7 Best Interactive Exercise Bikes With Screen in 2024

Are you looking for an exceptional indoor cycling session at home? Consider our expert pick of the best interactive exercise bikes that will bring you an absolutely new pedaling experience by maintaining your condition in the off-season time, and diversifying your home workouts with smart cycling machines.

Due to the interactive exercise bikes, you’ll be highly motivated to improve your performance by tracking your stats each training session. Thus, you’ll monitor your progress via integrated displays and connectivity to the most progressive.

A total of 13 interactive exercise bikes with screen were put to the test by our team of pro athletes and certified experts. After more than 50 hours of extensive testing, only 7 of them made it to this list and were considered to be the best.

Our team evaluated each bike on 9 key features, and they have also analyzed hundreds of online user reviews. We keep this list up to date, so leave a comment and share your experiences with us!

Top 7 Best Interactive Exercise Bikes Reviewed

1. ProForm Studio Bike Pro 22 – Top Pick
2. Peloton Indoor Stationary Bike – Runner-Up
3. Bowflex VeloCore 16 IC Cycling Exercise Bike – Premium Pick
4. Sunny Health&Fitness Recumbent Bike – Best Recumbent Bike
5. Schwinn Fitness 190 Upright Bike – Best Upright
6. Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike
7. Echelon Smart Connect Indoor Cycling Bike

Product	Total	Adjustability	Durability	Comfort	Assembly	Size	Display	Price/ Quality	User Interface	Additional Features
ProForm	89	9.5	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	9.5
Peloton	89	10	10	10	9.5	10	10	10	10	9.5
Bowflex	88.5	10	10	10	9.5	9.5	9.5	10	10	10
Sunny	87.5	9.5	10	9.5	10	9.5	9.5	10	10	9.5
Schwinn 190	87	9.5	10	9.5	10	10	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5
Schwinn IC4	84.5	9.5	9.5	9	10	10	9	9.5	9	9
Echelon	82	9	9	9.5	9.5	9.5	8.5	9	9	9

This is the best interactive exercise bike that becomes a decent rival for Peloton and Nordic Track bikes that is equipped with a 22” large touchscreen and smooth magnetic resistance system.

It has access to live studio cycling classes. With a highly sturdy frame, you won’t feel any vibration and wobbling even during intense pedaling with more than 110 RPM.

It goes with toe clips and straps for safety, so even beginners will feel confident riding it. The seat is 4-way adjustable and cushioned enough, providing enough support and comfort. Although, you’ll enjoy your cycling workout more with chamois-padded cycling shorts. 

To diversify your training, there’re supports for a pair of 3 lb dumbbells on the back of the seat that you can use during the session to involve your upper body. The bike fits well with almost all-height riders thanks to its geometry, 4-way adjustable seat, and 2-way adjustable handlebars.

A distinctive feature of the ProForm bike is a massive touchscreen that brings high interactivity to your cycling workouts. The display is designed primarily to control the bike and manage the resistance level.

Also, you’ll enjoy a wide variety of iFit library workouts. It has a built-in camera and microphone array, however, there’s no connectivity to third-party apps and services. The bike has a stop knob between the legs that works as brakes, sliding the touchscreen on the right side during the training.

Another option is the SmartAdjust algorithm: this program adjusts the proper resistance based on your stats from the previous workout. iFit cycling classes seem to be quite engaging and motivating for riders of all levels because you can see your progress on the leaderboard with virtual participants like you.

So, there’s some kind of rallying the users.

The next perk of the iFit software is that it offers Google Maps and StreetView scenic road or mountain bike rides with instructors from a vantage point. The duration of such riders can last 30 minutes maximum.

So, with the best exercise bike with screen from ProForm, you get a highly interactive and captivating cycling workout with the option to ride any complex route all over the world. If you don’t renew the iFit subscription, you can still train on the bike.

But, it offers you to ride a 400-meter cycling track instead of all-inclusive workouts. Thus, it makes no sense to use the bike without an iFit connection to the studio classes.

