With a multitude of options on the market, finding the best home exercise bikes for your space can be a dreaded task. Many of us have switched to working from home or hybrid working between home and the office. We’re eating out less often, and now we’re exercising more from our homes with the best home gym equipment.
If you are looking to build your home gym in 2024, then you've landed in the right place. You might even have some of the basics on your Christmas list, like exercise mats and exercise balls, and weights too.
After getting the basics, you will be needing something to help your cardio. That's where home exercise bikes come into the fray. Slightly less hardcore than their spin bike cousins, exercise bikes are a fun and effective way of burning off some calories.
The best home exercise bikes at a glance:
• Best overall home exercise bike: New Image Slim Cycle Exercise Bike - View now on Argos.co.uk
• Best fan home exercise bike: Pro Fitness Air Exercise Bike - View now on Argos.co.uk
• Best under-desk home exercise bike: Domyos Mini Bike - View now on Decathlon.co.uk
What are the different types of home exercise bikes?
With exercise bikes, there’s not one shape and size which suits everyone. You may want pedals at your feet while watching telly, a more recumbent exercise bike, or a fan bike that gets harder to pedal the faster you go (perfect for getting adding into a HIIT routine).
There are plenty of options, and it’s more about what suits you and how it fits into your home. The better they’re suited to you and how you use them, the less likely they’ll become a clothes horse.
Recumbent exercise bikes
The laid-back position of these bikes helps incorporate your core muscles more into your exercise. Using these muscles to keep yourself balanced it’s a great way of toning up your abs and shredding calories as you do so.
Fan exercise bikes
Air resistance or fan exercise bikes look much more like a traditional bike but work using the air and a big fan to control your workouts. The method being spinning the fan at a slow and slow speed will be easier on your legs, and getting the fan to go faster as you put more power through the pedals will be more challenging.
These are bigger and do not fold down, requiring a designated space for your workouts. The handlebars and arms can also be ‘pumped’ to work your arms as you cycle.
Mini pedal exercise bikes
These are great for low-impact workouts, which you don’t want to be making big strenuous efforts on. They can sit under your desk or at your feet while you watch telly as you pedal away to build up cardio, tone leg and arm muscles and burn calories.
The best exercise bikes for home workouts:
Best overall home exercise bike
www.argos.co.uk
With a magnetic resistance system, the sound output from this recumbent exercise bike is cut right down, meaning you can work out in the confidence that you won’t be disturbing anyone. A central console in front of you gives you feedback on your exercise, and a hand grip pulse sensor lets you know your heart rate zones. Built-in resistance bands add to your workout.
Pros
- Packs down for easy storage
- Eight resistance levels
- Magnetic resistance is low maintenance and low noise
Cons
- No wheels on the bike for easy moving when folded
Best home exercise bike for entertainment
www.currys.co.uk
Bluetooth connectivity on this Proform SR Smart Bike lets you connect to the iFit app on your tablet, and from here, you can customise your training and follow different cycle routes, which you can upload from Google Maps. The integrated LCD display shows your pulse, calories burnt and speed.
Pros
- Tablet holder so you can easily see your device while training
- 24 pre-set workouts
- Magnetic resistance for quiet, low-maintenance workouts.
Cons
- It does not fold down for easy storage
Best home exercise bike for gym-like quality
www.decathlon.co.uk
This is a commercial-grade exercise bike for at-home workouts. With it being so heavy-duty, it will be durable, but it will also be difficult to move once set up. So if you have a dedicated space for your exercise bike, this Spirit XBR25 Exercise Bike could be the one for you. A high back support and adjustable seat make your workouts more comfortable. Twenty electronically controlled magnetic resistance levels mean this will challenge any fitness enthusiast.
Pros
- Durable
- Magnetic resistance for quiet, fuss-free riding
- Built-in programmes for fitness gains
Cons
- It needs a dedicated space
Best 'connected' fan home exercise bike
www.currys.co.uk
You can choose from six pre-set workouts or customise them to suit how you want to ride and achieve your fitness goals. The moving handlebars on the New Image Cyclone X3 Air Assault Exercise Bike give your arms a full workout as you pedal, along with the LCD display telling you vital stats and can track how your fitness is improving. A tablet holder allows you to mount an iPad or similar to keep you motivated as you ride.
