By Robbie Ferri, Cyclist, Personal Trainer, and Group Exercise Instructor.
Spinning has come a long way in the last five years, and we’re seeing technology that we never thought we would do. No longer are we hitting the local gym in the evening to fight for a
What makes a good Indoor Bike with a Built-in Screen?
I have been a spinning instructor for many years and have had a lot of experience with indoor cycling from an interactive standpoint. What I feel makes an excellent indoor
- Connectivity to applications
- Multiple Workouts, not just cycling
- If the screen can turn for the user
- Size and Quality of the Screen
- The look and design of the
bike - Is it good internally
We need all of these things to make the
Tip: Bikes with a screen are typically quite expensive, and if you are looking for a similar experience on a much smaller budget and having options of other applications to use, you can buy a
Our Top 7 Exercise Bikes with Built-in Screens
Best Overall: BowFlex Velocore
The legendary Bowflex Velocore is something very special and can do something no other spinning

Provides the rider with an incredibly realistic riding experience, closely simulating riding outside on roads or up and down your favorite mountain climb.
Specifications
- Max Weight Limit 325lbs
- Size 60” x 24” x 55”
- Screen Size 22”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
The Bowflex Velocore is a great
Related: Bowflex Velocore Detailed Review
It is connected with the JRNY application, which is excellent and one of the cheaper applications on the market, coming in at $19.99 a month. It is nearly half the price of other applications, but with the Velocore, it comes with a free year trial currently. It offers not just spinning but full-body workout classes, yoga classes, and many others. You can also use Netflix and other applications such as Disney plus if you don’t fancy a class to ride to.
Best Immersive Bike : Freebeat Lit Bike
The freebeat

Offers a smooth riding experience with excellent resistance and adjustable features for different heights. It has a music-based app with gaming elements, and the construction is sturdy and durable. Comes with a 22" HD Touchscreen, Auto Resistance System, and more.
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For riders that need a little more when strapping in to ride, the freebeat is an excellent solution with its incredible beats, the game-style riding platform and graphics it boasts, and the competitive atmosphere it embodies. Who doesn’t like seeing their name at the top of the leaderboard and also having the possibility to earn fabulous prizes EVERY single month?
Main Specs & Features of the Spin
- 21.5″ HD touchscreen
- Bike Footprint: 49.3” L x 22.6” W x 58.8” H
- Welded Steel Construction
- Maximum Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
- Bike Weight: 113.3 pounds
- Flywheel Weight: 28.6 pounds
- Height Range: 4’11” – 6’4”
- USB Port
Freebeat’s Lit
That is why the team at Girl

Best Value: MYX II
The

Used in elite cycling studios and gyms, MYX comes with a monthly membership that gives up to 5 people access to the widest range of workouts available.
Specifications
- Max Weight Limit 350lbs
- Size 54” x 21” x 47”
- Screen Size 21.5”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
The MYX II

They have two applications you can use on this
Best Budget Peloton Alternative: Echelon EX5S
The EX5S Smart

