Fitness equipment comparison – which exercise bike for home is best?
The term “exercise bike” as a fitness device is very broad. This primarily includes all fitness equipment that improves endurance and can also be used at home without any problems.
The ergometer , cross trainer and treadmill are the most popular exercise bikes on the market. Even with this exercise equipment for at home there are many different variations that can make a big difference in fitness.
In addition, there are many exercise bike alternatives that are less known but are sometimes more effective.
Depending on the sport you prefer, you will also choose your own exercise bike. People who like to run will most likely get a treadmill so that they can work out well in winter and in bad weather.
On the other hand, a treadmill with a table is multifunctional and you can work at the same time while walking or running.
Enthusiastic cyclists are more likely to use the ergometer or buy an indoor cycle. If you like it a little more comfortable, you can buy a recumbent exercise bike.
1) Bicycle ergometer exercise bike for the home
Exercise bikes for at home are one of the most popular exercise bikes. Calorie consumption depends on resistance and speed. So you can hardly say how many calories you burned on the exercise bike.
Cycling on the spot almost exclusively uses the leg muscles. However, since the leg muscles are the largest muscle groups, these are what make them work out.
Anyone who enjoys cycling anyway should get an ergometer for at home. However, there are many different ergometer variants:
40 – 150 euros: arm and leg movement trainer
The smallest alternative to the bicycle is a leg trainer that consists almost entirely of pedals and a flywheel. Such a movement trainer for home or office is very space-saving and can be used from the chair or the couch.
You can also get some exercise with this piece of sports equipment under the office desk. Incidentally, moderate exercise promotes blood circulation, including in the brain. So learning and thinking becomes easier.
However, serious endurance training is hardly possible with such an arm and leg trainer. Simple under-table movement trainers are available from just 30 euros.
However, models from 40 € are better because they allow the training resistance to be better adjusted. However, there are also high-quality models that can cost up to 150 €. ( Compare models on Amazon )
100 – 200 euros: Foldable fitness bike (F-Bike) for beginners
For beginners who do not know how often they want to train on the ergometer, there is a foldable bicycle ergometer, also known as an F-bike.
These compact fitness devices already offer training computers and heart rate monitors so that you can train exactly according to your training plan and pulse rate.
However, due to the folding function and compact design, you also have to keep your balance on these fitness bikes. Basically, you can train your endurance very well with this home trainer.
If you only have little space or only want to cycle at home from time to time, you should try such an F-Bike. ( Experience reports on Amazon )
200 – 500 euros: Classic bicycle ergometers for beginners and professionals
The well-known exercise bikes offer the full range of functions of an ergometer. They have a heavy flywheel or brake system to be able to optimally adjust the training resistance.
The seat and handlebars are usually adjustable in order to adapt them to your own body. A real ergometer is best for amateur athletes looking for good endurance training equipment to use at home.
Good entry-level ergometers are available from around € 200. High-quality branded devices, for example from Kettler, with high quality and functionality can also cost up to 500 €. ( Compare exercise bikes at AsVIVA )
150 – 700 euros: Sit-recline ergometers for tall and overweight people
A recumbent bike is much more comfortable as an exercise bike than a classic bike. If you cycle in front of you in the living room while watching TV, it is much more pleasant if you can lean back.
The only disadvantage of a recumbent exercise bike is that it takes up more space than a folding or classic bicycle ergometer. If you can sit comfortably on the ergometer, you will spend a lot more time on it than on an uncomfortable bicycle saddle.
There are even models from € 150 from Klarfit. However, it is better to invest around 250 euros for a good recumbent exercise bike. High-quality recumbent exercise bikes can also cost around € 700.
The 2-in-1 exercise bikes from AsVIVA are ingenious in this price range with rowing machine and recumbent exercise bike functionality. As a result, legs, endurance, but also arms and back can be optimally trained. ( Recumbent exercise bike at Amazon )
200 – 1800 euros: professional indoor cycle for racing and mountain bike fans
Anyone who has ever done or seen a spinning course in the gym will have noticed that no old bicycle ergometers are used there. No, these ergometers are called indoor cycles.
