This is our review of the best exercise bike to lose weight in .
Having an exercise bike at home can make reaching your fitness goals easy, as it offers the flexibility and convenience to workout whenever you want.
However, finding the best stationary exercise bike is a complex task. It requires studying, understanding, and comparing various models. But worry not, we have done this for you!
Based on in-depth research, we recommend the Schwinn IC4 Indoor cycling bike as the best exercise bike for weight loss. It is an affordable alternative to many famous competitive brands, offering the same value at a reasonable cost.
While Schwinn takes away the prize, we have listed six other exercise bikes tailored to meet diverse requirements.
Best Exercise Bike Overall | Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike |
Best Budget Exercise Bike | YOSUDA Indoor Stationary Cycling Bike YB001 |
Best Connected Exercise Bike | Bowflex VeloCore Bike |
Best Recumbent Bike | Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike |
Best Spin Bike | Sunny SF-B901 |
Best Air Bike | Assault Bike Classic |
Best Foldable Exercise Bike | Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike |
If you’re unsure how to evaluate and pick a stationary bike, check out the buying guide towards the end of this article.
7 Best Exercise Bikes for Weight Loss Reviewed
All the stationary exercise bikes reviewed below are great for reaching your weight loss goals. However, consult a physician if you have any medical conditions.
Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike – Best Exercise Bike (Overall)
Resistance: 100 levels of magnetic resistance
Display: LCD touch screen
Heart rate monitoring: A Bluetooth enabled heart-rate monitor wristband
User weight capacity: 330 lbs (150 kgs)
Warranty: 10 years, Mechanical Parts & Electronics – 3 years, Labor – 1 year
The Schwinn IC4 Indoor bike is the winner as it provides excellent exercise quality and experience.
It is compatible with most health and fitness apps like Peloton, JRNY, Zwift, and Explore the world. Although the Schwinn IC4 lacks a built-in touch screen, you can stream classes, undergo real-time coaching, ride through multiple terrains or watch their TV shows with its premium digital connectivity on your device.
This smart bike comes with a backlit LCD through which you can measure your performance.
It has 100 levels of magnetic resistance, offering a challenging workout even to seasoned athletes.
The Schwinn IC4 also comes with a set of 3 lbs dumbbells. This allows you to combine upper and lower body workouts, maximizing the training sessions. In addition, the weights are placed below the bottle holders, making them convenient to reach and use while cycling.
The 4-way adjustable handlebars and seat on the Schwinn IC4 make it suitable for multiple users of different heights.
The bike comes with dual-sided pedals, with toe cages on one side and SPD clips on the other. This gives you the flexibility to bike with regular shoes or premium cleats.
All this makes it the best exercise bike to lose weight.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Bluetooth connectivity and app integration | JRNY Membership is an added cost after 1 year |
Comes with dumbbells | |
Dual-sided pedals | |
Bluetooth heart rate monitoring armband |
Summary of Customer Review:
Customers praise Schwinn for its affordability and long-term warranty on the frame. A seamless assembly process, detailed instruction manual, and free shipping add to the positive reviews. Yet, some customers (short-height riders) faced discomfort with the seat, while others encountered issues with poor customer service.
Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike YB001 – Best budget exercise bike
Resistance: Friction resistance, adjustable
Display: Digital monitor
Heart rate monitoring: NA
User weight capacity: 270 lbs (122 kgs)
Warranty: Flywheel – 2 years, Frame & steel components – 1 year, Other components – 6 months
The Yosuda Indoor Cycling Bike YB001 is the best budget exercise bike for weight loss. It has a sturdy frame and offers a smooth workout at a great price.
This cycling bike comes with adjustable toe cage pedals that fit varying foot sizes. In addition, the two-way adjustable handlebars and adjustable seats offer you the flexibility to set the bike as per your comfort.
The battery-operated LCD monitor displays time, calories, and distance to help you gauge your performance during a workout session. However, the bike misses a heart rate monitor.
Those who want to workout while streaming apps can place their smartphones or tablets on the tablet mount and watch with ease.
The friction resistance allows you to adjust the resistance by a single twist of the knob. The water bottle holder is located below the console, allowing riders to reach out for their bottles without breaking the exercise momentum.
With 270 lbs user weight capacity and 35 lbs flywheel, the YB001 bike makes room for different fitness goals ranging from enhancing heart health to weight loss and building core strength.
