“Budget-friendly” is a relative term here, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive air bike, your best choice is the Assault AirBike. This used to be the official CrossFit Games air bike but was replaced by the more expensive Rogue Echo Bike.

Our previous pick for the best air bike for those on a budget was the Titan Fan Bike, but Assault Fitness recently dropped the price on this classic air bike, so we’re recommending this one now. As former GGR fitness writer and CrossFit enthusiast Amanda Capritto explains, the Assault AirBike is one of the most bomb-proof exercise bikes on the market.

“If it can last many years being used by hundreds of people in a CrossFit box, it will last you a lifetime in your home gym,” Amanda notes, giving the durability a 5 out of 5. “Most CrossFit boxes with assault bikes don’t take care of them as they should, they endure extremely high volume use, and those last for what seems like forever.”

One thing we’ll point out is the chain-drive system is noisier than the belt drive you find on the Rogue Echo Bike, and it requires some regular cleaning. A chain drive is one way Assault Fitness is able to bring this bike’s cost down since belt drives are more expensive to produce.

It’s also not as adjustable as some other bikes, earning 3.5 out of 5 for adjustability and ergonomics.

“It’s adjustable enough to get comfortable for a long ride, but not as adjustable as some other stationary bikes out there,” explains Amanda. “The seat post adjusts up and down with six height options, and the seat moves forward and backward. It still might be a struggle for super short or super tall people.”

RELATED: Rogue Echo Bike vs. Assault AirBike

The bike is relatively lightweight at under 100 pounds, though it still feels sturdy even when you’re going super fast during your workout. It doesn’t come with a wind guard, but our testers liked the feeling of the wind whooshing back at them. If that’s a deal-breaker, then we recommend the Titan.

Read our full AssaultBike review for more thoughts.

Coming in at 20 inches in width and less than 5 feet long, the Echelon Connect EX-5 can fit in any studio apartment or crowded home gym while still providing many of the same benefits as larger cardio machines. This compact exercise bike has 32 levels of magnetic resistance, dual-sided pedals that can be used with shoes or cycling cleats, and a price tag that falls under $1,000.

Certified personal trainer and GGR Everything lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele, CPT, says she doesn’t feel unstable while riding the EX-5. “The floor stabilizers are a key aspect when it comes to this bike’s smoothness,” she says in our Echelon EX-5 Bike review. That, combined with a 300-pound user weight capacity, earns it a 5 out of 5 on durability, meaning this cost-friendly bike will last many years.

One downside is this bike doesn’t come with a touchscreen, but the media stand can support devices up to 12.5 inches. On the bright side, the stand swivels so you can follow any off-bike workouts. We bumped the tech capabilities score to a 3.5 out of 5.

The Echelon Fit premier membership, which is Echelon’s answer to the Peloton app, has more than 40 live classes a day. Lindsay rated the programming a 4 out of 5. “My instructor, Michael, was upbeat and engaging throughout,” she says.

The YOSUDA Indoor Cycling Bike has just about everything you need in an exercise bike: a heavy 35-pound flywheel (only 3 pounds less than the high-end Peloton bike), a belt drive for a smooth and quiet ride, micro-adjustments to customize the workout experience to your fitness goals, adjustable handlebars, and caged toe pedals. 

You’ll also get a bike that’s lightweight and compact and stays secure during the most intense rides (ours had minimal wobbling when we put it to the test). That’s a lot for a bike that sells for around $300, but that price point means it’s not what most would consider “high-quality.” 

For one, the YOSUDA bike is not made with the most durable materials and earns a 2.5 out of 5 for durability.

“Very quiet and heavy-duty, but I have concerns about its durability,” says our tester. “A couple of pieces are already breaking off and many reviews claim this is a common experience.”

Ours had a small tear in the seat cover after barely any use, and our LCD screen never felt secure no matter how hard we tried to tighten it. Other reviewers have complained about parts, such as the pedals falling off during use. 

You also won’t be getting any built-in dynamic programming, but that’s to be expected for a bike at this price tag. On the plus side, the adjustability earns 3.5 out of 5, and our tester noted that it’s easily adjustable to fit users of all heights.

If you’re simply looking to put some pedal to the metal and get your heart rate pumping while on a budget, then we still recommend this bike. The workout experience was smooth and quiet—surprisingly so for a bike that utilizes friction resistance. If taken care of, it should last you at least a few years.  

It’s also a great choice for beginners who want to get used to the feeling of a cycling bike before spending cycling bike money. 

For more, read our full YOSUDA bike review. 

While doing research for this piece, we found a lot of praise for the Marcy Foldable Exercise Bike, and it didn’t take us long to find out why. This thing feels incredibly durable and smooth compared to most other folding exercise bikes, which can feel a little wobbly and insecure during heavy use. 

In fact, our tester gave this bike a strong 5 out of 5 for durability, and even said, “It’s become the bike I use in my warmups and cool-downs.”

Budget-friendly home gym equipment typically isn’t made from the most heavy-duty material since…well, those things cost money. Manufacturers use cheaper materials to offer you a cheaper product. 

Yet, even at just a little more than $150, the Marcy Bike’s steel frame felt wider and heavier than other bikes at a similar price point. And it still somehow only weighs 50 pounds, making it easy for healthy individuals to move whenever they need to do so. 

For footprint and portability, Marcy earns 4 out of 5. It’s lightweight, but we docked a point due to the fact that there are no transport wheels.

If you’re someone who considers themselves a hardcore cyclist, you might want to look elsewhere, though. We tried the Marcy bike at its highest resistance and it simply couldn’t provide that much of a challenge to us. The good news is that it still felt sturdy no matter how hard we pedaled. 

