Best Exercise Bike with Screen (2024) | Garage Gym Reviews (2024)

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Road cyclists have city streets, the shore, mountains, and many other gorgeous views to look at while on their rides. Indoor cyclists, on the other hand, have their living room wall or maybe a TV to look at. Not quite as inspiring as a sunrise ride by the beach, is it?

But if you had the best exercise bike with screen, you could make it seem as if you were cycling the rolling hills of Tuscany. You could also stream Netflix without having to be near the TV, be face-to-face (virtually speaking) with your favorite trainer, or follow an on-demand class of your choosing.

Selecting the best home gym equipment can sometimes feel like trying to pick the best horse at the racetrack—you’re either going off a name, a gut feeling, or taking a chance on the underdog. Your odds of finding a winner are much better with us because we don’t jockey around on exercise bikes or barbells, but rather take them to the finish line to ensure your bet pays off.

Our team is filled with certified personal trainers and CrossFit coaches who have tested and used dozens of indoor exercise bikes for personal and professional use, so you know we can spot a valiant steed.

Want to know which indoor cycling bikes can provide an excellent cardio workout with an amazing screen? That’s what we’re here for. We’ve gone through the best exercise bikes on the market, rating them on the following features:

• Durability
• Functionality
• Resistance
• Programming
• Conveniences
• Overall value

Our Picks for the Best Exercise Bike with Screen

• Best Exercise Bike with Screen for Workouts: NordicTrack Studio Cycle S22i
• Best Budget Exercise Bike with Screen: ProForm Studio Bike Pro 14
• Best Exercise Bike with Large Screen: Peloton Bike+
• Best Exercise Bike with Small Screen: Echelon EX-5s-10
• Best Recumbent Exercise Bike with Screen: NordicTrack Commercial R35
• Best Compact Exercise Bike with Screen: MYX II Bike
• Best Exercise Bike with Screen for Streaming Netflix: Bowflex VeloCore

Best Exercise Bike with Screen for Workouts: NordicTrack Studio Cycle S22i

Good for: Anyone who wants a high-quality screen for at-home bike workouts

There’s a few reasons why we picked the NordicTrack Studio Cycle S22i’s screen as the best for live and on-demand cycling classes: It has a 22-inch high-definition screen, front-facing speakers, and it can fully rotate to allow you to follow off-bike workouts as well (whether that’s boxing, yoga, Pilates, or anything else available through the iFIT app).

But one of our favorite features actually has nothing to do with the screen itself, and that’s the S22i studio cycle’s incline and decline capabilities. Picture this: You’re following a workout in which your bike starts going uphill when all of a sudden you start feeling as if you’re actually peddling up an incline. Not only does this simulate road cycling, but it adds an extra challenge to your cardio workout.

This stationary bike comes with 24 digital resistance levels (enough to provide a challenge to people of all fitness levels), two 3-pound dumbbells, and auto-adjust technology that allows the trainer to set the resistance and incline/decline during on-demand or live classes.

As is the case with most of the bikes on this list, you’ll need a monthly fitness app subscription (in this case, its iFIT) to take advantage of most of the NordicTrack S22i’s features. And that’s on top of the bike’s $1,900 price point.

In our opinion, though, this is one of the most high-end exercise bikes on the market, even if NordicTrack doesn’t let you store it in your garage (you risk voiding the warranty if you do).

Check out our full NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle review for more information.

Best Budget Exercise Bike with Screen: Proform Studio Bike Pro 14

Good for: Those looking for a budget-friendly bike with a screen and Bluetooth connectivity

At under $1,000 the Proform Studio Bike Pro 14 is a competitively priced exercise bike, especially considering its 14-inch touchscreen. Originally designed with a 10-inch screen, the Pro 14 is like the little sibling of the Proform Studio Bike Pro 22. The main difference, aside from a couple more resistance levels, is the 22-inch screen on the Pro 22.

One of the biggest selling points of this exercise bike is the addition of iFIT programming; the bike actually comes “free” with a 3-year subscription to iFIT. The platform offers a broad range of great trainer-led workouts and programs, which can help guide your cardio workouts on the exercise bike.

While this is a budget-friendly bike, you also get what you pay for. With the lower price, the weight capacity is a little below industry standards, at 250 pounds. Additionally, the flywheel is 30 pounds, which is a bit below the standard for upright exercise bikes as well.

