When it comes to setting up a home gym, a Decent Exercise Bike is often a cornerstone piece of equipment. It provides a fantastic cardiovascular workout, is generally low-impact, and can be used by people of varying fitness levels. The market is flooded with options, however, ranging from budget-friendly to high-end models packed with tech features. To help you navigate this landscape, we’ve taken a look at several popular exercise bikes, assessing their strengths and weaknesses to determine which might be the right fit for your needs.
One model that attempts to innovate in the home exercise bike space is the Bowflex VeloCore.
The Bowflex VeloCore stands out with its unique leaning feature, designed to mimic the feel of riding a traditional bicycle. Available in 16-inch ($1,800) and 22-inch ($2,200) screen versions, it includes a year’s membership to Jrny, Bowflex’s workout streaming service. While the leaning mode is an interesting addition and can potentially add some fun to your workouts, it requires practice and doesn’t quite replicate the natural feel of leaning into turns on an outdoor bike. The VeloCore does offer excellent adjustability in the seat and handlebars, catering to a wide range of body types. It also features dual-sided pedals, accommodating both cycling shoes with SPD cleats and regular sneakers with toe cages. The bike boasts 100 levels of magnetic resistance, offering a broad spectrum of workout intensities. We found the resistance adjustments to be generally precise. However, a notable drawback is screen wobble at higher pedaling cadences, particularly when standing.
The Jrny app, while included, may not be as compelling as some competitors. For a monthly fee after the first year, it provides on-demand and instructor-led workouts, both on and off the bike. The content is adequate and informative, but it lacks the high energy and diverse intensity levels found on platforms like Peloton. On the plus side, the VeloCore is compatible with other fitness apps such as Peloton and Zwift if you prefer their content, though syncing the VeloCore’s cadence monitor with the Peloton app proved unsuccessful in our testing. For entertainment, the bike supports streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+.
In our testing process, we also encountered some challenges with the Diamondback 510ic (currently unavailable). The first unit arrived with a broken motor, and the replacement bike had a malfunctioning RPM sensor, highlighting potential quality control issues.
The Echelon Connect Bike EX-5 presents a different approach, utilizing your own tablet as the display and connecting to the Echelon Fit app via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
This bike also features dual-sided pedals and a display similar to the Peloton Bike, including a leaderboard for competitive riders. However, the resistance knob felt less predictable compared to the Peloton, making it difficult to accurately gauge the resistance level. Furthermore, resistance adjustment is limited when not connected to the app and engaged in a class, significantly reducing its standalone usability. Echelon offers a comparable number of live classes to Peloton, and a large on-demand workout library. However, the app’s organization is less user-friendly than Peloton’s, and the quality of instructors and workouts can vary.
The Echelon Connect Bike EX-5s, an upgraded version with a built-in screen, aims to address some of these issues.
While it provides a smoother ride, the resistance inconsistency persists, making it challenging to find the desired intensity. Handlebar wobble and a pedal placement that feels too far forward were also noted as drawbacks. The Echelon app’s home screen remains cluttered, and the water bottle holders are underwhelming.
For a more premium experience, the Keiser M3i stands out with its sleek design and connectivity.
This bike connects seamlessly to the Keiser M Series app and other popular fitness apps like Strava. Its 24 resistance levels are easily adjusted with a lever, and it accommodates a wide range of user heights and weights. The Keiser M3i offers a pleasant riding experience and integrates well with apps like Peloton. However, its features and performance may be best suited for serious cyclists with specific training goals rather than casual users simply looking for a decent exercise bike.
The Myx II Plus is presented as a complete home gym package.
It includes a Star Trac bike, a 21.5-inch tablet with upgraded audio and camera, and a range of accessories like mats, resistance bands, dumbbells, and a kettlebell. A subscription to BODi (Beachbody On Demand Interactive) provides access to live and on-demand classes. The Myx II Plus also includes a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor, encouraging heart rate-based workouts. While the included equipment is convenient, the heart rate monitor integration might be less appealing to users unfamiliar with heart rate training.
The NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike is feature-rich, including a 22-inch tablet and iFit workout streaming platform.
It offers automatic resistance, incline, and decline adjustments during iFit rides. However, the screen shake during rides and unsteady handlebars are significant drawbacks. Pedal detachment issues reported by other users online also raise concerns about durability. The bike is large and heavy, making it difficult to move.
The Sole SB900 is another option we tested, but it didn’t particularly impress us.
The resistance felt undefined, requiring excessive knob turning for noticeable changes. The separate safety break lever seemed unnecessary, and the device and water bottle holders felt cheap. The handlebars were also uncomfortable. The LCD console requires separate charging, adding another inconvenience.
For users prioritizing a dance-party-like indoor cycling experience, the SoulCycle At-Home Bike might be appealing.
SoulCycle classes focus on rhythm-based riding rather than metrics, requiring an Equinox+ subscription. Off-bike workouts are not accessible on the bike’s screen. While solidly built and comfortable, the SoulCycle experience is niche and may not satisfy users seeking traditional progress tracking.
Finally, the Yosuda Pro Indoor Cycling Bike L-010 proved disappointing.
It felt cheap, with unresponsive resistance, a loud flywheel, and a dim LCD screen that was difficult to read.
Conclusion
Choosing a decent exercise bike depends heavily on individual needs and preferences. Factors to consider include budget, desired features, workout content preference, and space constraints. While some bikes offer innovative features and immersive experiences, others focus on simplicity and basic functionality. Carefully weighing these factors against your personal fitness goals will help you find the best decent exercise bike for your home gym.
