The buyer's guide
Exercise Bikes
Reviewed by
Michal Zucker · Fitness, Movement & Wellbeing Editor
The bike is rarely the expensive part — the subscription is. Decide how much of the class ecosystem you actually want.
The exercise-bike decision isn't really about the bike — it's about how much of the class-and-subscription ecosystem you want to pay for. A premium connected bike bundles hardware, a big touchscreen, and a monthly class library into one price; a value bike gives you the same quiet magnetic ride and lets you stream those same classes on a tablet for a fraction of the cost. Deciding which parts you'll actually use is the whole game, and it's what we untangle in Peloton alternatives.
For the deepest class experience, the Peloton Bike+ leads — the bike even sets your resistance to match the instructor — for $2,495. But the Schwinn IC4 delivers a near-Peloton ride for a third the price and streams the same classes with no locked-in subscription; we show exactly what the premium buys in Bike+ vs IC4. The BowFlex C6 is the IC4's literal twin — buy whichever's cheaper today. Want the climb to feel real, the NordicTrack S22i tilts uphill; bad back or knees, the Schwinn 290 recumbent reclines the seat; and for quiet cardio in a corner, the Sunny Health upright is under $300.
Not sure which fits your routine? Take the 60-second quiz, or start with budget bikes under $300.
4 questions · about a minute
