Best cheap exercise bikes – 6 budget-friendly yet brilliant buys all under £500

If you are considering investing in a cheap exercise bike this year, then let us guide you along the way. When we say cheap, we really mean budget-friendly, as we're never going to recommend something that's no good. In fact, we've tried, tested and loved a few of these exercise bikes in this guide, inside our own homes. So we can recommend them from having hands-on (or feet-on) experience.

Why buy an exercise bike for home use? First of all: so that you needn't lug yourself and your stuff to the gym after work, whether from home or the office. And also because this means that you can cancel your gym membership and save money. Don't forget that having an exercise bike at home will mean that you can squeeze in a quick 30-minute cycle in your lunch hour, or it might prove handy to use once the kids are deep asleep and you can't leave the house for exercise.

Here, we've listed a range of exercise bikes from upright options that are best for using whilst seated, to spin-like bikes that you can use standing and pedalling, and even foldable options for homes that don't want an exercise bike to become a startling design feature.

Along with each bike, we've listed the weight of its flywheel – the heavier this is, the tougher the bike will be to ride. The ones below start from 1.5kg, going to 16kg. We've also mentioned how many resistance levels each bike has, with our top contender having a whopping 32. For anyone new to the world of exercise bikes, you can tailor how tough or easy it is to pedal on your bike by adjusting its resistance level. Lastly, we've also made note of how many programmes each bike offers. This isn't essential, though this feature will prove to be motivational unless you're planning on using your bike at one level only, for a pretty basic workout.

You might not think it, but the right cheap exercise bike will last you for years of use. Whether you use it inside your living room, spare bedroom or garage is your choice. Since we are recommending affordable exercise bikes, it should go without us saying that you will get what you pay for. For under £500, you cannot expect all of the features and comfort. But, rest assured that these are the top options out there for £500 and under, for those who want to get sweaty at home, but on a budget. Why not pair cycling with some yoga and invest in the best yoga mat for the ultimate home workout?

The best cheap exercise bikes to buy for home use

The Viavito Satori exercise bike is great for anyone, whether you are a beginner or a pro. It's also compact and it's on wheels for easy moving around your home. We've been using this exercise bike for a number of months now and we love it for daily use – whether for 15 minutes of intense exercise or 30 minutes of light cycling.

Though not foldable, this Viavito bike still manages to be quite small when tucked into a corner. It weighs 31kg in total, and in terms of size, it measures 130cm, 100cm long and 54cm in depth. It has an impressive maximum user weight of 140kg.

This bike has a whopping 32 levels of resistance while boasting a heavy 9kg flywheel for an intense workout. You can, of course, control the resistance to suit your fitness level by using the round button on the console. Its handlebars also feature pulse sensors. There are 12 programmes on this bike, all of which are varied, and you can tailor each one to suit your preferences – from time to distance and calories. Your stats will show on the console, and you can use this console to view your progress throughout. There are four user programmes so each member of your family can use this bike, while it's impressively quiet while in use.

We think this exercise is great value for £350 – it's something you can use on a daily basis while watching TV, or even if the kids are in bed. Thanks to its heavy flywheel it can suit everyone, no matter how experienced they may or may not be, while it's sturdy and completely adjustable. The only thing we aren't too keen on is that it doesn't have a smartphone or tablet holder. Other than that, we love it.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars

If you want to buy something that's impressive and also under the £500 mark, then this is the exercise bike for you. It's pretty sizeable and looks similar to a spin bike, in our opinion. This means that it is not foldable or compact – but rest assured it will make a decent addition to a home gym. Smooth in motion, quiet when in operation and sleek in looks, this sturdy bike is made with a 50mm thickened frame tube and it has 7 levels of magnetic resistance.

In terms of actual size, it's fully adjustable to suit a range of users. Plus, it has an extra-wide seat to ensure comfort when used for long periods. It can sit at any height from 150cm to 195cm and in total, it weighs 42.6kg with a 136kg maximum weight limit. With caged toe pedals and adjustable straps, your feet will stay exactly where you need them to be for the entirety of your workout. The best part? It sits on wheels to make it easy to move around your home or room. It has a 136kg max user weight.

With a 16kg flywheel behind it, this bike ought to provide a tough home workout. You can track your stats as you sweat thanks to its digital monitor. Refer to this for your speed, time, calories and distance. It is worth us noting that there are no built-in programmes with this exercise bike. Also, thanks to its heavy 15kg flywheel it's great for those who cycle often, and since it has just 7 resistance levels, we would recommend it for anyone at an intermediate level or above.

Other features we love include its multi-use holder for carrying anything you need nearby whilst you work out. It also has an emergency stop button for safety purposes that's within easy reach while you are pedalling. Just make sure that you have enough space inside your home to store it, since it's not foldable – although it is on wheels. This is, without a doubt, our best luxury pick for those who don't want to spend more than £500 on an exercise bike.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Ultrasport F-Bike is feature-packed yet foldable. It’s also affordable and great for smaller spaces. It comes in a range of colour options to suit your home decor, too. We've been using this exercise bike for a few months now, and so far we're enjoying it. It's definitely best for beginners, but it's undeniably great for those who are short on storage space – and on a budget.

Foldable and lightweight, this Ultrasport bike weighs 15.5kg and when folded it measures 131cm high and 45cm wide. It’s worth noting that this bike is not on wheels, and it has a maximum user weight of 100kg. It's pretty easy to move around your home, though, and it can slot neatly in between or behind furniture.

