Looking for the best spin bikes for your gym or PT studio? Or perhaps you’re after something affordable and stylish for your home? Whatever your cycling needs, there’s an indoor bike to precisely match your needs.
But knowing exactly what to look for can sometimes be tricky – is it worth paying more for better quality? What features do you really need? And which brands should you look out for?
In this buying guide – we outline what to look for when buying a spin bike and review the best models on the market.
- What to look for in a bike
- Best budget option
- Best for home or PT studios
- Best commercial bike for gyms
- Best virtual bike
- Best for purists
What Makes a Great Spin Bike?
HIIT and group training are some of the biggest trends in fitness, so it’s no wonder that indoor cycling classes are so popular. If you’re looking for the best spin bikes for your studio or home, then they tend to share some common characteristics.
When shopping online or in-store, these are the qualities to look out for. They separate the top indoor cycling bikes from the poor-quality junk. Here are some key aspects to consider when you’re looking at different cycling solutions…
- Consistently good customer reviews – mainly 4 and 5-star reviews is a sure sign that you’ve found a winner.
- Easy to maintain – reliable manufacturers design with the long-term in mind and make it easy for you to access or replace parts.
- Smooth ride – a clunky motion or noisy fly-wheel is an alarm bell that the ergonomics aren’t right.
- Plastic coated – exposed metal rusts easily so the best spin bikes have plastic covering parts that would otherwise be exposed to sweat.
- Backed with a guarantee – a good quality bike will come with a minimum of 1 year’s guarantee so you’re protected should anything go wrong.
Now that you know exactly what to look for, here’s an overview of the best spin bikes on the market right now…
- Best budget option – Sunny Pro
- Best for home & one-to-one studios – Stages Solo
- Best commercial bike for gyms – Keiser M3i
- Best virtual bike – Peloton
- Best for purists – Precor Spinner Ride
Let’s compare each of these top-rated bikes in more detail…
This article was prepared by a certified personal trainer and fitness equipment specialist. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases but this never influences our editorial choices. Fitness is an important topic that impacts people’s health so we always offer 100% unbiased information.
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Best Budget Spin Bike – Sunny Pro
If money is a driving factor (and isn’t it for most of us?) then the best budget spin bike is the Sunny. At just $240, it’s the most affordable bike option available and is backed by an Amazon guarantee. For people who don’t want to fork out thousands, this model is the ideal solution.
It even withstands prolonged gym use (which tends to be longer and more intense than home usage) making them suitable for personal training studios. So, it’s by far the best cheap spin bike in the US but unfortunately not available in the UK.
Best For Home Use – Stages Solo
Stages have taken the fitness industry by storm and are a firm favourite with boutique studios around the world. They’re a strong contender for stealing Spinning’s crown when it comes to the best commercial spin bikes for gym-use. However, their ‘Solo’ model is designed for individuals rather than group classes, which makes it perfect for home use or personal training studios.
It features a built-in screen which provides programming and classes (similar to Peloton). Riders can set goals and track their progress towards them – ideal for boosting motivation. There’s also a gamification element where you can unlock hidden achievements which adds to the fun of the ride.
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Best Commercial Spin Bike – Keiser M3i
The Keiser design may look a bit odd but it’s a fantastic indoor bike that accommodates lots of different body shapes. It’s also easy to move around, making it perfect for storing out of sight and then wheeling out whenever you need it. As a commercial-grade bike, you can be confident in the quality and durability of this model.
One thing that stands out is the Keiser’s super-quiet belt drive coupled with magnetic resistance. This delivers a true road-bike experience and ensures a smooth ride for yourself or your clients. But if you don’t need the wireless Bluetooth or fore and aft handlebar adjustment, then the more basic M3 model may be enough.
Best VR Bike – Peloton
Peloton practically invented virtual cycling. Despite their VR bike costing $1895 (£1750), it’s currently rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by over 1400 users. This gives you an idea of just how satisfied people are (no mean feat considering the expectations that come with a super-high price tag).
Peloton’s virtual bike comes with live cycling classes streamed daily, along with 5000 on-demand workouts. People love that they can enjoy the energy of a high-intensity spin class but from the convenience of their own home. For PT studios, this bike can also be a huge point of difference and value-add for your pricing.
Best For Purists – Precor Spinner Ride
If you want an authentic spin bike, then you’ll need to go for a model produced by Spinning. They’re the only ones who manufacture genuine ‘Spinning’ patented bikes and are renowned for their quality.
We liked the entry-level ‘Ride’ (produced in collaboration with Precor) because it looks clean and stylish. The gloss white frame makes it a more attractive bike than most others on this list – it’d blend right into any personal training studio or home gym. Hell, you could stick it in the corner of a dingy garage and it’d still look good.
The only downside is that it doesn’t have magnetic resistance – you’ll need to upgrade to a Chrono model for that. But if you’re happy with a traditional friction system then you’ll save yourself the extra $1000+ (£750) that pricier models cost, so we think it’s the best-value option.
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Summary
So, there you have our unbiased reviews of the best spin bikes available right now. For a budget-friendly option, the Sunny Pro is a solid bet. But if you’re looking for more features, stylish aesthetics, or commercial-grade quality, then the Spinner, Stages Solo, or Keiser M3i may be more suitable. However, Peloton takes top marks for its extensive class database that you can stream on-demand.