This is another superb indoor cycling bike that will keep you involved and motivated during the workout by offering numerous perks from the Peloton Bike program.

This innovative exercise bike won’t leave you indifferent thanks to the ability to access endless workout classes that will change your understanding of cardio training on stationary bikes.

With access to the Peloton app, you’ll track your metrics, i.e., speed, heart rate, resistance, wattage, and general performance efficiency. So, you’ll progress constantly on the leaderboard and will hit your records every time.

Alongside cycling workouts, other training programs are targeted to help you to recover and gain power and energy for your fitness goals. You’ll enjoy trying something new like power zone training, Tabata rides, strength workouts, stretching, running, etc. that will help you to stay fit and motivated.

Like with the ProForm bike, you get a smart stationary bike with a personal trainer and cycling studio classes access in one by using the Peloton application. With the Peloton all-inclusive membership, you’ll benefit greatly by having access to all library classes that will be available for all your family members.

Thanks to the option of choosing a proper coach and a variety of classes, you’ll make your cycling workout personalized and effective to the max. On-screen data monitoring helps you to track your everyday performance and improve your stats by following your workout plan.

This is another best exercise bike with virtual courses that will bring you ultimately new experience thanks to daily customized workouts, coach guidance, streaming group rides, and highly immersive Lean Mode features.

You can involve your core to the max while pedaling by leaning left and right which simulates real bike rides with sharp turns and race-like riding.

With the JRNY Membership, you’ll have a full picture of your performance analysis, choosing workout types with different terrains and environments. You can sync your JRNY account with third-party apps such as Peloton and Zwift to diversify your training by making it even more interactive.

Also, this exercise bike with TV screen offers you to watch Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu channels while training, or simply focus on your performance improvement. It’s super comfortable to change the resistance level with the knob manually and follow the target cadence by pedaling hard to speed up.

You’ll get 4-way adjustable handlebars and 4-way adjustable race-style seat, and dual-link pedals enabling both cycling geeks and ordinary sportsmen to try their strength on this solid bike. It’s also equipped with a supportive cradle for a pair of 3 lb dumbbells on the front of the display stand.

Also, to get a more personalized riding position, it’s possible to replace the standard saddle on your road bike seat.

Bowflex VeloCore bike is designed to bring you an unforgettable experience of a real-like road ride with the 40 lb flywheel, its unique tilt feature, and real-time virtual coaching, you’ll enjoy the workout at the max.

The package includes a 1-year free trial for JRNY members, but you need to buy a membership for the full JRNY experience. If you’ve already subscribed to Zwift or Peloton, then you can connect your bike to your device and synchronize all your sports data.

You can choose a specific workout type that fits your destination most and matches your performance level. With a Bowflex VeloCore exercise bike with monitor, you’ll experience addictive rides with high intensity to empower you to further goals and follow real road-like cycling at home.

You can connect your gadget to this smart exercise bike with the Sunny Health & Fitness Sunny Fit application to monitor your metrics in real time. It’s possible to improve your performance due to the customized training plan based on the workouts you choose in the app. 

Concerning the resistance, you can modify it by using the console and choosing the most suitable level of 16 available computer-manageable resistance. Also, you’ll know your HR by grabbing seat-level handlebars where pulse sensors are placed.

The manufacturer takes care of the users’ comfort, so they provided a comfortable wide seat with back support. So, you won’t get any additional pressure on your back and hands.

When downloading the free SunnyFit app, you get more than 100 training sessions of all levels, rides with world real maps, adjust your personalized workout regime, have a detailed review of your stats, and be able to compete with other community members on the leaderboard.

A great opportunity you get is a chance to test your cycling endurance by adjusting customized workouts with the desired HR and wattage. Hence, you’ll get information about your current level after the test.

Universal non-slip pedals with foot-adjustable straps for good stability, wide seat you can adjust to change the distance from the pedals. Auto-magnetic tension you can control through the display. While riding you can track your main data like RPM, time, speed, calories, and watts.

