

We like: it’s comfortable to sit on for longer workouts

Echelon EX-5s: a Peloton dupe

  • Weight: 56kg
  • Flywheel weight: 13kg
  • Resistance levels: 26
  • Screen: 21. 5″ HD touchscreen

You’d be forgiven for mistaking the Echelon EX-5s for a Peloton exercise bike. It has the same red and black branding, a similar logo, and a similar 21.5” HD screen for following classes. 

There are hundreds of workouts to choose from, including group spin classes, scenic rides, strength sessions, and more. But the user interface isn’t quite as slick as Peloton, and the graphics and sound aren’t as good quality. The seat is more comfortably padded than most bikes I tested, but the frame isn’t as sturdy, nor is the resistance as responsive. For £150 more, you’re better off buying a Peloton. 

£1299

Buy now

Price at

Echelon

Budget exercise bikes

Since trying and testing the above exercise bikes, we’ve been keen to track down more budget exercise bikes and a couple have caught our attention. We’ve not tried the below but until we do, we are recommending them based on their specs and reputations.

7. Roger Black Fitness Gold Exercise Bike

£299, Roger Black Fitness

Best budget exercise bike

  • Weight: 27kg
  • Flywheel weight: 6kg
  • Resistance levels: 16
  • Screen: LCD display plus tablet holder

Pitched as ‘budget friendly equipment’, Roger Black Fitness has a few exercise bikes to choose from but this premium option sticks to a decent budget. It has 16 magnetic resistance levels, compared to Peloton’s 100. That might not be enough for a serious spinner but is plenty for most people. 

The cash is saved by a lack of touchscreen. Instead, a simple LCD display offers 13 user programmes and feedback on body fat, heart rate, speed, calories and rotations per minute. Some users have noted this makes the screen difficult to use.

The pedals are adjustable but plastic – though users largely praise their quality – and the seat and handlebars are also adjustable. The handlebars also have a built-in heart rate monitor, though it won’t be as accurate as a wireless heart-rate monitor. All in all, this Roger Black exercise back does the basics well, and a bit more, resulting in a good value, budget-friendly exercise bike.

£299

Buy now

Price at

Roger Black Fitness

8. Reebok Z-Power Exercise Bike

£399, John Lewis

Best portable exercise bike

  • Weight: 31. 5kg
  • Flywheel weight: 9kg
  • Resistance levels: 32
  • Screen: 5.5″ LCD display

The Reebok Z-Power isn’t too dissimilar from the Roger Black Fitness bike. It’s a fraction heavier, with a similar LCD screen, but with double the resistance levels. The saddle and pedals are adjustable and the handlebars also have an in-built heart rate monitor, though they are fixed.

The LCD screen brightly displays 12 programmes and measures speed, time-elapsed, distance covered, calories burned, pulse, watts and RPM. The best feature is the transport wheels, which means it can be easily stored away after use. 

For an extra £100 compared to the Roger Black, you don’t get a whole lot more – double the amount of resistance levels, wheels and a slightly more aesthetic look. It’s only worth splashing out if you want that versatility in resistance and the ability to single-handedly put the bike away. That said, it’s still far cheaper than the exercise bikes higher up this list.

£399

Buy now

Price at

John Lewis

FAQ

How to lose weight on an exercise bike?

Interval training is the best way to burn maximum calories in a small amount of time. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Interval training involves short bursts of intense exercise spaced between longer intervals of less intense exercise. 

For example, cycle as hard as you can on a higher resistance for two minutes, then cycle at a more relaxed pace for five minutes. Alternate for however long you’ve allocated to that workout. If your cardio fitness is already high, try equal two minute intervals of high and low intensity.

What muscles do an exercise bike work?

Primarily calves, hamstrings and quadriceps, but also your core, back and glutes. Cycling is a bottom heavy exercise, so consider lifting weights while cycling for a full body workout. Lots of exercise bikes have weight racks built-in for this reason.

How many calories do you burn on an exercise bike?

You can burn more than 600 calories an hour with a stationary bike workout depending on the intensity of your workout and body weight, according to Healthline. That makes indoor cycling and spin classes one of the most efficient ways to burn calories. 

Should you use cleats on an exercise bike?

