We have a lot of great indoor cycles to choose from this year – so many in fact, that it can be hard to narrow the options down and decide on one.

This isn’t the worst problem to have, but still, it can be a problem none the less.

Well, I think I can help.

In this guide, I’ll share my picks for the best indoor cycles 2024 has to offer, but I’ll do ya one better too – I’ll also share my rationale, including which specs and features I think are most important to consider when searching for a new cycle.

This way, you’ll know what to look for in case one of these bikes isn’t the right fit for your home.

And I’ve tried to include cycles from different price ranges too because we aren’t all in the market for a $2k streaming cycle.

Luckily, there are great bikes available in all price ranges, you just have to know where to look.

I’ll start with the good stuff, but if you’re just starting your search or new to indoor cycles, you might want to read my buyers’s guide near the end for additional info.

	Resistance	Warranty	Features
#1 Keiser M3i Studio Plus	8 lb flywheel 72 gears	3 year frame 3 year parts 90 day wearable items	Dual-compatible pedals Self-generating power Free fitness app
#2 Sole SB1200	35 lb flywheel 100 resistance levels	Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor	10" touchscreen Streaming workouts Entertainment apps
#3 NordicTrack Commercial S27i	32 lb flywheel 24 resistance levels	10 year frame 2 year parts 1 year labor	27" HD console Incline/decline feature Automatic Trainer Control
#4 Sole SB900	35 lb flywheel 100 resistance levels	Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor	Dual-compatible pedals Fully adjustable seat/handlebars
#5 Diamondback 1260sc	31 lb flywheel 15 resistance levels	5 year frame 3 year parts 1 year labor	Self-generating power Fully adjustable seat/handlebars
#6 The Original Peloton	35 lb flywheel 100 resistance levels	5 year frame 1 year parts 1 year labor	22" HD touchscreen Bluetooth Dumbbell rack
#7 Bowflex C6	40 lb flywheel 100 resistance levels	10 year frame 3 year parts 1 year labor	LCD console Bluetooth Dual-compatible pedals
#8 SHF SF-B1805	44 lb flywheel Micro-adjustable magnetic	3 year frame 180 days parts	Toe-cage pedals Fully adjustable seat/handlebars
#9 JOROTO X2	35 lb flywheel Micro-adjustable magnetic	1 year parts	LCD console Toe-cage pedals Tablet holder

The 9 Best Indoor Cycling Bikes of 2024

#1 Keiser’s M3i Studio Plus

You know, it’s not easy coming up with these lists.

Sure, you have a general idea of which bikes you want to include, but it’s hard ranking them, especially when including bikes from different price ranges and such drastically different features.

But I’ve never come across any exercise bike, across the board, that’s more beloved than Keiser’s.

I mean seriously, try to find a negative review – it’s not easy.

Anyway, the M3i Studio Plus is Keiser’s newest addition to their lineup and with it, they basically took their beloved M3i and gave it an updated console.

The result is an even better cycling experience with more control over your workouts.

Like their older M3i, the M3i Studio Plus still uses a lightweight, rear-mounted flywheel (8 lb) that creates a smooth feel, but without the added joint stress a heavy flywheel can create.

The magic is in the 1:11 gear ratio, that gets that flywheel spinning crazy fast (11x for every full pedal rotation) – which is how this light flywheel is able to provide such a smooth pedaling motion.

It probably doesn’t hurt that it’s paired with a sophisticated, magnetic resistance system either.

The M3i Studio Plus comes with 72 gears, giving you a ton of control over the intensity of your workouts.

When it comes to the frame, this cycle is about as minimalistic as they come.

Its assembled weight is only 92 lb, but again, keep in mind the flywheel only weighs 8 lb – the frame here is still rock-solid and comes with a weight capacity of 350 lb.

You’ll also notice the V-shaped frame – well, this is intentional because it allows this cycle to fit riders up to 7′ tall.

Other highlights include a fully adjustable seat, fully adjustable handlebars, dual-compatible pedals, and a self-generating console that doesn’t have to be plugged in.

