Covid has wrecked havoc on most people’s workout routine and more and more people are turning to at home workouts this year than ever before. This year, indoor cycling has exploded and now it seems “everyone is doing it”. Top companies such as Peloton and Nordic Track sell amazing products and offer top of the line customer service. However, those items come with a price tag that just make it impossible for me to fit in my budget. In true EvieLu fashion, I decided to find a way to make an indoor cycling bike work for my budget.
What is indoor cycling?
First of all, what the heck is an indoor cycling bike. Most people refer to these as “spin bikes” but it turns out spinning bike and spin workouts are actually are copyrighted by Madd Dogg Athletics so I will not be referring to indoor cycling bikes using those words for obvious legal reasons. So, an indoor cycling bike is a type of stationary bike and what makes it unique, is it uses a weighted fly wheel which helps feel like a real, outdoor bike ride. The resistance of the flywheel can be adjusted to increase the intensity of the ride. It mimics hills and tough terrain.
Benefits of Cycling
I enjoy my indoor cycle rides because I can get in a total body workout in 20-30 minutes, keeping my heart rate elevated for the duration of the ride. During most of my rides, the instructors (will provide links to my favorites) teach how to properly ride to incorporate your whole body including arms, shoulders, and core. It’s so easy to get in a quick 20-30 minute ride each morning!
Bikes Under $400
While purchasing a bike from Amazon would save me more than a thousand dollars, it also meant that I needed to do my own research to find the best bang for my buck. There are HUNDREDS of indoor cycling bikes on the market. It actually was quite overwhelming to me. There were some things I was personally looking for in a bike.
- quiet
- tablet holder
- hand weight holder and hand weights
- adjustable seat
- adjustable handle bar
- adjustable resistance
For this blog post, I’m going to include the three bikes I found under $400 that I considered.
First up, this bike rings in at $339, making it just over $350 with tax But it meets every one of my criteria. With more than 5k reviews, this bike gets 4.5/5 stars. This bike includes a tablet mount which allows you to add your own tablet to watch workouts or link to the Peloton app during your ride. Those who have reviewed this bike, report that it is quiet.
Sunny offers a variety of bikes at several price points but this particular bike comes highly recommended. It comes with adjustable seat and handlebar which is important if you have multiple riders in your home. This bike offers a 49lb flywheel and delivers a quiet, smooth ride, per the reviews of this bike. While equipped with a water bottle holder, it does not offer a tablet mount or hand weight mount.
This is the bike I grabbed and I am so happy with my decision! It is sturdy, quiet and comfortable. It comes equipped with a tablet mount, hand weight mount, complete with hand weights and adjustable seat and handlebar, making this bike super comfortable. This bike also can handle up to 300lb rider, which other bikes at this price point have 270lb weight limit. The reviews of this bike were that it is quiet and sturdy and I agree wholeheartedly. I’ve been riding this bike daily and have absolutely zero complaints. If I was going to be picky, I would say that I don’t love the bottle holder. I tend to use larger bottles that don’t fit in the slim bottle holder. 
Best At Home Spin Workouts
For $12.99/month you can get the Peloton app to use with your indoor cycling bike. This app offers thousands of classes and you get a 30 day free trial!
YouTube is where I find my free workouts. My favorite instructor is Gabriella Guevara who offers hundreds of rides. I love the way she instructs on the proper way to ride the bike. She motivates me to keep going, even when it’s hard. In addition, her music is FANTASTIC! My favorites are the 90s rides! Check her out!
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