Sales of the best spinning bikes and exercise bikes for at-home use have skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic. Spin bike manufacturer Peloton *doubled* sales between 2019 and 2020, while Wattbike saw a 113% increase in the best exercise bikes in March 2020 alone. Elsewhere, searches for certain brands of stationary bike, like Slim Cycle and Olympus Sport, rose by a whopping 3,200% (!) on Google.
“It’s no surprise that home exercise bike sales have sky-rocketed during the past year,” cycling instructor Jama Oliver at Echelon told us. “Some, including Echelon, now provide so much more than just an exercise bike” – from live and on-demand classes to scenic rides. Think: the physical benefits or exercise along with the mental health benefits of an engaging community. Yep: spin bikes are in.
But what to look for in a good spinning bike? And what are the best spinning bikes to buy? Shopping for a spinning bike is wildly different to shopping for a bog-standard road bike, so here’s everything you need to know.
What are the benefits of spinning?
We all know exercise is good for our physical wellbeing – and to get those lovely little endorphins flowing. But spinning, in particular, boasts more health benefits than you might first imagine.
“Indoor cycling improves cardiovascular health, can lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar, and improve sleep,” Jama continued. “Regular cycling will boost muscular endurance and tone your lower body and core. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the community interaction provided by connected fitness equipment helps members feel less isolated.”
This is backed up by research by Medicina, who found that spinning can help you lose excess fat, improve muscle definition, boost your cardio fitness, and reduce your blood pressure. Sold? Sold.
What should I look for in a spinning bike?
Good question. There are 21,100,000 results for spinning bikes on Google right now, so it’s not surprising if you feel a little overwhelmed. Of course, what you’ll need in your spinning bike depends on how advanced a cyclist you are, plus how often you’ll be using your new bike – but there are a few key features to look out for.
First up: the basics. The must-haves. The non-negotiables. Your spin bike should have a brake, flywheel (that’s the front wheel), legs and frame, transport wheels (to move the bike around your home), a drive system (to pedal), an adjustable seat and adjustable handlebars.
On that note, make sure to check the height of your bike before ordering and ensure the seat will adjust to your hip height. This is recommended for all riders, whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
Third: you’ll want to get clued up on resistance a little – that’s the force you push against when you’re cycling. Invest in a bike with varying levels of resistance which can be worked through with a manual screw or magnetic resistance. This will ensure your bike provides enough push for a tough workout.
Four. Make sure your flywheel is 15kg or more – any less, and your spin bike may not be quite as sturdy as it promises to be in the description. Note here: you can get much cheaper exercise bikes without a front flywheel, but this will impact the amount of resistance you can build up and result in a not-so-difficult full body sweat session.
Five? There are lots of nice-to-have features that will make your experience that little bit nicer. Do you want a tablet holder so you can catch up on Selling Sunset while you pedal? How important is a water bottle holder to you? How about a touchscreen LCD monitor? And what metrics would you like the LCD display to present? (Think: heart rate monitoring, cadence or watts).
And finally, do check the reviews, always – the last thing you want to do is spend half of last month’s pay check on a wobbly, creaky bike that ends up gradually collecting dust in the corner of your bedroom.
What is the best spin bike for home use?
As with any at-home gym equipment – whether that be dumbbells, treadmills or rowing machine – the more you invest, the better quality you get… That said, there are some great, affordable spinning bikes on the market if you’re a newbie, wary of spending too much on something you may not enjoy.
The best budget spinning bike is the Opti Fitness Bike from Argos, while the JLL IC300 PRO costs less than £400. Despite their affordable price tags, both of these spinning bikes have flywheels (aka front wheels) that weigh 15kg or more, the minimum requirement for a spin bike if you’re after a smooth ride.
If you’ve got more to invest, Apex Rides and Peloton are great higher price point options – there’s a reason they have such a cult following. Peleton offers live spin classes available 24 hours a day.
What is the closest spin bike to a Peloton?
Echelon Connect 3 Exercise Bike, available from Argos, is similar in that it lets you choose from over fourteen live classes a day. There are thousands of live on-demand workouts, plus access to yoga and stretching sequences. You can even link your fitness tracker to this bike, so it automatically syncs your workouts. Plus, the front flywheel of this bike is 13kg so it won’t wobble one bit. Neat.
After more fitness and exercise content? Head this way for the best treadmills, over here for the best cross trainer and in this direction for exercise trampolines. We’ve also got sports bras, gym leggings, resistance bands, dumbbells, yoga mats, yoga blocks, foam rollers and more to level-up your home workouts.