This bike also has a 30-day no reason return policy, which is a huge plus.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Solid steel frame | No heart rate monitoring |
35lbs flywheel | Limited warranty |
Cost | Low user weight capacity |
30-day return policy |
Summary of Customer Review:
Customers love the YB001 as it offers incredible features at a nominal price. It is easy to assemble and operate and has a detailed instruction manual. However, while it is sturdy and solid for the price, customers found that the brake pads deteriorate over time.
Bowflex VeloCore Bike – Best Connected Exercise Bike
Resistance: 100 Resistance levels
Display: HD Touch screen (16” and 22” options)
Heart rate monitoring: A Bluetooth enabled heart-rate monitor armband
User weight capacity: 325 lbs (147 kgs)
Warranty: Frame and parts – 2 years, Electronic and labor – 1 year
The Bowflex VeloCore Bike is one of the best-connected bike available in the market.
Bowflex elevates the exercise game by letting users stream applications like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, etc. while exercising. A 1-year JRNY membership gives access to third party fitness apps like Peloton, Google Health, Apple fit. This allows access to on-demand classes, virtual real-time coaching and much more.
Additionally, this bike comes with a stationary mode and a leaning mode. The latter lets you lean side by side during the workout giving a natural riding feel. Bowflex VeloCore’s lean mode feature distinguishes it from competitive brands like Peloton, NordicTrack, and Schwinn. It combines cardio with core strength training through this unique function, making it a fabulous workout equipment.
The Velocore offers dual-sided pedals. The toe cage allows you to cycle using sneakers. At the same time, the SPD clips let you wear SPD-compatible shoes to elevate the overall workout experience.
The 3 lbs dumbbells placed under the touch screen console help combine upper and lower body workouts. Lastly, it also offers 100 levels of resistance which users can adjust to progress along their fitness journey.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Lean mode for a full-body workout | Short Warranty |
Access to streaming platforms | JRNY Membership is an added cost after 1 year |
Heart rate monitoring armband | |
Comes with dumbbells | |
Dual-sided pedals |
Summary of Customer Reviews:
Users find the Bowflex VeloCore a high-quality, fun indoor bike offering a great cycling experience. It is silent, enhancing the workout without any background noise. However, users found the assembly process challenging. The JRNY memberships have numerous workout streaming options, but the choice is limited for the lean mode programs.
Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike – Best Recumbent Exercise Bike
Resistance: 25 levels
Display: LCD screen
Heart rate monitoring: Telemetry heart rate monitoring (chest strap not included)
User weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kgs)
Warranty: Frame – 10 years, Parts – 2 years, Electronics – 1 year, Labor – 90 days
The Schwinn 270 recumbent bike is the best recumbent bike on the market.
It has a 4 way adjustable contoured seat that provides lumbar support and can adjust as per the user’s preference. It also has a ventilated backrest to keep you cool and comfortable during the workouts.
Schwinn 270 lets you ride along scenic routes through the Explore the World app, with an option to adjust the resistance levels based on the chosen path.
It has 25 levels of resistance and comes with 29 programmed sessions. Thus offering numerous options during workouts.
The equipment has a single-piece mainframe, making it super stable during workouts. And the high inertia weighted flywheel provides a smooth and quiet ride.
The Schwinn 270 comes with a USB port and a dual-lit LCD screen which lets you track metrics like distance, time, speed, and calories burned.
It also has a fan and sealed speakers to make your workout relaxing and fun.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
High quality cushioned seat | Chest strap heart rate monitor not included |
Inbuilt seats | |
Cooling fan | |
Warranty |
Summary of Customer Reviews:
Most customers love the Schwinn 270 Recumbent bike as it offers some of the best features for its price. However, they miss the chest strap for rate monitoring and complain about inaccurate calorie counts.
Sunny Health and Fitness SF-B901 Bike – Best Spin Exercise Bike
Resistance: Friction
Display: NA
Heart rate monitoring: NA
User weight capacity: 275 lbs (124 kgs)
Warranty: Frame – 3 years, Parts – 3 months
The Sunny B901 is perfect for those who love spin workouts and want to save time going to the gym. Its ergonomic design helps maintain a proper posture while exercising.
It has a functional framework with paddled handlebars that are adjustable and slip-free, allowing multiple grip positions.
