Best Exercise Bike Under $500 [Full Reviews & Buying Guide]

The Nautilus U616 has all the right features to make it the one of the best upright bikes under $500. It combines a perimeter weighted flywheel with magnetic resistance to give you an enjoyable indoor cycling experience.

The resistance is adjustable over 25 levels, allowing you to fine tune your workout to great detail. This upright bike is quiet even at higher difficulty levels.

The console features a blue-backlit dual track LCD display, speakers with MP3 input, USB port. It is compatible with the Explore the World app and there is Bluetooth connectivity to sync your workout stats with popular cycling apps like Strava and UA Record. This makes it much easier to track your improvement and stay motivated to keep cycling as you get stronger.

For a more structured workout, there are 29 different built-in workout programs, including 1 recovery test, 2 fitness tests and 1 quick start. To keep cool and hydrated, Nautilus has added on an adjustable fan with a water bottle holder.

The seat is adjustable up and down, but some very tall users found it a bit too short and ended up swapping out the saddle for a different kind. Others have mentioned that the seat can be a little too hard for comfort.

As it uses a typical bike saddle post attachment, it is easy to upgrade the seat on the U616.

For peace of mind, the U616 comes with a robust warranty that covers 10 years for the frame, 3 years for mechanical parts, 3 years for electronics, and 1 year of labor.

Even though some assembly is needed, it is straightforward to put together this upright bike.

There are only two user profiles, so this is not the best choice if many people in your home intend to share the bike.

Overall, these are relatively minor drawbacks. With a high quality build, generous extra features and solid internal mechanism, the Nautilus U616 is a worthwhile purchase.

The Schwinn 170 is a major improvement from the 130 model.

From a distance, they look very similar as both have the same solid frame. In fact, many features are the same. Both Schwinn upright bikes have the same perimeter weighted flywheel, display readouts, 3 speed fan, tablet holder, single water bottle holder, and USB port.

Look closer and the superior quality of the Schwinn 170 becomes evident. One key difference is that the 170 comes with Bluetooth connectivity. Therefore, it is compatible with certain fitness apps such as Explore the World and Google Fit.

While the information displayed on the console is the same, the console on the Schwinn is backlit, making it much easier to read. Telemetry for heart rate monitoring is enabled on the Schwinn 170, a much needed feature for truly accurate heart rate data.

There are more in built workout programs on the Schwinn 170 with 29 different workouts versus the 22 programs on the Schwinn 130. The Schwinn 170 supports 4 user profiles whereas the 130 only allowed for 2 profiles.

Another upgrade is the resistance. The Schwinn 170 boasts of 25 different levels of magnetic resistance. The ergonomics is also much improved as the 170 supports saddle adjustability in both forward and back directions, as well as up and down.

Overall, this is an excellent upright bike for multiple users. The adjustable seat, Bluetooth connectivity to different apps and multiple workout programs all work together to make this a versatile bike that would suit a wide range of people.

One complaint in the reviews is a loud noise when pedaling after a few uses. Most people had no problems with the bike, but a few did have this issue, so there may be inconsistencies in manufacturing quality.

This is the most affordable upright bike on this list and one of the cheapest upright bikes on the market.

The Marcy upright bike gives you value for your money without compromising quality too much – a solid steel frame makes this product more than sturdy enough for light cycling exercise.

For a varied workout, this upright bike has magnetic resistance with 8 levels of difficulty. The seat can be moved up and down, so there is some room for adjustment.

As for the LCD screen, it shows you the necessary data on speed, time, calories burned, and distance.

The Marcy ME-708 bike is small, light and compact as it doesn’t take up much space. With a small footprint and product weight of 41 pounds, this little exercise bike is easily moved around.

Do note that it lacks proper transportation wheels, but instead relies on the end caps at the ends of the crossbars to act as wheels.

Another drawback is the assembly. Many users have mentioned that assembling it is tricky as the exercise bike comes in many different parts. Marcy has included a detailed assembly manual to help with it.

If you are DIY-shy and concerned about putting the upright bike together, check out the assembly manual online before you make the purchase.

If you are on a tight budget of less than $200 but still want to add an indoor bike to your home gym, it’s difficult to go wrong with the Marcy ME-708. It may be limited in the way of extra features or adjustability, but it does the job without putting a hole in your pocket.

Schwinn is a company known for designing quality indoor bikes, the 130 is one of many different models.

