
4/5
Sunny SF-B1986
Editor's Choice Under $ 300
- Tablet Holder, RPM and Speed Readings
- Heavy Flywheel and Magnetic Resistance
- SPD Pedals and Full Adjustment Design
Best Seller
By Fitnosia Team: Updated in 2021
Many people love the convenience of working out at home. No long traffic commute, no long lines to wait on machines at the gym and it’s safer and more sanitary. Fitness equipment has become more accessible to home workout enthusiasts and having a small home gym is more possible than ever. Spin bikes, a gym staple, are one of the best ways to get a good workout in.
Also known as indoor cycles, spin bikes are well known and associated with high energy instructors and high calorie burnout sessions. If you don’t have much time to spend working out, an indoor cycle can be just what you need. Indoor cycles provide intense cardio workouts to get your heart up. This enables you to shed fat, boost your endurance and work your legs like never before. Here are some of the best spin bikes under $800 that can help you achieve those home gym goals!
Number | Name | Resistance | Folding | Bluetooth | Capacity | Frame |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mr. Rudolf Oak Water Rower | Water | No | Yes | 320 LBs | Low-Rise |
2 | Mr. Captain Oak Rowing Machine | Water | No | Yes | 320 LBs | Low-Rise |
3 | First Degree Fitness Fluid Rower | Water | No | No | 320 LBs | Low-Rise |
4 | HouseFit Water Rowing Machine | Water | No | No | 330 LBs | High-Rise |
5 | Marnur Water Rowing Machine | Water | No | No | 300 LBs | High-Rise |
6 | Fitness Reality Water Rower | Water | No | No | 300 LBs | High-Rise |
7 | Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5713 | Water | No | No | 300 LBs | High-Rise |
8 | Koreyosh Water Rowing Machine | Water | No | No | 330 LBs | Low-Rise |
9 | Maxkare Water Rower | Water | No | No | 264 LBs | High-Rise |
10 | Vilobos Water Rowing Machine | Water | No | No | 265 LBs | Low-Rise |
If there was only one word to describe the SF-B1986 model from Sunny Health & Fitness, it would be powerful. This exercise bike brings commercial level quality and power to your home for an affordable, mid-range price tag. So, what makes this model such a great indoor cycling bike?
Outfitted with a 40 lb. magnetic resistance flywheel, the SF-B1986 is designed for ample speed and stability to achieve more momentum and resistance for longer periods of time. It also has adjustable strap pedals to hold your feet securely into place to avoid discomfort or slipping during intense sessions. The pedals are also SPD compatible and have toe cages for even more stability. It even has emergency brakes.
Another important feature to note is that this indoor cycle has four-way adjustable handlebars to easily customize your grip. It can hold up to 330lbs of body weight and has a user inseam of 29-39 inches max. The padded seat is also four way adjustable so that users can find their perfect positioning. The overall dimensions of this exercise bike come in at 49Lx24Wx50.5H and weighs approximately 136.6 lbs.
The built-in digital monitor console does not require batteries which makes for easy maintenance. It’s a simple digital display that measures speed, cadence, distance, calories burned, target time, pulse rate and more. You can race against your own personal records to improve your fitness. However, it’s not Bluetooth or smart app compatible to sync and track your progress. But it has a mount for a smart device as well as a bottle and dumbbell holder.
Conclusion
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1986 is great mid-range bike that offers commercial level performance from the comfort of your own home. It’s one of the top indoor cycles with magnetic resistance and its easy customization makes it suitable for both men and women of varying weight and height.
Pros
Cons
The SF-B1709 indoor exercise bike model from Sunny Health & Fitness offers a decent output for an affordable price. It has a sleek modern look with a dimension of 53.2 x 23.6 x 54.3 inches, and is quite light weight at 89.3 lbs. It can bear up to 300 lbs of weight and has a user inseam length of 28-39 inches. It’s a great beginner friendly bike that can be suitable for both, men and women of all ages and heights.
While the flywheel is magnetic resistance, it comes in at a light 7.36 lbs. Despite this, it has 13 different resistance levels and has a quiet, low maintenance belt drive system. You can still get a quick and effective workout and control the resistance levels with ease.
This affordable spin bike is equipped with a digital monitor that can track your speed, distance, cadence, pulse and time. It’s a simple monitor without smart capabilities or Bluetooth. It does, however, have a built-in water bottle holder so you can keep hydrated during your workout. In addition to this thoughtful feature, you can easily customize your ride with four-way adjustable handlebars, 4-way adjustable seat and caged SPD compatible foot pedals for max stability in your foot placement.
Another wonderful benefit from purchasing this home indoor cycling bike would be its floor levelers to ensure even greater stability while it’s in use. The compact frame size also allows for easy mobility and storage and has transportation wheels that can be used for easy moving as needed.
Conclusion
The SF-B1709 is possibly one of the best home budget spin bikes under $800 that gives you great value for your money. It’s not as powerful as some of the other indoor cycles on the market but it can certainly be a good start to your fitness journey without breaking your budget.