There’s also BodyMass Index calculator software, HR, and wattage programs that will help you to create a highly personalized workout plan.

By training on the Schwinn upright bike, you’ll experience a comfortable ride with a moderate load and stress-free exercises for your joints.

This electronic exercise bike is easily connected to the JRNY and Zwift apps enabling you to develop your endurance and increase performance via personalized workouts. The peculiarity of this bike and its software is that the resistance system adjusts automatically considering what program you choose.

So, you can feel that you are climbing the hills or speeding up the slopes. These options are available with the JRNY membership package.

The display shows the key metrics to track your goals and progress. Additionally, this exercise bike with Bluetooth can be connected to the HR sensor and then displayed on the monitor during the training. You’ll get adaptive workouts, with a personalized coach who will support you and improve your stats.

Like other Schwinn bikes, it also has access to the JRNY workout experience with adaptive training and on-demand classes that you can join whenever you want, or choose trainer-coached workouts for getting more visible results.

Additionally, you have an opportunity to connect to other cycling apps such as Peloton and Zwift for more interactive cycling and compete with other riders all over the world.

You’ll adjust the resistance level that fits your preferences by twisting the knob intuitively. Via a smart LCD monitor, you’ll track your metrics while riding and also wear a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate armband. This way you’ll succeed in knowing your precise workout data to improve it with each cycle session.

Moreover, you’ll be immersed in interactive, real-ride-like training by syncing to the most popular cycling apps. This workout bike with screen will meet the needs of experienced riders who can clip in with their SPD-contact shoes for more efficient pedaling.

Echelon bike also offers its users to track their performance via synchronizing with the Echelon Fit app to develop physical capabilities, increase cycling endurance, and join live cycle classes, on-demand, and scenic workouts.

Along with cycling training, you can find other sports activities in the Echelon library, i.e., functional training, running, rowing, yoga, HIIT, etc. 

Although, this exercise bike falls behind the rest of the interactive bikes because it has no built-in programming, so there’s no chance to experience an immersive group race with other riders. The flywheel is too light that influences the pedaling efficiency.

How Does a Smart Bike Work?

Generally, a smart interactive exercise bike provides users with as maximum realistic indoor cycling as possible by offering numerous scenic routes and terrains of diverse complexity levels to upgrade their riding skills and improve their performance with each ride.

Smart bikes provide a solid workout at home. It seems that manufacturers created such cycling machines specifically for the dedicated cycling lovers and experienced riders.

But, everyone can perform such kinds of cardio training and adjust the intensity level to their personal capabilities. Riders can adjust practically every area of the bike for their physical metrics and sports performance to make the training more customized.

Interactive exercise bikes usually come with an attached monitor that displays a wide range of options to upgrade the rider’s cycling experience and enhance their sports performance.

With your bike being connected and synchronized with the particular cycling software and applications, you’ll be informed about the entire stats of your all training sessions. So, it enables you to progress day by day. 

All you need to do before the first ride is to tune up all the software and programs, adjust your bike, and sync it with your device through the app. So, after these steps your exercise bike is ready for immersive rides.

Features of Smart Exercise Bikes

A smart bike offers lots of perks for riders of any level, and for all intents and purposes. It has so-called technology-based “brains”, meaning that all the major features and functionality are managed via the specific platforms, i.e, JRNY, iFit, Echelon, or SunnyFit programs.

They can enhance an athlete’s cycling experience and give them useful insights for the riding workouts.  

Let’s enumerate the key features of interactive exercise bikes you’ll enjoy for sure:

• Interactivity that brings a rider absolutely new riding experience that even doesn’t look like a real-life ride
• Connectivity to various cycling applications to bring users more chances to track their successes and upgrade their performance
• High level of adjustability that guarantees exceptional experience of ultimate customized bike
• Predominantly automated regulation of the resistance level instead of the manual control

The Benefits of Smart Stationary Bike 

✅ Interactivity

A great benefit of an interactive stationary bike is an opportunity to make your workout look and feel like a real road or mountain bike ride.

