An exercise bike is a fantastic way to enjoy an indoor cardio workout, and for home gym owners, bikes are typically much smaller than rowers, treadmills, or ellipticals. While some of the most popular options in the fitness bike market include expensive products, like the Peloton Bike or NordicTrack bikes, there are plenty of great budget exercise bikes at your disposal.
If you live in a climate with challenging weather conditions and can’t bike outdoors, an exercise bike is a great alternative. Research shows that regular indoor cycling may improve aerobic capacity, blood pressure, lipid profile, and body composition1.
In this Yosuda YB001R bike review, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of the better options from Yosuda, a company known for making affordable cardio equipment for home gym owners. We’ve thoroughly tested this bike, and while I don’t want to spoil this review, I can say that we were very impressed.
I’ll share the pros, cons, exactly what our tester thought, and help you decide if this affordable, durable exercise bike is worth adding to your home gym.
Tested by a Stationary Bike Expert
The GGR review team has plenty of experience testing the best cardio equipment, and we’ve tested dozens of exercise bikes. Our team includes certified personal trainers, certified nutrition coaches, gym owners, fitness enthusiasts, and even an Olympian, so we understand how to use and test fitness equipment.
For this review, our tester was Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, the lead reviewer for our GGR Everything YouTube channel. Lindsay has used and tested most of the fitness bikes on the market, and knows what the most important features are.
After testing this bike extensively for an in-depth video review, she rated the bike using our testing methodology, which assigns a score to the most important categories, like:
- Footprint and portability
- Durability and construction
- Ergonomics
- Technology capabilities
- Value
A Quick Look at the Yosuda YB001R Bike
Yosuda specializes in budget-friendly home exercise equipment, offering spin bikes, the Yosuda Pro recumbent bike, ellipticals, rowing machines, and accessories. The Yosuda YB001R Magnetic Exercise Bike is a budget-friendly option that’s surprisingly high-quality, especially for the price.
The YB001R uses magnetic resistance, which results in smooth, quiet resistance, unlike brake pads, which are often a bit noisier. In addition to the smooth ride, magnetic resistance bikes typically require less maintenance, and you don’t have to worry about friction between the flywheel and any brakes.
While the bike has some plastic parts, most of the structural components are made of durable steel, and the seat is very comfortable. The built-in screen is very minimal, and there are no programs or preset workouts to follow, but if you’re looking for a comfortable, durable bike without all the bells and whistles, this is a great choice.
Before You Buy
- The YB001R is a comfortable and durable bike, but taller individuals may have a hard time using it.
- While there’s no built-in programming and the screen is very basic, there’s a device holder for your phone or tablet.
- The bike has plastic components, but most of the frame is steel, and it feels very durable.
Yosuda YB001R Bike Review Video Review
Is the Yosuda YB001R Bike Worth It?
This bike is very affordable and built to last, but it’s not a must-have for everyone. Here’s who should and shouldn’t consider buying this Yosuda indoor cycling bike.
Great for:
- Anyone shopping on a budget
- Those looking for a quiet, durable indoor bike
- People who want a comfortable, padded seat
Not recommended for:
- Taller individuals
- Those who want built-in programming
- Anyone who wants to simulate the feel of a road bike
Yosuda YB001R Bike Specs
| Footprint | 45.3” L x 21.9” W x 49.2” H |
| Weight | 68 lbs |
| Weight capacity | 330 lbs |
| Display | LCD monitor |
| Resistance | Seamless magnetic resistance |
| Flywheel | 35 lbs |
| Subscription required? | No |
| Warranty | 3-year frame, 1-year parts warranty |
Experience Using the Yosuda YB001R Bike
For this review, Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, tried this bike for a variety of workouts, primarily using it for longer, zone-2 cardio rides. Overall, she was very impressed with the quality, particularly the smooth resistance.
With a magnetic flywheel, the resistance is typically quieter and smoother than friction-based resistance, and Lindsay found this to be true with the YB001R. She said, “When I rode on this bike, the first thing I noticed was just how smooth and durable it is, and how quiet it is.”
The screen is very basic and doesn’t include any sort of built-in programming. However, the bike has a device holder, so you’re able to use your phone or tablet, but you’ll have to flip the main screen out of the way to do so. This means that if you’re watching Netflix on your phone, you’ll have a hard time seeing your current workout stats.
RELATED: Best Exercise Bike with a Screen
However, if you don’t need built-in programming and simply want a comfortable, durable, quiet ride to knock out your longer cardio sessions, this is a great choice. Lindsay found this bike to be extremely comfortable, and even commented that if she had this at home, she’d wheel it outside on nice days to get her cardio done on the porch.