The 4-way adjustable seat can accommodate different users, making it a preferred choice for family use. This upright bike’s cushioned leather seat cover is optimal for long-enduring workouts.
It has a 40 lbs flywheel and a solid drivetrain that offers a smooth ride. It is beneficial for a longer rigorous workout, making it an excellent choice for athletes desiring endurance training.
Sunny BF901 is compact and has transport wheels, making it easy to move around.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Compact | Lack of display |
40 lbs flywheel | Warranty |
Low user weight capacity |
Summary of Customer Reviews:
Customers praise the Sunny BF-901 for being economical yet offering a piece of high-quality equipment. In addition, the adjustable seats are a boon for family use. However, some customers found the lack of display a drawback.
Assault Air Bike Classic – Best Air Bike
Resistance: Air resistance (unlimited levels)
Display: LCD
Heart rate monitoring: Polar wireless heart rate receiver
User weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kgs)
Warranty: Frame – 5 years, Non-wear parts – 2 years
The Assault Bike Classic is the best air bike for home exercise built primarily for athletes and advanced fitness professionals.
This fan bike uses an air resistance system that entirely depends on the rider. Here, how hard a rider pedals determines how challenging the workout gets. The steel fan provides air resistance, which is 27″. And the bike is coated with industrial powder for durability.
The Assault air bike comes with an interactive LCD screen with statistics such as time, calories, and heart rate to track progress. It also has plenty of programmed workouts like endurance training, HIIT, and Tabata.
With a 4 way adjustable seat, reinforced pedals, and a 300 lbs weight capacity, this bike is suitable for users of all sizes.
Used by the CrossFit community to modify movement and workouts, Assault Air Bike is an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts returning to their fitness journey after an injury or other health issues.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Wireless Heart Rate Receiver | Adjustment phase required for beginners |
Upper and lower body workout | |
Infinite resistance levels |
Summary of Customer Reviews:
Customers praise the Assault air bike for its superior quality, and they love the resistance mechanism. It gives them the freedom to put in the effort as desired. However, few customers found the seat low and uncomfortable, and some short users had to lean forward to use the handlebars.
Exerpeutic Folding Exercise Bike – Best Foldable Exercise Bike
Resistance: 8 levels
Display: LCD
Heart rate monitoring: Grip on the handlebar
User weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kgs)
Warranty: Frame – 1 Year, Other components – 3 months (home use only)
One of the best exercise bikes to lose belly fat is the Exerpeutic folding bike. It is a functional, simple, compact bike tailored to light to moderate-intensity workouts. Additionally, it is super convenient to use and store due to its lightweight and easy folding feature.
The Exerpeutic folding exercise bike is an upright bike with heart rate sensors on the handlebars. It is a no-frills design with an LCD display, showing different functions such as heart rate, calories burned, and exercise time one after the other.
This upright bike has eight resistance levels, which is ideal for beginners and intermediate-level users. It has an adjustable seat, suitable for users with a height range of 5’3″ to 6’1″. And large pedals for safety and stability.
The quiet belt drive mechanism on the machine is a bonus for those who want to exercise with reduced background noise.
The phone sleeve on the bike allows riders to use the gadget during a workout.
Why do we love it | What you need to consider |
Folding design | Not ideal for intense workouts |
Lightweight | Warranty |
Customer Reviews:
A raving 20,000+ reviews on Amazon makes the Exerpeutic the most loved folding exercise bike, offering a higher value than the price paid. This bike is loved for its compactness and easy to fold feature. In addition, customers with arthritic knees and other health conditions found it helpful because of the low resistance levels. However, there are complaints about its inaccurate tracking.
What are the different types of indoor bikes?
An indoor stationary bike is an exercise bike that helps users burn fat, build muscle strength, and stay fit through a cardio workout. For this very reason, stationary bikes are the most preferred modern-day exercise equipment.
There are 4 main types of stationary exercise bikes, and each of these provides a unique fitness experience. These include:
Upright Bike
An upright bike is similar to a regular outdoor bike. It has a smaller seat than recumbent bikes, with the pedals under your feet. An upright bike will require you to lean forward slightly to grab the handlebars. It generally burns more calories when compared to a recumbent bike. If you prefer steady-paced cardio workouts over high-intensity ones, an upright bike is the most suitable option.