Most of the models I tested came with dual-sided pedals that had cleats (for “clipping in”) on one side and an adjustable toe cage for running shoes on the other. Trainer Alana Murrin says cleats are “much safer and more effective” than wearing trainers. 

How much do I have to spend on an exercise bike?

Prices for exercise bikes start from around £100, but the cheapest bikes are best avoided. For a premium bike with all the bells and whistles, you’d need to pay £800 plus. The market-leading Peloton exercise bike, which has a screen to stream cycling classes and other workouts, will set you back a minimum of £1,345. Is it worth the money?  

For me, yes – the main incentive to purchase an exercise bike is that it might give me the motivation to actually ride it. I’ve always found stationary cycling fairly monotonous, but this new crop of ‘connected’ smart bikes that offer studio-standard spin classes from home could change that.  

Cycling at home can be hot work, given that most of us in this country don’t have air conditioning. I find a strategically angled fan helps a lot. 

Are stationary bikes or spin bikes better for reaching your goals?

Learn the pros and cons of both spin bikes and stationary bikes

By

Christine VanDoren

Exercise bikes supply an excellent form of low-impact cardio, and they can provide the body with many benefits when enjoyed regularly. Cycling is also a great choice for many because there is minimal stress put on the joints, and cycling indoors can keep you safe from traffic and busy streets. Now, we just have to consider spin bikes versus stationary bikes when it comes to what piece of equipment is best for you to get started with.

Contents

  • 3 benefits of cycling
  • Primary differences between stationary bikes and spin bikes

Both types of exercise bikes provide the same general benefits, though there are pros and cons to each. Whether you’re looking to buy an exercise bike for your home gym or just want to know if you should be hopping on a stationary bike or a spin bike at your gym, keep reading to see how stationary bikes and spin bikes compare.

3 benefits of cycling

VGstockstudio/Shutterstock

1. Strengthens the lower body

Whether you are using a stationary bike or a spin bike, your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves are all putting in work to support the movement. If you are consistent with cycling and utilize progressive overload, you will likely see a development in the muscles of your lower body.

2. Supports weight loss

Cycling is a great form of cardio that will be sure to have you burning some calories. As long as you make sure it is a challenging ride, you can burn enough calories to lose a couple of pounds per week when combined with a healthy, nourishing diet.

3. Improves cardiovascular fitness

When you first start using a stationary bike or a spin bike, you may find yourself getting out of breath and tiring quickly. However, if you stick with a regular workout schedule and go a little further or a little faster each time, then your heart and lungs will adapt, and your blood circulation can improve as well!

Primary differences between stationary bikes and spin bikes

Stationary bikes refer to the traditional upright exercise bikes you’ve likely seen at a gym. They have a console and usually have pre-loaded programs. You can adjust the resistance by selecting the level, and you can pedal faster or slower to adjust the difficulty of the workout as well. There are also recumbent stationary bikes, which have the seat reclined back. Stationary bikes usually use direct contact resistance.

Spin bikes, also called indoor cycles, may not have a console, but they have an exposed flywheel, which is often significantly heavier than the flywheel on a stationary bike. Most indoor cycles use friction resistance or magnetic resistance. Friction resistance relies on felt or rubber pads pressing on the flywheel to resist its motion when you pedal, so the bikes have a dial or knob to increase or decrease resistance. Magnetic resistance has discrete levels of resistance, like stationary bikes.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: workout intensity

Generally speaking, you can get a more intense workout on a spin bike than a stationary bike. Spin bikes require greater muscle activation, including some upper body and core, whereas the workout on a stationary bike is really just isolated to the legs. They also have a heavier flywheel. You can also stand on a spin bike for climbs and aggressively hard efforts, whereas you should not stand on a stationary bike.