Footprint and Portability
With a weight of only 68 pounds, this bike is very light and easy to move, earning 5 out of 5 stars for footprint and portability. The front has built-in transport wheels, so it’s easy to tilt and roll the bike around.
Lindsay said, “The bike doesn’t have any handlebars on the back, but I don’t think you need them. You can grab the back of the bike and move it very easily.”
If you need a lightweight bike that’s easy to move around your house between uses, this is an excellent option. It’s not quite as small as something like a mini-bike, but it’s still enough to fit in most rooms, and light enough to put away after you’re done with it.
Durability and Construction
When it comes to the durability and construction of the YB001R, we were very impressed and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. It’s not perfect, but for the price, you’re going to have a hard time finding something with better construction.
While there are some plastic components, the frame is made of durable steel, and none of the load-bearing components are plastic. It also has a 330-pound weight capacity, which meets the industry standards for an exercise bike.
Given that the bike only weighs 68 pounds, this is very impressive, and Lindsay is confident that this bike will last for a long time with proper care.
The bike uses a 35-pound flywheel, which Lindsay pointed out is very impressive for a budget-friendly bike, as these lower-cost options often use lighter flywheels, resulting in less resistance.
We also like that the bike uses caged pedals. While some cyclists may prefer clip-in pedals, casual users who may not want to buy a separate pair of shoes just for cycling should enjoy the flexibility provided by these pedals.
Ergonomics
This bike does a mostly great job with the ergonomics, and earns 4 out of 5 for this category.
We’ll start with the padded seat, which is one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a bike. While many indoor bikes can be a little painful to sit on for extended periods of time, this wasn’t the case with the YB001R.
Lindsay said, “This is the most comfortable bike seat I’ve ever used. I did two 45-minute zone 2 sessions, and at no point was my butt screaming at me to get off the bike.”
Seat comfort won’t be an issue, but sizing might be for taller users. The adjustable seat can be moved up or down, or front to back, but it may still feel a little cramped. The adjustable handlebar can also be moved up and down, so this has the same adjustments you’d expect to see on a typical spin bike.
However, Lindsay said that even though the bike claims it can fit inseams ranging from 25-35 inches, she felt it was a little small for her 5’4” frame, saying, “Even when I had the seat scooted all the way back, I wished there was room to move it back even further.”
The seat height is fine, but it can feel a little close to the handlebars.
That said, many of the customer reviews are from users who are around six feet tall, and they don’t report any issues, but this is worth calling out for any taller individuals who may prefer a larger bike. The adjustability seems like it should fit most users, but if you’re tall or have particularly long legs, this may not be a great fit.
It’s also worth noting that Yosuda uses a knob for resistance adjustment. Rather than clicking up and down between preset resistance levels, you can turn the knob to dial in the resistance to your needs. The adjustable resistance is a great feature, allowing you to quickly increase the challenge on the fly for an intense workout.
RELATED: How to Choose an Exercise Bike
Technology Benefits and Conveniences
For technology benefits, this bike is pretty minimal, but that may be exactly what some are looking for. We give this 3 out of 5 for technology benefits and conveniences.
“The screen is kind of lackluster,” says Lindsay. “You can’t expect some intense touchscreen with fancy programming at this price point, and this is pretty basic.”
There’s also no programming or advanced stat tracking with this bike, only a very basic LCD display that displays your metrics in real-time, including time, speed, distance, odometer, and calories. There’s no Bluetooth integration or heart rate monitor, but it does have a device holder and bottle holder to help you stay hydrated.
However, this minimalist design means the screen doesn’t require much power and is battery-operated. You can use the bike anywhere, without having to worry about finding the closest outlet. This isn’t common with indoor stationary cycling bikes, and it’s a great feature for those who value portability.
If streaming options are important to you, you may want to consider one of the best exercise bikes with virtual courses instead.
For those who prefer streaming classes but don’t want to spend more on a high-end bike, the YB001R includes a built-in device holder for your phone or iPad. However, Lindsay found that to hold your device properly, you have to rotate the built-in screen out of the way, which means you can’t really see it.
This isn’t a huge deal for those who are mainly doing longer bike rides at the same intensity level, but if you’re doing interval training and need to see the screen, you probably won’t be able to have your phone displayed at the same time.
Yosuda YB001R Bike vs Sunny Health and Fitness Indoor Cycle Bike SF-B1002
This is a a budget-friendly exercise bike that provides a good amount of bang for not too much buck.
While the YB001R is an excellent bike for those on a budget, it’s not the only option. Let’s compare it to the Sunny Health and Fitness Indoor Cycle Bike SF-B1002, our pick for the best budget bike in our guide to the best exercise bikes for home workouts.