Recumbent Bike
A recumbent bike consists of a large seat with back support. The pedals in front of you let you can sit in a reclined position during exercise, placing less pressure on the upper body. In addition, it does not leave you feeling sore after a workout, thus reducing fatigue and weakness. It is an excellent choice for older and heavy users, those with back issues, and those recouping from injuries.
Spin Bike
A spin bike is similar to an upright bike, except that the handlebar is future away. Thus requiring you to lean further ahead. It also lets you stand while cycling, making it ideal for those aiming to maximize the calorie burn during the workout. These are the bikes most commonly used in group cycling classes at the gyms.
Air Bike
Air bikes have gained immense popularity in the fitness world over the last few years. One of the reasons is their wide use by the CrossFit community. Designed by using a fan for resistance, the intensity of the workout depends on how hard you push. These bikes are ideal for Tabata workouts and high-intensity interval training workouts. Intermediate and seasoned users find the air bike suitable for their cardio and core strengthening fitness goals.
What to look for while buying a stationary bike?
The below features will help you decide what type of stationary bike to buy for weight loss.
Type of bike
As discussed in the previous section, there are 4 main types of stationary bikes. The most crucial step is to decide which one suits your needs. For example, a recumbent bike is ideal for users with limited mobility, whereas an air bike is perfect for a seasoned athlete. So evaluate your current situation and make this choice.
Seat
The seat is another crucial component of a stationary indoor bike. It will determine how much time you will spend on the machine, so pick something comfortable. Most bikes available today have adjustable seats, allowing multiple users in the house to use the equipment.
Height and weight capacity
Select a bike that can accommodate the height and weight of the largest member of your family. This will ensure everyone in the house can use it.
Resistance
Make sure to have multiple resistance levels, as this can make sure you continue to progress along your fitness journey. Built-in workout programs can also be a blessing.
Size
Space is a significant point for most users looking for a home bike. So make sure to measure your workout space before selecting a bike. Of course, you can always go for folding/space-saving models.
Warranty
With the amount of wear and tear a piece of fitness equipment goes through, warranty becomes crucial. The warranty can range from a few months to 10 years, while some brands even offer a lifetime warranty. Getting a good warranty can save you a ton of money later.
Additional features
There are many additional features with every bike. Selecting these is all about your personal preference. Some features like Bluetooth connectivity or web streaming can help you workout longer. So evaluate these before making your final choice. Below are some of the most commonly available features to consider:
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Display
- Heart rate monitoring
- Inbuilt speakers
- Cooling fan
- Water bottle/tablet holder
Conclusion
We hope you find this review informative and that it helps you in the decision-making process.
After evaluating all the stationary bikes, we recommend the Schwinn IC4 indoor cycling bike. It has Bluetooth connectivity, dual-sided pedals, 100 resistance levels and good warranty, in addition to many other features.
FAQs
Are exercise bikes good for weight loss?
Yes, exercise bikes are great for weight loss as they help burn calories. Combined with a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, you will definitely see results. If you like a little variety in your workouts, you can also check out these best elliptical bike combos to keep your workouts interesting.
Can I lose belly fat by riding a stationary bike?
Yes, you can lose belly fat while riding a stationary bike. The primary way to lose belly fat is by being in a calorie deficit, and riding a stationary bike can help with that. If your primary goal is to lose weight, you might also find our list of the best exercise bike with arms a useful resource.
Can cycling be your only kind of exercise to lose weight?
Yes, cycling can be your only form of exercise to lose weight. However, we recommend combining it with strength training at least 3 days a week. If you are looking for a good cardio workout at home, you can check out our reviews on the best ellipticals and top treadmills available in the market.
Which type of exercise bike is best if you’re recovering from an injury?
If you are recovering from an injury, we recommend using any of the best recumbent bikes for the obese in the market. This is because they provide low-impact workouts and don’t strain the knees and back. We also recommend checking these top recumbent elliptical cross trainers in the market.
Can you use a separate heart-rate monitor when using an exercise bike to lose weight?
Yes, there are plenty of heart rate monitor bands available on the internet that you can use while riding a bike.
Disclaimer: The information mentioned in the article above is for educational and informational purposes only. It shouldn’t be considered health or medical advice. Please consult a doctor or a qualified health professional if you have any medical/health conditions questions.