10 Best Exercise Bikes of 2024, According to Fitness Pros (2024)

Schwinn's IC4 delivers a solid indoor cycling bike with a smooth ride and lots of diverse features at a decent price, making it a top pick in our tests. A standout on this sleek model is that it offers 100 resistance levels. The sturdy bike performs well and offers a relatively quiet ride.

You can ride the bike clipless with SPD compatible cycling shoes (like our top-tested pick from Tiem) or with regular sneakers in toe cages since the bike offers dual-sided pedals. Some bikes require you to swap out the regular sneaker pedal for a cycling shoe pedal, which can be inconvenient. The dual-sided pedals on the IC4 make things simple, which our pros like, especially if some of the members of your household have cycling shoes and others do not.

If you've been eyeing the Peloton (more on that later), but can't get past the high price point, consider the IC4: You can put your phone or tablet in the bike's device holder, and it connects with the Peloton app.

Riders appreciated that the bike houses a pair of 3-pound dumbbells in cradles at the front, making them easy to grab for classes that combine cycling with some upper body work. Most exercise bikes (including the Peloton) tend to have the dumbbells stationed under the seat, which can be hard to reach when you're clipped in, so this small feature was much appreciated on the IC4.

You'll also find dual water-bottle holders, which testers found especially helpful on longer bike rides. There is a USB charging station on the bike, too, and the bike also connects with the ZWIFT app if you're interested in virtually training and competing with others.

Another key feature of the IC4 is that it includes a two-month JRNY membership, which offers a large variety of on-demand classes, rides through stunning virtual destinations and more. A separate smart device is required to access the connected fitness content.

If you have a large family, you'll appreciate that JRNY offers unlimited tracking of milestones, achievements and more for your entire household. Another family-friendly plus? The IC4 bike accommodates heights ranging from 4'6" to 6'6".

The metrics display is on the small side. But between its quality build, unique features, connectivity capabilities and fair price, the IC4 is a worthwhile bike that includes a little bit of everything.

At a lower price point than others on the list, this indoor cycling bike from Sunny Health & Fitness is a great entry-level affordable option for any home gym. It may not have as many bells and whistles as others, but the sturdy design has over 4,000 five-star ratings on Amazon reviewers agreed that it's good quality for the price.

This indoor exercise bike has a few things going for it, namely the heavy 49-pound flywheel that our experts say provides an overall smooth ride. We found it to be relatively quiet too. The handlebars are multi-grip to accommodate a variety of cycling positions. You'll find a slot to put your water bottle as well, but no cradles for small dumbbells.

Professional assembly is available, but most reviewers found the bike easy to put together themselves. One common theme among reviewers and testers was that the bike is not ideal for individuals on the shorter side, specifically 5'2" and shorter. But tall riders, including one rider who was 6'3", said the bike was surprisingly comfortable for them.

The bike has regular pedal cages, so you can wear your standard exercise sneakers and don't need to make an additional purchase of cycling shoes. There's no display or or device holder so it's ideal for riding unconnected. You can optionally purchase a cadence and speed sensor that easily wraps around the bike's crank and connects to the free SunnyFit app for cycling content.

Peloton maintains its hype and popularity for good reason: The bike itself is well constructed, and it has quality content from top-notch instructors to match. You'll have to pay for the monthly subscription in addition to the cost of the bike (if you want access to the class content), but Peloton has one of the largest class libraries out there. If you're looking for engaging instructors and live classes to keep you motivated, this may be the pick for you.

The Peloton Bike+ is the newest model from the brand; it features a large screen that rotates, making it ideal for taking advantage of other fitness classes that don't utilize the bike as well as bike bootcamp workouts where you alternate from the bike to the floor for strength exercises. You'll also find optimized audio and a few other ergonomic enhancements to the original. Many of the upgrades to the Peloton Bike+ are based on customer feedback to the original bike. (Take note that the original bike, not the Bike+, was recalled earlier this year.)

A new standout feature called auto-follow allows the resistance to automatically adjust to what the instructor recommends in real-time, which testers enjoyed during interval-style classes. Our experts found that the high-variable magnetic resistance resulted in a quiet belt drive and very smooth ride too. Live rides, monthly challenges and milestone badges make this choice motivating and interactive.

You can ride with regular sneakers on a Peloton bike, but you will need to attach toe cages. The brand recommends cycling shoes, and their own branded shoes are pricey but did perform well in our indoor cycling shoe tests. The Bike+ is highly adjustable but testers taller than 6'3" said they felt some strain in their lower back even at the highest handlebar height.

