11 best exercise bikes to transform your fitness at home, tested

Score: 87/100

The EX5-S put in a seriously impressive performance on test. It ran smoothly and made next to no noise when we pushed our pedals to the max. Our feet slotted easily into the pedals and the handlebars are made of premium material that didn’t get too sweaty.

There are a huge variety of workouts available on the app, displayed on a flippable 21.5-inch screen, and our testers were easily able to find sessions suited to their fitness and experience levels. Coaches provide short introductions to each class so you always know what to expect and they're good at advising users on which speed and resistance are best to use, so you get a good workout without pushing yourself too hard.

Instructor-led stretches at the end of each session also helped keep aches and pains at bay the next day (something we definitely appreciated).

Some found it hard to find the right resistance using the controls (a knob on the frame of the bike) and it sometimes took a while for the bike to register the change. The bike also wobbled slightly when we hit higher speeds and the screen was hard to reach while sitting on the seat.

However, the smooth ride, extensive class offering and ease of use were more than enough to earn the Echelon a top score overall.

Score: 85/100

If you don’t want to spend over the odds on your new at-home fitness companion, consider this reliable JTX design, which comes in at under £800. It lacks a HD touchscreen or dedicated app like the Echelon, but it does have a tablet holder so you can connect to popular training apps such as Zwift or Kinomap for a more interactive experience. Alternatively, you could just stream Netflix as you peddle...

Our expert was impressed with the V5’s well-thought-out design – it proved extremely sturdy, with no wobbling at higher speeds, and the magnetic resistance was almost silent and easy to adjust during use. It was also a doddle to adjust the seat height and handlebars to ensure the correct positioning.

Other stand-out features? A computer console that clearly displays all your key data, including time, distance, watts, pulse and calories burned, a dual bottle holder, and transport wheels, so you can easily move it around the house or store it away when not in use. All in all, it packs a lot in for the price.

Score: 83/100

This shiny new bike from JTX, which combines air resistance with a freewheel system, is a good pick if you’re after a realistic road cycling experience. Unlike most exercise bikes, this one allows you to coast when you stop pedalling. Our expert was a big fan of this feature, saying the ride was extremely smooth and they genuinely felt like they were cycling in the great outdoors.

The self-powered design is suitable for a wide range of training styles and fitness levels. Using air resistance, the fan responds directly to your effort – the harder you pedal, the more resistance you feel. This lets you train entirely at your own pace, whether you’re easy into a gentle recovery ride or pushing hard through intense interval sessions. You can adjust the drag factor for a heavier, more powerful session, but our expert said the first level was challenging enough for them.

Once built, the bike is easy to adjust for comfort and the best posture. Plus, the pedals boast simple grips rather than fiddly cages or toe clips, allowing you to get your feet in and out much faster – ideal for HIIT and CrossFit workouts which require speedy transitions. There’s also a simple console that shows your progress and connects to popular training apps.

Score: 83/100

If you want an Echelon but the EX-5S above is a bit pricey, look to the Sport-s 2, which is over £200 cheaper. It has a lighter flywheel (7kg vs 13kg) and there's no dumbbell holder, but you still get a rotating 10-inch screen, 32 resistance levels, a water bottle holder and access to on-demand classes via the accompanying app.

Adjusting the seat and handlebars was quick and easy, and the magnetic flywheel proved extremely quiet and relatively smooth. Changing the resistance was also a faff-free process thanks to the well-placed resistance knob. Our bums felt a smidge sore after lengthy sessions, but this wasn’t too distracting.

As with the EX-5s, you can access the abundance of workout options on the Echelon Fit app, with live daily classes and scenic routes to keep your sessions interesting. You can keep track of your progress (cadence, output and heart rate) while you peddle, or choose to hide your stats if you prefer.

The design is compact, and the wheeled base means you can easily store it away when not in use. Overall, this is an excellent all-rounder at a decent mid-range price.

Score: 83/100

This is a spin-style indoor bike, making it a good pick if you're a fan of spin classes and want to replicate studio cycling sessions from the comfort of your home.

The flywheel is whisper-quiet and there are a good range of resistance levels to suit both beginners and pro riders – you simply adjust it using a conveniently positioned lever, which doubles up as an emergency stop for added safety. Our tester found this more responsive than a traditional knob.

The padded seat and adjustable handlebars make ensure a comfy riding experience and there’s a neat computer console for tracking your key stats, including speed, distance, time and RPM. If you want to follow an interactive workout via a third-party app, there’s Bluetooth connectivity plus a handy ledge for your tablet or phone.

Unlike most exercise bikes, which need to be set up near a plug socket, this one is self-powered so you can use it anywhere – you won't be driving up your energy bills and there won’t be any trailing wires making a mess, either. There are also transport wheels so you can move it around your home easily.