The new console on this cycle is also compatible with Keiser’s fitness app and Keiser even throws in a lifetime subscription with purchase.

And Keiser backs this cycle up with a pretty legit warranty too: 3 year frame, 3 year parts, 90 day wearable items.

Put it all together and you’ve got one of the sleekest, most sophisticated indoor cycles on the planet. See full review.

 

#2 Sole’s SB1200

The SB1200 is Sole’s newest indoor cycle to date and with it, they basically took their popular SB900 and added a more advanced, touchscreen console.

Sole’s been on a mission to upgrade their consoles recently and it appears as though it’s been a success.

The SB1200 comes with a 10.1″ touchscreen display that’s pre-loaded with all the most popular entertainment apps (Netflix, Hulu, etc), but it also comes loaded with Sole+, Sole’s fitness streaming app.

Sole+ gives you access to instructor-led workouts and it’s free to use when you purchase a Sole cardio machine.

This means you don’t have to pay an ongoing membership fee, like most streaming bikes require these days.

Oh, this console also offers screen mirroring, meaning you can connect your phone to it and watch anything from your phone on the larger console.

The SB1200 has a great console, but it comes with great performance specs too.

Highlights include a 35 lb flywheel, 100 magnetic resistance levels, dual-compatible pedals, and a heavy-weight frame.

And this is Sole, so of course it comes with a great warranty: lifetime frame, 2 year parts, 1 year labor.

Overall, if you’re looking for a high-performing cycle that gives you free access to streaming workouts and entertainment apps, the SB1200 will likely be a great fit.

 

#3 NordicTrack’s Commercial S27i

NordicTrack has really doubled-down on the whole streaming thing and now all of their products come with iFit compatible, touchscreen consoles of one size or another.

With a 27″, rotating HD touchscreen console, this bike is well-equipped for all the streaming workouts iFit gives you access to, but it’s no slouch in the performance department either.

This cycle comes with a 32 lb flywheel, 24 levels of magnetic resistance, a heavy-duty frame, a fully adjustable seat, and dual-compatible pedals.

And the Commercial S27i is loaded with tech features.

The large console is a show-stopper, but there’s also the incline/decline function to mimic the sensation of going up/down hill and the Automatic Trainer Control feature that allows the resistance/incline settings to adjust automatically during workouts.

And even though NordicTrack basically uses the same warranty for all their products, it actually works quite well in this case: 10 year frame, 2 year parts, 1 year labor.

Put it all together and you’ve got the makings for a great streaming cycle (and that extra huge screen will come in especially handy when doing off the bike workouts).

So, if you’re looking for a high-tech bike that’s as iFit ready as they come, the S27i could be the bike you’re looking for. See full review.

 

#4 Sole’s SB900

Ok, time to step away from the streaming cycles and get back to some good ol’ fashioned, no BS indoor cycles.

And none are less BS than Sole’s SB900.

I’ve been a big fan of the Sole brand for years, mostly because their products are ridiculously heavy-duty and backed by some of the best warranties around.

And even though they’ve been working hard to update a lot of their consoles, they have a few that still come with the simpler, LCD consoles.

No streaming apps, no instructor-led workouts, just a few built-in profiles and metric tracking- nice and simple.

But it’s going to be hard to find a better performing bike in this price range.

Anyway, the SB900 is packing a 35 lb flywheel, so it’s certainly got enough muscle under the hood for smooth, challenging workouts.

And with 100 levels of resistance at your disposal, this cycle offers complete control over the intensity of every workout.

This bike also weighs in at around 123 lb, making it one of the heavier indoor cycles out there, so you won’t have to worry about this thing feeling flimsy on ya.

Additional features include a fully adjustable seat, fully adjustable handlebars, and dual-compatible pedals.

It’s also backed by the same warranty mentioned earlier for the SB1200: lifetime frame, 2 year parts, 1 year labor.

Overall, the SB900 easily earns its way onto this list and is a great option for folks looking for a reasonably priced, easy to use cycle. See full review.

