We all know how important regular exercise is, but sometimes going to the gym is such a hassle. With an exercise bike, no longer will you need to worry about finding time to head to the gym or getting outside to ride. They provide the opportunity for a fantastic workout, all from the comfort of your own home. Before you make any purchases, however, you should review our buying guide and top recommendations.

The Two Types of Exercise Bikes

Upright Exercise Bikes

Upright exercise bikes are designed to look like your standard, outdoors bicycles. They stand upright and have the same seat shapes and pedals. These bikes not only provide a feel similar to that of a regular bike, but also a similar workout. Upright exercise bikes give users a lower body and cardio workout, just like a traditional bike would. This type of exercise bike generally takes up less room, is smaller, and has fewer features than its recumbent counterpart.

Recumbent Exercise Bikes

Recumbent exercise bikes provide extra support for those who need it, especially in the back. These bikes have seats that look like a regular chair with a backrest and sometimes armrests. The rider sits at a partial incline with their feet in front of their body instead of below. A recumbent bike can offer more comfort and security than an upright bike. Though you will still get a cardio and lower body workout with this type of exercise bike, it exercises a different group of muscles. Recumbent exercise bikes are also larger and have space for more special features (Source).

Features To Look For When Choosing Your Exercise Bike

There are a few features you should look out for when picking out your exercise bike.

• Resistance: Try to find an exercise bike that a variety of different resistance levels. Also be sure that the levels are easy to adjust, too.
• Display: The display screen is a very important feature as it will help you to keep track of your workout. Try to find a display that is easy to read and easy to operate. A good display screen will tell you your speed, resistance level, calories burned, heart rate, time, distance, and revolutions per minute.
• Programming: With some exercise bikes, you can preprogram workout routines based on your weights, age, and gender. This may be a helpful feature to have.
• Safety: Check out the safety features on your bike before you buy it. Exercise bikes have a lot of moving pieces that can be dangerous, especially if you have young children in your home.
• Heart-Rate Monitor: This is another great feature you may find useful to have. A chest strap monitor is the best as it will not interfere with your movement at all (Source).
• Extra Features: Some exercise bikes come with features like cup holders, media shelves, Bluetooth speakers, and more.
• Warranty: Most exercise bicycle manufacturers will offer some kind of warranty on their product. A two to three-year warranty is the industry standard (Source).

Top 5 Budget Friendly Exercise Bikes

Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Bike

Fitness Reality R4000 Magnetic Tension Recumbent Bike

The Fitness Reality R4000 Fitness Bike is known for its variety of resistance levels for the ultimate workout. Included on the bike itself is also a widescreen LCD computer display to watch your progress, along with a phone or tablet holder. The seat is thickly padded for extra comfort and can adjust into different positions.

Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike

Body Rider Exercise Upright Fan Bike

ProGear 100S Exercise Bike/Indoor Training Cycle

The winner of our best budget friendly exercise bike is the ProGear 100S Exercise Bike/Indoor Training Cycle. Due to its premium build and features, it has proven to be superior to other types of workout bikes. In addition, it is also a smaller size which is great for those looking to transport it to and from locations or need smaller workout equipment for their commercial or home gyms.