Due to that, GGR head of content Nicole Davis, CPT, PN1-NC, rates the construction and durability of the bike a 2.75 out of 5. While it was wobbly in use, she says, “the Pro is fine for an entry-level exercise bike that comes with iFIT.” If the 3 years of iFIT weren’t part of it, whe probably wouldn’t recommend it. However, because it has decent value and comes with the iFIT programming, this is a great budget bike for new cyclists.

You can read more in our Proform Studio Bike Pro review.

Best Exercise Bike with Large Screen: Peloton Bike+

Good for: Those who want a large HD screen for streaming live workouts

We maintain that Peloton has the best cycling classes on the market thanks to their engaging and motivating instructors and the fact that Lizzo sometimes crashes a live class. Such great classes deserve a crystal clear picture, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with the Peloton Bike+ and its 23.8-inch HD touchscreen.

In addition to being larger than the OG Peloton’s screen (21.8 inches), this revamped model comes with a monitor that can rotate 360 degrees (the original only tilts). Our friend Alie Atkins, who’s tested both Peloton bikes, explained why that feature is useful. “I like being able to get off the bike, move away from it, and still be able to finish the cool down stretch without feeling like I had to be right up against the bike to follow along.”

But the screen isn’t the only reason why this is the best Peloton product. The Bike+ also has an auto-follow function that allows trainers to set the resistance for you, which also helps reduce the amount of maintenance needed over time.

You can also sync your Apple Watch, and other fitness trackers, to track your heart rate, total calories burned, and other metrics (these can be tracked via the screen as well).

Unfortunately, just like its younger sibling, the Peloton Bike+ comes with Delta-compatible aluminum pedals that require special cycling shoes to use, but those can be changed out for adjustable toe cages (at a cost).

Read our full Peloton Bike+ review for more on this exercise bike.

Best Exercise Bike with Small Screen: Echelon EX-5s-10

Good for: Anyone who doesn’t want a large screen in front of them

The Echelon EX-5s-10 is part of Echelon’s “Smart Connect” series of bikes, and to be perfectly honest, we’ve actually only tested the Echelon EX-8s, which comes with a massive 24-inch curved HD touchscreen. The EX-5s-10 has, as its name implies, a 10-inch HD touchscreen display that may be smaller than most, but it has a great personality.

In all seriousness, the reviews for this bike show that size doesn’t matter as the picture comes in nice and crisp for most users. The smaller screen also cuts down on the amount of space needed for this bike, which may be a plus for those working out in compact spaces. The screen also turns 180 degrees for those off-bike workouts.

Echelon Fit, the fitness app required for live and on-demand classes, boasts music by some of today’s top artists, though if you’re not a fan of rap or modern pop you may want to look elsewhere. The instructors aren’t quite as engaging as Peloton’s, but we love the variety of classes offered by the app.

The bike’s other features include dual pedals (SPD clip-in pedals on one side, and adjustable toe cages on the other), two large water bottle holders, two ports to charge your phone, and a ventilated competition-style seat.

To get a better idea of this bike, you can read our full Echelon Connect EX-5 Bike review (which is the same bike as the EX-5s-10, just without a touchscreen display).

Best Recumbent Exercise Bike with Screen: NordicTrack Commercial R35

Good for: Those who need a comfortable cycling experience

Recumbent exercise bikes may be a great way to get a low-impact workout (even more low-impact than traditional exercise bikes), but they often prioritize substance over style, which is why you often don’t see many fancy displays on them. This isn’t the case for the NordicTrack Commercial R35, which boasts a 14-inch HD touchscreen display. With a screen like that, you can sit back, relax, and watch your favorite shows during a low-impact workout.

The Commercial R35 isn’t an easy workout though—if you don’t want it to be. The 25-pound flywheel can produce 26 levels of resistance, so you can crank the challenge up if and when you want. And thanks to the silent magnetic resistance, it stays surprisingly quiet.

GGR product tester Caroline Lubinsky, CF-L1, tested out the R35, and rated the construction and durability a 4 out of 5. There wasn’t any play in the frame or structure of the bike while in use, even with the resistance up. She also liked the weight capacity of 350 pounds. “This is better than the industry standard of 300 pounds. Any features that make a piece of equipment more inclusive, I’m here for it.

