Buying guide
Best Smart Exercise Bikes
The best connected smart exercise bikes with built-in screens and trainer-led classes, from auto-adjusting flagships to terrain-matched studio cycles.
A smart exercise bike combines a connected cycle with trainer-led classes, on-demand content and live leaderboards, usually delivered through a built-in touchscreen or a paired app. Compared with a plain indoor cycle, the draw is software: instructors, scenic rides and structured programs that keep you coming back, often with resistance that the class can adjust for you.
That convenience comes with a catch. Nearly every smart bike leans on a paid membership, so the recurring fee is a real cost on top of the hardware, and some lock you into a single ecosystem. When comparing them, look at whether the resistance auto-adjusts, how the screen is used for off-bike classes, and how much the full experience depends on a subscription you will actually keep.
The picks below range from an auto-following flagship to a terrain-tilting studio cycle and a screenless, bring-your-own-tablet value option. Choose based on how much you want the bike to do for you versus how little you want to spend up front.
- 1 Best Overall$2,495
Peloton Bike+
Peloton
The Bike+ is the most polished connected ride here, with Auto-Follow electromagnetic resistance that tracks the instructor so you can focus on cadence instead of the knob. Its 24-inch screen rotates a full 180 degrees for off-bike strength and yoga, and Apple GymKit syncs heart rate in a tap. It is expensive and leans on a subscription, but the experience is the smoothest available.
- 2 Best for Immersive Rides$1,999
NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle
NordicTrack
The S22i stands apart by physically tilting through incline and decline to match the terrain on screen, so iFit scenic and trainer-led rides feel genuinely dynamic. A large 22-inch tilting touchscreen handles off-bike classes and the bike ships with dumbbells and a cooling fan. It is big and depends on iFit, but no rival mirrors outdoor climbs this convincingly.
- 3 Best Screen Experience$1,599
Echelon EX-8s Smart Connect Bike
Echelon Fitness
Echelon's flagship runs the full app natively on a large rotating HD touchscreen, so live classes, on-demand rides and leaderboards play without mirroring a separate device. Quiet 32-level magnetic resistance and a heavy flywheel make long climbs feel road-realistic, and dual-sided pedals fit cleats or trainers. The membership is a real ongoing cost, but the integrated experience is seamless.
- 4 Best Value$1,199
Echelon Connect EX-5 Smart Bike
Echelon Fitness
The EX-5 skips the built-in screen for a rotating bracket that holds your own tablet, keeping the hardware price well below screen-equipped rivals. You still get 32-level magnetic resistance, instructor-called targets and access to Echelon's full class library and leaderboards. The value hinges on committing to the membership, but it is the most affordable way into a guided studio program.
Last updated June 2026.