Unlike simple indoor cycling machines, smart ones guarantee you an immersive and fun cycling workout accompanied by like-minded riders or coached by professional cycling trainers. You’re likely to stick with the Zwift training app due to its virtual training competitive environment.

Besides the possibility to track your workout statistics displayed on the console, you can synchronize your smart bike with specific platforms and applications to get even more chances to diversify and upgrade the interactivity of your training by making it look like a real competition.

With the best spin bikes with screen, you can race with other athletes in the online community, chase professional cyclists, and discover new real-life routes with every cycling session.

✅ A Great Chance to Stay Fit in the Off-Season Period

An interactive smart exercise bike is a perfect alternative for road rides for serious amateur riders and professional cyclists who want to keep themselves in good shape in the off-season. It’s a decent substitute for the real ride spring and summer sessions because it enables to support and improve general fitness level during home cycling workouts. Moreover, it’s easy to manage its intensity by changing cadence and speed with the help of resistance control.

A rider can track their stats during the workout, i.e., heart rate, speed, RPM, distance, calories, etc. So, it simplifies understanding the general condition and fatigue rate of a rider, and they can control their pedaling intensity and HR in the different intensity zones.

Then, a rider can see all the statistics on the bike display and sync it with their phone and analyze it via a mobile application.

All in all, interactive indoor bikes help to focus your efforts and not distract you during the ride. Especially when using diverse attention-grabbing cycling apps, heart rate sensors, and power meters you’ll be able to create the whole experience much more personalized and fun.

✅ Improving Your Health and Well-Being

Indoor cycling workouts on interactive stationary bikes is superb training almost as if you ride outdoors. This is a perfect type of low-impact cardiovascular activity that doesn’t harm knee and joint injuries, and muscle strains like high-intensity workouts do.

You can improve your endurance, muscle strength, and become more resistant to other types of intensive exercises thanks to the growing fitness potential.

What’s more, cycling is a great way to lose weight and get rid of fat in a short time due to high-intensity rides with different resistance and speed modes.

By regularly riding on the smart bike, you’ll work out your leg muscles greatly, particularly quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Also, you’ll strengthen your heart since your heart rate will be constantly elevated during such super-charged cardio training.

✅ Practicality

You don’t need to fix and mount anything (despite assembling a bike itself before the first use) because a bike is already ready to ride whenever you want. You already placed it in the comfort area with enough space for your cycling training and it stands stationary without disturbing anyone.

The majority of interactive bikes don’t take up much space in your apartments, but still, if it bothers you, you can replace it with the help of the wheels located on the front or back side of the footprint.

What to Look For in the Best Exercise Bike With Screen?

1. Price/Quality

A high-quality interactive exercise bike with a display will cost at least $700 and the price can increase up to $2000. There’s no surprise why the cost of such bikes is so high: premium-quality mechanism, components, integrated programs, and software, seat, and handlebars adjustability options, etc are worth the mentioned value. 

Compared to simple exercise bikes or spinners, there’s no option for automatic resistance regulation and no membership packages where you can select preferable training modes.

What’s important, with standard exercise bikes, you don’t have an opportunity to join virtual cycling classes and choose a personal coach. So, the price depends on the functionality range and generally the quality of the bike. 

Concerning our list of smart bikes, we selected moderate price tags trying to offer you diverse types of exercise bikes from popular brands such as Schwinn, Echelon, and Sunny, i.e., several models of indoor cycling bikes, upright, and recumbent.

Their value ranges between $600-$1500 and also each of the bikes includes unique features and opportunities to arrange as interactive cycling workouts as possible.

2. Adjustability

If you want to get maximum comfort and efficiency from a cycling workout, we highly recommend selecting a smart bike with an adjustable saddle and handlebars. The best option is to choose a 4-way adjustable seat and handlebars for better body position on the bike while riding and to prevent strains or injuries.