With the nicer features of a touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, iFIT programming, and water bottle holders, the NordicTrack Commercial R35 is a more expensive recumbent bike, sitting at just under $1,500. However, with the added perks and the nice screen, this is a solid option.

Check out our NordicTrack Commercial R35 review for more information.

Best Compact Exercise Bike with Screen: MYX II Bike

Good for: Home gym owners who want an exercise bike that doesn’t take up a lot of space

Screens often add a bit of bulk to exercise bikes, and can even make moving them a bit of a pain. In the case of the MYX II Bike, that’s less of an issue because the bike is more compact than most other models, totaling 54 inches in length, 21 inches in width, and 47 inches in height.

For comparison’s sake, the NordicTrack Studio Cycle S22i is 63 inches in length, 22 inches in width, and 60 inches in height.

The screen is 21.5 inches and comes with plenty of tech features, including WiFi and Bluetooth compatibility, the ability to access live and on-demand MYX Fitness classes, access to metrics like total mileage and heart rate, and leaderboards for any classes you’re taking.

If you’re doing an off-bike workout, you’ll appreciate that the MYX II Bike comes with a swivel screen so you can easily follow whatever your instructor is telling you.

The MYX II Bike starts at $1,400, or $1,600 if you go for the MYX II Plus Bike, which is the same exercise bike but with dumbbells, resistance bands, and other extras. That’s a fairly decent price, but there’s one big thing to know before completing your purchase.

This bike uses friction resistance, which not only means you’ll have to do some routine maintenance, but your ride won’t be as smooth or quiet as a bike with magnetic resistance. Friction resistance works by having brake pads grind against the flywheel to create tension, and over time those pads will deteriorate and need replacing.

Check out our full MYX II Bike review for our unfiltered thoughts on this exercise bike.

Best Exercise Bike with Screen for Streaming Netflix: Bowflex VeloCore

Good for: Those who want to stream their favorite TV shows while doing home workouts

The Bowflex VeloCore is one of the only exercise bikes that allows you to watch Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBOMax or Amazon Prime Video without having to look up how to hack your smart bike’s monitor. The one downside is you need a JRNY subscription to access those streaming services, but you’ll need that anyway to take full advantage of this bike.

You can also access other fitness apps on the VeloCore, including Peloton Bike, and Zwift via the display, which comes in a 16- and 22-inch option.

Screen aside, the VeloCore is one of our favorite exercise bikes because of its innovative leaning mode, which gives you a full-body workout by replicating the feeling of having to move your body like you would on a regular bicycle. This feature can be turned off, but we honestly wouldn’t recommend it as it’s one of the most unique indoor cycling experiences out there.

RELATED: Benefits of Indoor Cycling

This bike starts at $1,799, and while that’s a lot of coin we think it’s worth it due to its great durability, extensive tech capabilities, and the fact that it has 100 micro-adjustable levels of resistance. In other words, this is a sturdy bike that we think you’ll enjoy every time you get on it.

We are disappointed that you only get a two-year warranty on the frame and parts, and the assembly instructions were unclear (none of our parts were labeled, and many other online reviewers struggled with putting this together).

At the end of the day, we found it worth the struggle. Find out why in our full Bowflex VeloCore Bike review.

Other Exercise Bikes with Screens We Tried and Researched

Here are a few bikes that didn’t make the cut but are still worthy of your consideration.

Sunny Health and Fitness Evo-Fit Stationary Upright Bike: We’re big fans of Sunny Health & Fitness, which specialize in making budget-friendly cardio and strength training equipment, but not many of their bikes come with Bluetooth connectivity…except this one. Every other bike only comes with an LCD screen and tablet holder. This bike has great reviews, has 24 electro-magnetic resistance levels, and sells for less than $500.

Schwinn 230 Recumbent Bike: This affordable, quality recumbent bike only has a basic LCD screen, which didn’t warrant a spot on this list compared to other recumbent bikes.

Peloton Bike: There’s nothing wrong with the original Peloton, but if you’re looking for the best cycling experience we think the Peloton Bike+ does a better job of delivering on that.

Echelon EX-8s Connect Bike: $2,300 for an exercise bike that only has a one-year warranty? Yeah, no thanks.

How We Picked and Tested the Best Exercise Bike with Screen

As we mentioned earlier, the Garage Gym Reviews team prides itself on having the most rigorous research and testing methodologies on the internet. When it came to deciding the best exercise bike with screen, that meant considering the following factors before making our final decisions.

