Now we’ve got the main categories sorted, here are the best bikes still available, from cheap and cheerful to money-no-object splurges, in price order so you can zero in on the bikes that suit your budget. These are the most comfortable of all due to the laid-back riding position, but require more floor space. The third, and least common, kind of exercise bike you might consider is the recumbent cycle. It makes for a much more engaging experience, if a more expensive one with continuing costs.

You’ll be familiar with them if you frequent spinning classes, and there’s a relatively new subset of these bikes designed to work in tandem with glossy subscription apps that stream live or on-demand spinning classes. Indoor or spinning bikes mimic the forward-leaning riding position of a racing bike and are great for more intense sessions and getting in shape for outdoor cycling. The first are upright bikes, which are designed for comfort and good for beginners (as well as usually being cheaper). There are a few types of home exercise bikes worth detailing for you before jumping into our picks. Compared with a treadmill, rowing machine or elliptical, they are more compact and you don’t have to spend quite as much to get a sturdy, high-quality machine. In many ways an exercise bike is the best piece of home cardio fitness equipment you can buy.

Top ten recumbent exercise bikes