If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best upright bike for a small home gym is, then I’d recommend the Schwinn 170 Upright Bike as the best one.
Finding the best upright bike for your home gym may be a little challenging because there are so many on the market to choose from.
Naturally, all manufacturers claim that their bike is the best, but they can’t all be the best.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about upright bikes as well as the top five models on the market.
Keep reading to find out what they are.
Here are the top best ellipticals we’ll be reviewing:
- XTERRA Fitness UB120 Upright Bike – The Best Compact Choice
- LifeSpan C7000i Commercial Upright Bike – The Best Premium Choice
- Schwinn 170 Upright Bike – Best Choice for a Family/Group Bike
- Sunny Health & Fitness Upright Exercise Bike – The Best Budget Choice
- Nautilus U618 Upright Bike – The Most Comfortable Option
How to Choose the Best Upright Bike
There is more to choosing an upright bike besides the price.
Quality, features, and technology should all be considered because these features can vary tremendously from bike to bike.
You should always make sure that you’re putting your money into a machine that will meet your fitness needs, so follow this guide to evaluate an upright bike before you buy it.
Quality
Quality is one feature that is going to closely relate to price.
However, that doesn’t mean that all cheap upright bikes are of a bad quality.
There are a lot of budget-priced bikes that can compete with the big-ticket bikes in the quality department.
Instead of thinking about it as “good” or “bad”, think of it more in terms of “heavy-duty” and “light-duty”.
If you are going to work out hardcore or you’re a heavier person, you need a bike that is made of a thick gauge, solid steel frame.
This will ensure you have the support and stability you need to push as hard as you want to. Keep in mind that this costs more.
Cheaper bikes have lighter frames and they may even be made of aluminum.
Lighter frames are good for lightweight people who are going to use it occasionally.
They’re also used for compact or folding bikes which is great for small spaces like studio apartments or dorm rooms.
These frames are inexpensive and sometimes portable, but they won’t stand up to heavy usage.
Features
Adjustability and Comfort
One feature you should think is important is the adjustability and comfort of the seat and handlebars.
Adjustability is important, especially if more than one person will be using the bike.
Seats and handlebars can offer 2-way adjusting (backward and forward, or 4-way adjusting (backward, forward, up, down).
Lower end models may not have adjustable handlebars.
You should make sure that the seat is wide enough for you to ride comfortably.
Typical upright bike seats are from 10 to 12 inches wide.
Anything wider than this can be considered extra-wide.
Padding is important. The thicker the seat foam, the more comfortable you’ll be on the bike.
Having adjustable pedals comes in handy.
Most bikes will have an adjustable strap for different foot widths. However, higher end models may have even more options for pedal adjustments.
Console
Consoles contain the stats of your workout.
If you get a bike with programs and electronic resistance settings, the buttons for these will be on the console as well.
The biggest concern when it comes to consoles is size.
Consoles can be surprisingly small on exercise bikes.
They could literally be the size of a stopwatch.
If you have excellent vision and you don’t need a lot of extras, you might be okay with this.
They’ll still give you readings such as distance, calories, time, heart rate (if it has this ability), and more.
However, if you need something larger, consoles can get as fancy as a touchscreen high-definition television.
This might be overkill for an exercise bike, but some people like the best.
Keep in mind that consoles are a feature that heavily impact the price of the bike.
The more advanced the console is, the higher the cost of the bike.
Extras
An exercise bike can have other little extras for convenience.
They could have bottle/cup holders, media holders, or key holders.
Media holders are particularly important, so you’ll have a place to sit your phone, tablet, or even a book.
Technology and Mechanics
Exercise bikes can come with programs and resistance levels to aid you with your workout.
These preset programs are especially helpful for newbies or non-athletes who don’t know how to design their own programs.
For those that are more experienced, bikes with the option to save custom programs comes in handy.
Resistance levels make your workouts more or less challenging.
You could have a bike with a manual-set resistance or electronic-set resistance.
Manual-set resistance bikes only have a few levels to choose from.
Lower-end bikes usually have manual-set resistance levels.
Electronic-set resistance bikes will have a lot more, but this can drive up the cost of the bike.
The Top Five Picks for Best Upright Bike
XTERRA Fitness UB120 Upright Bike – The Best Compact Choice
The XTERRA Fitness UB120 Upright Bike is one of their budget-priced bikes, but what is more impressive is the compact size of the bike.
The size paired with the price makes this the perfect bike for students.
It can easily fit in the corner of a dorm room. It’s also great for people who are short on space in their homes.
The small size and light weight make it easy to move around. This becomes a piece of cake when you factor in the built-in transportation wheels.
This makes the bike convenient for seniors or others who can’t move heavy machines around.
The XTERRA Fitness UB120 Upright Bike is made with a steel frame and can support riders up to 250 pounds. It has eight manual resistance levels and has a 2-way adjustable seat.
It measures 34.8″ L x 21.9″ W x 48.8″ H and weighs 38.6 pounds.
Pros
- Sturdy despite the light weight.
- Has hand pulse grips for heart rate monitoring.
- You can change the manual resistance without having to get off the bike.
Cons
- Very small LCD screen.
- Not suitable for people taller than 5′ 10″.
- No preset programs.
LifeSpan C7000i Commercial Upright Bike – The Best Premium Choice
For people who want nothing but the best, the LifeSpan C7000i Commercial Upright Bike is made with a high grade of welded steel and commercial-quality components.
