One of the easiest ways to exercise more is by treating yourself to the best exercise bike for your home. Our senior writer, Becky Fuller, is also a personal trainer. She says exercising at home is great for many reasons:
"Having an exercise bike at home is always useful. If you love cycling but the weather is wet, cold, or even too hot, you can use the bike instead of going outside. Likewise, if you feel a bit self-conscious about going to the gym or taking part in a spin class, a home exercise bike is perfect. Crank up your favourite music, wear what you want, and get pedaling.
Exercise bikes are also great at improving cardio fitness - exercising your heart and lungs. The more often you do this, the more you'll notice the effects. You won't get as out of breath doing everyday activities such as climbing the stairs, your blood pressure will lower, and you might even lose weight."
The best exercise bike for your home at a glance:
• Best overall exercise bike: Nero Sports Upright Exercise Bike - Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best mini exercise bike: Himaly Mini Exercise Bike - Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best foldable exercise bike: Ultrasport F-Bike and F-Rider - Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best exercise bike with back support: YYFITT 2-in-1 Foldable Fitness Exercise Bike - Buy now on Amazon UK
With an exercise bike, you can also exercise while watching TV, go for a quick spin while the washing machine is on, or get the pedals going during your lunch hour.
We've rounded up the best exercise bikes on the market in terms of price, quality, and reviews to help you complete your home gym.
The best exercise bike for your home
Best overall exercise bike
We love this brightly coloured bike – it brings the sunshine indoors. Reviewers love that it’s easy to assemble which is great, because the last thing you want is to spend hours trying to build a new piece of kit – you want to try it out!
This bike is very similar to a spin bike you’ll find in a commercial gym. It has wheels for manoeuvrability, and an LCD screen. It also has a holder for your phone or tablet. Resistance is altered with a simple turn of the dial.
Many reviews mention the saddle is uncomfortable. This is in keeping with most spin-style bikes though and can be overcome by purchasing a gel cover for extra comfort. Other reviews mention that it’s heavy and again, we feel this is to be expected with a spin-style bike.
Pros
- Very similar in style to a commercial gym spin bike
- LCD screen
- Holder for phone and tablet
Cons
- Heavy to move about
- Uncomfortable saddle
Best mini exercise bike
Do you want to exercise more from home but don't have much space? This mini exercise bike has your name written all over it. It’s also perfect for anyone with mobility issues or needing rehab, as you can sit on a dining room chair or sofa to pedal, or rest the bike on a table and use your arms to pedal – ideal for anyone needing to strengthen their rotator cuff.
Reviewers love the ease of assembly and that it doesn’t take up much space. We would say it’s perfect for beginners or people looking to improve mobility, but seasoned cycling pros will need to look at a higher spec model.
Pros
- Can be used from a sofa or chair
- Can also be used for upper body exercise
Cons
- Too simplistic for regular cyclists
Best foldable exercise bike
We love a folding exercise bike and if you’re anything like us, your bike will have to fight for space in the spare room with the clothes airer, so having one that folds up out of the way is a real bonus. This model is light, too, so easy to move about the house.
Reviewers praise the tech on this bike: “The LCD display shows time, speed, distance, pulse and total accumulated distance. It also shows calories burned. Although I haven't had it for long, have completed 140 miles and find the pulse reading tallies perfectly with my iWatch.”
It’s also great for a post of endurance training, so if you’re trying to build stamina or training for a long distance ride, this is perfect. It’s worth pointing out it doesn’t come with an ipad/ phone holder – that can be bought separately.
Pros
- Accurate health monitoring
- Folds up
- Lightweight
Cons
- Extras are sold separately - such as a phone holder
Best exercise bike with back support
This bike is great for anyone with back issues, as it has a supportive backrest. Both the rest and the saddle are extra wide for added comfort, and can be adjusted, although this isn’t too easy. You need to turn a knob and then slide the seat or rest to the desired position.
The bike folds but again, it’s a fiddly process, so bear this in mind if dexterity is an issue for you.
