We receive free products and receive commissions through our links. See disclosures page. Out of all the cardio machines on the market, exercise bikes offer the best calorie burn in the smallest space possible. Certain bikes can work your entire body, some are low-impact, and others add a major dose of FUN to your training. Despite packing an efficient punch, the best exercise bikes cost similar to rowing machines — as little as $300 to well over $2,500. Imagine the horror of spending thousands of dollars just to find out you don’t love your shiny new cardio equipment?! Lucky for you, I’ve done the research for you and gathered a list of the 13 best exercise bikes, so you can pick the right one for you. How We Chose the Best Exercise Bikes The Breaking Muscle team comprises a passionate squad of fitness aficionados, including conditioning coaches, spin instructors, competitive triathletes, and home gym owners. Altogether, our team has tested and reviewed 50+ exercise bikes — from the cheapest to the most expensive — putting them through rigorous a 13-point protocol. From there, we chose the best exercise bikes by category rating each from 1 to 5 based on criteria like: Adjustability: Are the handlebars and the seat adjustable to fit various body sizes? Customization: Can you swap in your own pedals, saddle, and handlebars for a more custom riding experience? Tech capabilities: What interactive tech is available, if any? Is there Bluetooth or ANT+ connectivity available? We have lots to cover… so gear up and let’s dive in! Our Top Picks for the Best Exercise Bikes Best Exercise Bike Overall: NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike
Pros
- Excellent classes and courses with iFIT
- Smooth resistance with impressive incline/decline
- Multiple convenient accessories
- One-year iFIT membership included
- Bluetooth connectivity
Cons
- Slightly cumbersome to move
- Limited workouts without iFIT subscription
- Higher-priced exercise bike
The NordicTrack S22i is hands-down the best exercise bike overall. We had three product testers take this bike for a ride to tell us why it won our top pick. Working out on the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike This NordicTrack bike’s programming, screen, and connectivity are excellent. Our product testers love the complimentary one-year iFIT membership because you can do live coach-led workouts, on-demand studio classes, and outdoor courses. Plus, the 22-inch touchscreen is high-definition, so it looks like you’re riding through a trail in Hawaii or taking a spin class in person. It also swivels, so you can do other iFIT workouts off the bike without needing to see the screen from the rest of your home gym. RELATED: Best Budget Home Gym Equipment With 24 smooth-adjusting, magnetic resistance levels, our Breaking Muscle staff members found the riding experience on the S22i impressive. They were pleasantly surprised that this bike inclines up to 20 percent grade and declines down to -10 percent, which is rare for a spin bike — the angle can even be auto-adjusted during your workouts by your iFIT coaches. The resistance and incline levels adjust digitally, which feels higher-end than push buttons. NordicTrack included a series of convenient accessories on the S22i. For starters, our product testers like the dual water bottle holders and the built-in fan to keep you hydrated and comfortable during your rides. Plus, the media shelf helps hold your smartphone, and there’s even an easy-access storage tray for the two (complimentary) three-pound dumbbells. When it comes to mobility, the S22i is more cumbersome than you’d expect. Our product testers found the front wheels helped it move, but there’s no handle at the back, so you have to awkwardly lift it from the rear stabilizer beam for the wheels to kick in. They also noticed you need to be careful with the big screen knocking into things as you reposition it. Combined with its 205-pound in-box weight, a second person can be helpful when moving the bike. Unfortunately, the S22i’s programming is limited if you don’t have an iFIT membership. Without it, you essentially just have the machine in manual mode. There are a few free bike workouts in iFIT that you can access without the recurring subscription, but even the live chat agent couldn’t confirm this and suggested we call their Customer Service team. With the impressive build quality and tech of this NordicTrack Studio Bike, it’s no surprise that it commands a higher price. At the time of publishing, it retails at $1,999 — making it comparable to the Peloton Bike+. Remember, you’ll also need an ongoing iFIT subscription to use the bike to its full potential. That said, I think it’s well worth the cost, considering the bike’s features and the value of the iFIT membership. All the above considered, we rank this 4.5 out of 5 stars for its excellent classes and courses with iFIT, smooth resistance with incline/decline capability, and convenient accessories. Best Air Bike: Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X
Pros
- Rugged, beefy design
- Excellent console capability
- Impressive frame and parts warranty
- Extreme calorie burn
Cons
- Repairs can be challenging
- Large and cumbersome to move
- Fan-based style is loud
The Pro X is a beast of an air bike. Our product tester loved its belt drive because it’s smoother than their more affordable Assault Bike Classic and the previous model (the Assault Bike Pro), both of which have chain drives. Working out on the Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X At first use, its 125-pound weight stood out, as it’s incredibly sturdy even when pedaling and pushing as hard as possible. Almost everything on this unit is metal; a full-metal construction means it’s seriously rugged and should last years, even when used by heavier and stronger athletes. Assault Fitness uses the same “Elite” monitor on all their air bikes, and after testing 10+ air bikes, it’s become our product tester’s favorite. The physical buttons are easy to touch and colored, which is an underrated feature you’ll appreciate if you’ve done a HIIT workout on an air bike. The console’s high-contrast LCD screen also displays all the essential metrics: heart rate, calories, distance, RPM, and more. The included programming intervals and Bluetooth connectivity are a great benefit as well. Highlighting the stats displayed on the AssaultBike Pro X’s monitor Having reviewed dozens of cardio equipment pieces over the past three years, I’m personally impressed by Assault’s warranty on their Pro X. The frame is covered by a seven-year warranty, with a three-year warranty on moving parts. Many companies try to pass the majority of frustrating part repairs on to their customers by only covering “non-wear and tear” parts. However, Assault breaks the mold by explicitly covering “moving” parts for the first three years. Knowing you can put the Pro X through brutal workouts day after day while being covered on parts delivers serious peace of mind. One of our Breaking Muscle staff members has extensive experience repairing air bikes and says swapping a belt or changing internal components can be a nightmare. Bike repairs often need special parts and are best done by a certified technician, so expect any significant repairs to take multiple hours, with most of your help coming from how-to/troubleshooting videos. To be fair, this applies to air bikes bought from any company — not just Assault Fitness. Because the Pro X is large, it can be cumbersome to move. One of our product testers found the easiest way to transport it is to lift it from the rear stabilizer until the wheels contact the floor. Still, the 125-pound weight with its 52-inch x 24.5-inch footprint makes this air bike challenging to move compared to the Concept2 BikeErg, and it might be too much for some users. In general, fan bikes might not be the best choice for home gyms that have to be careful of noise levels. As a fan-based bike, the Assault Bike Pro X is loud. That said, the fan-blade system of the Pro X appears to be a regular bike hub with fan blades welded to it — making it much smaller than what you’d find on the Rogue Echo bike. This smaller size means less air displacement, and some Breaking Muscle team members were surprised by how quiet it was in comparison. All the above considered, we rank this 4.4 out of 5 stars for its rugged design, excellent console capabilities, and impressive warranty. Best Exercise Bike With Classes: Echelon EX-8s
Pros
- Amazing 24-inch HD touchscreen
