Best Upright Exercise Bikes in UK for Cardio Workout
With the arrival of the Peloton, exercise bikes are in high demand. The craze has set many people on a hunt for the best upright exercise bikes. But why are they so popular? People love exercise bikes for several reasons. They allow the user to stay consistent with their workout regime regardless of the weather. Having one at home means that you don’t have to make the trek to the gym, which saves time. Compared to other forms of cardio, like running, cycling is better for your joints. It is slightly less than a low-impact exercise than with a recumbent exercise bike, but also working out with an upright indoor cycle, weight-bearing joints like ankles, knees, and hips are less impacted. The movement even lubricates joints, which helps improve your range of motion.
All upright bikes include an adjustable knob for magnetic resistance, or a set of buttons on the display that allow you to adjust electromagnetic resistance. We recommend electromagnetic, as it typically means that the bike has built-in programs for fat burning, uphill or downhill programs, plus heart rate and watt monitoring. By adjusting the resistance and tension, you can adjust the ride from easy to hard. When you increase the tension, you’re giving yourself a lower body strength and cardio workout. The tension helps engage glutes, hips, legs, and even the lower abs. The cardio factor of the workout helps improve heart health and lung function. Your overall endurance will increase with consistent use. So, what is the best upright exercise bike? Here’s an expert look at the top ten options.
Best Upright Exercise Bikes in the United Kingdom
Sportstech ESX500 Upright Exercise Bike
Made with German quality, the Sportstech ESX500 exercise bike provides optimum power transmission and durability. The bike is low maintenance due to its build and comes on wheels for easy transportation and storage. It’s perfect for home training with a magnetic brake system and 16 resistance levels that are all computer controlled.
This bike provides built in motivation with video events, coaching, and multiplayer mode. It uses Kinomap to give you the best training experience. Additionally, it’s multimedia console is app-compatible and is designed with a tablet holder for practical use. The display is a portal into the 12 pre-installed training programs. The programs include manual mode, watt training, and 4x HRC function to be used with heart rate based workouts. These programs focus on increasing endurance and coordination.
The Sportstech ESX500 includes a pulse belt for heart monitoring. If you don’t want to wear the heart rate belt, you can simply use the handlebars which also have an integrated heart rate monitor. The multifunction display is 5.5”, app compatible, and allows you to select from 4 different user profiles. The display includes a USB connection.
The bike itself is approximately 30 KG with a maximum user weight of 120 KG. It features non-slip pedals which can be adjusted with the attached belt straps. Adjust the handlebars and saddle to fit each individual.
Conclusion: The SportTech ES500 offers a customizable experience. With 12 pre-installed training programs and 4-user interface, it will suit more than one user. With an adjustable saddle, handlebars, and pedals it is made to fit the user. At £349, it’s worth the investment for the quality and design.
Pros: Multiple training programs and users, quiet belt drive, heart rate monitor strap and handles, wheels for easy storage
Cons: Can be hard to put together, comes with a German socket plug (not British)
JLL JF600 PRO Upright Exercise Bike
The JLL JF600 PRO comes in at number two on our list of best upright workout bikes. Made out of alloy steel, it is a stylish black and silver. With this bike, you can keep track of calories burned, heart rate, speed, time, and distance. Adjustable electronic magnetic resistance allows many resistance increments, which allows you to improve at your own pace.
This bike offers 12 workout programs and allows up to four users, so it is ideal for multiple cyclists. The LCD screen is blue-light lit, to allow easy reading no matter your lighting. It’s compatible with the iConsole+ app. The built in tablet holder allows you to multitask while you cycle.
The JF600 has heart rate sensor plates on the handlebars – designed to be easy to reach so that you can check your heart rate throughout your workout. The monitor offers 7 functions: time, speed, distance, heart rate, calorie burn, and odometer. These metrics allow you to track your workout and adjust your intensity to reach your goals.
It’s belt driven, meaning that it is much quieter than a chain driven bicycle. This also means there’s less maintenance to be done. The seat height and foot straps are adjustable to customize riding position. It’s designed with small spaces in mind. The end caps of the bike double as wheels, so you can easily move it from room to room.