Peloton has a dedicated team of professionals that assemble and set up your bike, as well as walk you through the app and experience. Our experience with the setup team was smooth and much better than other fitness equipment services we have tested.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Everything You Need to Know About the Peloton Bike+

This exercise bike features zero to 100 levels of magnetic resistance paired with an 28.6-pound aluminum flywheel, to provide riders with a smooth, stable and quiet ride, which our testers noted and appreciated. The multi-position handlebars can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically, which is ideal if multiple family members want to use the bike to ride. The bike can support up to 300 pounds of weight as well.

On the display, riders can easily circle through stats like time, distance, cadence, calorie burn and heart rate — though it is worth noting that some testers had trouble connecting the included Bluetooth heart rate armband. The bike also has dual water bottle holders, a tablet holder and charging port, so you can use and charge your device simultaneously so it doesn't lose battery.

Choose whether you want to ride with sneakers in the toe cages, or flip the dual-sided pedals for SPD clips. You can also pair the console via Bluetooth with your phone or tablet to integrate stats or follow along with your favorite classes or instructors from other platforms or memberships.

Some testers found the seat to be uncomfortable, but an easy solution was covering it with a padded seat cover. The bike has transport wheels to easily move it around or store it.

One of the smartest, most effective exercise bikes on the market, Carol was developed with leading exercise researchers to improve fitness and health. The AI-powered exercise bike uses an adaptive algorithm that calculates and adjusts the rider’s resistance level to push them to their max.

Not for the faint of heart, the bike is known for offering REHIT (reduced exertion high-intensity interval training) to provide maximum cardiovascular benefits in just minutes. Testers were impressed with just how hard the bike pushed them, and our pros appreciate that the model has dual-sided pedals to accommodate sneakers or cycling shoes.

One of our lead testers on this bike, Susan Cashdollar, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, said, "What sets this bike apart from everything else is the AI-controlled resistance. I don’t turn any knobs or press any buttons to increase or decrease resistance. The resistance is instantaneous and super smooth — not having to adjust it myself is a game changer. Just as notable, the REHIT protocol is well-researched and approved by top exercise physiologists."

The bike does come at a high price point, and for the money, we do wish that the 11-inch touchscreen were bigger. The bike connects to other third-party apps like Peloton and Netflix, but with such a small touchscreen, it is hard to take advantage of this.

One notable feature that we really appreciated is the location of the flywheel in the rear of the bike to avoid the "sweat zone," which removes a pain point when wiping down and caring for the bike — you don't see many other bike brands doing this. This bike also accommodates a wider range of user heights than we have seen on any other bike: 4'7" to 6'7".

If you're considering a smart bike and find Peloton is too expensive, the S22i is a solid choice that offers very similar features for a fraction of the price. It's also a beginner-friendly choice that doesn't require you to additionally purchase cycling shoes and offers a plethora of content for both cycling newbies and competitive cyclists. The iFit membership is included for the first year and then must be purchased ($39/month), but it can be enjoyed by multiple members in your household while it's active.

NordicTrack delivers a feature-rich exercise bike with incredible capabilities that rivals the Peloton Bike+. There's the large 22-inch touchscreen with stellar HD graphics that rotates a full 360 degrees for floor classes (or any off-the-bike workouts) from any angle. The ride itself is smooth, and the bike has a beautiful overall design. The S22i comes with a built-in fan and accessory tray, as well as easy-to-reach dumbbell slots at the front of the bike.

Riders loved the destination workouts available through iFit — they showcase some of the most beautiful places in the world and allow you to virtually cycle through them. Testers highlighted the variety of classes that iFit offers, including off-bike content like strength training, yoga classes, mindfulness sessions and more. You'll also find leaders in the fitness industry coaching you through class, including trainers like Kayla Itsines, Tommy Rivers Puzey and Hannah Eden

Another feature that stood out during our tests was the Automatic Trainer Control function that allows the instructor to adjust your incline, decline and resistance from 24 different levels. There is a 20% incline control and 10% decline control, which is quite impressive and designed to mimic the natural terrain of your destination workouts. Both testers and our experts agreed that the newer model of the S22i with two-sided pedals was a useful upgrade, so you can strap in with a traditional sneaker or ride clipless with SPD cycling shoes.

If music is what fuels your cycling, look no further than the freebeat Boom Bike. With pace-syncing LED color light strips along the base that light up and flash in time with the music you're riding to, you'll turn any room into a upbeat, blood-pumping, cardio party room. We enjoyed riding in a dimly lit room so that the bright flashes really popped.

The bike comes with a 15.6-inch HD touchscreen (that can be rotated for other off-bike workouts) where you can pick classes that feature animated, motivating instructors with 3D gamified-like graphics that create an immersive riding experience. In order to access the classes, you have to pay for the Freebeat membership, which is free for the first 45 days, but then $39 per month.

The bike is easy to put together — our testers noted that it didn't take more than an hour on average to get it set up (but was quicker with two people). Plus, the bike doesn't take up a lot of room and it's on wheels for easy transport. The dual-sided pedals feature toe cages so you can ride with regular sneakers or SPD pedals.

Our testers also enjoyed the auto-resistance feature that auto-adjusts based on the instructors cues, and the in-and-out-of-the-seat saddle detection to give you feedback on your ride. However, it is worth noting that the auto-resistance feature only works for freebeat classes, and the resistance in general only works when the bike is plugged in so that it can be powered on.

It's hard to beat the price of this smart bike from Echelon that's available for around $1,000. This slick-looking model includes a large 22-inch HD touchscreen that flips 180 degrees for immersive workouts. The vented competition-style seat is adjustable, as are the handlebars to accommodate a variety of riders — which is perfect if you have multiple riders in your household who want to utilize the bike.

There are a few special features to note (though not as many as on the Peloton), including the padded bullhorn handlebars for extra comfort. We like that the pedals are dual-sided to work with SPD shoe clips as well as toe cages for standard sneakers. The bike boasts 32 levels of magnetic resistance and two large water bottle holders, which are useful on longer, more intense rides. Dumbbell holders are located on the back of the bike behind the seat.

You'll have to pay for access to Echelon's Premier membership platform, but it will unlock a library of live and on-demand classes with lively instructors. You can customize your flat road, hill and climb resistance on the Echelon App and then simply click a button for your bike to auto adjust to those levels when needed, which our experts found to be a very helpful feature.

Compared to upright bikes, recumbent options allow you to exercise your lower body with less strain on your joints. Plus, the design of recumbent bikes makes it much easier to balance and sit more comfortably. This well-designed recumbent bike from industry leader Schwinn features 16 levels of resistance and 13 preset workout programs. The 5.5-inch segmented LCD screen gives you insight into metrics as you ride.

Our experts like that the bike has a media shelf and connects with popular cycling apps. Reviewers loved that the bike offers a very quiet and smooth ride, and many say it is ideal for seniors. The back of the contoured seat has small holes for ventilation, and the slider seat rail system lets you adjust your positioning with ease for user heights ranging from 4'6" to 6'6".

We chose to highlight this model because it's a great value for the price. But if you're looking for more special features, the Schwinn 290 Recumbent Bike may be for you. This premium version offers a few extra bells and whistles, like compatibility with the JRNY app, a USB charging port and an upgraded console.

Serious athletes will love the addition of an air bike to their home gym. Also known as fan bikes, air bikes like this one are popular in the CrossFit community and are known for providing an efficient full-body workout in seconds. Many favor air bikes for high-intensity interval training workouts; even a quick 20-second burst can get your heart rate through the roof. Your legs pedal while your arms also move the handles back and forth, so the harder you push, the harder the movement becomes.

The steel fan delivers a high level of endurance, providing a true total-body workout. The thin console on this model offers seven onboarding program options and metrics like calories burned, distance, time and heart rate. The seat adjusts in several directions, including up and down and a tilt.

Our fitness pros say that this bike is durable, top quality and delivers an effective workout quickly. We spoke to several CrossFit gym owners who also swear by the Assault AirBike and said it's the only model they would purchase for their gyms.

It doesn't have a water-bottle attachment, comes with standard pedals for regular sneakers and lacks some other special features, but it's only meant for short sprints and circuit training.

Our on-staff fitness experts and engineers conduct assessments to evaluate safety, durability and other performance metrics of exercise bikes in the Good Housekeeping Institute Wellness Lab.

Our engineers review and repeat select aspects of ASTM conformance testing to help ensure the safety and stability of the machines.

Our pros assess the perceived quality of materials used and record wear and tear after consumer testing. We evaluate safety features such as ease of stopping and protection from dangerous moving parts.

Performance tests help us rate the accuracy of user metrics like power output, calories burned, resistance quality and range and speed accuracy (RPM). Our fitness professionals then evaluate everything from resistance levels to overall ride experience, noting how effective the workouts are on the bike and whether the controls are easy to access for smooth transitions.