 

#5 Diamondback’s 1260sc

I feel like I used to hear a lot about Diamondback Fitness back in the day, but no not so much anymore…

Which is a shame because their exercise bikes are great.

Their lineup is a lot smaller than it used to be, but their 1260sc is still a great deal for the price.

This cycle comes with a 31 lb, rear-mounted flywheel, a belt drive, and 16 magnetic resistance levels, offering a smooth pedaling motion and enough resistance to challenge riders of all skill levels.

It also comes with a fully-adjustable seat, fully-adjustable handles, and dual-compatible pedals, allowing you to wear any shoes you like.

The 1260s also comes with a ridiculously heavy-duty frame (weighs ~130 lb), so you can expect a stable, secure feel during all workouts.

The biggest downside is probably the console – it’s quite simple and doesn’t come with any built-in workout programs.

But on the plus side, it’s self-generating, so you don’t have to worry about putting this bike beside an outlet.

Diamondback’s warranty isn’t bad either: 5 year frame, 3 year brake, 1 year parts/labor.

Overall, the 1260sc is a high-performing, well-built cycle with a very simple console. It’s also likely the heaviest-duty bike you can get for $1k. See full review.

 

#6 The Original Peloton

The OG Peloton has been around for a long time now and even though their are plenty of newer streaming cycles to choose from, I still think it’s one of the best options out there.

Especially now that you can get it on Amazon for around $1300 (or less).

We have Peloton to thank for opening up the world of streaming cycling and the 22″ HD touchscreen found on their Original Bike is still awesome.

And personally, I still think Peloton has the best instructors and best production value out there.

But streaming aside, this bike can still hold its own with most home exercise bikes.

The Original Peloton comes with a 35 lb flywheel, 100 resistance levels, and a rock-solid frame that can hold folks weighing up to 297 lb (I know, weirdly specific).

It also comes with a fully-adjustable seat and included dumbbell holders, although the dumbbells themselves are sold separately.

The pedals are also Look Delta-compatible, so you do need to wear cleats with this one.

The biggest downside though is the streaming cost – at around $44/month, getting the full Peloton streaming experience will cost ya.

But again, I think they still have the best streaming workouts out there.

So, if you’re looking for a well-priced streaming cycle, the Original Peloton is still a great option.

 

#7 Bowflex’s C6

The C6 is another bike that might not get the respect it deserves, but that’s a shame because this cycle has a lot to offer.

I’m not sure if some folks are a little put of by the Bowflex brand, thinking they’re a little too gimmicky, but the C6 is really just a down to earth cycle with some great performance specs.

Under the hood, the C6 is packing a 40 lb flywheel and Bowflex pairs that with 100 levels of magnetic resistance.

As a Peloton owner, I appreciate this because I love having the ability to make such small adjustments to the resistance.

Plus, having the same resistance scale makes it easier to do Peloton workouts from this cycle… just sayin’.

And with an assembled weight of 112 lb and a weight limit of 330 lb, the C6 is surprisingly heavy-duty for a bike in this price range.

The C6 comes with a small LCD console, but unlike many in this price range, it measures your cadence (and displays your resistance level), making it easier to pair this bike with outside streaming apps (like Peloton).

And with fully adjustable handlebars, a fully adjustable seat, and dual-compatible pedals, this bike is as customizable as they come.

Additional goodies include an included pair of 3 lb dumbbells, an included arm band heart rate strap, and a built-in tablet holder for easy viewing during workouts.

It’s also backed by a great warranty: 10 year frame, 3 year parts, 1 year labor.

Overall, there’s not much to complain about here, truly a great deal. See full review.

FYI, the C6 and Schwinn’s IC4 are the same bike, so it’s always a good idea to compare prices.

 

#8 Sunny Health & Fitness’ SF-B1805

I mentioned earlier I wanted to include some of the top affordable indoor cycles on this list too – well, when it comes to affordable exercise bikes, Sunny Health & Fitness (SHF) is one of the best brands around.