Conclusion: Users report that the JLL JF 600 PRO is easy to assemble. It is very quiet and offers a smooth ride. The heart rate monitor and multiple program options help users reach their fitness goals. The display is clear and easy to read. Its sturdy design makes it ideal for a multi-user home.
Pros: Includes a 12-month warranty, app connectivity, easy assembly, reportedly sturdy, quiet
Cons: Power input is hard to find at first, heart rate sensor in handles only (no belt)
Bluefin Fitness Tour 5.0 Upright Bike
Our next contender for the best upright exercise bike in the UK is the Bluefin Fitness Tour 5.0. The bike is made of aluminum and plastic and arrives partially assembled. It can hold a user up to 120kg and has a maximum seat height of 50cm.
The bike has 12 automatic programs and 24 manual resistance options which allow you to simulate cross-country rides. You can adjust incline and decline resistance for a realistic experience. Rear flywheel, magnetic braking, and silent drive system create a fluid movement for the user.
This upright bike is compatible with Kinomap – a fitness app which features thousands of training videos. By joining the Kinomap community, you get access to coaching, training, classes, and structured workouts. Connect to the app from your phone, tablet, or LCD display. You can even connect the bike to your app or tablet by using bluetooth, allowing you to analyse your workout and achieve fitness goals.
The LCD display system allows the user to measure distance, time, heart rate, and calories burned. The display is multifunctional and backlit. As you’re cycling, the 12kg flywheel, silent drive system, and magnetic braking facility assure you can easily stop at any time.
Conclusion: The Bluefin Fitness Tour 5.0 allows users to connect to thousands of training materials via Kinomap. The LCD, backlit display offers access to key information to ensure they reach their fitness goals. Anti-slip pedals and a tablet shelf create a comfortable user experience.
Pros: Compatible with Kinomap, excellent display, silent drive system, magnetic braking
Cons: Does not include heart rate belt, can be hard to connect to Bluetooth
Viavito Unisex’s Satori Upright Bike
This bike is designed for comfort while still giving an effective workout. It has a sleek black design with red accents, giving it a stylish look. With a 9kg flywheel and a belt drive system, it’s whisper quiet. It includes 32 levels of electronic magnetic resistance, which means there’s a variety of adjustment options for users of all fitness levels.
The bike has a large, padded seat and adjustable handlebars for maximum comfort. The balanced pedals with adjustable straps offer a custom fit. Heart rate sensors are found in the handles, for easy tracking.
The Viavito Unisex Satori Exercise Bike has scaleable programs. There are 12 pre-set, 1 manual, 4 HRC, 1 user-defined, and 1 watt. Plus, it includes body fat and recovery modes. It allows for 4 users, so it’s great for a multi-cyclist household. Each user includes height, weight, gender, and age.
The console is 137mm by 67mm and is dual coloured. The console displays feedback on time, speed, RPM and distance. Calorie, pulse, and watt reporting helps the user track progress and max-out workouts. It includes a metric and imperial switch for MPH and KPH.
Conclusion: At £344.99, the bike is priced fairly compared to the competition. It’s a worthy investment into your health. The user profiles allow for increased accuracy of training data. The large, padded seat and adjustable seat, handles, and pedals offer comfort, while the black and red design is a sleek addition to your home gym.
Pros: 2-year warranty, comfort details, whisper-quiet, 4 user settings, 20 programs
Cons: Must buy heart rate belt separately, small display
Circuit Fitness 594 Upright Bike For Home
This black and light grey bike is made primarily from plastic. The seat height is a minimum 28in, up to 38in. With adjustable seat height and forward seat adjust, this bike allows easy customized fit for multiple cyclists.
The display on the Circuit Fitness 594 Upright Bike has a lot to offer. Time, speed, distance, RPM, calories, and pulse are all tracked and displayed so you can adjust your workout to meet your goals. Additionally, the bike boasts several programs – manual, beginner, advance, sporty, cardio, and watts.
This bike includes a level adjuster so that it can adapt to any surface and offer a stable ride. The front of the bike includes transport wheels, so it’s ideal for smaller living spaces. A water bottle holder sits below the display for easy access.