New and improved stabilization handles and seat post adjustments including a competition seat with 6' lever-style adjustment, and a precision resistance motor are just a few of the exciting new features you only get with the EX5-S.
Specifications
- Max Weight Limit 300lbs
- Size 52” x 21” x 56”
- Screen Size 22”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
I am a massive fan of the Echelon EX5S, and it definitely is the best looking out of all interactive bikes, in my opinion. The rear facing flywheel makes this
Related: Schwinn IC4 VS Echelon EX5
The
Best Outdoor Simulation: Nordictrack S22i and S15i
Nordictrack has made a fantastic
- Max Weight Limit 350lbs
- Size 55” x 29” x 56”
- Screen Size 22” or 15”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
Pros
- HD Touchscreen
- Swivel Screen
- iFit Application
- Fan on the Screen
- Auto Resistance
- Incline, Decline Feature
Cons
- Not Cheap
Nordictrack is known for making pretty good bikes, but I feel here they all sat down and said, let’s make something outstanding to make a Peloton look basic. The
You use the iFit application for the Nordictrack bikes. You have two prices, $180 annually for the individual membership and $396 for the family plan. The application itself is very good and warrants the price. It has live and on-demand classes and plenty of other things to do, such as yoga, HIIT, and many more. You also have google maps integration, so you can drop yourself on nearly any road in the world and cycle using the street view technology. I love the fan on the screen. It keeps you cool and makes a huge difference for such a minor feature. The Nordictrack S22i and S15i are incredible bikes but are not the cheapest.
Best Money No Object: Peloton Bike and Bike +
The legendary Peloton bikes had to be on this list and are an incredible addition to anyone’s home. Are they still keeping up with the competition?
- Max Weight Limit 297lbs
- Size 60” x 24” x 48”
- Screen Size 21.5” or 23.8”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
Pros
- HD Touchscreen
- Peloton Application
- Looks incredible
Cons
- Not Cheap
- Big Difference between
Bike andBike plus
If you ask anyone about interactive home spinning bikes, they will always say, is it a Peloton? That’s because they make a good
The
- Automatic resistance control, so the instructor can change the resistance for you,
- A swivel screen for those off the
bike classes, and finally, - it has a bigger screen of 23.8” instead of 21.5,” and the bigger screen has uprated speakers.
The Peloton application itself is $39 a month, and well, it’s excellent. The screen is locked to this, but it will be everything you need. It has incredible live classes with leaderboards so that you can face up to other spinners. The off the
Best with Android: Stryde Bike
Relatively new to the market, the Stryde
- Max Weight Limit 350lbs
- Size 50” x 24”
- Screen Size 21.5”
- Ant+ Connectivity
Pros
- HD Touchscreen
- Tablet can go on multiple applications
- Looks Amazing
Cons
- Limited app
- High resistance feels stompy
The Stryde
The screen is an Android screen, and unlike many screens on this list, it is not locked to their application. It can be used as a tablet, and you can use any application you can download off the Andriod marketplace while still tracking your cycling metrics. So you can have Netflix on while literally watching your cycling stats, or you could even have the Peloton application on. It’s totally up to you, the user. This opens you up to so much more than any other
Best Premium Build Bike : Soulcycle at Home Bike
Soulcycle is an amazing company that has been in spinning in studios for a very long time, now they have come to your home too.
- Max Weight Limit 350lbs
- Size 62” x 22” x 54”
- Screen Size 21.5”
- Bluetooth Connectivity
Pros
- HD Touchscreen
- Great looking
bike - A much more dance experience
- Netflix and Disney +
Cons
- No Auto Resistance
- Price
Without Soulcycle, we might not have many other spin
The application is a bit different from others like Peloton and Echelon. I say this because it’s very focused on the dance kind of spin, and it still offers a great experience which many would prefer, but it’s a little different from others. The Soulcycle application costs $40 per month and has many other unique classes such as meditation and yoga. This is great as the screen does rotate for you and something I really liked about this is you can use Netflix and Disney+ on their screen, so although limited, you have some other entertainments options. I feel like Soulcycle is a bit late to the game, but they have brought out a great
Advantages and Disadvantages of Interactive Bikes
Interactive bikes are incredible, but they do come with certain advantages and disadvantages that I feel it is important to speak about. It is easy to get pulled in by the advert when the reality is having an interactive
Advantages
- Amazing Workouts
- Your own personal
bike with your settings - No more trips to the gym
- You can always do the workouts you want
- Health benefits are amazing
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits to owning an interactive spin
One major study found that many people don’t work out due to time, and many people said it was the trips to the gym and all the fussing about prior and after that made it difficult. With a spinning
Disadvantages
- Cost of the
bike - Cost of subscription
- You will have to use it
- Require space
There are disadvantages to having an interactive spinning
The screen on these bikes is usually locked to the supplier’s applications.
What to look for when Buying an Exercise Bike with a Screen
If none of these bikes takes your fancy and you look at other bikes on the market, what should you be looking for? I tend to find that brands are a bit particular when it comes to how much information they give, and it can be challenging if you find a cheap
Design
If there’s a very good bit of advice I can give you to start you off, it is to get a
Screen
Always look at the size of the screen first, as you want to make sure that it is at least 15” on a
Internals
At this price, typically, you’re going to want a frictionless belt drive system. They are practically maintenance free, super quiet, and feel much better ride than any friction system or chain driven
Applications
Many of these companies, such as Peloton and Echelon, tend to make the majority of their money on subscriptions and not on the sale of the
Connectivity
It’s worth mentioning the connectivity. Whatever
Adjustability
Although this won’t apply to everyone, I would highly recommend looking at the height restrictions if you are less than 5ft or above 6ft 3”. Many companies are pretty good with having an excellent range. Still, the more bikes we see come out on the market, the more we see thing range start to shrink down.
Extra Features
Sometimes a basic
Conclusion
All these bikes on this list are excellent, and you will get so much value from them. I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference. We are seeing technology advance quickly, but I feel for a few years, we’re not going to see too much advancement.