The Best Indoor Exercise Bikes in Canada
To be honest, there was never a better time for you to buy a indoor cycling bike, and the stats show us that. In the United States, according to the NPD Group, trainers and rollers, which allow bikers to mount their bicycles and ride indoors, experienced a growth rate of 415% in April 2020 – which is probably a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indoor or outdoor, practicing sports is always a healthy choice. And the main advantage of doing exercises at home is that it can be more comfortable while enabling you to work on side activities, such as watching TV or listening to music. After so many months at home, most of us are starting to look for gym alternatives. Indoor bikes can be quite helpful in that sense. These bikes have over a dozen benefits for everyone, from young adults to the elderly, including burning calories, weight loss, reducing body measurements, improving breath capacity, and muscle gain.
Read on for a list of the top-rated indoor bikes in Canada. This in-depth guide takes into consideration the different types of bikes for each body size, wallet and goal.
Our top picks
How to choose an indoor bike
It is essential to know what kind of exercises you want and need before buying a stationary bike. If you are recovering from some surgery or your age is plus 50, 60 years, the best option is probably going to be a recumbent model. This is a more comfortable exercise bike with a larger seat and back, reclined body position, and pedals in front of the body.
If your focus is to have a bike trainer stand, for indoor cycling and high exercise intensity, the upright or spin bike would possibly be the best option. What are the differences between them? Let’s figure out.
Exercise bikes can be great for your health, but they can also be dangerous if you don’t choose the proper option for you. Regardless of your goal or age, it is crucial to contact your family doctor and/or do health screenings before starting to use your indoor bike or any other exercise device.
Recumbent vs Upright Bike vs Spin Bikes: what you should know
The important things to have in mind are calories and weight loss goals regardless of your bike choice. Each bike model will provide you will multiple possibilities based on your targets.
Recumbent bike – more comfortable and less impact
- Light workouts.
- Safer, as you can’t stand up while riding.
- It promotes a better posture because of the back position.
- It has less impact on the joints (especially knees and ankles), as the lower back is supported by the bucket seat.
- More comfortable, with a larger seat.
- A great choice for recovering.
- It mostly requires the use of your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and the tibialis anterior muscles.
Upright bike – similar to an outdoor bike
- Light workouts.
- Safer, as you can’t stand up while riding.
- It doesn’t have a back and the seat is smaller than the recumbent option.
- Pedals down below.
- It enables upper-body arm workouts since you are engaging the biceps, triceps, and shoulders in the upright position.
- Smaller bike dimensions (comparing to a recumbent one).
Spin Bike – ideal for spinning training activity
- It allows a large variety: very intense, medium, or a light workout.
- It does not have a back and the seat is smaller than the upright one.
- More dynamic – you can choose to stand up.
- More impact on joints, as you can stand up.
- It simulates hill climbing.
- It may work with Peloton (dynamic exercise), depending on the model.
- The possibility of spinning at home with higher intensity.
- A must-have for anyone looking for a very intense workout or training for a marathon.
Why trust us
With so many options on the market of indoor exercise products, it was quite hard to find the best stationary bikes for each case, analyzing customer reviews and comparing many options, both bad and good.
After our entire research (and more than 14 hours of work), we were able to come up with a list of more than 40 bikes. Such a process required plenty of evaluation, including the best indoor bike reviews, opinions from trusted sources, and filtering products with more than 4 stars on review platforms and marketplaces.
The best recumbent indoor bikes
Exerpeutic 900XL
Seeing this comfortable bike, we start to think it’s possible to relax during the workout. The laid-back position is responsible for this feeling, avoiding the stress of gravity on joints and muscle systems, and being a match for seniors or for those recovering from an injury or surgery.
Besides being the best budget indoor bike, this version also has an eight-level magnetic system that allows you to customize your ride and challenge yourself over time, always following the effort and heart response with the LCD display.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Adjustable seat.
- Magnetic.
- Comfortable.
- Customizable.
Cons
- No USB charging.
Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike
If you are a sports addict and want to know and plan everything, including how the exercise will go, that is an interesting home bike. According to the company, this model has 29 different programs to best fit the age and the customer’s goals, from beginners to advanced. There are also some additional features, such as recovery tests. High-tech, huh?