Above the display, you find a retractable media holder so you can multitask while you workout. Heart rate sensors are found in the handles, next to the display. The bike also offers auxiliary and USB input.
Conclusion: The Circuit Fitness 594 is £399 – a touch more expensive than other comparable bikes. It includes lots of accessories, including water bottle holder, media holder, and aux/USB input. Though the programs and users are limited, some may prefer the simplicity of the bike.
Pros: Easy-to-adjust height, easy to assemble, lots of comfort features
Cons: Limited workout programs, single-user, plastic base material
Athlyt Premium Home Upright Bike
The Athlyt Premium Exercise Bike is made of steel and plastic and is a classic grey. It has a 6kg flywheel which allows smooth pedaling. The magnetic resistance system helps users easily dial their workout up or down.
Warm up easily with automatic resistance level changes. The bike has 12 program speeds, ideal for full workouts. The hand-grip heart rate sensor helps users track their workouts and calorie burn. The bike also includes tablet and phone tray, plus a convenient water bottle holder.
Adjust the Athlyt bike to your needs with the adjustable seat and handlebar. This means it can fit riders of various sizes and fitness levels. It includes wheels for effortless storage and transport around the home.
Users report that the screen is large and easy to use. The bike offers 12 program speeds for various fitness levels and goals.
Conclusion: This exercise bike is on the more basic side. It offers a fair amount of programs and a magnetic resistance system that allows users to adjust resistance via a knob. It’s not particularly stylish, but will fit in well in any home gym.
Pros: Easily adjustable to different sizes, includes heart rate monitor, tablet and phone holders
Cons: Loud, simple display, magnetic resistance
XS Sports B510 Magnetic Upright Bike
This bike was designed with strength and durability in mind. It is meant to last a lifetime. Each bike must pass stringent quality testing before being sold. They are CE certified, which means they are a reliable option for seniors. The maker believes in putting safety first, and this low impact bike is great for cyclists of all levels.
The B510 features a 5kg flywheel and adjustable magnetic resistance, so the user can choose the intensity of their workout. The frame is made of solid steel and is coated in chip-resistant paint, so it will maintain its attractive appearance.
The LCD display showcases speed, distance, pulse, calories, burned, and duration of the workout in real time. Inbuilt sensors in the handles monitor your heart rate. A phone and tablet holder sits below the screen for convenience.
This bike prioritizes comfort. The seat is deeply padded and can be adjusted up, down, forward, and backward. Feet stay safely in place with adjustable pedal straps. The handlebars can be adjusted to fit the cyclist, giving the user a totally customized fit.
Conclusion: The B510 boasts comfort and durability over all else. You will not find this level of comfort, support, strength, and design in another bike. However, you will sacrifice other features, like programs, to get this price point.
Pros: Comfortable seat, safe for all users, durable
Cons: Lacks programs, basic features, difficult assembly
Marcy Home Upright Exercise Bike
The Marcy exercise bike has a premium steel frame, which has been reinforced with powder-coated finish for long-lasting strength. It is designed to resist scratches and chips, as well as avoid environmental damage. This bike is made to last.
The bike is structured to facilitate correct form. Manual magnetic resistance allows users to choose resistance level via a knob, which mimics different terrains. There are 8 preset levels to choose from. The adjustable seat is controlled by a quick release knob lock for fast adjustments.
The LCD screen helps users monitor distance, speed, time elapsed, and calories burned. It’s designed to be easy to read, so you’re never too distracted from your workout. The bike’s comfortable handles are padded and contoured for easy gripping and support.
Users advise that this bike is easy to assemble. The design itself is basic, which will fit into any home gym. It is black, grey and silver.
Conclusion: This bike is a great option if you are looking for a simple upright exercise bike. What it lacks in programs, it makes up for in useability. The bike is easily adjustable for each user. The display is easy to understand at a glance.