With eight levels of adjustable resistance and a 1.5kg flywheel, this bike is better suited for beginners – or those who will be using it for a light to medium-paced workout. Whether you choose to work your way up to resistance eight or work at this level for your entire workout is up to you. Saying that, resistance can easily be tailored to you by spinning the dial in between your legs. The bike’s seat is adjustable from 78cm to 86cm. Though be aware that at this price point you can't expect the seat to be comfortable. After around 30 minutes it may start to become a tad hard. It also has an LCD display so that you can see your time, distance, speed, calories burned and heart rate. We found this display to sometimes be inaccurate, but we always use our trusty Fitbit to track our exercise.  There are hand pulse sensors to check your heart rate, and these always seem to be bang-on.

At just over the £100 mark, this exercise bike is a bargain. It has all of the features a beginner needs, and it’s foldable so it’s great for smaller spaces. 

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The JLL JF100 is affordable, compact and it’s great for all fitness levels – though it’s not the best option for those who love a spin class as you shouldn’t stand up on it. Makers of some of the best home gym equipment out there, rest assured that JLL products will last.

Compact in size although not foldable, this exercise bike is on wheels to make it easier to move around the home. With a max user weight of 100kg and a total weight of 18.1kg, an adjustable seat and pedals. 

Offering 10 levels of magnetic resistance for total control of how hard you work, this belt-driven bike has a 4kg two-way flywheel. Ideal for use by pros and beginners alike, just don’t stand up on this upright model. It has a six-function monitor so you can see stats such as time, speed, pulse, distance and odometer.

Price-wise, this exercise bike is a great investment when you consider its features and that it can be used by all fitness levels. It’s also definitely worth the money if you have a small home yet don’t want a foldable option. It's similar to our first pick, from Viavito, although it doesn't have any programmes and it has a slightly lighter flywheel.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This Pro Fitness exercise bike is without a doubt our best foldable option for those who have little to no floor space in their home to store an exercise bike inside. It's also from Argos so that you can click and collect or get it delivered to your front door, while it comes in at a really reasonable price tag considering its features.

Foldable and compact when both upright or splayed out, this exercise bike is also on wheels – a big bonus when it comes to wheeling it into a cupboard for safe-keeping once you are finished sweating. It weighs a total of 16kgs with a 100kg weight limit. It also has an adjustable seat and self-levelling pedals. Those with an eager eye will have noticed that this bike seat comes complete with a back, for extra support when you need it the most. This means it can be used by anyone, at any age.

It also has a total of 8 levels of resistance and an impressive 3kg flywheel – this is double the weight of the Ultrasport F bike, making this bike a better option for those looking to push themselves a little harder. It's still meant for beginners and occasional use, though you'll probably be able to get more use out of this bike as you gain strength and get used to it. You can use this Pro Fitness bike to track your progress with help from its compact console. Here you can see everything from your workout time to distance, calories, speed and more. It also has sensors to monitor your heart rate as you work out.

In terms of price tag, this bike is only a tad more expensive than the other foldable options on our list. Something to think about if you're tight on space and a tad more flexible with your budget. Similar to other foldable exercise bikes, we wouldn't recommend them for everyday use but it's undeniably perfect for occasional exercise and light use.

If you are a beginner and you don’t want to feel too overwhelmed by an exercise bike, then this Opti bike is the best option for you. 

Foldable to a very small size and also lightweight at 13.1kg, this exercise bike really is a smart buy for smaller spaces. Despite its small size and lightweight, it still has a maximum user weight of 100kg. Though it’s not on wheels…

Boasting a magnetic resistance system that can be controlled with a knob, it has a light 1.6kg flywheel. With pedal straps to keep your feet in place, as well as an adjustable seat and handlebars, it even has pulse sensors on the handles, too. A console sits in your eye line while working out, to tell you everything from your speed to the number of calories you have burned, the distance you have travelled and more.

There’s no doubt that this Opti exercise bike is worth every penny. At under £80, it’s even worth buying for sporadic use or just until gyms open again.

Ideal Home’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

What should I consider before buying an exercise bike?

There are several things to consider before buying an exercise bike:

• Think about the size of the exercise bike before you want to buy, as well as how much space you will ideally need to use it at home. Some exercise bikes are foldable for when it comes to storing.
• Another thing to be mindful of is the exercise bike’s resistance. This is usually manual or electric. Ensure this can be adjusted by you so that the bike can be used by all fitness levels.
• Also have a look at how easy it is to change resistance, and where this can be done. Some exercise bikes will have a control button on their console, while others may have a twistable knob that will sit in between your legs.
• Consider the maximum user weight of each bike to ensure that everyone in your household can use it before you buy.
• All exercise bikes all have a flywheel – the heavier this wheel, the harder the bike will be to use. Beginner? You may want to choose a bike with a lighter flywheel.
• It’s worth noting whether your new exercise bike is adjustable – we’re talking about its seat height and handlebars, as well as the pedals in some cases.
• Heart rate monitoring is another feature to look out for when choosing a bike. Some models have built-in sensors on the handlebars.
• Finding a bike that is on wheels will prove handy if you are going to be moving it back into a cupboard or corner of a room after use.
• The majority of exercise bikes have a display console so that you can see your stats while riding. If you have a fitness tracker, then you may not need this. Otherwise, this is handy as they usually sit in your eye line.

Where to buy a cheap exercise bike

Where else to buy cheap exercise bikes? See below and click through to shop exercise bikes from low to high prices. You'll be sure to find something to suit your budget.

• Argos cheap exercise bikes
• Amazon cheap exercise bikes
• eBay cheap exercise bikes
• Sweatband cheap exercise bikes
• John Lewis & Partners cheap exercise bikes
• Aosom cheap exercise bikes
• Decathlon cheap exercise bikes
• OnBuy cheap exercise bikes
• Sports Direct cheap exercise bikes
• Powerhouse Fitness cheap exercise bikes

Not sure where to place your new exercise bike? We've got plenty of simple shed gym ideas up our sleeve to transform this otherwise empty space.