Sore: 82/100

If you’ve ever tried a CrossFit class, you’ll know that even a few minutes on an air bike can leave you dripping in a pool of sweat. How does it work? A cross between a traditional exercise bike and a cross trainer, you have to use your arms and legs to move the flywheel – the harder you pedal and move the handles, the more resistance you generate, and the tougher the workout will be.

As with all the JTX equipment we’ve tried (there are five on our list for a reason), this scored highly for its robust design, making for an extremely smooth, balanced ride – our tester experienced zero shaking or wobbling, even when going hell for leather. They appreciated the multi-grip handlebars, which prevented their hands from slipping when sweaty, and found the cushioned seat comfortable throughout.

What's more, it's self-powered and has a small footprint, so it won’t take up heaps of space in the corner of your living room.

Score: 81/100

If you’re a spinning fan but don’t want to be tied into a gym membership or a monthly subscription, this could be the ideal choice. While there is a tablet holder, there’s no built-in screen for interactive classes, so you can choose whether to sign up to connecting apps, such as JRNY and Peloton, via Bluetooth, using your own tablet or phone, or simply ride without them.

The bike is delivered in parts, so allow an hour to build it via the step-by-step instructions. The handlebars can be adjusted horizontally and vertically to suit different riding positions, and you can either clip into the pedals or use the toe cages if you’re wearing trainers.

With a sturdy steel frame and a responsive magnetic resistance system, our expert said the bike delivered a smooth and quiet ride, with no wobbling, even during more energetic classes. The resistance dial also offers 100 micro-adjustment levels. This allowed our expert to quickly switch between steady endurance training and higher-intensity interval sessions without having to navigate menus or settings.

The LCD display is fairly basic and could be brighter, but it provides all the essential cycling metrics, including time, distance and calories burned. It also has dumbbell racks and two water bottle holders.

Score: 80/100

If you want to keep fit, but aren't aiming for Tour De France levels, this Technogym bike will ease you in gently.

While it still features a bright touchscreen and has plenty of classes to choose from, instructors are more likely to suggest breaks during your session to stop you burning out, which our testers appreciated. There is also a detailed tutorial video to help you set the bike up.

This bike was top of the pile when it came to comfort, too. Testers said the seat and handlebars placed them in a strong position to cycle while still able to use the touchscreen, and they felt balanced throughout each ride.

When choosing a workout on the screen, there is a detailed section on the trainers and their individual styles. However, you can’t filter classes by difficulty level, so it can be a bit of a faff finding the appropriate one for you. And, though the bike comes with dumbbells, which are incorporated into some classes, the focus is always cycling and there are no options are that purely HIIT or yoga.

That said, this is a great option for beginners who are keen to start clocking up the miles.

Score: 76/100

As the name suggests, this indoor bike from Domyos is well and truly up for the challenge. Designed to deliver studio-style sweat sessions at home – no need to schlep to a spin class – it boasts 32 resistance levels and a maximum output of 1500W. That means it’s versatile enough to suit everyone, from beginners building confidence to seasoned cyclists chasing a serious workout.

Although setting it up and making adjustments was a bit fiddly, our tester appreciated the useful diagrams and said the frame felt reassuringly stable once assembled – even when riding out of the saddle. They also praised the seamless pedalling, with no jerking, and the near-silent electromagnetic flywheel. Plus, with the adjustable handlebars and saddle height, it’s easy to find a comfortable fit that works for you.

There’s also a built-in colour screen to monitor your progress (including speed, cadence and power) along with a device holder and Bluetooth connectivity so you can pair it with your favourite training apps. SIM mode recreates the feeling of riding outdoors, while ERG mode keeps you on track during structured workouts by automatically maintaining the right intensity. This means it's a great option whether you prefer immersive virtual rides or goal-focused training plans.

It does need to be plugged in and, at 60kg, it’s not exactly portable, but transport wheels make moving it around your home more manageable.

Score: 75/100

This fuss-free bike from JTX is one of the more affordable models out there, coming in under £300. Still, it earned a thumbs up from our expert, who raved about its ultra-quiet mechanism – you could happily watch telly while cycling – and good range of resistance levels. They also rated the adjustable features, which means it’s suitable for whole family use.

Like the other JTX models above, it’s self-powered, so you can work out anywhere and don’t need an unsightly extension cable running across your living room. It’s also extremely light, so you should be able to wheel it around the house on your own.

The Cyclo-3M doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, but there are heart rate sensors on the handlebars, so you can monitor your efforts via the simple console. This reveals your time, speed, distance, RPM and calories burned, however it’s not backlit, so our expert found it a tad tricky to read at times.

Unsurprisingly, given the low price point, there’s no built-in screen, but you can rest your phone on the small holder above the handlebars if you fancy following a workout app or a session on YouTube.

It may not have the bells and whistles of pricier models in this round-up, but it’s a worthy training tool for beginner and intermediate riders who don’t want to spend over the odds.