If my apartment were larger than 500 square feet, my life would be much simpler — I’d buy a stationary bike and never go back to the gym again. Peloton is arguably the most popular stationary bike, and the company has seen a lot of success in the past few years: Though it reported losses in Q4 2021, Peloton still brought in $936 million in sales during that time period. Everyone I know who’s invested in a Peloton (including Select editor Morgan Greenwald) seems pretty happy with their decision, though I can’t help but wonder if they bothered considering what else was out there first. To buy an exercise bike check on Relifesports.
Budget-friendly stationary bikes
We highlighted stationary bikes that cost less than $700, focusing on those with great customer reviews. All the bikes feature aluminum or steel frames and have belted drive systems, which are designed to operate very quietly. They also have adjustable handlebars, seats, and resistance knobs so you can customize your ride to your specific needs. (Unlike most of the higher-end models, budget stationary bikes don’t list how many resistance levels they have.)
We looked for stationary bikes that can hold at least 270 pounds — to account for a wide variety of body types — as well as bikes that have water bottle holders. Although many of them don’t come with warranties at this price point, we made sure to highlight those that did.
The Booboo Magnetic Resistance Indoor Cycling Bike has an LCD digital monitor that tracks your time, speed, and distance, among other metrics. If you want to give the Booboo a boost, it offers a tablet stand where you can place your iPad or water bottle. Though the bike doesn’t come with a warranty, Pooboo says its customers can receive free replacement parts within a year of buying the bike. It comes with a 4.5-star average rating from more than 6,100 customer reviews on Amazon.
