Exercise is one of the most important things for keeping a healthy lifestyle.
The problem is that many of us often don’t have the time to spend hours in the gym, or perhaps the weather isn’t very good so a long outdoor cycling session may not be ideal for you.
The solution? An indoor exercise bike! With an indoor exercise bike you can enjoy exercise from the comfort of your own home. You can listen to your music on loud or watch TV while scrolling through Facebook on your iPad.
What about the budget? No worries, you can get plenty of great options for under $500. Read on to find out more!
Best Indoor Exercise Bikes Under $500
Looking for a high quality exercise bike? You will love the Sunny Health and Fitness Indoor Exercise Stationary Bike SF-B1303. We also love the price on this one – in fact, it’s the lowest cost exercise bike on our list; you can usually find it for under $200. Check out the current pricing now.
This is a great stationary exercise bike that you can use indoors, and it’s super durable too so you can expect it to last a long time.
The bike features a flexible design. Pretty much any member of your family can use the bike thanks to the adjustable seat. You can move it up and down as you need to.
You can also alter the pedal width from 27 inches to 33 inches. The bike has comfortable handlebars with a good grip too, so you don’t need to worry about your hands slipping off when you’re sweaty.
One of the best things about this bike is actually that it’s quite small. This is ideal because it means if you have limited space in your house it doesn’t take up a great deal of space.
The monitors are also super simple to read, and you can check up on your stats like pulse and calories with no problems.
Unfortunately though it doesn’t come with a wide variety of adjustability options, though you can adjust the seat as previously mentioned.
Pros
- Durable
- Compact – ideal for small spaces
- Comfortable
- Super affordable
Cons
- Not a great deal of adjustability options
If you have a little bit of a higher budget, it is definitely worth investing in the Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike Stationary. The bike is still pretty affordable but is certainly on the higher end of the budget. But it’s still one of the best for under $500, so is worth checking out for all the great features.
So what is there to love about this bike? For starters, setting it up is simple. It’s just a matter of getting it out of the box and playing around with the programming settings.
There’s a manual that will explain exactly what you’re doing. You will also have great varied resistance so it’ll work well even once you start getting stronger.
In addition to all of this, the bike also has non slip handlebars. It’s comfortable to use and it’s relatively compact so you don’t need a great deal of storage space for the bike either.
You can track all of your stats just by looking at the monitor. It isn’t without its issues though. For instance, the handlebars don’t always stay in the same vertical position when you need to adjust them and the pedals can have a habit of dropping.
Pros
- Great display
- Non slip handlebars
- Premium option
Cons
- The pedals can drop on occasion
Comfort, power and practicality – the Sovnia Exercise Stationary Bike has it all. This bike is perfect for when you want a nice long exercise session, and it’s very stable because of the high quality balance regulators on the bike. This option is sometimes on sale, but we’ve always seen it under $500. See the current price now.
One of the coolest things is that you can fully adjust this bike. You can move the seat in any direction that you want to – up, down, back and front.
It has four different adjustment options, and you can even adjust the height of the handlebar. If you want to see your metrics, you can look at these on the LCD screen. This screen will show you everything that you need to know, including odometer, velocity, speed and the number of calories that you’ve burned.
If you are even remotely unhappy with the bike, you will be pleased to know that there is a 24 month warranty. It even has a weight capacity of up to 330 lbs.
All in all, it’s an enjoyable and smooth ride that you’re sure to appreciate. The seat can sometimes be a little difficult to tighten once it’s been adjusted though, so that’s something worth keeping in mind.
Pros
- Lots of adjustability
- High quality LCD screen
- 24 month warranty
Cons
- It can be difficult to tighten the seat after it’s been adjuste
For an exercise bike from a brand that you can trust, the Schwinn A10 Upright Bike Series is a great option. Coming in right in the middle of our range of prices, this is clearly one of the best options for an indoor cycle under $500. See the current price now.
This bike is sensational, available at a low price and has a great resistance system that will work well regardless of a person’s experience level.
The bike comes with a total of 7 different preset programs, and this will allow you to have a workout that’s catered to you and your needs. You can track all of your metrics with ease by checking the high quality LCD console.
This is perfect if you want to know more about your athletic performance. With a total of 8 magnetic resistance levels, this bike is also good for ensuring that you continue to get better and better at using the bike.
If all of this wasn’t already enough, the Schwinn model comes with transport wheels that allow you to move it from one location to another without any problems.
It’s very comfortable too thanks to the padded seat. One thing to note though is that this may not be ideal for seasoned athletes because it only has 8 resistance levels.
This is suitable for a beginner or amateur, but not for someone that needs more of a challenge.
Pros
- Easy to use
- 8 resistance levels
- Comfortable
Cons
- The bike may not be suitable for those with more advanced athletic capabilities as there are only 8 resistance levels. It’s more suited to beginners.
This good looking exercise bike has more to it than just an eye catching design! With great customizability and an in depth LCD display, this is a bargain on a budget! While it’s not the cheapest on our list, it’s still affordable and available well under $500. See how much it’s going for now.
The exercise bike is capable of holding up to 270 pounds of body weight, which is ideal for heavier individuals.
It has a durable and sturdy design, so you can be sure that you will get plenty of use out of it before it needs to be replaced. It’s incredibly comfortable, and it even has a backrest so you don’t need to worry about back pain as you ride.