Screen Capabilities

We first looked at what each screen could do—did they just display metrics, or could you stream live workouts or music on them? We also had to consider that screen capabilities differed across various bike models; for example, a recumbent bike’s screen will always be less technologically advanced compared to a studio cycle. That’s why we didn’t use the same criteria for the Schwinn 230 as we did the NordicTrack Studio Cycle S22i.

Screen Size and Resolution

Just as you would check the screen size and resolution on your living room TV, we wanted to make sure each exercise bike’s screen delivered a high-quality picture.

Screen Adjustment

All of our touchscreen recommendations can be adjusted in one way or another, with some being able to rotate a full 360 degrees. We wanted to include this because it allows the user to easily follow their instructors no matter where they are on or off the bike.

WiFi and Bluetooth

We’ll admit, sometimes setting up WiFi and Bluetooth on exercise equipment can be a bit of a pain, but it pays off when you’re able to sync with your headphones, fitness tracker, or fitness app to help make the most out of your equipment.

Resistance and Durability

Finally, we wanted to make sure that you could use the exercise bike for the exact reason you bought it…to exercise. That means finding bikes with good resistance levels that are built to last many years in your home gym.

Benefits of Having an Exercise Bike with Screen

If you’ve read this far and are still not sure if an exercise bike with screen is worth the investment, here are two reasons why we’d recommend one.

Motivation

Whether it’s a basic LCD screen or a touchscreen, a screen can help motivate you to reach your fitness goals. This can be in the form of displaying your total miles biked, or a virtual instructor calling you out by name in the middle of a workout.

Metrics

Tracking metrics can be important when chasing a goal because it shows that you’re putting the work in. For example, if your coach tells you to bike 10 miles in a certain time frame, you’ll want to be able to find out how long it took you to reach that distance.

It should be said that exercise equipment often over- or under-estimates certain metrics, especially calories burned, but having a general guideline is better than nothing.

How to Choose the Best Exercise Bike with Screen

Not sure which of our top picks is the best choice for you? Here are a few things to keep in mind before making your final decision.

Resistance

You’ll want to look at how many resistance levels there are, and if the maximum resistance can provide a challenge to you. Something with 16 resistance levels may not be the best fit for someone who typically mountain bikes for fun on weekends, whereas a bike with 100 micro-adjustable resistance levels may be a bit too much for a general trainee just trying to maintain cardiovascular fitness.

Durability

Exercise bikes are an investment, so you’ll want to make sure you get your money’s worth. That means finding a bike that won’t break after a few weeks of regular use. Try to find one with a heavy-duty steel frame that uses as little plastic as possible (there might be some on the water bottle holders and other parts).

Keep in mind that if you’re working with a smaller budget, your bike may not be as durable as someone who’s got a little more money to spend.

Screen Type

Do you need a touchscreen capable of streaming Netflix or are you just looking for something to keep track of your miles biked? That’s a personal choice at the end of the day.

Screen Size and Resolution

It should go without saying, but make sure you can clearly see the screen and everything it displays.

Screen Adjustability

If you’re planning to do off-bike workouts, make sure you can at least swivel the screen so you can have the best view of it at all times. Ideally, you’d want a fully rotating screen but that may not be possible on some budget bikes.

Classes

Exercise bikes with touchscreens will typically give you access to live and on-demand classes. We’ve written reviews for the iFIT and Peloton apps so you can find which one best meets your needs and goals.

Price

You’ll want to make sure the exercise bike meets your budget, but keep in mind many manufacturers offer financing plans to split the cost of a bike into monthly payments.

LCD Screen vs Touchscreen

An LCD screen is a flat panel display that will only show basic information, such as calories burned, total miles biked, heart rate, and speed. On an exercise bike, you can toggle between different menus on the screen using buttons found near the display.

A touchscreen will resemble an iPad or smartphone, and as its name suggests can be used via touch. Touchscreens on exercise bikes will not only show your overall metrics, but can also be used to stream workout classes, streaming services (only on certain models), and other features that vary by company.

Swivel Screen vs Rotating Screen

A swivel screen is a type of screen that can be adjusted on a pivot, but it can’t fully rotate. It usually stops somewhere around 90 degrees or so, whereas a rotating screen can be turned a full 360 degrees to face whatever direction the user wants it to.

Best Exercise Bike with Screen FAQs