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There are a lot of good reasons to get your own exercise bike. Not sure which one is the best for you? We have you covered.
List of the 6 best exercise bikes:
Here are the 6 best exercise bikes compiled in a short list:
- Best Overall: Sunny Health & Fitness Belt Drive Indoor Bike
- Best Budget: Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike
- Best Small Space: ProGear Foldable Magnetic Upright
- Best Recumbent: Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RB4708 Recumbent Exercise Bike
- Best for Cycling Enthusiasts: Peloton Bike
- Best Limited Mobility and Desk: DeskCycle Bike Pedal Exerciser
Are exercise bikes worth it?
Biking is a great cardio workout both to lose weight and stay in shape. A 155-pound person can expect to burn around 260-391 calories for 30 minutes of moderate-intense stationary biking.
One of the main advantages biking has compared to something like running, is that biking is a lot less stressful on certain joints.
Why would you not just get a regular bike and go exercise outdoors?
With indoor bikes you are not dependent on the outside world. It’s raining outside? No problem. There is snow and ice outside that might get you injured? No problem.
No time to drive to the gym? No problem. All the exercise bikes are occupied? (Probably) not happening. Living in an area with a lot of traffic? Problem solved.
By getting your own exercise bike you won’t have to spend money on a gym membership, spend time driving to the gym, finding a parking spot,…
The exercise bike will probably not be occupied (unless your family is really into it). Finally, you don’t have to exercise in front of other people.
Working out at home with your indoor exercise bike can also just make the whole exercise experience more enjoyable. You can put it in front of the tv, you can catch up with your family members, you can play your favorite music through your favorite music installation,…
Investing in your own exercise bike can be one of the best things you can do for your health.
Best exercise bikes
Discover the 6 best exercise bikes to buy so you can get your biking workout in the comfort of your own home.
Best Overall: Sunny Health & Fitness Belt Drive Indoor Bike
This exercise bike is the best overall option if you’re looking for a great combination of quality versus price. Both for beginners and more experienced riders alike.
The Sunny Health & Fitness Belt Drive Indoor Bike is a sturdy piece of equipment that will support your bicycling workout time after time.
One of the great features of this model is that the seat is fully adjustable. Up, down, forward, and backward are all a turn of a know away. This way you can customize the bike for optimal posture.
The ride will be smooth and quiet and if you put a bottle of water in the bottle holder you can stay hydrated while getting closer and closer to your physical goals.
Details
- Dimensions: 44 x 18 x 49.5 inches
- Maximum User Weight: 275 lbs
- Weight: 126 pounds
- Customizability: 4-Way adjustable seat and 2-way adjustable handlebars
- Adjustable resistance
- Multi-grip handlebar
- Warranty: Not mentioned
Best Budget: Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike
Exercise bikes don’t have to cost crazy amounts. At the time of reviewing this bike even qualified for the best exercise bike under $200.
The Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike is a recumbent bike which means it has a seat backside and arguably more comfortable seating.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get sweating on this exercise bike. With its 8 levels of magnetic resistance, you can still get an intensive workout in.
You can read all about your time, speed, distance, and estimation of calories burned on the LCD monitor that comes with the bike.
These things, the comfortable handlebars and the 2-way adjustable seat make this exercise bike an extremely great budget pick.
Details
- Dimensions: 55.5 x 25 x 37.5 inches
- Maximum User Weight: 300 pounds
- Weight: 61 pounds
- Resistance: 8 different levels
- Adjustable seat
- Warranty: 2 years on frame
Best Small Space: ProGear Foldable Magnetic Upright
Stationary bikes are one of the more small space friendly home workout machines but within this category there still are a few that stand out on this.
This ProGear Foldable Magnetic Upright is a great example of a good small space exercise bike. If the Marcy recumbent exercise bike wasn’t on the market this one might also come close to best budget pick.
The relatively small weight capacity of 220 lbs can be a stumbling block for some people. If not, you can benefit a lot by getting this exercise bike with its 8 levels of resistance and compact folding design.
Details
- Dimensions: 32 x 17.5 x 46 inches
- Maximum User Weight: 220 pounds
- Weight: 34.8 pounds
- Resistance: 8 different levels
- Adjustable seat
- Foldable for easier storage
- Warranty: 1 year on frame, 90 days on all other components
Best Recumbent: Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RB4708 Exercise Bike
Recumbent exercise bikes are bikes that allow you to sit in a different position. This position is usually closer to the ground and the seat is often more comfortable, partly because of the extra back support.
If you want the biking-on-the-road simulation, these are not for you. Unless you drive a recumbent bike…
One of the advantages of this Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RB4708 Exercise Bike is that you can work out your upper body at the same time. This can result in some welcome extra calorie burning.
On top of that, you get 8 different leves of resistance and a digital monitor that tracks distance and time.
Details
- Dimensions: 60 x 25.5 x 52 inches
- Maximum User Weight: 350
- Weight: 94.8 pounds
- Resistance: 8 different levels
- Warranty: Not mentioned
Best for Cycling Enthusiasts: Peloton Bike
The Peloton Bike is mostly known for its high-quality screen and online workout classes.
If details like fine resistance adjustment, carbon steel frame, clipless pedals, built-in speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, and leaderboards versus other people working out sound good to you the Peloton Bike could be the option for you.
One thing to note is that the price tag is relatively high. At the same time, this model could still be worth it for some of the more dedicated indoor cycling enthusiasts.
Best Limited Mobility and Desk: DeskCycle Bike Pedal Exerciser
Some people are not capable of jumping on a high workout bike. Others just want to get some extra exercise in throughout the day.
For both these groups of people the DeskCycle Bike Pedal Exerciser can be the solution.
You can basically paddle everywhere you can sit. It won’t do as much as a full-blown workout but it can help get more active while watching tv, reading a book, using your phone, or doing other activities.
Details
- Dimensions: 24 x 20 x 10 inches
- Maximum User Weight: Not applicable since you shouldn’t put your full weight on it
- Weight: 23 pounds
- Warranty: 1 year warranty on all parts labor and shipping
Can you lose belly fat by riding a stationary bike?
Some people think that to lose weight in certain areas, like your belly, you have to do specific workouts focused on that area.
However, it doesn’t work like that. Calories are the measurement of energy in your food. If you absorb more calories than you use, your body stores the excess calories for later use in the form of body fat.
Where your body stores that fat is mainly dependent on your body type, you can’t choose it. Some areas are the first to gather fat. Usually belly and thighs. These areas are also usually the last where you lose fat.
By riding any type of stationary bike you increase the amount of energy, calories, you use. If you don’t absorb too many calories and bike enough you will lose fat.
In the beginning, this might be primarily from other areas first but if you keep doing the right things, sooner or later the belly fat will also go away.