The bike also comes with an easy to read LCD screen, and it can be used whether you’re short or tall thanks to the adjustable seat. It can be somewhat challenging to assemble though, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Pros
- 270 lbs weight capacity
- Comfortable
- Durable
Cons
- Can be difficult to put together
Best Indoor Exercise Bikes Under $500 Buying Guide
Why Should You Buy an Indoor Exercise Bike?
You may be wondering if it’s even worth your time and money to invest in an exercise bike to use at home. That’s a good question, especially when you consider the fact that you can do lots of exercise outdoors for free, and you can easily use an exercise bike in the gym.
Well, the main reason is actually because of the gym. Gyms are pretty expensive – for the money that you would spend on a monthly gym membership, you can buy an indoor exercise bike that will likely last you at least a couple of years before it needs to be replaced. You don’t need to queue up to use the bike either.
In addition to this, you don’t need to worry about adjusting the bike every single time that you want to use it, unless you’re sharing it with other members of your household.
You can also enjoy watching TV or listening to your music out loud when you’re using your exercise bike at home rather than in the gym. It can certainly make the experience much more enjoyable for you, in many respects.
Things to Consider
Okay, so you’ve decided that it’s time to invest in an indoor exercise bike. You’re just about to hit that buy button on the very first thing that you see. That’s your first wrong move.
If you buy something without fully considering what it has to offer, how are you going to make the best choice for you.
With that in mind, here are some of the key things that you need to think about when you are buying the best indoor exercise bikes under $500.
Weight Capacity
The very first thing that you need to think about is the weight capacity of the bike. This is pretty important as it determines what kinds of people can use it.
If your weight exceeds the maximum weight capacity of your indoor exercise bike, it may not work for you and the mechanisms on the bike may actually end up breaking. From a financial standpoint this is rather frustrating.
With this in mind, you should make sure that you buy a bike that is going to be suitable for your personal weight.
You will need to weigh yourself before you buy the bike to check that the weight capacity is right for you. Certain bikes will go up higher than 300 lbs, though they may cost a tiny bit more money.
Resistance Levels
The resistance levels on your bike are very important since they can determine the difficulty level of your workout.
Ultimately the more resistance levels that your exercise bike has, the better it will be in the long run since the bike can essentially grow with you.
If you have about one or two resistance levels then this isn’t going to be good as you start to get stronger later down the line and you need a more challenging workout.
There are two main types of resistance to consider when it comes to exercise bikes: magnetic resistance and physical resistance. These both have their own pros and cons.
With a magnetic resistance system, for example, you will get a much longer lifespan out of it since the parts of the bike usually don’t tend to rub against each other, causing damage.
This ultimately means less wear and tear. The resistance level remains the same throughout the workout unless you manually change it, and you will also have resistance settings so you can adjust things as you go and as you need to. You don’t tend to need to maintain them as often and they are generally rather sturdy.
Weight of the Bike and Portability
One of the other things that is important to consider when you have an exercise bike for home use is how heavy the bike itself is going to be. There are two factors to consider here – the durability of the bike and how portable it is.
Ultimately, you want to have an exercise bike that has been solidly built so that it can support you and so that it will last a long time. This generally tends to equal a heavier build, though this is not always the case.
Lightweight exercise bikes tend to be a little bit more flimsy, and can wobble around more often when you’re putting a lot of effort into riding it.
On the other hand, if you are going to be using your exercise bike at home, the chances are that you may not have a permanent location for the bike where it can stay. This means that you may need to put it in storage or wheel it off to the corner.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to consider the portability of the bike too. Does it fold down for easy storage? Does it have wheels so that you can move it around with ease?
Heavy bikes are much more difficult to move around, after all, and this may be problematic if you are going to be using your bike in the lounge in front of the TV and you don’t want it to constantly stay in the same place. This may not be a concern if you have a dedicated home gym, however.
Display
Having a decent display is incredibly handy when it comes to using an exercise bike.
It will allow you to see everything from your speed to how far you’ve traveled, to the amount of calories that you’ve managed to burn throughout the course of the exercise.
It’s a good idea to get an indoor exercise bike with a display that’s easy to use. You can get all sorts of options, such as ones that are touch screen activated, ones with actual buttons and some that can even sync up to fitness trackers.
Some of them even allow you to sync up your music and watch TV on them. Some of them, however, are much more simple and will give you just your basic stats.
Ultimately you will just need to consider what features are the most important to you so that you can make the best decision based on your budget and needs.
Adjustable Seats and Handlebars
We aren’t all the same height – some of us are frustrated by being told ‘oh my gosh, you’re so short’ whereas others may be fed up of being asked to grab things on the top shelf of a supermarket.
In light of this, it’s always a good idea to get a height adjustable seat so you can get the perfect height for you.
You will need to make sure that the height of the saddle is going to be parallel to your hips. You will also need to ensure that your knees are in the correct position while you are sitting.
There are a lot of bikes that can provide you with many different height adjustments, so your whole family can use the bike regardless of their height. The bottom line is that you need to be comfortable on the bike, and you need to be capable of sitting properly so that you can get the most out of your exercise bike.
The other thing that you need to think about is the handlebars on the bike. It is very important that when you are using the bike you are putting the handlebars at least a fore arm’s distance from your seat.
You should check that the handlebars have some form of non slip material on them so that you have a solid grip when you are riding the bike. Adjustable handlebars can be especially helpful in many respects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between spin bikes and exercise bikes?
Spin bikes look rather similar to exercise bikes but they differ in many respects too. You’ll have a much heavier flywheel on a spin bike than you would get on your average exercise bike.
This results in you needing to put more effort into riding the bike, and in turn this makes it better for burning the most possible calories.
