Best exercise bike 2023: Save on the top upright and indoor cycles
In a spin over the best exercise bike to buy? This guide to the best budget, mid-range and high-end models will help you decide
Buying one of the best exercise bikes on the market is a great way to get fit at home, whether you’re a keen cyclist looking to train on cold and wet days, or simply a beginner looking to get started. They're generally cheaper and smaller than other home cardio machines (like treadmills and rowers), and provide scope for all kinds of cardiovascular workouts, from long steady rides to the short HIIT (high-intensity interval training) blasts popular in spinning classes.
Best of all, though, you don't need to break the bank to get your hands on one of the machines in our best exercise bikes roundup, with some available for little more than £100. Having said that, you should definitely work out exactly what you’re looking for before making a purchase. Below you will find the best exercise bikes to suit every shopper, from casual riders to dedicated cycling enthusiasts.
Best exercise bike: At a glance
- Best budget exercise bike: JLL JF100 Home Exercise Bike | £155
- Best folding exercise bike: Ultrasport F-Bike | £141
- Best for a full-body workout: JTX Mission Air Bike | £799
- Best value exercise bike: JTX Cyclo-6 | £625
- Best for advanced stats: Wattbike Atom | £2,149
How to choose the best exercise bike for you
What kind of exercise bike do I want?
There are two common kinds of exercise bike: upright cycles and indoor cycles (also known as spinning cycles). Upright bikes are generally the more comfortable choice; they’re often cheaper, and better suited to beginners looking to get in shape.
An indoor cycle more closely mimics the experience of riding a road bike than an upright bike, with a forward-leaning rider position which means you can stand on the pedals.
Indoor cycles are normally used in spin classes, as they’re perfect for intense, intervals sessions. If you prefer to ride your own bike, you can invest in what’s called a turbo trainer, which attaches to the back wheel of the bike so you can ride it while stationary.
A third type of exercise cycle to consider is a recumbent exercise bike, where the rider cycles in a laid-back reclining position – great for those who suffer from back pain.
How much do I need to spend?
If you’re looking for an upright bike, there are excellent options under £200, and even some solid picks under £100 for those on a tight budget. You can get a decent spinning cycle for less than £200 too, but here the prices go higher: for a gym-quality machine you’re looking at closer to £500.
What kind of resistance should I look for?
One of the most important features of an exercise bike is the degree of resistance it offers, as this is what determines the difficulty of your workout.
Most exercise bikes generate resistance using a flywheel that’s driven by the pedals; friction-resistance bikes apply brakes to slow this flywheel, which the user can adjust by turning a knob.
Magnetic-resistance exercise bikes slow the flywheel through the magic of magnetism. This is quieter than direct contact brakes, requires less maintenance, and allows you to set an exact level of resistance.
However, the maximum resistance is lower, which may frustrate seasoned cyclists – and some users prefer the instant response of twirling a direct-resistance knob, especially for HIIT sessions.
Another technique that’s sometimes used is air resistance, where a fan turns as you pedal. The harder you work, the greater the air resistance on the fan’s blades.
What other features should I look out for?
The size of the bike is important, both in terms of the space it might take up and whether it’s sturdy enough to take your weight and let you pedal comfortably. Most exercise bikes will have a digital display console giving the basic details of your ride; some offer more advanced stats like power and cadence. Other handy features can include a built-in fan and heart-rate monitoring handles.
READ NEXT: The best spin bikes to buy
The best exercise bikes you can buy in 2023
1. JLL Home Exercise Bike JF100: Best budget exercise bike
Price: £155 | Buy now from JLL
Key specs – Size: 62 x 51 x 120cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic (10 levels); Max user weight: 100kg
2. JTX Cyclo-6: Best-value exercise bike
Price: £625 | Buy now from JTX Fitness
Key specs – Size: 124 x 54 x 122cm (LWH); Resistance: Friction; Max user weight: 160kg
3. Apex Bike: A cheaper alternative to Peloton
Price: £699 | Buy now from Apex
Some of that saving is made possible by the fact the Apex comes with an iPad holder instead of a built-in display. If you prefer, you can cast the classes from your phone to your TV. Crucially, however, the Apex Bike delivers where it matters, offering plenty of resistance via a 4kg flywheel and, at the time of writing, 150 on-demand sessions that include everything from 15-minute warm-ups to hour-long leg burners. It’s also got 50/50 pedals as standard so you can use toe clips or SPD shoes.