The nature of the workouts also tends to be different because most spin classes and indoor cycling workouts are HIIT style workouts or designed to be high-intensity vigorous efforts to improve cardiovascular fitness. Most stationary bike workouts are designed to be more moderate aerobic efforts that improve markers of health. Of course, you can do an easy-pedaling workout on a spin bike and push yourself to the max on a stationary bike, but the general primary purposes are somewhat inherently different.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: resistance

As mentioned, stationary bikes and spin bikes may use a variety of mechanisms to generate friction. Friction resistance spin bikes use felt pads and ultimately have the highest maximal ceiling of resistance, which would be when the felt pad is fully against the flywheel in a full stop. They also have an infinite number of levels because the adjustability is continuous rather than discrete. However, there are downsides to friction resistance spin bikes. The felt pads can wear out over time and may need to be replaced. It’s also not possible to know exactly what “level” you’re on, so it’s difficult to follow instructor-led workouts like Peloton classes or compare one workout to the next using difficulty. In other words, you can’t easily quantify your effort.

Spin bikes with magnetic resistance are more precise. They also run smoother and quieter, but you’re limited to the levels they have on the bike. You may find the easiest level too difficult, the hardest level not challenging enough, or the gradations between levels too great to dial into the exact effort level you’d like.

The direct contact resistance on stationary bikes is similar to friction resistance and can wear out. Moreover, the bikes don’t allow you to turn a dial to micro-adjust the resistance. Instead, there are numbered levels you’re locked into choosing.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: muscles worked

Both types of exercise bikes predominantly work the quads, hamstrings, and calves, with the glutes to a lesser extent. Spin bikes also strengthen the shoulders, core, and back to some degree. Standing on a spin bike turns it into a total-body exercise. Note that recumbent bikes offer the least core activation since your torso is supported by the seat.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: adjustability

Most exercise bikes allow for seat height adjustments, handlebar height adjustments, and resistance adjustments. Spin bikes often allow additional adjustability features like fore/aft adjustments of the seat and handlebars and a greater number of resistance levels.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: calories burned

Regardless of the type of exercise bike you use, the number of calories you burn riding an exercise bike will depend on the intensity and duration of your workout. In general, the energy expenditure is higher on a spin bike or indoor cycle than on a stationary bike, so you’ll burn more calories on a spin bike workout compared to a similar workout on a stationary bike.

Spin bikes require more muscle activation, have a heavier flywheel, and allow for a greater ceiling of intensity. Again, it’s also important to note that most spin bike workouts are inherently designed to be more vigorous than an aerobic stationary bike workout.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: console

Though there are an increasing number of popular indoor cycles with smart technology and integrated consoles, many spin bikes do not come with a console. On the other hand, stationary bikes have an embedded console. The console typically keeps track of metrics like workout time, level, calories burned, distance, heart rate, etc. There may be pre-programmed workout programs as well.

Fancier indoor cycles like the MYX II Plus, Peloton, Schwinn IC4, and Echelon bikes have touch screens and app connectivity. They offer all the benefits of a stationary bike console with additional perks like video streaming. Plus, you can stream interactive classes to boost your motivation.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: similarity to outdoor cycling

Spin bikes or indoor cycles are designed to more closely mimic the riding position of an outdoor bike, such that you’re leaning forward more. Stationary bikes are more upright and have a less aggressive riding position.

The pedal stroke is also supposed to feel more realistic on a spin bike versus a stationary bike. Indoor cycles with chain-drive mechanisms instead of belt drives will feel even more similar to an outdoor bicycle.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: cost

There’s quite a range of prices for both stationary bikes and spin bikes, depending on the quality of construction, type of resistance, technology, and bells and whistles. However, in general, stationary bikes for home use are less expensive than spin bikes. You can find affordable indoor cycles and spin bikes, though, as long as you’re willing to get models without a touchscreen console.

Stationary bikes vs. spin bikes: final pros and cons

You can be well served with a stationary bike or an indoor cycle and can likely get a decent cardio workout on either type of exercise bike. However, if you’re looking to really boost your fitness and get a more intense workout, you’ll probably do better with a spin bike. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more beginner-friendly, basic piece of exercise equipment for aerobic exercise, a stationary bike may save you some money and be a little easier to use

Editors’ Recommendations

  • 11 benefits of squats that will improve your overall fitness

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  • The best fitness gear to maximize your post-workout recovery

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Smart Bikes – Sports Geeks

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Bike racks have never been so fashionable. This coronavirus lockdown situation that many countries around the world are going through has forced thousands of people to do indoor cycling as a way to keep fit. In recent years, the advent of interactive cycling stations with simulation of connection and variable resistance, as well as the emergence of online platforms such as Zwift or Bkool, have made what until recently was torture for most, a much more exciting pastime. The gamification of bike racks has given cycling a new dimension. But beyond the most advanced bikes we use with our own bikes, a new category of “smart bikes” has emerged. In fact, the exercise bikes in the gym are made in terms of cycling. Brands such as Tacx, Wahoo, Zycle or Stages, leading companies in the world of cycling, have created cutting-edge models of smart exercise bikes. They all want to simulate real cycling to the maximum. These are some of the best interactive exercise bikes for cycling at home.

