Exercise bike buying guide: How to choose the best exercise bike for you

Compare some of the best exercise bikes

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Name	Product	Average Price (AUD)	Type	Maximum user weight (kg)	Adjustable seat	Adjustable handlebar	Purchase today
Lifespan Fitness SP‌-310		$298	Spinning	125	Yes	Yes	Buy at Ebay	The Lifespan Fitness SP-310 is fitted with wheels for maneuverability and a steel frame that minimizes rocking during sprints.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
York Fitness C400		$299	Upright	100	Yes	No	Buy at Ebay	The York Fitness C400 is designed with an adjustable stabiliser for uneven surfaces.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
GPI Bodyworx AB170AT		$469	Upright	110	Yes	Yes	Buy at Ebay	The GPI Bodyworx AB170AT has a coloured backlit display that shows pulse measurements and other data.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
York Fitness Performance		$499	Recumbent	100	Yes	No	Buy at Ebay	The York Fitness Performance provides a large cushioned seat with backrest for sit-down riding.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Lifespan Fitness SP‌-550		$528	Spinning	145	Yes	Yes	Buy at Ebay	The Lifespan Fitness SP-550’s frame size and design allow for road bike simulation training.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
York Fitness C415		$649	Upright	140	Yes	Yes	Buy at Ebay	The York Fitness C415 has an extra large cushioned seat and a water bottle holder.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Endurance Magnetic		$799	Upright	150	Yes	No	Buy at Ebay	The Endurance Magnetic offers ergonomically designed handlebars that maximise arm comfort.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
BH Fitness i.Pixel		$799	Upright	120	Yes	Yes	Buy at Bing Lee	The BH Fitness i.Pixel has a pulse measuring system and can be linked to smartphones and tablets.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
GPI Bodyworx A932		$999	Recumbent	130	No	No	Buy at Ebay	The GPI Bodyworx A932 is low to the ground and has an adjustable backrest.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Why buy an exercise bike?

There are several reasons why an exercise bike can make a useful addition to your home gym:

• Get fit

  Cycling is a great way to get into shape and lose weight, offering a low-impact workout for general fitness and for anyone recovering from a lower-limb injury. Even better, with an exercise bike, you can work out while watching TV.

• Ride in all types of weather

  One of the main pitfalls of riding outdoors, whether road or mountain biking, is inclement weather. Exercise bikes make it possible to work up a sweat no matter what the weather is doing, and without having to worry about traffic.

• Exercise in private

  If you're self-conscious about your weight or simply don't feel comfortable in a gym environment, buying an exercise bike lets you work out in complete privacy.

• Avoid expensive gym memberships

  Gym memberships aren't cheap, so investing in an exercise bike can provide good value for money – provided you stay committed to using it.

• Save space

  In home gym terms, an upright exercise bike is one of the smaller pieces of equipment, making them a useful choice if space is at a premium.

If you're looking to buy more items for your home gym, check out our guide to cheap home gym equipment. You may also be interested in our treadmill buying guide.

What types are available?

You have a few options to consider when choosing an exercise bike for your home:

How to compare exercise bikes

Before you start shopping for an exercise bike, take some time to consider your fitness goals, how often you plan to work out and your spending budget.

Exercise bike prices vary from around $100 for a no-frills model up to $2,000 for advanced models you could expect to find in a gym. Upright bikes are usually cheaper than recumbent bikes, and many entry-level buyers will find a happy balance between features and price somewhere around the $400-$600 mark.

Don't forget to factor in delivery costs when comparing exercise bike prices. Bikes can weigh 50kg or more, and some retailers charge up to $200 for delivery.

Here are the important factors you need to take into account:

• Type of resistance

  Many modern exercise bikes rely on magnetic resistance to increase pedalling difficulty. This system uses electromagnetic induction to place resistance on the flywheel, which is a heavy metal disc used instead of a regular wheel. This allows for quiet and smooth performance with minimal wear and tear. Bikes that use fan-based or direct-contact resistance tend to be noisier, so keep this in mind if you want to exercise early in the morning without running the risk of waking up the entire house.

  Also, consider how many levels of resistance are available to allow you to tailor a workout to your needs.

• Ease of set-up and use

  How simple and straightforward is the exercise bike straight out of the box? Is there any assembly required? Does the instruction manual offer clear guidance and are all the buttons, dials and displays easy to understand?

  The displays and control panels on some advanced home gym equipment can look like the cockpit of a fighter jet, so be wary of anything that looks overly complicated or confusing.

• Exercise programs

  Programs offer variations and challenges to your exercise session, such as simulating riding up hills. Check how many pre-programmed workouts come with the machine and whether you can set up your own custom programs.

• Parts

  • Computer. Find out what statistics the bike's built-in computer shows while you're working out, such as speed, time, distance, power output and the number of calories burned. A heart rate monitor is also important but you can easily purchase one separately if one isn't part of your machine. If more than one person will be using the bike, can you set up multiple user profiles to remember each person's workout preferences and track their progress?
  • Seat. Check that the seat is comfortable and well-padded so that you'll be happy to sit on it for long periods. However, make sure it isn't so bulky that there's a risk of chafing.
  • Pedals. Inspect the width of the pedals to make sure they're easy and comfortable to use. Is there some sort of strap to prevent your feet slipping while you pedal, or are there cleats for hardcore cyclists?
  • Adjustability. Can you adjust the height and angle of the seat and handlebars to find a comfortable and effective riding position?

Size and weight

Check the dimensions of an exercise bike to find out whether you have sufficient room for it in your home. If you're short on space, you may want to consider a folding exercise bike. Though not as sturdy as fixed-frame bikes, they offer a flexible way to get the workout you need.

Weight is also important – the more a bike weighs, the more stable it will be. However, you'll need to check whether there are transport wheels included so you can easily move the bike around.

User weight limit

Before buying, check the maximum user weight limit for your exercise bike. Not only is this important for safe use, but a high upper limit will give a good indication as to the build quality of the machine.

Extras

Many exercise bikes come with one or more of the following additional features:

• Audio input and speakers so you can listen to music while you ride
• Drink holder
• Heart rate chest strap to track your effort
• Workout fan to help you stay cool and also provide air resistance
• Tablet holder so you can browse the web, work or watch streaming video
• USB charger
• Wi-Fi or Bluetooth compatibility with a fitness app

Warranty

Check the length of the manufacturer's warranty and exactly what it covers – most offer at least 12 months of protection, but you can expect longer from a high-end model.

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Which exercise bike is best for me?

The best exercise bike for you depends on a range of factors, including the type of bike you want, how often you plan on using it and how much money you want to spend. To ensure that you choose a bike that meets all your requirements, it's essential to shop around and compare a range of products.

To help make this easier, we've compared the pros and cons of five exercise bikes in the table below: