If you want a good cardio session but don’t want to brave the elements — whether heat, cold, rain or snow — an indoor exercise bike is a solid way to burn some calories from the comfort of your own home. Today’s home bikes span a range of styles and price points. And while the pros we spoke to recommend a more expensive bike for serious tracking and online connectivity, they were quick to point out that there are plenty of more affordable exercise bikes that provide everything you need.
“As with any piece of exercise equipment, the best one is the one you are going to use consistently,” says Chicago-based certified personal trainer Eric Ridings.
To help you navigate which ones offer the best ride, we’ve rounded up a list of several highly rated stationary bikes under $500 that align with expert guidance.
SKIP AHEAD Best affordable exercise bikes to consider in 2023 | How to shop for the best affordable exercise bike
Our top picks
- Best overall: Yosuda Pro Magnetic Exercise Bike
- Best digital monitor: Dmasun Indoor Cycling Bike
- Best portable: Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike
- Best warranty: Nautilus U616 Upright Exercise Bike
How we picked the best affordable exercise bikes
To compile this list, we spoke to personal trainers about what features you should look for in an affordable exercise bike that will give you a great cardio workout. Based on their expert advice, we picked 10 highly rated bikes, paying special attention to the following criteria:
- Maximum weight capacity: We looked for stationary bikes that can hold at least 270 pounds.
- Adjustability: All of the bikes we recommend have either adjustable handlebars and seats (or a combination of the two).
- Resistance: All of the bikes considered offer a resistance knob so you can customize your workout routine.
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Best affordable exercise bikes to consider in 2023
The exercise bikes in this roundup are readily available at Select reader-favorite retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and Target, along with popular brands, including Sunny Health, Nautilus and Echelon. As an added bonus, most of these stationary exercise bikes give you a 30-day return policy if you're not fully satisfied with your new purchase. All of these bikes have a customer rating of at least 4.3 stars.
Yosuda Pro Magnetic Exercise Bike
This bike from Yosuda has a magnetic drive system, so it’s super quiet, according to the brand. It also has an LCD monitor that tracks calories burned, speed, distance and time spent pedaling, as well as a resistance knob with 100 micro-adjustable levels so you can customize your exercise routine. A dedicated holder allows you to position a tablet so you can ride along to a workout app, and it has a padded seat, toe-caged pedals and non-slip handlebars that can be adjusted four ways to fit your frame and stride. The bike can hold up to 350 pounds and has an average rating of 4.4 stars from over 4,000 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 350 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: 30-day full-refund guarantee and 1-year free parts replacement.
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1002 Exercise Cycling Bike
Sunny Health is a favorite among Select readers and fitness pros alike and is a top pick in our various guides to indoor bikes. This durable steel-frame model sports a 49-pound chrome flywheel (a weighted disk that mimics a bicycle wheel) and can handle a maximum user weight of 275 pounds, according to the brand. Users can also buy the Sunny Bike Cadence Sensor and connect to Sunny’s free SunnyFit app to measure and track cycling metrics. This bike has wheels for easy portability and an average rating of 4.4 stars from over 6,000 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 275 pounds | Digital monitor: No (Cadence Sensor sold separately can track metrics) | Warranty: Frame one year, parts three months
Dmasun Indoor Cycling Bike
The Dmasun’s extra-heavy flywheel and heavy steel main frame makes this bike extremely stable at 90 pounds, according to the brand. It has adjustable magnetic resistance and a digital monitor to record your exercise time, speed, distance, calories and pulse so you can track your progress. Both the handlebars and cushioned seat are fully adjustable to fit most every frame and stride, and it also has transport wheels for easy portability. The Dmasun has a 4.5-star average rating from over 8,900 reviews.