We offer you the best variants of smart indoor bikes predominantly with a full range of adjustability, both vertical and horizontal. Although some models have a 2-way adjustable saddle that still can be compensated with the frame geometry specifications and handlebar proper positioning.

3. Program/App

Apparently, all interactive bikes with screens are designed to connect to the specific software and platforms provided by the manufacturer and are compatible with well-known indoor cycling apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, or TrainingPeaks.

Such smart bikes vouch for highly interactive and gamification-like workouts by presenting a wide range of options to experience different training modes in the cycling virtual world. Additionally, it’s easy to synchronize a bike with your gadget and monitor your training statistics just by entering your account.

When selecting a smart exercise bike, pay attention to whether it’s compatible with third-party applications and what original software has. So, you’ll get assured that you’ll be able to create a customized immersive ride and workout plan considering your preferences, by measuring your progress. 

All the reviewed interactive bikes have their specific software platforms and can be synced with cycling applications to bring you more opportunities to diversify your training and improve your performance while having fun during all kinds of cycling sessions and competition race rides.

4. Display

A perfect smart bike with a display should indicate the full statistics of your workout in real-time such as your heart rate, calories, speed, RPM, distance, time, and what’s more important the resistance level. However, some bikes from our list have manually controlled resistance. 

Also, there might be an option to sync with the cycling apps for a rider to switch to a virtual group ride or race competition, select a specific workout training, and get in touch with a cycling coach for an on-demand workout.

Ideally, the monitor shouldn’t be too large like a home TV so as not to bother you while changing your position of riding. It shouldn’t be too close to you and have a sturdy construction to avoid its fall when you perform some sharp movements or when pedaling at high speed.

5. Durability

A bike shouldn’t be wobbly, but stand firmly on the floor while a rider does intensive exercises in the seating and standing positions. It has to be firm when the rider’s weight is accommodated on the whole bike when balancing and standing out of the saddle and putting their hands on the top of the handlebars with almost all weight going to the legs.

Before buying an interactive stationary bike, check the manufacturer’s warranty for the frame, services, and components.

6. Noise Level

Considering the fact that all interactive exercise bikes go with a magnetic resistance system, you won’t hear any sound from your bike while pedaling.

Unlike a friction resistance mechanism, a magnetic one operates smoothly due to the absence of contact between the flywheel and magnets. The resistance is created by the opposing polarity which allows the flywheel to spin with zero noise.

How to Use an Electronic Exercise Bike?

1. Perform a Bike Fit Properly

Bike fitting is quite a challenging process that will benefit you once you get it right and feel the difference. It's essential if you want to ride long distances without any discomfort and injuries. This process involves the following key points: bike size, your height, saddle height and setback, and handlebars height and setback as well. 

Fitting a bike saddle is one of the most important things after the bike's proper size. If your saddle is poorly fitted, you may experience back and knee pain, Achilles issues, and so on.

So, it can be done this way: when sitting on the exercise bike, place your foot on the pedal in the lowest position. It should be positioned flat on the pedal while your leg is slightly bent in the knee, but not completely straight.

The perfect saddle setback position is when your pedal stroke is at the 3 o’clock position. So, your knee should be located exactly above your forefoot. 

To find the perfect handlebar height, you can compare it to the saddle height. If you want a more aggressive position, the saddle should be anywhere between 1-4 inches higher than the handlebar.

To find the right handlebar reach, place your hands on the handlebar in a neutral position. If you drop a vertical line from the tip of your nose to a handlebar, it should fall an inch in front of the center of the handlebar. 

2. Adjust the Resistance Level and Other Essential Metrics Before the First Ride

Changing the resistance level is a great way to boost your endurance and strength. When adjusting it properly, you'll be able to experience diverse terrain gradients: feeling like pedaling up inclines, or riding down the speedy hills. 