SHF is a budget brand, specializing in really affordable exercise equipment of all kinds.

But I think indoor cycles is where they really shine.

The SF-B1805 doesn’t come with a console, so this certainly isn’t the right bike for folks looking for higher-end tech features, but it does come packed with some great performance specs.

Like a 44 lb flywheel, a magnetic resistance system (micro-adjustable), and a heavy-duty frame that can hold folks weighing up to 300 lb.

This cycle also comes with a fully adjustable seat/handlebars, toe cage pedals, and a built-in device holder.

The warranty isn’t much to speak of (only 3 years on the frame and 6 months on parts), but this is still better than plenty of the other models in this price range.

Overall, if you’re looking for an affordable indoor cycle that can still perform, SHF’s SF-B1805 is a great choice. See full review.

 

#9 The JOROTO X2

Rounding out my list is another very affordable cycle with some surprisingly impressive performance specs.

There are a ton of really cheap exercise bikes on the market now, so many that it’s getting harder and harder to tell ’em apart – especially since so many of come with really generic names that don’t make much of an impression to begin with.

But the JOROTO X2 does stand out.

With a 35 lb flywheel, the X2 has more than enough weight to provide a smooth pedaling motion, but what’s more surprising is the fact that this cycle comes with a micro-adjustable magnetic resistance system.

There aren’t a lot of bikes in this price range using magnetic systems, so this in itself is pretty impressive.

Unlike the SHF’s bike just mentioned, the X2 does come with a very basic console that really only keeps track of simple stats.

And it too comes with a fully adjustable seat, fully adjustable handlebars, and toe cage pedals.

As you might expect from a cycle in this price range, the warranty is quite short – only a 1 year parts guarantee.

But user feedback is ridiculously positive (at the time of writing this, this bike is rocking a 4.5/5 average user rating on Amazon).

So, if you’re in the market for a heavy-duty bike that’ll only cost ya a few hundred bucks, JOROTO’s X2 is easily one of the best options around. See full review.

 

That does it for the best cycles the year has to offer, but continuing reading to learn about the different specs and features we should be checking for when comparing options…

Choosing An Indoor Cycle

When you strip down all the touchscreen displays and fancy console features, most indoor cycles are actually pretty simple devices.

They all consist of a spinning flywheel, a resistance mechanism, a seat, handlebars, frame, and pedals.

Of course, when you dive in and start looking closely at these components more closely, you’ll soon find that all indoor cycles are not created equal.

And I know all the console features are exciting, but I still think it behooves you to focus more on the performance specs when choosing your next exercise bike.

Because as I always say, if your bike doesn’t perform smoothly, it doesn’t matter how many bells and whistles it has because odds are you won’t be using it for long.

Plus, there are tons of streaming bikes to choose from these days, so you don’t have to compromise on performance to get any specific feature any more.

Anyway, let’s start from the top.

Resistance

Indoor cycles are designed to mimic the feel of riding a road bike – and that means being able to provide smooth pedaling at faster cadences and more challenging resistances to mimic riding uphills.

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a cycle is the quality of its resistance system.

And by this, I’m really talking about the flywheel and the resistance mechanism.

Most indoor cycles these days are coming with magnetic resistance systems and this is great because they offer smooth, nearly silent operation and are virtually maintenance free.

Some cycles still use friction brakes too though.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of friction brakes because they don’t tend to feel as smooth as magnetic systems – plus, you have to occasionally replace the felt brake pad.

Not to say friction brakes can’t still offer great workouts, but just something to consider when choosing.

The other big issue is the size of the flywheel.

We’ve probably become a little too focused on flywheel size these days, but generally speaking, most indoor cycles benefit from having a heavier flywheel.

And this is because the extra weight builds more momentum as it spins, which actually helps keep that flywheel spinning between pedals strokes.

The result is a smoother feel.

That said, some more sophisticated cycles (like Keiser’s M3i Studio Plus mentioned earlier) can accomplish the same thing by using a really lightweight flywheel, but by getting it spinning really fast.

