Exercise bikes might be the next piece of workout equipment you need to take your exercise routine to the next level. You can hop on it anytime you feel like it, and riding an exercise bike is a great way to burn calories while at the same time strengthening your leg muscles, heart, and lungs.
Below, you will find more information on what to look for when getting an exercise bike in our buying guide, fact-checked by fitness coach Michelle Estuar. Also, check out our top 10 picks to help you narrow down your options!
Quick List - Top Exercise Bikes
Michelle Estuar is the Head Coach of one of the indoor cycling studios in Metro Manila. She trains individuals interested in becoming cycling coaches. She also designs and develops programs to meet fitness goals. To add to that, she is a former triathlete, running coach, and ultra-marathoner, and has completed long-distance events such as a 102km run and a 10km open water swim. Michelle is addicted to anything related to sports and fitness as well as diet and nutrition. She has tried (and will keep on trying) the latest trends in diets, apps, equipment, gears, and accessories—she will do anything to stay fit and healthy.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Here are some key points to consider:
Exercise bikes can generally improve heart health, burn calories, strengthen legs, and boost one's mood. However, some bikes have more options on riding positions and the moves you can do, allowing you to target other muscles groups aside from the legs, such as core, posterior chain, and the arms. Two types of exercise bikes that are widely available today are stationary and spin exercise bikes.
If you're just starting to work on your overall health or simply want to work up some sweat, this type may be the best fit for you. This exercise bike often features a conventional riding position with its comfortable seat, which makes for enjoyable light to moderate-intensity training sessions. It also allows you to adjust its resistance at fixed levels and alter your cycling speed.
Standing on this bike while cycling, however, can be difficult, limiting you from working on posterior muscle groups and burning more calories. This added challenge can, fortunately, still help improve your cardiovascular health, build muscular endurance, and achieve personal goals such as losing weight.
Spin bikes can closely resemble outdoor cycling. Hence, if you are someone who likes doing custom workouts like sprints and climbs, then this one's for you. This bike often features a heavy flywheel, providing you with more options for resistance changes. It allows your upper body to provide support and get targeted as well. It can even target your minor muscle groups like the arms and core.
The design of a spin bike allows you to stand while pedaling. Doing this grants you a greater range of movement patterns and more freedom of movement in different riding positions. So, opt for a spin bike if you are looking for intensity and variety in your cycling routine.
Workouts with this kind of bike can be customized, and the biggest difference is you can simulate the outdoor terrain, like the sprints and climbs.
The effectiveness of an exercise bike can be determined by its resistance mechanism. This part allows you to alter its pedal tension, helping you control the intensity and the calorie burn of your workout. To date, three types of resistance can be integrated to these bikes. Let's explore their differences below!
An exercise bike that utilizes magnetic resistance relies on magnets to alter its resistance level. As they get closer to the flywheel, it increases the resistance level, which can help work on the strength of your legs. The resistance mechanism can be controlled through a digital monitor, or by manually adjusting a micro-tension knob.
The magnets used for this resistance mechanism do not make contact with the flywheel. Hence, it allows you to pedal or spin smoothly and quietly. Most spin bikes nowadays possess this resistance mechanism, as it can help users work on multiple muscle groups and increase their workout intensity.
Contact or friction resistance exercise bikes are more popular for cycling enthusiasts since their knob is much easier to control in getting the precise amount of resistance needed. As you increase the resistance level, you can instantly feel the difficulty in pedaling the exercise bike as their felt or leather pad establishes tighter contact with the flywheel right away.
This contact, however, subjects them to general wear or tear, requiring them to undergo regular tune-up just like a regular outdoor bike. A light soft noise, additionally, can be expected with this resistance mechanism. But even with this noise level, cycling or spinning with this resistance mechanism can still be enjoyed by many users. Stationary and spin bikes often use contact resistance mechanisms.
Air exercise bikes benefit from a fan instead of a flywheel. They can generate resistance by pushing the fan blades against the air. The faster you pedal, the higher the resistance, resulting in more calories burned. Air resistance mechanisms can be a perfect choice for those who want to carry out high-intensity workouts and interval training that often involve the whole body.