Pros
Cons
The HMC Athlete 5006 is of home-use commercial standard. It’s essentially heavy duty with a 44lb quiet drive flywheel and ECB magnetic resistance. It also boasts a max weight capacity at 330lbs. This makes it a powerful choice for a home exercise spin bike packaged in a compact size (42.5 x 36 x 10 inches/121 lbs).
The 5006 is a simple yet sturdy, steel-tube frame design that allows for vertical and horizontal seat and handle adjustments to secure a good position for the user. It also sports rubber coating on the racing style handlebar, an easy to adjust manual resistance knob and emergency stop brake as a security feature. It even has transport wheels to easily move the bike around the room.
As far as magnetic resistance spin bike reviews go, the 5006 is a great investment. It does not offer Bluetooth or other smart compatibilities but the simple lcd digital monitor is capable of measuring distance, calories burned, time, speed, RPM and heart rate which is basically some of the most important items to track.
Like the previous indoor cycles mentioned, the HMC 5006 also has toe cages for better grip and foot placement. However, it does not have SPD (double sided) compatibility which makes it a little harder to start pedaling from a stationary position. But don’t despair you can easily switch the stock pedals out for SPD compatible ones if you can spare the extra cash.
Conclusion
The HMC Athlete 5006 allows for heavy duty indoor cycling at a budget friendly cost. It has simple and straightforward functions to get you working out at intense levels. While many would prefer more advanced console features, it’s still one of the best spin bikes under $800 that provides a great user experience.
Pros
Cons
Another spin bike with magnetic resistance under $800 is the Kouz Live magnetic exercise bike. This indoor cycle has a built in 35 lb magnetic flywheel which offers some pretty decent resistance levels that continue to challenge you as you progress. It has a quiet magnetic belt drive system that won’t disturb your household while you workout and has a built-in resistance bar to stop the flywheel at a moment’s notice in case of emergency.
This compact home spin bike has dimensions of 37 x 20 x 45 inches with maximum load of 330lbs. The unit itself weighs about 105 lbs and has 4-way adjustable seat support, 2-way adjustable handle bars as well as a comfortable seat cushion that won’t cause pain if using for a long period of time.
One more thing to mention is that this model comes with caged foot pedals that also have an anti-slip surface to keep your feet well positioned and firmly in place. It has an overall ergonomic design with well-placed controls such as the manual knob to adjust resistance levels, a water bottle holder and device mount that can fit an iPad.
The Kouz Live exercise bike has an LCD display that enables the user to view and measure their time, distance, speed, calories burned and heart rate. It does not have Bluetooth, wifi or other smart capabilities but the device holder can conveniently house your smart device so that you can view online workouts or zoom spin cycle classes.
Conclusion
Kouz Live offers a decent heavy duty indoor magnetic cycle that can suit both men and women of different age brackets. It’s easy on the knees and its compact nature is sturdy and very reliably built for a low budget option.
Pros
Cons
Once again, the pioneers of low-cost fitness equipment, Sunny Health & Fitness have brought another powerful low budget option to the market. Their SF- B1805 indoor spin bike has a 44 lb flywheel that is belt driven and powered by magnetic resistance. This makes but a smooth and quiet ride while providing an intense workout.
The interesting thing about this particular indoor spinning exercise bike is that it doesn’t come with a built-in console whatsoever. Instead you have a large device holder to place your tablet or smartphone. There is also a bottle holder for easy access to your water during intense workouts.
Despite the lack of tech, it does have some comforting features such as four-way adjustable handlebars to customize your grip. You can also adjust the padded seat to set up the best position to suit your frame. The cage foot pedals are also easy to adjust. The dimensions of the robust frame are 48 x 23 x 45 inches and has an inseam of 28- 38 inches. It can support up to 300 lbs. of weight.
Some notable points to note are that it has floor levelers attached to the base which enables easy set up on any type of flooring. It also has a firm knob/lever to adjust the intensity level of the magnetic resistance.
Conclusion
If you want a simple yet robust indoor spin bike that can handle intense workouts, this model can keep up with heavy duty use. Its heavier flywheel also keeps up the challenge as you get stronger.
Pros
Cons
It may sport a peculiar name but the Pooboo M1 indoor cycle is no joke. It comes with a whopping 45lb magnetic flywheel that runs smoothly with little noise due to its belt driven system. It’s also built to last with a strong durable frame that can withstand up to 380 lbs.
This heavy-duty bike also has customizable features. You can adjust the handlebars to 7 different positions vertically. There are 3 available grip postures and the padded riding seat can move in 4 positions to adjust to suit a variety of users. This great indoor exercise bike has anti slip cage pedals that can adjust for sturdy foot positions.
It can house your water bottle for easy access and has a built-in device holder to attach your smart devices to play music, follow along workouts or watch videos. The simple LCD display screen tracks time, calories, pulse rate, distance and speed but it doesn’t connect to smart devices for recording your progress.
The Pooboo Exercise bike has dimensions of 47.2 x 26.4 x 52 inches and is a bit heavy at 126 lbs. However, it comes with attached transport wheels to make it easier to move around into place. It can also easily shift through different levels of resistance via its resistance knob and has a braking system for extra safety.