Maximum weight capacity: 350 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: 12 months of free parts replacement
JOROTO Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike
A noisy spin bike can make life miserable for anyone you live with, or near (like the neighbors downstairs). The Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike uses magnetic resistance — in this case, seven magnets create a magnetic field, which you can adjust for stronger or lighter resistance — which the brand says makes the bike “whisper quiet.” It sports a 35-pound flywheel and four adjustable feet to keep your bike stable on various surfaces — the bike can also hold up to 280 pounds. It has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 6,000 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 280 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: 1-year of free replacement parts
Cyclace Exercise Bike Stationary
This Cyclace model’s triangular frame is made from steel and comes equipped with a 36-pound flywheel, LCD monitor, and has a belt-drive system to propel the pedals. The indoor bike has a cushioned seat, non-slip handlebars and can hold up to 330 pounds, according to the brand. It has an average rating of 4.4 stars from over 7,500 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 330 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: No
pooboo Indoor Cycling Bike
This bike from Pooboo is made from heavy-duty alloy steel and has a 35-pound flywheel. You can also adjust the pedals, seat and handlebars to fit your body and also to target your workout to specific muscles, according to the brand. The belt-driven spin bike also has a water bottle holder and an LCD screen that tracks your speed, distance, time, calories burned and heart rate. The brand says the bike can hold up to 300 pounds and has transport wheels for when you need to move it around. It has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 7,700 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 300 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: 1 year parts replacement
Lanos Stationary Exercise Bike
Similar to the Pooboo bike, the Lanos Stationary Exercise Bike has extensive adjustability. It comes with a height adjustable seat and height adjustable handlebars, as well as an LCD screen that tracks basic fitness information like speed, distance, time and calories burned, according to the brand. It also has a water bottle holder and transport wheels for moving around your home more easily. The bike can hold up to 270 pounds and has an average rating of 4.4 stars from over 600 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 270 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: None
Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike
This collapsible exercise bike folds into a 20” by 22” footprint and has an adjustable seat height that helps accommodate people ranging in heights from 5 feet 3 inches to 6 feet 1 inch and a weight capacity of 300 pounds. It offers eight resistance levels, and you can track your workout on an LCD screen that shows calories burned, speed, distance traveled, pulse rate and time. The bike has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 22,000 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 300 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: None
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B901 Indoor Cycling Bike
This chain-drive exercise bike from Sunny Health works similar to an outdoor bike with a chain. It features a 40-pound chrome flywheel, resistance knob, two-way adjustable handlebars and a four-way adjustable seat. Four floor stabilizers at the base of the bike helps prevent wobbling on uneven surfaces, according to the brand, and it includes wheels to make it easier to transport it from room to room. It has a weight capacity of up to 275 pounds and an average rating of 4.4 stars from over 5,000 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 275 pounds | Digital monitor: No | Warranty: 3 months (parts); 1 year (frame)
Nautilus U616 Upright Exercise Bike
This stationary bike offers Bluetooth connectivity and syncs with the Explore the World app, where you can track your metrics and cycle along in real time with other Nautilus owners. The bike also allows you to store four user profiles, so up to three of your loved ones can track their progress. With 29 pre-programmed workouts and 25 resistance levels, you have a multitude of ways to tailor your workout. It has a 325-pound weight capacity and an average rating of 4.3 stars from over 900 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 325 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: 10 years frame, three years mechanical parts, three years electronics, one year labor
Harison Stationary Upright Exercise Bike
The Harison exercise bike features 14 levels of magnetic resistance and a four-way adjustable leather seat with extra padding and adjustable handlebars. There's an LCD screen that tracks your calories burned, speed, distance, time, as well as a separate tablet holder above the screen and handlebars. It also features non-slip pedals and can safely hold riders up to 350 pounds, according to the brand. It has an average rating of 4.3 stars from over 900 reviews on Amazon.
Maximum weight capacity: 400 pounds | Digital monitor: Yes | Warranty: None
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How to shop for the best affordable exercise bike
According to Christopher LaMarco, owner of CrossFit Nauset in Orleans, Massachusetts, most needs, with the exception of built-in screens and social connectivity, can be met with exercise bikes that cost less than $500. When it comes to shopping for a quality model that will provide a great cardio workout, here are the most important things he says shoppers should consider:
- Weight capacity. Most models can accommodate up to 270 pounds, but some can even go as high as 400. Always check the weight capacity, especially if you have multiple riders.
- Adjustability. Having the ability to raise and lower the seat and handlebars to fit your frame and stride is important to ensure a correct posture while riding, says LaMarco.
- Display. Without a display, it’s nearly impossible to track your progress and replicate workouts, says LaMarco, adding that calories burned, distance and heart rate are important to note each time you ride.
- Resistance. Having the ability to adjust your resistance allows you to increase your workout level so you can improve speed, power and strength. An exercise bike should at least offer up to 10 levels of resistance so you can individualize your workout. Having no resistance could increase your risk of injury.
- Noise level. Exercise bikes are one of the quieter pieces of gym equipment. Still, there are different noise levels depending on the type of resistance or drive mechanism. Magnetic resistance is generally quieter than friction resistance, and chain and belt drives are even noisier. Try the bike out to see if the noise bothers you before you buy.
- Safety and stability. The heavier the steel frame and flywheel, the more stable the bike, says LaMarco.
- Portability. A bike that comes with wheels allows you to easily move the bike from room to room if necessary.
- Warranty. Some bikes under $500 don’t offer a warranty, but many do, either on the frame or parts or both.
- Your space. In general, exercise bikes don’t take too much space. However, some are wider and others need better headroom. Verify your space first to see what type of bike fits best.
What kinds of accessories can I buy for my exercise bike?There are dozens of spinning accessories on the market today, and many are available right on Amazon. LaMarco says one of the best accessories to consider, if your bike doesn’t already have them, are toe clips for the pedals to lock your feet in place. Other accessories to consider are padded bike seats, an electronic fan, a cup holder, a portable electronic device mount, easy-to-grip support handles or an anti-fatigue floor mat.
Meet our experts
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Eric Ridings is a Chicago-based certified personal trainer and the lead coach at Mobility Works, a strength and conditioning center.
- Chris LaMarco is the owner of CrossFit Nauset in Orleans, Massachusetts.
Why trust Select?
Barbara Booth and Justin Redman have published several roundups on best exercise equipment for Select, including Best ellipticals, Best women’s walking shoes and Popular exercise bikes. For this piece, Barbara interviewed two experts and researched dozens of exercise bikes, choosing the most highly rated options under $500 that aligned with expert guidance.
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