Not only do they look cooler, they also give you more of a racing bike posture. So it’s not about cycling a bit on the side, but about intensive mostly interval training on the road bike ergometer.
If you are an ambitious cyclist, we are only happy with an indoor cycle. Classic bicycle ergometers are more like Dutch bicycles compared to the sporty racing ergometers. The cheapest Indorr Cycle home trainers are available from 200 €.
However, if you want reliable quality, you should invest 300-400 €. Very high quality road bike ergometers cost over 700 €. (Compare IndoorCycle at Amazon )
100 – 500 euros: bike trainers with brakes for racing bikes
For the sake of completeness, anyone who owns a good bike and prefers to train on it at home can buy a roller trainer from around 100 euros.
2) Treadmill exercise bike for home use
Treadmills used to be very bulky. Nowadays almost every model can be folded up and is therefore much easier to stow away. You don’t necessarily have to “jog” on the treadmill. “Walking” is a good alternative for beginners. A treadmill is a great fitness machine for the legs. There are also different designs and qualities of the treadmill.
150 – 300 euros: entry-level folding treadmill
The cheapest models don’t even have a motor and only brake with magnets. There are good entry-level treadmills for less than 200 euros. However, you shouldn’t ask for too much comfort or speed.
Most of the time, the motors of these treadmills are not particularly fast either. The maximum is usually 10 km / h, which is enough for most beginners and amateur athletes.
Unfortunately, however, these devices have hardly any damping and do not allow any incline to be set. => compare at Amazon
300 – 1000 euros: treadmill with incline, cushioning, fast motor
Anyone who would like to have a joint-friendly piece of sports equipment that also allows the incline to be adjusted has to spend a little more money.
In addition, treadmills in this price range have motors with which you can run over 20 km / h. This is great for ambitious runners or for interval training on the treadmill.
Many models in this price range can also be connected to a smartphone and training successes can be saved. => Compare models at AsVIVA
250 – 1600 euros: table treadmill
If you like to do work while walking, you can also try a table treadmill. However, you should be aware that some of these models are really only designed for walking at a maximum of 6 km / h and not for jogging or running. => Compare models on Amazon
3) Cross trainer: home trainer for arms, legs, and bottom
Not actually biking, walking, or jogging, and moving your arms too. The sequence of movements on the cross trainer is more reminiscent of cross-country skiing.
The arms are moved with the cross exercise bike. However, depending on the model, it’s really just moving along, as the legs do most of the work.
Nevertheless, an elliptical trainer is often more effective than an ergometer or treadmill for losing weight.
How do cheap cross trainers differ from expensive elliptical trainers? Well, depending on size and habit, everyone has a different stride length.
With cheap devices there are hardly any setting options, so that the sequence of movements can be uncomfortable and even harmful. High-quality cross exercise bikes usually have a more natural sequence of movements.
There are also big differences in the flywheel and magnetic braking. You can choose from 6kg to 100kg flywheel mass. The heavier you are, the heavier the balance mass of the Heintrainer should be.
Cross trainers also differ in terms of equipment. Sports equipment with heart rate monitors and training computers naturally cost more.
Elliptical trainers with a tablet holder and Bluetooth app are very interesting to make training at home more exciting. Some models also allow streaming on the Smart TV with many interesting video running routes through interesting landscapes.
4) Rowing machines: exercise bikes for arms, legs & back
Even when it’s called a rowing machine, it’s not just the arms that are trained. The legs are trained as well or better with the rowing home trainer as with the ergometer, treadmill or cross trainer.
However, it is important that you first learn the correct sequence of movements. But then legs, arms and back muscles are optimally trained.
Because so many muscle groups are being used at the same time, endurance training on the rowing machine is particularly effective at home. => Compare rowing machines on Amazon
5) Fitness trampoline: exercise bike for back, legs, and buttocks
The most fun is endurance training and losing weight on the fitness trampoline. Instead of boring sitting on sports equipment, you can jump up and down.