We like that this can be used as an upright exercise bike or as a recumbent – when you sit further back in the seat and extend your legs. It also has a phone and tablet holder as well as added resistance bands, so you can do arm exercises at the same time.
Reviews praise the value for money, which we agree with, and many feel it’s great for beginners.
Pros
- Comes with added resistance bands for upper body exercises
- Adjustable back rest and extra wide seat
- Can be used as an upright bike or recumbent
Cons
- Fiddly to adjust seat and back rest
- Tricky to fold
Best premium exercise bike
If you’re looking for a bike to replicate a spin class at home, then this could be just the thing. It has magnetic resistance and proper gears. You can stand on it (as you would in a spin class) but reviews have said that the resistance when standing isn’t quite the same as you’d get on a gym bike.
Reviewers praise the gears: “Great to find a static bike with actual gears rather than a twisty knob which are annoying when you want a quick gear change,” and if you’re a regular exercise bike user you’ll agree this is a good option.
In fact, this bike has many positive reviews, praising everything from the ease of the build (there’s a video on Amazon to talk you through it), to the accuracy of the handlebar sensors.
The saddle isn’t as comfortable as a recumbent bike, but it’s very good quality for an upright spin-style bike.
Pros
- Quiet, magnetic resistance
- Proper gear lever instead of a dial
Cons
- Doesn't offer a lot of resistance when standing
Best exercise bike on a budget
www.argos.co.uk
At less than £100, this Opti folding exercise bike is perfect if you’re looking for a way to add a little bit more daily movement. It’s not super-fancy – more a case of sit, pedal, done, but it’s perfectly good if you’re a beginner, or returning to exercise and not a mad-keen cyclist.
We like that it folds easily and can be adjusted to different heights. It also has a max user weight of 15 stone 10lbs. It’s not too heavy, either, and as reviews pointed out, this means you can store it in one room but easily move it to another to exercise – so set it up in your living room, pop your favourite tv show on and pedal away.
Pros
- Folds flat
- Lightweight
Cons
- Doesn't offer a lot of resistance
Best exercise bike for your home: Q&A
Finally, decided to invest your cash in an exercise bike? You've probably got lots of questions about how to use them and what they're good for. Luckily for you, we've pulled together an exercise bike Q&A to help answer any queries you might have.
Why is an exercise bike good for you?
A fitness bike is amazing if you're looking to build strength in your legs and lower body, burn body fat, and achieve a cardio workout that will put less stress on your joints.
Can the best exercise bike for your home improve my overall fitness?
First off, taking steps to improve your fitness is fantastic - go you! Secondly, using an exercise bike will improve your fitness levels as long as you use it right and regularly. Thirty minutes a day on your bike, five days a week, is a great recommendation to get those results, but any movement is good movement!
Are exercise bike calorie counters accurate?
If you're trying to lose weight, the most important thing is that you live a more healthy lifestyle. It shouldn't matter about how many calories are burnt. Plus, no cardio machines are 100 per cent accurate, so take your readings with a pinch of salt.
Can an exercise bike tone legs?
The simple answer is yes! But exercise bikes do a whole lot more than just tone your legs. They'll help strengthen major muscles, including your heart and lungs, help to build up strength and develop the joints. Using a mini exercise bike will help you to tone your arms, too, if you use it for upper body movement.
Will an exercise bike tone my bum?
As long as you do it right, then you'll be able to tone your bum while using an exercise bike. Things to consider are your sitting position, resistance setting, and how you're pedalling. Nail all these three things, and you'll start to see a difference.
Lily Anderson has contributed to various Bauer Media brands such as Mother&Baby Yours, What’s The Best,Closer, heat and Spirit and Destiny as a Deputy Commercial Content Editor since 2019 and currently works at CPSL Mind as a Deputy Campaigns and Communications Manager.
Becky Fuller is a senior digital writer for Yours.co.uk. She is also a fully qualified personal trainer and strength coach, specialising in fitness and wellbeing for over 50s. Prior to joining Yours, Becky was a fitness writer for Saga, and a freelance entertainment and theatre journalist. Becky is passionate about helping people to move well and discover the many benefits of strength training.
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