Buying guide
Best Budget Exercise Bikes Under $400
The best exercise bikes under roughly 400 dollars, covering indoor cycles, uprights, and folding options that still ride well on a tight budget.
A good exercise bike does not have to cost four figures. Under roughly $400 you can get a stable flywheel, usable resistance, and enough tracking to follow a plan, as long as you know which corners get cut at this price. The brands that dominate the budget tier keep things simple and lean on proven, repairable designs.
Two choices shape the decision. The first is resistance type: friction (felt-pad) brakes are cheap and let you ride very hard, but they wear and run louder, while magnetic resistance is quieter and lower-maintenance, which matters in an apartment. The second is footprint — several of the best budget bikes fold, trading some rigidity for the ability to tuck the bike out of the way between sessions.
Set your expectations on consoles and bombproof longevity, and a sub-$400 bike will cover steady cardio and even hard intervals well. The picks below span a heavy indoor cycle, quieter folding cycles, and uprights for comfortable everyday riding.
- 1 Best Overall$299
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1002 Belt Drive Indoor Cycle
Sunny Health & Fitness
The SF-B1002 is a no-nonsense indoor cycle with a heavy chromed flywheel and friction resistance that you can crank down for a genuinely hard ride. It is heavier and more stable than most bikes at this price, which is exactly why it has been a budget favorite for years. The trade-off is the simple felt-pad brake, but it gets the job done.
- 2 Best Folding Indoor Cycle$349
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2721 Folding Indoor Cycle
Sunny Health & Fitness
This bike pairs a spin-style riding position with a frame that folds away, so it suits a spare room or apartment that cannot keep a bike out full time. Magnetic resistance keeps it quiet for shared walls. It is the pick when floor space, not just price, is the constraint.
- 3 Best Folding Upright$229
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2706 Folding Upright Bike
Sunny Health & Fitness
An upright riding position and quiet magnetic resistance make this the comfortable, low-impact choice for steady cardio rather than hard intervals. It folds flat for storage and weighs little enough to move easily. A sensible buy for general fitness on a small budget.
- 4 Best Ultra-Budget$199
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B2952 Foldable Upright Bike
Sunny Health & Fitness
At the lowest price here, the SF-B2952 still gives you a folding upright with magnetic resistance and basic tracking for light, regular workouts. The build is appropriately minimal, so treat it as an entry point rather than a long-term workhorse. For getting moving without spending much, it does the job.
Last updated June 2026.