This indoor bike features 20 levels of magnetic resistance, 20 built in exercise programs and an informative LCD console.

To keep the bike stable as you pedal, there is a perimeter weighted flywheel.

Unlike the more expensive Schwinn 170, there is no Bluetooth connectivity on the Schwinn 130. Therefore, the 130 doesn’t support the Explore the World app.

Instead, to keep an eye on your progress, Schwinn has included a USB port to plug in your phone and manually connect to fitness apps such as SchwinnConnect or MyFitnessPal. This is an extra step, but it is not much of a hassle, especially when you take into account the extra savings on the 130 model.

Apart from that, there are 20 different built in workout programs to guide your bike sessions, accessible through its DualTrack™ 2 LCD screen system. The LCD screen also shows you many other details such as time, pulse, distance, RPM, speed, resistance, calories, heart rate (measured via pulse grip sensors on the handlebars), and up to 2 user profiles.

The seat on the Schwinn 130 is comfortable as it is padded and contoured. However, it is only adjustable one way. To compensate for this, Schwinn has made the handlebars adjustable.

Other disadvantages are that the LCD is not backlit and the Schwinn 130 doesn’t support telemetry heart rate monitoring. That aside, it’s an excellent bike for this price point.

The chief selling point of the Harison B7 is its weight capacity. The heavy duty frame on this sturdy upright bike can support body weights up to 350 lb.

This is above average for any exercise bike, let alone one under $500.

Based on the reviews, it delivers what it says on the label. Several people, especially those heavier than average, have praised the stability and sturdiness of the B7.

Other perks of the B7 include its quietness and smooth feel when pedaling. For more challenge, the 14-level magnetic resistance can be adjusted through a resistance knob.

Adjustability is also an option as the seat can be adjusted four ways, perfect for getting the bike to fit just right.

Assembly has been reported to take some time, but is doable with the instruction manual provided. Harison can provide you with an installation video if needed.

There are a few downsides, however. The LCD screen shows only the basics of distance, time, speed, calories burned and heart rate as monitored from handlebar grip sensors. The B7 lacks the tech extras which are usually found in other bikes of this price range, such as workout programs or Bluetooth capability. The warranty is also limited, at only 12 months of free manufacturer replacement.

Sunny is a home exercise equipment manufacturing company with a reputation for producing budget to mid-range products that are accessible to all.

For this reason, the SF-B2952 exercise bike does not disappoint.

Powered by magnetic resistance spread across 8 resistance levels, the well-made frame supports up to 275 lbs of user weight.

It also comes with non-slip pedals, an LCD display, transportation wheels and a tablet holder.

The console looks compact but gives you a lot of information such as pulse (measured via heart rate sensors on the handlebar), RPM, speed, time, and distance including extras such as a calendar, thermometer, BMI, and body fat percentage calculator. However, there are no built-in workout programs and the display is not backlit.

The main perk of this bike is its adjustability. The seat is adjustable four-ways and the inseam range is 24″ to 36.5″.

This is great for your cycling posture and makes the upright bike suitable for people of all body types.

Some people felt that the seat was a little hard for comfort, but it was easily improved by adding on a padded or gel seat cover. Installing a more cushioned bike saddle is also an easy alternative.

Essentially, this is a basic upright exercise bike that does the minimum but does it very well.

The L-Now D808 is an upright bike that comes with an 8 level Magnetic Tension control system. The 44 lbs flywheel plus its internal mechanics work together to give you a quiet and fluid riding workout.

Not only that, the D808 upright bike has a cool exterior design; it is definitely one of the better looking budget bikes on the market.

One nice advantage of this bike is that the handlebars are adjustable. You can rotate it to the position that feels best for your back and shoulders.

The LCD screen monitors speed, heart rate, distance, time, and calories burned.

The saddle seat is padded and wide, with many users praising its comfortable feel. As the seat is also adjustable four-ways, the D808 is suitable for both tall and short people.

There is some assembly needed but putting the bike together is not complicated. One potential negative is that the L-Now D808 does not come with built-in programs. Without Bluetooth or user profiles, there seems to be no way to keep track of your progress other than to monitor your stats manually.

In a cheaper bike, this might be standard, but as the L-Now D808 is usually sold close to $500, other bikes such as the Nautilus U626 or Schwinn 170 offer more for the same price.

Do note that L-Now and POOBOO are now the same brand. POOBOO is in the process of changing the brand name on the bikes, so the exercise bike you receive might look slightly different.