In addition to expert evaluation, we have a panel of consumer testers who ride the bikes for real-life feedback on ease of use, ergonomics and performance of the machines.

Certain key factors testers are asked about include seat adjustability, angling, comfort of hand grips and seat, workout selection, adjusting resistance and how easy the display is to read. To aid in evaluating performance, testers are also asked how they would rate the resistance settings when compared to other exercise bikes.

The overall class experience is also an important aspect of consumer testing. We ask testers to take classes with different instructors and rate whether the classes are engaging and motivating.

Financially — and spacially — exercise bikes can be a big investment, which is why our experts say it's important to keep the following considerations in mind when shopping.

✔️ Size: Always make sure to adequately measure the space you plan to store the bike in and leave ample space above and around the bike so you can safely get on and off. If you plan to use the bike for full-body classes that incorporate upper-body movements with light weights, you'll want to account for adequate space above and to either side of the bike.

✔️ Adjustability: Look for a bike with ample settings that can be modified for your height, weight and more to ensure a comfortable ride.

✔️ Style: Are you looking for a traditional indoor cycling bike or one with smart features? Bikes also have different kinds of resistance to take into account, like magnetic, friction and air resistance.

✔️ Monitor: Take note of the type of monitor or screen that the bike includes. What type of metrics does it offer? Is the display large enough for you to see and interact with? If there isn't a display, does the bike have a device mount for you to place a phone or tablet on? Think about these factors when looking for an appropriate choice.

✔️ Connected features: Smart bikes provide enhanced metrics, community and guided classes, which can be more interactive and motivating than standard stationary bikes. Although these features come at a premium, they might be worth it for you if you are looking for guidance and studio-style classes. Many smart bikes also offer guided scenic rides through beautiful destinations, which are a great way to change things up in your workout regimen. Check to see if the bike connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth if you want to access class content or a companion app, as well as to connect to wireless accessories and devices.

✔️ Cost: More expensive doesn't always mean better quality, but smart bikes typically come at a higher price point. Some bikes offer payment plans, and if your bike is connected with a workout program or digital class library, you'll need to factor in any monthly membership payments for access.

✔️ Pedals: Most bikes offer a shoe cage so you can cycle in your regular exercise shoes. But some bikes, especially indoor cycling bikes, offer special pedals that require a specific type of cycling shoe. The benefits of indoor cycling shoes are vast, providing a safer and more efficient ride, but they can be costly. That said, if you make the investment, you'll need to figure out whether your bike pedals are compatible with two-hole (SPD) or three-hold (Delta) cleats to make sure that the shoes you purchase are appropriate. If you're not sure what type of pedal the bike has, contact the manufacturer.

✔️ Warranty: You'll want to protect your investment. Always check the warranty and what it includes, especially for larger parts like the frame, which should have the longest warranty.

Cycling is an incredibly effective and low-impact workout. Staying active with an exercise bike, in conjunction with a healthy balanced diet, can certainly help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. But the benefits of an exercise bike go far beyond weight management.

Research suggests that indoor cycling may improve aerobic capacity, blood pressure, lipid profile and body composition, especially when combined with a healthy diet. Cycling can burn calories and build strength, while also improving stamina and endurance. Riding an exercise bike regularly can even increase cardiovascular fitness and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases.

Sedentary behavior is on the rise with more than 60% of Americans not getting the recommended amount of exercise per week and about 25% of Americans not staying active at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Cycling can be a fun and approachable form of fitness to combat a sedentary lifestyle and help you keep active.

Stefani Sassos has been working in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-certified personal trainer and women's fitness specialist, Sassos uses her exercise science knowledge and expertise to create informed fitness content for the Good Housekeeping Institute.

She began her indoor cycling career in college, where she was a Penn State fitness instructor, and she went on to teach indoor cycling at major gyms and studios including Equinox Fitness Clubs. She has taught on a variety of different indoor cycling bikes and is well-versed in the current offerings. Sassos loves riding an indoor cycling bike at home for a quick and effective workout while her young daughter naps.

Amy Schlinger is an NASM-certified personal trainer and journalist who has been in the fitness and health industry for over a decade. She is extremely passionate about fitness and healthy living and when she isn't testing out the newest fitness equipment or gear, she can be found strength training on her own in the gym or taking group fitness classes in New York City. Some of her favorites indoor cycling classes include SoulCycle and Barry's RIDE.