It’s not totally without foibles – there’s currently no option to use the bike outside of Apex’s on-demand and live classes, for instance – but, overall, this indoor smart bike represents excellent value for those missing the buzz of regular indoor spinning classes because of the ongoing pandemic.
Read our full Apex Bike review
Key specs – Size: 129.5 x 60.5 x 98cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic; Max user weight: 140kg
4. Ultrasport F-Bike: Best folding exercise bike
Price: £134 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs – Size: 80.5 x 43.5 x 112cm (LWH); Resistance: Friction (8 levels); Max user weight: 100kg
5. JTX Fitness Mission Air Bike: Best exercise bike for an all-body workout
Price: £799 | Buy now from JTX Fitness
You can, of course, take it easier and enjoy a longer, more steady workout that targets your arms and legs and improves your cardio fitness, but the design of the Mission Air Bike is especially well suited to HIIT sessions, because you can get a savagely effective workout done in just ten to 20 minutes if you push yourself hard during the intervals.
There are foot pegs on the front of the machine that don’t drive the fan, which you can use should you prefer to power the Air Bike using only your upper body – a handy feature for those who worry that an exercise bike will only work their legs. The console on the machine is powered by a couple of AA batteries and lets you set workout goals based on distance, time, heart rate and calories burned. Trust us when we say you will be impressed at how fast the latter rises.
Read our full JTX Fitness Mission Air Bike review
6. V-fit G-RC: Best recumbent exercise bike under £300
Price: £295 | Buy now from Robert Dyas
This recumbent exercise bike from V-fit is quiet and stable even when pedalling fast, too. It offers eight resistance settings and a clear screen that can be read easily from the relaxed riding position. That makes it perfect for long, comfortable sessions that won’t aggravate any niggling injuries you might have.
Key specs – Size: 100 x 46 x 135cm (HWD); Resistance: Magnetic (8 levels); Max user weight: 110kg
7. Domyos 520 Self-Powered Exercise Bike: Best cordless exercise bike
Price: £350 | Buy now from Decathlon
The Domyos 520 is powered by your pedalling, so can be placed anywhere that’s convenient for you – even outside if you want to cycle in the sunshine. It has a 6kg flywheel, 15 levels of resistance, and a heart rate monitor built into the handlebars.
To keep tabs of the improvement in your fitness you can link it up to the partner E-Connected app, where you can set a time, distance or calories burned goal for each week and track your workouts as you progress towards that goal.
Key specs – Size: 98 x 63 x 164cm (LWH); Max user weight: 130kg
8. Wattbike Atom: Best smart exercise bike
Price: £2,149 | Buy now from Wattbike
It links seamlessly with Zwift and TrainerRoad so the resistance is controlled by the app, meaning you will feel your ride getting tougher as you head up a climb in the virtual world your avatar is riding in. Through the Wattbike app you can also tackle famous climbs such as Mont Ventoux or Alpe d’Huez, and the realistic ride feel of the Atom means that if you then head out to tackle those fearsome gradients in the real world, you will be well-prepared. Other features in the Wattbike app include the ability to see how well your pedalling is balanced between your left and right legs, and you will also be given a Pedal Effectiveness Score to indicate how efficient you are.
Key specs – Size: 100 x 50 x 150cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic; Max user weight: 135kg
9. Wattbike Trainer: Best bike for advanced stats
Price: £2,499 | Buy now from Best Gym Equipment
The Wattbike Trainer offers high levels of resistance, making it better suited to more powerful cyclists. Clearly, it’s aimed at serious cyclists, but if you’re looking for a realistic ride experience that will improve your physical fitness and pedalling technique, it can’t be bettered.
Key specs – Size: 125 x 66 x 130cm (LWH); Resistance: Air and Magnetic (0-2000W Trainer, 0-3760W Pro); Max user weight: 150kg
Buy now from Best Gym Equipment
10. Peloton: Best exercise bike for spinning classes
Price: £1,345 | Buy now from Peloton
During the live classes, a real-time leaderboard shows how your effort compares to riders all over the world, providing ample motivation to up your intensity, especially as the people you competing with might even be famous – David Beckham, Leo DiCaprio, and Hugh Jackman are all apparently fans of the Peloton bike.
You have to pay a subscription for the classes after purchasing the bike, and that costs £39.50 a month for unlimited access to the class catalogue. Compared to the cost of regular spinning sessions in boutique gyms, however, that’s a snip, and you have the added convenience of doing the classes whenever you like.
Key specs – Size: 150 x 58 x 134cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic; Max user weight: 135kg
11. Wahoo KICKR Bike: The most realistic indoor ride
Price: £3,500 | Buy now from Wahoo
The ride feel is also incredibly realistic, with satisfying and smooth clunks as you change gears, and the flywheel runs very quietly as well. When you link the KICKR Bike up to Zwift it responds quickly to changes in gradient and not only increases or decreases the resistance but also tilts back and forth so you’re riding at the right angle. The KICKR Bike is also accurate to +/-1% when it comes to power readings, and calibrates this automatically.
Key specs – Size: 121 x 76 x 95-119cm (LWH); Resistance: Electromagnetic; Max user weight: 113kg
12. Echelon Smart Connect Sport: Best spinning bike under £1,000
Price: £679 | Buy now from Echelon
There aren’t just spinning classes in the app, either, with yoga, strength and all manner of other options to keep you occupied if you fancy taking a break from cycling. The Sport bike has 32 levels of magnetic resistance, and while it doesn’t have some of the frills you will find on pricier Echelon bikes such as SPD pedals or dumbbell holders, or indeed the built-in screen of a Peloton bike, it still delivers a high-class home spinning experience that will satisfy most users.
One key thing to note is that in order to get the most from the Connect Sport bike you will need an Echelon subscription, which costs £40 a month.
Key specs – Size: 120 x 63 x 113.5-126cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic (32 levels); Max user weight: 135kg
13. Tacx Neo Bike: Best for real road feel
Price: £2,000 | Buy now from Start Fitness
The Neo Bike is the crème de la crème of the Tacx stable, packing the same 2200W of resistance found in its top end indoor trainers into a modern-looking static bike, complete with adjustable bars and a realistic race saddle. There’s also a built-in display which shows basic info like speed, cadence, and wattage output.
But the bike really comes alive when paired with a tablet or a smartphone, allowing you to work with virtual trainers – like Zwift, or the free virtual cycling app, MyWhoosh – to give you a realistic experience. And, unlike most other indoor bikes, the Tacx Neo Bike can simulate the experience of riding on cobblestones and gravel, while even “gear changes” are an immersive tactile experience. Of course, it also provides you with reams of detailed riding data to pore over post-ride.
Key specs – Size: 139 x 75 x 117cm (LWH); Resistance: Magnetic; Max user weight: 125kg
14. Concept2 BikeErg: Best bike for HIIT workouts
Price: £1,160 | Buy now from Concept2
A dialled-in fit comes courtesy of Concept2’s simple adjustable handlebars and seat stem, while resistance is varied the same way you would on a rower – a lever on the side of the large fan module opens dampers to increase air resistance. If you’ve had any experience with an airbike – such as the JTX Mission Air Bike mentioned above – this will feel largely familiar, although the constant whooshing of the fan is far noisier than the magnetic flywheel bikes we’ve also featured here.
If you can get over that, the pedalling experience is surprisingly smooth, while the PM5 performance monitor delivers a glut of information about power, speed, and distance travelled. Connected to an external heart rate monitor, even more detailed fitness insight is available via a Concept2 companion app.
It also pairs with third party apps, such as Zwift, so you can use the BikeErg as a controller for an on-screen avatar.
Key specs – Size: 122 x 61 x 103cm (LWH); Resistance: Air; Max user weight: 136kg