Conclusion
The Pooboo indoor cycle is a great budget buy with heavy duty capabilities. It can suit a variety of user heights and weights and has an impressive flywheel to keep up the challenge.
Pros
Cons
For a steal of a deal, this indoor spin exercise bike is a big contender in the ring. It’s a great beginner bike as it’s light weight and compact and it comes with Bluetooth connectivity and MyCloud Fitness App. This allows you to log in to get workouts, track your stats when you connect your smart device. It doesn’t have a basic built in lcd monitor like other bikes and relies on smart technology to get your workout data.
This indoor cycle has a lighter magnetic flywheel than most at 17.6 lbs but it has 14 resistance levels to give you a challenge. It’s also belt drive and runs smoothly and quietly. This affordable magnetic resistance exercise bike is suitable for both men and women. It has dimensions of 42 x 22 x 43 inches and can support up to 300lbs.
As for customization, the thick padded seat can be adjusted in four ways but the handle bars only offer vertical adjustments up and down. The pedals are not SPD compatible but can be changed, they do however come with toe cages and adjustable straps.
Some other nifty features are the built-in bottle holder, transport wheels to easily maneuver the sturdy 90lb frame and a sleek and stylish ergonomic design. Having smart capabilities on a low budget indoor cycle is a huge plus and you can successfully develop and stick to an online workout plan.
Conclusion
For a budget magnetic resistance bike the Women’s Health Men Health Indoor Cycle is a good investment for a reliable and tech friendly piece of equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. For some, having an actual trainer led program is easier to maintain.
Pros
Cons
With an ever-growing demand for cardiovascular health and conditioning, it is no marvel at how the spin bike has become a quintessential piece of equipment at all gyms and most home workout studios. Its benefits stretch far and wide as does the actual componentry that the bike is constructed with. All this can seem very daunting at first, but we have compiled a guide to help you make that purchase decision.
Price
The higher the price usually dictates the better built the brand, however, prices can be elevated depending on brand affinity and market share. So, whilst the higher valued bike MAY be a better piece of equipment, it does not mean it is that much superior. As such, find something that aligns with your budget but make note of the following key points for your purchase.
The Flywheel
This is by large the most important part of a spin bike as this is where your main source of resistance comes from. Lower tiered spin bikes are marketed with 10-20lbs flywheels. You should steer clear of these as over time they will become far too easy to move as your conditioning and athletic level increases and you will be forced to upgrade to keep with your growing progress. As such it is recommended to start with a spin bike that has a 40lb and upward flywheel. This will ensure that you are sufficiently challenged with room to grow.
The Drivetrain
Spin bikes come equipped with two drivetrains as options. This is a belt driven drivetrain, or a chain driven drivetrain. Our recommendation would be to pursue the belt driven option as it is far more: Maintainable; Quieter and smoother in operation; Easier to tension; Cheaper to replace; Reliable
The Braking System
Most spin bikes come with leather/fabric brake pads and are by far the most common option at gyms/home studios. However, there is another option that in recent times offers far more superiority to the prior mentioned braking systems, magnetic brakes! This system is completely silent and offers far greater a range of resistance. Coupled with the fact of zero to no maintenance or a need to replace and this is surely our recommendation/pick.
Adjustability
No two humans are alike and as such this will be a very subjective area. Our recommendation is to make sure you find a spin bike that offers as much range of adjustment as possible not just only in seat height or handlebar reach, but varying and differing angle to conform to the uniqueness that is you.
On screen Information
Again, a very subjective area but most spin bikes nowadays are equipped with the ability to track distance, time, and intervals. More sophisticated systems can log data, track heart rate, offer digital videography, and some even come equipped with Wi-Fi to further expand the range and reach of options.
Different modes of resistance
There are currently 4 modes of resistance that spin bikes come offered with. These are Cable; Manual screw type; Magnetic; and Electromagnetic. The last two are new additions and provide a large range of resistance by utilizing properties that the first two cannot. We would recommend steering clear of the cable type, as this requires the most maintenance and is prone often to failure, and our pick would be on the tried and tested manual screw type (analog) system as this is most commonly found on most spin bikes and gets the job done.
Accessories
This will depend on you and your specific needs but offered with today’s spin bikes are accessory options such as: Bottle holders; Wheels for ease of movement of the entire spin bike; Spin bikes that are easy to break down for storage; Screens for tv and videos.
With easier access to commercial grade equipment that are made for home use, starting a home gym is much more possible than ever. Choosing the right spin bike to suit your budget while adhering to your needs is important. From using the buyer’s guide and reviews, the best affordable tech savvy investment would be the Women’s Health Men’s Health indoor cycle as a great beginner to intermediate exercise bike. For those who want to keep up the challenge, the 45lb flywheel and heavy-duty construction of the Pooboo Indoor Exercise Bike is worth giving a chance.
Spin bikes are a fun, yet intense method to get into shape. Many professional cyclists use spin bikes during off-season to maintain their training endurance and keep their conditioning on par. Regular home users can also experience the powerful cardio burn of indoor cycling exercises while staying within a reasonable budget!