And if you’re new to the world of indoor exercise bikes, you should know that a foldable option means you’ll most likely be giving up any and all tech features. You’ll get a basic LCD display that shows your time, speed, distance, calories burned, and total distance, as well as a water bottle holder, but that’s it. 

You can learn more about this bike by reading our full Marcy foldable exercise bike review.

Recumbent bikes are often much bulkier and, therefore, more expensive than upright exercise bikes. That’s because the pedals need to be in front of the user to reduce the impact on their joints, and manufacturers usually do this by building a fixed piece of equipment that can’t be stowed away easily. 

The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RB117, however, combines all the best parts of a recumbent bike and a folding bike into one compact and budget exercise bike. For less than $300, you’re getting something that offers eight levels of magnetic resistance and is lightweight and portable. 

RELATED: Sunny Health and Fitness Exercise Bike Reviews

Sunny Health & Fitness isn’t the first company to do this, and some foldable bikes even allow you to pick between upright and recumbent. But we’re big fans of the company’s quality, and find that they outperform bikes offered at similar or even lower prices. 

While this might sound nitpicky, we would like to see this bike offered in different colors. Right now it’s only available in pink, and while that’s not a problem for us, it’s a very polarizing color to some people. 

RELATED: Best Exercise Equipment for Bad Knees

Alright, so it’s not technically a bike, but it does have two pedals and adjustable resistance. But honestly, that’s not giving the DeskCycle enough credit. 

Not only is it lightweight and incredibly compact (it’s only 10 inches in height), the DeskCycle also uses magnetic resistance so you can pedal on a work call or while you watch TV and not hear a sound. It’s been used by teachers, office workers, and even some professional video game players to help increase the number of calories they burn throughout the day. 

The construction is very impressive, earning 5 out of 5 stars for both durability and stability.

Best of all, you can leave it under the desk when it’s not in use so it’s not taking up any space in your office or apartment. Now that’s what we call compact exercise equipment.

And while it looks easy, the lack of a proper bike seat or handlebars means you’ll have to do some extra work to keep yourself balanced. We’re not saying you’ll be going through the Tour de France, but you may have to focus a little as you pick up the resistance.  

One of the biggest drawbacks of the DeskCycle is the lack of adjustable height. If your chair, or whatever you’re sitting on, doesn’t allow your feet to comfortably reach the pedals, using this might be a little difficult. To that end, you should measure the space in which you’d use this to make sure you’re good to go. 

Another callout is that, despite its small size, Nicole Davis, CPT, PN1-NC, only gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars for footprint and portability.

“It weighs 23 pounds, so it’s not super heavy. However, there is no handle or any easy way to pick it up and carry it around,” Nicole says. “It ends up being a bit awkward.”

Our DesckCycle review has more thoughts on this compact cardio machine.

For those who want a slightly nicer budget exercise bike, but still aren’t looking to break the bank, please allow us to introduce the Sunny Health and Fitness Synergy Magnetic Classic bike, our pick for the best exercise bike under $500. The main reason this bike is more expensive than the others on this list is because it uses magnetic resistance. 

That means you don’t have pads hitting the flywheel, which eliminates the whooshing sound you get on friction bikes, and you won’t have to fix those pads in the future when they inevitably wear down. 

Plus, our expert product testers found it surprisingly stable, giving it a perfect 5 out of 5 for stability. “It’s super sturdy, even when you’re riding out of the saddle. And since it doesn’t have a large touchscreen, that makes it less shaky,” one tester noted.

If that wasn’t enough, the bike also comes with a four-way adjustable seat, dumbbell holders, a media stand, floor stabilizers, and a water bottle holder. Those are features we’ve seen omitted on exercise bikes twice (and sometimes thrice) the cost of this one, so you’re getting an incredible value. 

There are two versions of this bike: Classic and Pro. The Classic comes with a slightly lighter flywheel (30 pounds, compared to the Pro’s 40 pounds), meaning your rides won’t be quite as smooth. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, especially since the bike has a wide range of micro-adjustable resistance levels that should challenge most home gym owners. 

There have been some reviews stating the bike has arrived chipped or damaged, which is probably because it’s made with a lot of plastic to bring the price down and the reason it only earns 3 out of 5 stars for durability. Try to notice any such damage as soon as possible, as the bike only comes with a 6-month warranty on parts. 

The ProForm Studio Bike Pro offers a Peloton-like experience without paying Peloton prices. Like the Peloton, it has a swiveling touchscreen so you can follow off-bike workouts. On top of that, we think the bike itself is better than Peloton’s—there are fewer maintenance issues, 22 levels of whisper-quiet magnetic resistance, and it comes with adjustable toe cages that don’t require special cycling cleats (unlike the Peloton).

One of the big differences is that ProForm uses iFIT programming, which may not be as popular as Peloton, but our testers have rated it a 4.5 out of 5. “I do think that iFIT has emerged as a true Peloton competitor,” says Kate Meier, a certified personal trainer and GGR’s Senior Director of Content.

ProForm, along with NordicTrack, is owned by iFIT, which means you’re limited to their workouts, but there are thousands to choose from. The monthly subscription costs $39 for a family plan, compared to $44 per month for Peloton’s programming.

Let’s talk about the bike itself. Certified personal trainer and GGR Head of Content Nicole Davis says it’s very quiet and likely won’t disturb any roommates while in use. However, she noted that it was a bit wobbly while in use. The weight limit is 250 pounds, which is under the industry standard of 300 pounds, so we’re rating the durability a 2.75 out of 5.

That said, certified personal trainer and GGR Performance Editor Anthony O’Reilly, who weighs around 230 pounds, said it felt steady while he used it.

“It’s fine for an entry-level studio bike,” Nicole says, an assessment Anthony agrees with.

Read our ProForm Studio Bike Pro review for more thoughts on this cost-friendly bike.