It features a Poly-V drive belt (one of the best available) and a cast aluminum pulley system.
It has wide, curved legs for superior stability so you can give it your all without wobbling.
The 2-way adjustable seat has 19 adjustment settings and can accommodate tall users with no problems.
It has thick, comfortable padding, and uses leather-like material with superb stitching. The console is a great size with bright numbers and charts.
You can see multiple stats at once and there is even a USB charger for charging your device. A media holder, bottle holder, and multi-position handlebars completes the package.
The LifeSpan C7000i Commercial Upright Bike has a lifetime warranty on the frame. It can support riders up to 400 pounds and up to 6’8″ tall.
It has 16 resistance levels and 19 programs, including two custom user programs. The bike measures 40″ L x 28″ W x 58″ H and weighs 131 pounds.
Pros
- Supports a high amount of user weight.
- Has a lifetime warranty on the frame.
- Uses commercial grade parts.
- Self-powering – no electricity needed.
Cons
- Very expensive.
- Very heavy.
- Media holder causes your media to cover the screen.
Schwinn 170 Upright Bike – Best Choice for a Family/Group Bike
If more than one person will be using the bike, you need one that is designed for multiple users.
The Schwinn 170 Upright Bike is a great choice for this because it can save custom settings for up to four users.
Out of the 29 programs, four of them are custom programs so everyone can customize and save their own workouts.
Plus, with Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to connect to many different fitness apps, everyone can use their favorites so everyone will be happy.
The console is interesting. It’s bright, has good contrast, and has two LCD screens. This helps since the media holder will cause your media to cover one of the screens.
At least you’ll still be able to see some stats while using your devices. There is also a USB port and an audio jack for playing music.
The Schwinn 170 Upright Bike measures 41.3″L x 21.4″W x 55.6″H and weighs 58.4 lbs. It can support riders up to 300 pounds. It has 25 electronic resistance settings. Overall, it’s a great, mid-level exercise bike.
Pros
- Seat is extra wide and thick.
- Console is convenient and easy to see.
- Has a ton of programs, resistance levels, and more.
- You can save up to four user profiles.
Cons
- Can be noisy.
- Not the best choice for shorter people (about 5′ 2″ or less).
Sunny Health & Fitness Upright Exercise Bike – The Best Budget Choice
While the Sunny Health & Fitness Upright Exercise Bike isn’t the cheapest bike on the list, it is the best cheapest bike on the list.
It has almost everything the premium bikes have. With this one, you can save money without missing out on the extras.
I will admit that it does sacrifice a bit in quality which is why it’s low-priced. It has some plastic parts in places that would be steel on other bikes.
It doesn’t have as much padding in the seat or the handlebars.
The bottle holder is a bare-bones metal holder.
With that being said, there are plenty of positives about the bike.
The console is helpful because it has two LCD screens.
The bottom one is exclusively for your heart rate monitoring while the top displays other stats.
It has 24 programs to choose from, including four custom programs. It also has a two-way adjustable seat.
The Sunny Health & Fitness Upright Exercise Bike measures 34″L x 22.5″W x 55.5″H and weighs 74 pounds. It can support riders up to 240 pounds.
Pros
- Has a steel frame despite the price.
- Attractive, easy to read console.
- Pedals are self-leveling.
Cons
- Low weight capacity.
- Wobbles a bit when user is close to weight capacity.
Nautilus U618 Upright Bike – The Most Comfortable Option
Nautilus is made by the same company that manufactures Schwinn, so you can expect this to be an excellent bike.
The Nautilus U618 Upright Bike is one of the most comfortable upright bikes on the market. It has the softest seat (it’s still supportive), made with Nautilus Gel™, and the thickest padding of all the bikes on the list.
Even the handlebars are comfortable. They’re made with a performance urethane coating and have large resting pads for your forearms.
They’re ergonomically designed.
The bike is strong and sturdy and has an extra wide seat. It can accommodate riders up to 325 pounds and the bike will remain sturdy even if you push yourself.
It comes with a 15-year warranty on the frame.
The Nautilus U618 Upright Bike measures 38.5″L x 24″W x 58.3″H and weighs 83.1 pounds. It has 29 programs and 25 levels of resistance.
Pros
- Extremely comfortable, even for larger people.
- Quiet operation.
- Has two bottle/cup/key holders.
- Has a high weight capacity.
- Assembly instructions are excellent.
Cons
- Resistance levels seem difficult even on lower levels.
- Fan on the console isn’t that great.
Final Thoughts on the Best Upright Bike
From what I’ve presented to you, it’s clear that upright bikes come in a multitude of price ranges and sizes, and that they can have lots of different features.
While this makes it a little difficult to pinpoint only one for everybody since people’s needs differ, I can say there is one that stood out over the rest.
If I had to choose one bike to name as the absolute best upright bike, it would be the Schwinn 170 Upright Bike.
It seems to have everything that someone would need whether they’re a beginner or an expert fitness guru.
It has a strong frame, can support a high level of rider weight, and has a plethora of programs and resistance settings to customize a workout to any level.
Plus, the fact that it can save settings for up to four people makes it versatile.
Best of all, it’s a middle-of-the-road price range. Even people with a small budget might be able to stretch and get the Schwinn.
Overall, it’s an excellent choice in almost any situation. No matter which bike you choose from the list, at least you know you’re getting one that you can depend on.
