Staying active is a challenge, especially in the winter months. When it’s cold outside, it can be difficult to get yourself off the couch and start moving. But it’s a lot easier to do when your bike is just a few steps away!
Thus, the rise of the stationary bike: a perfect solution to the difficulties of being active. But so many of these bikes are an expensive investment reserved for the ultra-rich. On the other hand, the cheap ones always come with a measure of concern: will this fall apart after I use it a few times?
You don’t need to worry about that now, as we’ve looked through the best offerings on the market and have discovered the best inexpensive stationary bike.
How Did We Decide?
Many different factors influence how much any given rider will enjoy a stationary bike, but we’ve settled on four to guide our decisions:
- Price
- Flexibility
- Quality of features
- Comfort
The Best Overall Inexpensive Stationary Bike
After our extensive review, we’ve concluded that overall, the best inexpensive stationary bike is the Sunny Health & Fitness Programmable Recumbent Bike.
Coming in at around $400 on Amazon, it is one of the most affordable bikes on this list, earning it very high marks. What makes this bike stand out is the degree of flexibility, comfort, and feature quality you get for the low price.
This bike has a display, but not a flashy one that puts enormous numbers right in your face. If that sort of thing annoys you, this is the right bike for you. If you have a preferred mobile fitness app, the Sunny Programmable Recumbent Bike has a device holder that will be perfect for you.
For flexibility, this bike performs impressively. With 16 different levels of electro-magnetic resistance and 12 different pre-set workouts, you can customize your workout to your preferred level of challenge. It includes transportation wheels and foot stabilizers to allow you to set it up comfortably anywhere in your home.
Lastly, the Sunny Programmable Recumbent Bike is currently one of the most comfortable low-cost bikes on the market. Its ventilated ergonomic comfort seat and mesh backing are highly adjustable, providing you a comfortable ride tailored to your body and needs.
Niche Bikes and Runners Up
Although the Sunny Health & Fitness Programmable Recumbent Bike stood out as the leader of the low-cost playing field, several other bikes were close behind or outperformed the Sunny Health & Fitness model within a narrower niche.
FlexiSpot Adjustable Exercise Workstation Bike Desk
If you’re looking for an indoor bike that allows you to get work done while you’re pedaling away, this workstation is an excellent choice. Its unique design combines elements of a desk and an indoor bike, creating a perfect machine for students and professionals working from home.
FlexiSpot also offers different models for this specific concept– some come with desks as a part of the unit, others are designed to be used with standing desks, and some are designed to be used on their own, with no desk, as a space of relaxation.
Beyond a unique concept, the Bike Desk does not have many features that distinguish it from other indoor bikes, but its design concept and effectiveness alone land it a spot on our list.
Exerpeutic LX 3000
Most bikes on this list are built to accommodate between 200-300 pound riders, which can cause a problem for folks on the heavier side. The Exerpeutic LX 3000 does not have that problem – it can support riders up to 400 pounds.
What’s even more impressive is that the bike manages the higher weight capacity while still coming in at a very low price (~$200 at the time of writing) and is fully foldable. That’s right, with this bike, Exerpeutic has managed to create a machine that effectively balances three different priorities: low price, high weight capacity, and portability.
This Exerpeutic also features pulse sensors and a display monitor showing distance, calories burned, time, speed, pulse, and an odometer. While its feature qualities don’t quite bring it past the Sunny model discussed above, this machine is a truly impressive one that is well worth taking a look at for all riders.
Bowflex C6 Bike
The Bowflex C6 is one of our runners-up on this list. Despite being one of the most expensive items here ($999 at the time of writing), it features a stunning capacity at that relatively reasonable price.
This bike also has Bluetooth connectivity functionality, allowing you to link the C6 directly to high-quality apps like Peloton, Zwift, and Schwinn Trainer to track your progress and join in on community rides. It also comes with a forearm-worn heart rate monitor and two three-pound dumbbells that allow you to work out your upper body as well.
Its flywheel resistance mechanism has 100– yes, 100!– resistance levels, and it can go up to quite a challenging level for riders of all skill levels.
Spinning L1 Spin Bike
This list is full of bikes packed full of all sorts of different features– Bluetooth, bike desks, heart rate monitors…what happened to the good old days of a straightforward indoor biking experience? If you’re looking for a bike that’s low on frills and features but high on quality, the Spinning L1 Spin Bike may be right for you.
This barebones machine is designed based on the original model for an indoor bike. It’s easily adjustable on all ends, but beyond that, it’s a low-tech, high-quality machine. It doesn’t have a display, though it includes a tablet mount where you can place a tablet with your favorite fitness app if you desire.
Finally, its 14-kg flywheel simulates momentum in a way that feels like an authentic on-the-road biking experience. Overall, it’s an excellent bike if you don’t feel like you need to take advantage of pulse sensors and complex displays.
Conclusion
This list features the best inexpensive indoor stationary bikes, with features ranging from Bluetooth connectivity, heart rate monitors, adjustable height, and more. All of these bikes are under $1000, so you can get the ultimate biking experience without breaking the bank. Take into consideration the features you are looking for to find the bike that best fits your lifestyle.