Pros
- Built-in wheels make it easy to manoeuvre.
- A bottle holder to keep everything in one place
- maximum load rating up to 140kg
Cons
- You should find one with only nine height settings in there, but it’s not overly adjustable
Best fan home exercise bike
www.argos.co.uk
One thing that’s often forgotten about air resistance bikes is that the by-product is you’re cooled as you ride – not only will this one, as others, do that, but the dual action handlebars will also give you a full body workout. A belt drive on this bike will enable you to spin the fan as you ride, and a battery-powered LCD screen keeps track of your vital stats.
Pros
- It doesn’t have to be plugged in
- Wheels for easy transportation
- Simple and easy to use
Cons
- It’s a hefty weight, which means it won’t move when you cycle but makes it harder to shift about
Best value-for-money home exercise bike
www.argos.co.uk
A small, lightweight pedal box gives you a 4-inch stride length and is battery-powered. You can set the Opti Mini Exercise Bike under your desk to pedal away on or a tabletop to tone arm muscles. A 0.15kg flywheel has different resistance settings to get the most out of your exercise.
Pros
- Lightweight (3.5kg)
- Easy to store
- Requires just 1 AAA battery
Cons
- Maximum user weight is only 15st 0lb
Best under-desk home exercise bike
www.decathlon.co.uk
Four non-slip feet keep this Mini Bike by Domyos planted on the floor as you pedal. It’ll give you plenty of information as you work out, such as time since you started, pedalling cadence, number of pedal turns, calories burnt and distance covered.
Pros
- Easy to store
- Lightweight (3.6kg)
- Plenty of information
Cons
- Resistance adjustment is hard to do as you pedal
Best home exercise bike for rehabilitation
www.argos.co.uk
Motorised for low-impact exercise, this Reviber Mini Exercise Bike is perfect for people who are rehabilitating from an injury, suffer joint pain or have a disability. A remote control helps you control the pedals’ speed while giving you feedback on speed, time, distance, calories and change settings.
Pros
- Great for rehabilitation
- Low-impact
- Quiet
Cons
- Slightly heavier at 5.2kg
The best home excerise bikes: FAQs
Exercise bike vs spin bike?
So, what’s the difference between an exercise bike and a spin bike? Well, they might seem very similar at first glance. However, there are some differences which you might want to consider before you decide one way or the other.
One main difference you may notice is that an exercise bike can be much more ‘basic’ than a spin bike. Spin bikes often have more tech, like Bluetooth and Ant+ connectivity, to popular training apps such as Zwift, Peloton or Wahoo X.
An exercise bike can come in many different shapes and forms. A spin bike looks much more like a regular bike, which can often be difficult to store with limited space. An exercise bike can pack down or be at your feet as you work at your desk.
Can you tone by riding a stationary bike?
Of course! Riding a stationary bike can be a great way to tone your muscles and improve your overall fitness levels. This type of cardio engages multiple muscle groups, particularly targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes. The resistance levels on exercise bikes can be adjusted to increase intensity, allowing you to challenge those muscles and work on toning.
The benefits of an exercise bike don't just stop at toning. The continuous peddling motion helps improve both endurance and stamina. So while an exercise bike is mostly known for its cardio benefits, varied bike workouts can easily contribute to muscle definition and toning.
Is 30 minutes a day on a stationary bike enough?
Devoting 30 minutes a day to an exercise bike is a commendable and effective investment in your overall fitness. Half an hour will provide a solid cardio workout - helping improve heart health and endurance. This amount of time will easily allow you to burn calories, strengthen lower body muscles and enhance your overall wellbeing. Of course, individual fitness goals may vary, but dedicating 30 minutes a day to your exercise bike lays a solid foundation for a more active way of life.
Myles Warwood is a Autos & Fitness Product Writer for What's The Best, Parkers and CAR. His areas of expertise include cycling, fitness tech and hot hatches.
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