Both bikes are certainly more affordable than most options on the market, and they’re quite different when you look at the details. While the Yosuda bike is light, portable, and uses magnetic resistance, the Sunny Health and Fitness bike is slightly larger and heavier, and uses friction resistance.
Even though a magnetic resistance system is typically smoother and quieter, some prefer friction resistance, as it can feel more like riding an actual bicycle outside.
Resistance aside, the Yosuda is lighter, making it easier to move around, and has a higher user weight capacity.
Overall, we recommend the Yosuda YB001R for most users, though if you’re not a fan of magnetic resistance, the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-B1002 is a great choice.
To read more, check out our Sunny Health and Fitness Exercise Bike reviews.
| Yosuda YB001R | Sunny Health and Fitness SF-B1002 | |
| Footprint | 49.2” L x 21.9” W x 45.2” H | 53.9” L x 19.1” W x 44.4” H |
| Weight | 68 lbs | 110.8 lbs |
| Weight capacity | 330 lbs | 275 lbs |
| Display | LCD monitor | N/A |
| Resistance | Seamless magnetic resistance | Micro-adjustable friction resistance |
| Flywheel | 35 lbs | 49 lbs |
| Subscription required? | No | No |
| Warranty | 3-year frame, 1-year parts warranty | 3-year structural frame, 180 days for parts and labor |
Customer Experience
If you need any support or assistance, the customer experience from Yosuda earns 3 out of 5 stars.
Returns are allowed within 30 days, but you’ll need to pay for your own shipping, and the product must be unopened and unused. This means if you assemble the bike and try it out, you won’t be able to return the bike.
However, you can contact Yosuda via phone, email, or chat, so if you need any support, the company is pretty easy to reach, which we like to see.
Ordering and Assembling the Yosuda YB001R Bike
The assembly process was very simple, earning 4 out of 5 stars.
Lindsay said it took one person about 20 minutes to fully assemble this bike, so you shouldn’t have much trouble putting it together, even if you don’t have a helper. Shipping is free to the contiguous United States, and orders can be financed with Klarna or Afterpay.
Customer Reviews
At the time of writing, the Yosuda YB001R has 856 reviews with an average rating of 4.9 stars on the Yosuda website. While Yosuda sells other bikes on Amazon, the YB001R isn’t available, so this is the only place we could find reviews.
Overall, customers are very happy, which is why the bike scores so highly. They like the easy assembly and comfortable seat, though one reviewer mentioned he had a hard time carrying the box up the stairs, which is something to keep in mind if you don’t have someone to help you transport the box.
Final Verdict of Our Yosuda YB001R Bike Review
If you’re looking to add indoor cycling to your exercise routine, the Yosuda YB001R is one of the best budget-friendly options on the market. It’s durable, comfortable, and features smooth, quiet magnetic resistance.
There are no streaming classes or programs provided, and taller users may have a hard time with this bike. However, if you just need a durable, simple bike that’s comfortable to use and should last for years, this is a great choice, especially if you’re not ready to spend thousands of dollars on home gym equipment.
- The Yosuda YB001R claims that it supports users up to 6’2”, but our tester was wary of these claims, noting it felt a little small.
- The built-in screen is very basic, but there’s a device holder if you want to use a phone or tablet for streaming classes.
- Even though there are plastic components, the bike features a heavy-duty steel frame that has a high weight capacity.
Full Rating
Yosuda YB001R Bike
The YOSUDA YB001R Magnetic Exercise Bike offers a solid, quiet ride with customizable features, making it a great choice for those seeking an affordable, space-saving indoor cycling solution. While it lacks advanced tech features, its sturdy build and smooth operation provide excellent value for home fitness enthusiasts.
Product Brand: Yosuda
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 339.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.94
Yosuda YB001R Bike Review: FAQs
Are Yosuda bikes any good?
Yes. Yosuda bikes are budget-friendly and are built with durable materials. They don’t have all the bells and whistles you may expect from a high-end bike, but our testers have found that the bikes deliver very high value for the cost, and are both comfortable and durable.
Can you lose belly fat by riding a stationary bike?
Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, where you burn more calories than you eat in a day. Riding a stationary bike can certainly help burn calories, but your nutrition plan is even more important than exercise if you want to lose belly fat.
For more, read our full guide on exercise bikes and weight loss.
Is Yosuda a Chinese company?
Yosuda is based in California, but its bicycles are manufactured in China.
References
- Chavarrias, M., Carlos-Vivas, J., Collado-Mateo, D., & Pérez-Gómez, J. (2019). Health Benefits of Indoor Cycling: A Systematic Review. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 55(8), 452. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina55080452