The Zycle Smart ZBike is the first exercise bike with automatic resistance control that gives you complete control over your workout.

Tacx, one of the giants in the bike rack world, couldn’t miss this new product category. In fact, we could say that they are not very confused. The manufacturers have taken their best bike trainer, the Tacx Neo 2T Smart, which is considered one of the best bike trainers today (and one of the most expensive). Based on this, they created a structure that will bring the exercise bike to life with all the data-accuracy characteristics of the Tacx Neo 2T interactive bike station.

They sought to achieve the greatest possible reality when using it. Therefore, it has a feature that allows it to vibrate, simulating the feeling of riding on streets or dirt roads. It is also capable of simulating descents and is capable of handling sprints up to 2200W. The exercise bike is quiet and has every type of connection you can imagine. It can also work without being connected to electricity, in which case it simulates a flat route, where there is more resistance when pedaling at a higher speed.

Includes 4.5-inch screen and USB ports for charging external devices. So you can also mount your tablet in a handlebar mount and connect it to this power source. The exercise bike is equipped with two fans and their work is regulated depending on your heart rate and pedaling power. All this with a lot of settings for the position of the bike.

Since Garmin bought the Tacx, prices have come down a bit.

You know the Stages brand from its power meters and you will probably find it harder to associate with this type of product. However, what you probably don’t know is that Stages is more of an exercise bike brand. This allows them to apply knowledge and manufacturing processes that match their extensive experience in these types of products. The Stages Bike is arguably one of the safest and most durable designs we bring to you.

In the case of Stages, they can offer an electrical resistance system that can simulate up to 3000 watts. The Stages Bike exercise bike is equipped with a real bicycle handlebar and saddle, nothing like or “imitation”. Also, its mounts are the same as a normal bike, with which you can mount your own handlebar or saddle if you wish. It has all the customization options you might need, you can even adjust cranks from 165mm to 175mm long.

The highlight is that they have integrated an electronic gearshift system into the handles they equip, just like on a road bike. They even adapted two shift buttons for sprints built into the steering wheel. And most surprisingly, the built-in brake levers are real and functional. They are there because online bike platforms hope to integrate more features in the future. For example, simulate downhills and turns and you need to brake according to your speed and the type of curve you are facing. Another step in gamification.

The Interactive Exercise Bike has all the connectivity you need, support for tablets or laptops, and the quality of its industrial design that guarantees it will be maintenance-free for 10 years. And yes, of course, he equips his own Stages power meters.

This particular model has not yet reached the European market (in Europe they have other cheaper and simpler models for sale), but it is sold in the USA.

Wahoo, the brand that is making a name for itself in the world of GPS cycling, is also a major player in the world of smart bikes and now smart exercise bikes. His bet is the Wahoo Kickr Bike, a model aimed at simulating the riding experience to the fullest. The strengths are the simulation of tilt changes, the ability to adjust speeds and the perfect simulation of these changes, even setting up your own cassette on it.

Ability to apply 20% slopes or -15% descents to your pedaling feel. The exercise bike is equipped with a system by which, with a photo of your bike, you can get the approximate measures that you should apply to the Wahoo Kickr exercise bike. You can also install your own pedals, handlebars or saddle. You have a digital screen so you can see what designs you’re using and all the connectivity you need. It also has a virtual braking system and simulates up to 2200W.

Other models of Smart Bikes Indoor Interactive Bikes

The list of brands with similar products does not end there. Wattbike Atom is a model that is more focused on training and less focused on the possibility of participating in online events, although it is fully compatible with them. The product is aesthetically very sophisticated and with a well-approved build quality.

SRM, the pioneers of potentiometers, have created their own interactive indoor bike.