The whole body is stimulated. You have to keep your balance on the elastic surface. Even when standing on the trampoline there is a certain training effect.
When swinging or jumping on the trampoline, the training becomes more and more demanding. The upper body and back must constantly keep the body upright in a controlled manner.
When it comes to fitness trampolines, a rough distinction is made between models with steel spring suspension and models with rubber rope suspension.
Rubber ropes are naturally gentler and gentler on the joints, but they don’t last as long as steel springs. When making your selection, it is very important to pay attention to the permissible total weight.
Lighter people should choose a mini trampoline with a lower permissible total weight in order to get a softer suspension. The higher the permissible weight, the more weight is required to stretch the jumping mat and the springs.
Lately there are many models with a grab handle. These are not only for beginners and seniors who have problems with balance. There are many exercises where a grab bar is very useful. In addition, it can happen to very sporty people that they lose their balance when jumping on the fitness trampoline. => Compare trampolines at Amazon
6) Multi-gym: exercise bike for building muscle
Entry-level multi-gyms are available for as little as 200 euros. High-quality professional multi-fitness stations can also cost around 2000 euros.
If you have enough space and not only want to train endurance but also want to build up muscles in the entire body, you should get a proper multi-gym.
Most weight training equipment comes with weights, leg presses, and a weight bench. Some multi-gyms also have a punching bag suspension and offer rowing machine functionality. => Compare multi-gyms on Amazon
Exercise bike training
Exercising with an exercise bike is a great way to get lean and fit. However, in the test, the exercise bikes differ in their specific calorie consumption, because the muscles used differ with each exercise bike device.
The cross trainer has the highest calorie consumption and therefore the best effect when losing weight and burning fat. With this exercise bike, many muscles are stressed at the same time, which means that the amount of energy consumed is higher. For very overweight people, however, the ergometer or the recumbent ergometer is the right choice among exercise bikes . This is where most of the body weight is intercepted and exercised in a way that is gentle on the joints.
Exercise bike in the Stiftung Warentest test and customer reports
When choosing the right exercise bike, it can be very helpful to find out more about test reports from Stiftung Warentest and fitness magazines.
Unfortunately, there are so many exercise bikes on the market that it is impossible for these magazines to test all exercise bikes for safety and functionality.
So you often have to rely on customer experience test reports. If there are enough customers who describe their experience with the exercise bike, it can be very instructive.
However, one should be careful if there are only a handful of good reviews. Alternatively, you can check the reviews of other products from the same company or brand and hope that the quality of the company will remain the same.
Exercise bike manufacturer
There are many exercise bike manufacturers on the market. Here is a list of the cheapest and highest quality exercise bike brands from the exercise bike test:
- Kettler exercise bike
- Christopeit exercise bike
- Horizon exercise bike
- Schmidt Sportsworld exercise bike
- Daum exercise bike
- Bremshey exercise bike
- Reebok exercise bike
- Tunturi Heimtrainer
- Finnlo exercise bike
- Royal beach exercise bike
Buy used exercise bikes at low prices?
We all know it: all too often good resolutions are ground up in stressful everyday life or our priorities and fitness goals change. Accordingly, there are many exercise bikes that get dusty in basements and storage rooms.
However, some are available for sale. Anyone looking for local classifieds on Google. Will definitely find a lot of used sports equipment there.
How in good shape the exercise bikes are of course varies from offer to offer. It is best to know what exactly you are looking for and then look for it on the relevant classifieds portals.
Cheap exercise bike offers
If you want to buy an exercise bike, you should look around for cheap offers on the Internet. Used exercise bikes are often sold there.
Even discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, or Netto sometimes have an exercise bike in their range, which usually does quite well in the exercise bike test. Royal Beach, Christopeit, and Stamm Bodyfit are the manufacturers that are sold at the discounters.