However, they may not be advisable for long-duration cycling workouts. The noise level of this resistance mechanism, additionally, can be as loud as a regular household fan. So, if you will be buying one, you may want to block out the noise by plugging in your earphones.
The resistance mechanism on your exercise bike can support the functionality of its flywheel. The flywheel is a big disc-shaped mechanical device installed at the front of the bike. It is then connected to the pedals through a belt drive or a chain. Once you start pedaling, it can create the needed momentum for the flywheel to rotate.
If you intend to ride similar to outdoor cycling, opt for a heavy flywheel of at least 20 kgs as it provides you with more choices of resistance levels to work on. It can also provide more intensity in terms of strength and muscular endurance. Alternatively, choose a light flywheel if you want to focus on high-speed cycling. It's also a great option if you want to go easy on your body.
After deciding on the type of bike you want and its resistance mechanism, you can now concentrate on the added features of a specific bike manufacturer. Here are some notable features to consider:
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Phliplus Stationary Spin Bike | ![]() | A Tough-Looking Bike With All the Fundamentals | |
2 | Core Upright Bike |SU-135 | ![]() | Whisper-Quiet and Easy to Ride and Cycle | |
3 | OneTwoFit Recumbent Exercise Bike | ![]() | Space-Saving Bike You Can Use While Working from Home | |
4 | Primus Spin Bike | ![]() | Beefed-Up, Child- and Pet-Friendly High Threshold Spin Bike | |
5 | Reebok A6.0 Astroride Bike|RVAR-10601SLBT | ![]() | A Feature-Packed, High-Tech Upright Bike | |
6 | Yeesall Spinning Bike | ![]() | Ergonomic Bike Suitable for Any Fitness Level | |
7 | Kemilng K3 Stationary Flywheel Bike | ![]() | Heavy-Duty Bike for High-Intensity Interval Training | |
8 | DOMYOS Essential Exercise Bike | ![]() | A Comfortable Bike Perfect for Beginners | |
9 | Muscle Power Recumbent Bike|6.2R | ![]() | A Low-Intensity Bike for Sedentary or Rehabbing Individuals | |
10 | Xiaomi Yesoul Smart Exercise Bike|M1 | ![]() | A Smart Exercise Bike That Guarantees a Comfortable Ride |
The exercise bike from Philplus is a no-fluff, high-intensity bike. It is a plain and straightforward exercise bike for high-intensity workout lovers. It has all the essentials: a good handlebar, an adjustable seat, and a flywheel that will give you more than the amount of resistance you can take.
This fits you if you like focusing on just your movement, and feeling your heart race - no distractions. Its thick frame and wide weight displacement make it super sturdy for when you want to simulate sprinting on a long stretch of road, be it uphill or downhill. It also maximizes an LED screen, a feature that users love as it allows them to watch workout videos while monitoring their vital stats.
This bike is the best choice if you only have a small area to work with. It takes only seconds to set up and seconds to get started on your ride. It is built for leisurely workouts, enough to get you sweating and activate some muscles but not enough to really get your heart pumping.
This is great for sedentary or older individuals; those who simply want to get moving. This bike, however, is not built for high-intensity workouts but is a great one for beginners. The display of this exercise bike can display speed, distance, time, calorie burned, body fat, and temperature.
This bike's best feature is the workstation. You can place your laptop or tablet on top of it and get some calories burning while you work on your report, article, or while having an online meeting. This is a nice piece of equipment to have if you have a busy schedule and find it hard to insert exercise into your rigorous schedule.
The innovative compact form factor of this bike makes it easy to store, especially in small spaces. However, the drawback is the lower intensity of your workout since it has only an 8-lb flywheel. Thus, while it's a great supplement to an active lifestyle, it is not ideal as your sole source of exercise.
This bike is excellent for road cyclists or, at least, those training to be one. You can stand up while pedaling on this bike, just like you would when attacking a hill. Plus, you do not need to worry about falling over because of its thick and heavy frame. Its 45-lb flywheel allows for higher resistance options to really get that lactic acid build-up or burn.