Beyond the comfort of being a recumbent bike, the Schwinn stationary also has a walkthrough frame and adjustable seat rails for any height or need.
Pros
- Adjustable seat.
- LCD track progress.
- 29 programs.
- Four user settings.
- 25 levels of resistance.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Noisy.
Sunny Health&Fitness SF-RBD4703 Recumbent Desk Exercise Bike
Doing a side activity while cycling is much more viable when you are at home, such as reading a book (speaking of that, we have good tips here), solving an issue over the phone, or watching your favourite TV show. But with this bike model is even possible to work, write and use your laptop.
Perfect for multitasking, this recumbent bike contains a large non-slip tray that holds your tablet or book, so you can do whatever you need while burning calories. That is its main differential.
Pros
- Multitasking.
- Cushioned seat.
- LCD display.
- Transportation wheels.
Cons
- Not ideal for tall people.
The best upright indoor bikes
Marcy Upright Fan Bike AIR-1
If you like elliptical machines, this bicycle is possibly a great option. Dynamic, this multifunctional indoor bike was designed to provide an efficient and effective workout for the upper body and targeting multiple muscle groups as well.
With a different design, compared to regular stationary bikes, this model comes with a resistance system that utilizes a fan instead of a weighted flywheel, which increases resistance as you pedal faster and produces cool air, bringing a comfortable feeling and less sweat.
Pros
- Portable (it has wheels).
- Adjustable levellers.
- Resistance fan.
- LCD progress tracker.
Cons
- A bit noisy.
Exerpeutic 1200 Exercise Bike
With more than four stars and ten thousand reviews, the Exerpeutic 1200 is probably a good choice for most consumers. Smaller than many others, it is easy to keep it or hide it, and it can be folded up and rolled away when you finish exercising. So, it wouldn’t be necessary to decorate your house with it.
If you prefer quiet rides, you will probably approve the precision–balanced flywheel and the V- belt drive that provides a smooth and quiet operation and will not interfere while watching TV or listening to music.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Portable.
- Quiet.
- Compact.
- Adjustable levellers.
- Foot straps.
Cons
- Only eight levels.
Marcy Foldable Upright Exercise Bike NS-652
This bike is also a good choice when you don’t have enough space at home. Compact, it has an advanced frame design that allows for easier storage, also having a rubberized foot based to prevent scratching and damage on the floor – usually a major concern for homeowners.
Like many other models, this bicycle is manually adjustable; it allows you to choose eight different levels of intensity, ideal for working on your legs, quads, glutes and developing body muscles.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Compact design.
- It tracks distance.
- Speed, distance, calories and time tracker.
- Adjustable resistance.
Cons
- Only eight levels of density.
The best high-tech spin indoor bikes
NordicTrack Commercial Studio Cycle (S22i)
If you’re looking for a very high-tech exercise bike, the NordicTrack S22i has got you covered.
You could buy a used car for the price of this spin bike, and we can explain why it is so expensive. Featuring a one-year iFit membership already included, this bike allows you to ride through the deserts of Southern Utah or transform your living room into a studio class with different instructors.
High-tech and not fragile, the NordicTrack has incline and decline controls, and is prepared to take your exercise bike to a 10% or 20% decline grade, targeting your glutes, quads, and other important muscle groups while torching calories.
Pros
- Bluetooth.
- Touchscreen HD.
- Quiet.
- Program included.
Cons
- Expensive (almost $3,000).
- Small seat.
Bowflex C6 Bike
For lovers of spinning classes and interactive exercises, the Bowflex C6 Bike is a good match. And even though it’s not cheap, you can currently link up to a dozen different fitness apps, including both Peloton and Zwift (two of the best-rated streaming training apps). So, depending on your goal, it’s a good investment.
It’s possible to follow the training by connecting using your own tablet or phone to the C6’s console. Although paid, the app subscription grants you access to top-class training from Peloton, Zwift, Sufferfest and others.
Pros
- Bluetooth.
- Smooth.
- Quiet.
- Interactive training.