Start to rotate the pedals to turn on your interactive exercise bike. See the screen to light up when you reach a certain speed. You'll be able to access the resistance control when gaining the initial levels of RPM. 

Then, press the specific button that controls the function of the resistance, and the bike starts to run the chosen workout routine with pre-programmed resistance you should follow during the training.

3. Customize the Bike Console and Sync With the Proper Platform

All smart exercise bikes work with particular cycling programs and software. After bike assembly and set-up, you should customize the monitor by creating a profile. Here you fill in the information concerning your weight, fitness goals, desired distance, etc.

As usual, they tend to remember rider's performance data that is used to build up a more personalized and more precise workout for the next time. Some of them offer to pass a fitness test to determine a rider's conditioning. So, then a smart bike will automatically adjust the workout complexity considering the entered information.

What's more, with a full membership of cycling platforms, for instance like with JRNY, you can significantly elevate your cycling workouts. It includes more than 75 coach-led classes, adaptive workouts, and scenic virtual rides. An important point is that all your training data is saved.

4. Download a Mobile App and Connect It to Your Bike

Interactive exercise bikes that are compatible with mobile apps surpass those having only cycling platforms connectivity.

For example, let's see how the VeloCore exercise bike works: besides the JRNY platform compatibility, you can download Pelotone or Zwift apps on your smartphone and you'll get all your workout statistics instantly in your pocket. The bike will transmit such metrics as RPM, heart rate, cadence, etc. to your phone.

FAQ

What Is the Most Comfortable Exercise Bike?

Taking into account our detailed review of the most popular indoor interactive bikes, we can conclude that the ProForm bike is our top pick choice due to its high versatility, exceptional interactivity, and functionality by providing riders with almost endless opportunities to skill up their performance with the iFit platform connectivity and experience rides that simulate real-life outdoor training. 

Moreover, it provides enough comfort for long cycling workouts with high adjustability of the seat and handlebars. So, we also can state that this cycling machine is one of the best interactive stationary bike models that will make your workouts engaging and motivating.

What’s the Difference Between an Exercise Bike and a Smart Bike?

The difference between these two types of indoor cycling bikes is obvious: the interactivity level. With a smart interactive bike, you get a whole list of benefits of virtual cycling rides and full involvement in real-life riding with other athletes around the globe.

When using a standard exercise bike you can’t connect to any of the cycling apps or training platforms and can’t be coached by a personal trainer, or join on-demand classes.

On the simple exercise bike, you need to adjust the resistance level manually on your own. Whereas a smart bike can do it for you automatically by adjusting your ride intensity to the route specifications and surface complexity that you choose via a specific cycling app.

Conclusion

Having done such a great review of the most popular interactive exercise bikes on the market, and analyzed all features and peculiarities of each indoor bike in detail, we can sum up that the ProForm Studio Bike Pro 22 is the best interactive exercise bike.

It’ll provide you with diverse opportunities to develop your general fitness, improve your cycling performance, and enhance both aerobic and anaerobic capabilities. 

You’ll succeed in achieving your fitness goals without leaving the house thanks to this time-efficient workout: tackle cycle rides through various terrains without being distracted by poor weather conditions and traffic.

Pick the exercise bike that meets your preferences wholly and if you still need an expert’s assistance, feel free to contact us, and we’ll provide you with all the needed information and certified trainers’ comments regarding your question.

Also read:

• Best Budget Exercise Bike
• Best Exercise Bike for Apartment
• Best Compact Exercise Bikes
• Best Exercise Bike Under 500
• How Long to Ride a Stationary Bike
• Best Exercise Bike With Moving Arms

References:

1. Health Benefits of Indoor Cycling: A Systematic Review // National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6722762/
2. How Indoor Cycling Works Muscles All Over Your Body // Very Well Fit: https://www.verywellfit.com/what-muscles-biking-works-1958330
3. The influence of considering individual resistance training variables as a whole on muscle strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol // Plos: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0262674