The Best Exercise Bikes

The Bowflex VeloCore is a sturdy, well-made bike that features a range of workout and class options via a one-year membership to Jrny (iOS, Android), Bowflex’s and Schwinn’s workout-streaming app. Available with two screen sizes, 16-inch ($1,800) and 22-inch ($2,200), the bike offers a feature not found on any others we’ve tested: the ability to lean from side to side, as you would on a regular bicycle. The lean mode has the potential to spice up rides, but we didn’t use it as often as we thought we might. Learning how to do it properly takes some practice (the bike offers instructional videos), and the motion ultimately feels less natural than easing into a turn on a real bike. The VeloCore’s seat and handlebars adjust fully. Dual-sided pedals allow you to either clip in with cycling shoes (SPD cleats) or use toe cages with your sneakers. The magnetic resistance spans 100 levels; we typically had no trouble dialing in the magnetic resistance precisely. However, the screen shook when we pedaled at higher cadences (particularly while we stood). Although we enjoyed our time on this model, the workout content wasn’t quite as strong as that of other platforms we tried. The Jrny app ($20 a month after the first free-with-purchase year) features on-demand, instructor-led video workouts, both on and off the bike; they are fine and informative, but they lack the energy and wide range of intensity levels offered by other platforms, like Peloton. This bike can connect to other apps, such as Peloton and Zwift, via your own separate device, but we weren’t able to sync the VeloCore’s cadence monitor to the Peloton app. If you’d rather pedal to your favorite show, the VeloCore allows for streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or Disney+ (with subscriptions).