It is also very safe if you have kids and pets around, as both the belt drive and flywheel are enclosed in hard plastic. It also has a built-in tablet holder for watching spin classes or if you have the equipment, virtual reality (VR) bike rides. Users also love its compact size.
The Reebok A6.0 delivers top performance and minimal joint impact. Its LCD display shows you your training data in real time. It also has Bluetooth capability that allows you to connect to the ReebokFitness App, allowing you to see and track if you are lagging behind or on top of your goals. You can even simulate a real ride with the Google Street View feature.
It has 32 electronic resistance levels, 12 pre-set workouts and, for those in it for the long run, 3 target programs. This bike is ideal for steady-state and endurance-type cardio, but not as much for high-intensity. Positive reviews cite its ease of setup and use, as well as fuss-free connectivity for a truly fun cycling session.
This is a great bike for starters and long-timers alike. It has all the basic features you need, plus a water bottle holder for easy hydration during your bouts of cardio. Its heavy flywheel also allows for swift resistance changes from easy to the most challenging levels.
Meanwhile, the ergonomic handlebar lets you adjust your grip to make your ride comfortable whether you're standing up or sitting down. However, like some other indoor bikes in this list, it can be a potential safety risk for kids and pets, as its flywheel is left exposed.
The Kemilng K3 is a heavy-duty indoor cycling bike built to carry hefty loads. With its sturdy steel frame, it can take up to 180 kilograms or almost 400 pounds. Its heavy flywheel will be able to give you the highest resistance you can handle and more.
Aside from that, it has an emergency braking system that you can use if you plan to do sprints. This is why its the best choice for HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training. HIIT-type exercises burn the most calories, most fat, and really pushes your cardiorespiratory endurance to the max. Plus, compared to other types of exercises, HIIT also increases muscle density.
This exercise bike from DOMYOS is best used by beginners that want to increase their cardiorespiratory abilities. Although it is not ideal for muscle building or toning, it is a low- to medium-intensity exercise bike great for breaking a sweat. Its built-in console displays 4 functions to help you keep track of your performance.
This bike is smooth and quiet, as it has a magnetic flywheel. It is also lightweight, making it easy to transport and move around. You can easily put it in a corner when not in use or place it in the living room in front of the television during your workout if you want.
This bike is specifically built for previously injured or completely sedentary individuals who need at least some sort of exercise to get their recovery and health journey kickstarted. In fact, positive reviews attest to its effectiveness in people with osteoarthritis or damaged knees.
Since it can handle up to 300 lbs, this is also ideal for overweight or obese individuals. However, it's not recommended for fairly active individuals, as the intensity on this bike is very low and is mostly used for therapy. Other than that, this bike offers a few useful features, such as an adjustable seat and tension control.
This smart exercise bike from Xiaomi aims to provide an intense riding experience without compromising results and safety. It features an adjustable handlebar, seat tube, saddle, and anti-skid cage pedals to ensure that your riding posture will be optimized all the time. It also has a bottle cage to keep you close to your water, the primary fuel of your body.
As for its resistance, it takes advantage of magnetic resistance to provide a smoother and quieter ride. And to make everything interesting, the stats obtained by the bike can be synced to the YESOUL FITNESS app. This app also features video courses to guide you through the cycling session.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Cycling and spinning with exercise bikes can be a great way to burn calories and create a caloric deficit, which is essential for weight loss. On average, a person who will be cycling for 30-minutes on an exercise bike can burn between 200 to 300 calories. The calories burnt can then be enhanced by extending cycling sessions and carrying out high-intensity cycling workouts.
Using an exercise bike involves numerous steps to ensure that your body will not feel sore after the ride. Some of these steps are as follows.
There are numerous things that you should not do when using an exercise bike. Here are some of them.
Looking for more ways to achieve your fitness goals for a stronger and healthier body and mind? Check out our other product recommendations below!
Author: Petre Baliton
Re-editor: Christian Autor
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Phliplus|Stationary Spin Bike
No. 2: Core|Upright Bike |SU-135
No. 3: OneTwoFit|Recumbent Exercise Bike
No. 4: Primus|Spin Bike
No. 5: Reebok|A6.0 Astroride Bike|RVAR-10601SLBT
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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