Pros: Simple, user-friendly, adjustable resistance
Cons: No workout programs, no heart rate monitor, magnetic resistance
JLL JF100 Home Upright Exercise Bike
The JF100 is belt driven, so it’s quiet and low maintenance. Belt driven bikes are durable and long lasting. This bike promises a smooth ride, as the rubber of the belt is high quality.
10 levels of magnetic resistance give cyclists plenty of resistance options to choose from. The bike features a 4kg flywheel and a detachable 3 piece crank system on the pedals. The bike is ROHS CE GS compliant.
The JF100 has an LCD monitor that showcases time, speed, distance, odometer, pulse, and calories. The heart rate monitors are built into the handles, for easy access and tracking. The bike itself is silver and black, with a simple design.
Adjust the bike to your needs – the seat has 7 different height levels. The handlebars can rotate 360 degrees. The endcaps of the bike include wheels, so it’s easily transportable and ideal for small spaces, even though it’s not a folding exercise bike.
Conclusion: Made from alloy steel, the JLL JF100 is made to last. It’s quiet, offers 10 resistance levels, and heart rate monitoring. The display is easy to read and the overall design is simple. The only thing this bike is lacking is programs, but it is a great, classic option.
Pros: Quiet, plenty of resistance options, adjustable
Cons: No workout programs, magnetic resistance
Yo-Yo Desk Bike For Home Workout
There are several health risks associated with sitting for the majority of your day. With the Yo-Yo Desk Bike, you can burn calories and stay active, even while working. By exercising while you work, you are bettering both your health and productivity.
Easily move the bike from room to room on four durable caster wheels which offer 360-degree rotation. The desktop moves forwards, backwards, up, and down for full customization. Ergonomic comfort is built in.
Silent Motion technology allows users to pedal quietly, so as not to disturb their work. There are 8 levels of magnetic tension and resistance, so you’re always in control of your workout. The bike seat is adjustable from 75cm to 95cm and desktop size is 51cm by 58cm, so you’ll have plenty of space to work.
The Yo-Yo Desk Bike tracks distance, RPM, calories, and time. It offers a sleek, white design that looks modern. It won the ‘How to Lose Weight Well ‘ calorie burn TV experiment on Channel 4.
Conclusion: This bike is a specialty option. If you work from home, it is a great bike that will keep you active all day. If you’re looking for a hard workout, this bike is not for you.
Pros: Unique, burn calories all day, avoid health implications of sitting
Cons: Not meant for full workouts, no programs, no heart rate sensor
Buyer’s Guide to the Best Upright Bikes In England
Magnetic Resistance vs Electromagnetic Resistance
Magnetic resistance is knob adjustable, whereas electromagnetic resistance is controlled via controls on the monitor of the bike. We recommend electromagnetic as it is often accompanied by built-in programs to increase the user experience with a more realistic ride.
Heart Rate Readers
Heart rate readers determine accurate calorie burn and help determine the metrics of your workout. It’s used to assess your workout and fitness levels, as well as track progress and improvement. Heart rate can be measured using handles or wireless HRM straps.
Built-In Programming
Programs create a more fun, interactive, and realistic experience for cyclists. They help challenge the user and build a strong, varied workout regime.
Adjustability
Exercise bikes should include several adjustable features. The seat, handles, back, and neck rest should be adjustable up, down, forward, and backward for customizable comfort. Pedals should include an adjustable strap.
Display
Displays that are LCD and blue-backlit are newer and higher quality. An easy to read and navigate display will make all the difference in user experience.
Accessories
Little things like water bottle holders, tablet shelves, phone holders, bluetooth and USB access are important details. These small details can make all the difference in daily use.
The Final Verdict
Upright exercise bikes can provide challenging cardio and lower-body strength workout. With various resistance levels, users can choose if they want a steady-state cardio workout or a HIIT workout. They can choose if they’d like to turn up the resistance for a legs strength challenge, or dial it down and focus on speed. The best upright exercise bikes include electromagnetic resistance, a heart rate sensor, an easily readable display, multiple programs, and a quiet ride. In order to get all of these qualities, you’ll likely spend £350 – £399. The Sportstech ESX500 is one of the best stationary bikes in the UK, will cover all of your needs, and is a worthy investment in your long term health.