In these cases, light flywheels can work exceptionally well.

The problem is when affordable cycles use light flywheels, but aren’t designed to get them spinning really fast – in these cases, the smoothness of the pedaling motion often suffers.

When going for heavy flywheels, I suggest aiming for a flywheel that weighs at least 30 lb – at this weight, you should be able to rest assured that the pedaling motion will feel nice and fluid.

Oh, you should also consider how many resistance levels a bike comes with.

This isn’t a huge deal, but having more resistance levels gives you more control over the available resistance – and having more control is always a good thing in my book.

Frame

Flywheels are important, but so is having a stable bike that feels secure during workouts.

Most indoor cycles are roughly the same size in terms of foot print (taking up a space of roughly 2′ x 4′), but bikes vary greatly in terms of how heavy-duty they are.

It can be hard to compare this quality from bike to bike without getting on each one and taking them for a test spin, but luckily, there are other specs you can look at to get an idea.

Like the assembled weights and weight capacities.

When looking at these specs, seeing higher numbers is always a good thing.

Sure, a heavier bike will be harder to move, but that’s the point.

If a bike is hard to move, that means it’ll move less when you don’t want it to (like during workouts).

I like to see an assembled weight of 100 lb+ to ensure a rock solid feel during workouts, but you also have to keep in mind flywheel size when thinking about this.

Bikes with a massive flywheel can have higher assembled weights because the weight of the flywheel jacks the total number up, when in reality the frames are kinda wimpy.

That’s why it’s also a good idea to consider the weight capacity.

Seeing a higher weight capacity is just another indicator of superior build quality.

I like to see a weight capacity of at least 300 lb to ensure a quality frame, but first and foremost, you have to make sure the weight limit is high enough to safely hold you.

Warranty

This one isn’t specific to indoor cycles, but it’s important stuff, so I think it’s worth mentioning.

I think it’s always a good idea to consider the length of warranty when comparing cycles – not only does this act as your insurance plan, but better bikes often come with better warranties.

Although warranties on indoor cycles aren’t usually as generous as they are on other types of fitness machines.

When comparing warranties on indoor cycles, you’ll usually see them divided into 3 different sections:

• Frame
• Parts
• Labor

The frame should be the longest and most cycles are offering somewhere in the 5 – 10 year range these days (although some still offer lifetime frame warranties).

When it comes to parts, expect something somewhere in the 1-3 year range.

And most brands only offer a year on labor, which is standard procedure.

Features

Finally, you always have to consider what features you’re looking for in your next indoor cycle.

These days, more and more bikes are coming with HD touchscreen consoles designed for streaming workouts, so if that’s what you’re looking for, there ya go.

But if you’re not interested in streaming, there are still plenty of great cycles that don’t force you to mess with monthly membership plans.

Besides the touchscreens, there are plenty of other features you might want to consider when comparing options.

These include:

• Built-in workout programs
• Bluetooth
• Heart rate monitoring
• Cooling fans
• Type of pedals (toe cage vs clipless)
• Fully adjustable seats
• Fully adjustable handlebars
• Dumbbells

As you can see, there’s more to consider than just the size of the console.

Final Thoughts

Well, there ya have it – the best indoor cycles 2024 has to offer.

I know there are a lot of great cycles that could’ve easily made this list and didn’t, but like I said, it ain’t easy coming up with these lists.

I tried to include indoor cycles from all price ranges and include both streaming and non-streaming bikes on this list and to that effect, I hope I was successful.

And if nothing else, I hope you take away that it’s important to compare the performance specs between these bikes when trying to make a decision.

Things like flywheel weights, assembled weights, warranties, and weight capacities are important bits of info that tell you a lot about the quality of a bike.

So, if none of the bikes on this list are quite doing it for ya, I encourage you to use these specs when comparing bikes on your own.

Otherwise, I hope you found this guide helpful and at least a little entertaining.

And if you have any questions or comments, please leave ’em below and I’ll get back to you shortly.