- 100 micro-adjustable levels.
Cons
- Expensive.
Echelon Connect ECH01
As an Echelon Connect Sport model, this spin bike is all about interactivity. With the Echelon Fit app, you can easily connect people around the world or have a fun-exercise with your family or friends. You can log in to the app using your Facebook, Fitbit or Strava accounts.
If you’re not an expert, the variety of training options, including tough resistance for more experienced users, is best suited for beginners who want to track distance, speed, cadence, and calories to keep improving.
Pros
- Bluetooth.
- Wi–Fi connectivity.
- Interactive training.
- 32 resistance levels.
- USB.
Cons
- Subscription sold separately.
- Heart monitor sold separately.
The best spin bikes under $900
Sunny Health & Fitness Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike
Price always matters. This bike can be basic, compared to a high-tech spin bike, but it collects great reviews (more than 2,500) and almost five stars on the Amazon website so far. So, depending on your goals, that can easily be the best exercise bike to lose weight.
The flywheel weighs 22kg and, according to the Sunny website, the heavier the flywheel, the smoother the ride. Therefore, it is possible to get good results in silence, but only if you utilize the level resistance. It was too good to be true, right?
Pros
- Good quality.
- Affordable.
- Portable (it has wheels).
Cons
- Uncomfortable seat.
- Heavy.
- It tracks time and distance only.
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1709
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1709 is a great cardio bike option. With 13 resistance levels, this spin bike has a digital display that records speed, average speed, max speed, cadence, distance, calories, race, and time. Pretty complete and a nice way to push yourself and improve your goals.
It also has a pulse rate to avoid health issues during harder training sessions. So, this exercise bike is somewhere in-between high-tech spin bikes and basic ones.
Pros
- Digital display.
- Quiet.
- Magnetic resistance.
Cons
- Loose pedal.
How we picked the best exercise bikes
Initially, we could not imagine how many different models and sizes there were out there, and it was a great surprise to see that is completely viable to find the best indoor bike for each customer’s need.
Researching and comparing more than 10 websites, we checked around 30 different indoor bikes to bring the best and most trusted options for the most frequent uses. After going through more than 200 product reviews, we only considered products with more than four-star reviews.
Our purpose was to present you with great options based on your unique requirements, such as comfort, quality, intensity levels, simple or high tech, affordable or high-end alternatives.
Frequent indoor bike questions
What is an indoor bike?
A home bike is a stationary bicycle that can be used anywhere anytime. They differ a lot one from another and each model can fit different consumer needs, especially when it comes to price, sizes and fitness goals. Many of them include accessories to better track workouts, including virtual spinning classes, sports apps, calories trackers, as well as distance, time and pulse monitors.
How many calories is possible to burn on training bikes?
It will depend on your performance. If you ride your bike at a high speed on a higher level, you will probably burn more calories. If you ride your bike at a slower pace, just enjoying a relaxing exercise time, the number of lost calories will also be lower.
When it comes to burning calories while cycling, the average is from 350 to 600 calories for a 45-minute ride. As we said, other factors beyond time can affect these numbers, especially intensity levels.
How much is a stationary indoor bike?
As we mentioned above, it will depend straight on the model. Even though not every indoor bike out there has made the cut for this article, we came across multiple models and price ranges when researching for this review. We found indoor bikes from $160 to more than $3,000 depending on the brand, features and accessories.
Should I buy an indoor bike?
Cycling or spinning are some of the best exercises to lose weight and burn calories. You know your goals and yourself better than anyone else, so our answer is actually a question back to you: Do you see yourself using an indoor bike regularly? Or will the bike only serve as decoration for your home? (Tough words, I know!)
Our verdict is, if you are really focusing on being healthier and practicing more sports while staying at home, then we say: go ahead. You can certainly find an option that fits your needs, be it affordable price or high performance.
Where can I find great options?
Most major retail stores in Canada sell indoor bikes, including Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon Canada, Sport Cheek, Treadmill Factory, Home Depot, Hudson’s Bay, as well as on the official brand websites.
We wish you a good biking experience! After you buy yours, or if you already have an indoor bike, please leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.
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