Best Fold Away Exercise Bike For Under £200

Whether you have a lot of space or live in a tiny apartment, owning a foldable exercise bike can do wonders for your exercise routine. Cycling and spinning are great ways to keep fit or build some strength, and with the best foldable bikes on the market at your disposal, you can’t go wrong. Some of the foldup bikes we’ve found even feature desks allowing you to get some work done while burning calories.

All the bikes we’ve reviewed are affordable, high-quality and feature heavy-duty frames for stability. And the best part? You don’t need a mansion to own one of these. Simply fold it up and store it away once you’ve completed your workout. By the end of this review, you will be amped to kit your home gym out with any of these exercise bikes. Ready, set, go!

Getting Up to Speed with the Best Exercise Bikes on a Budget

Now that we’ve covered the basics, you are probably curious about these foldup bikes. In the next section of our review, we take a closer look at each exercise bike, its pros and cons and some of the standout features.

Selecting the best option for you will depend on a couple of factors, such as the space you have to store it, your fitness needs and which features you look for in a bike. Not to worry, we’ve included a handy buyer’s guide at the end of the review to make sure you make a well-informed decision before buying your bike!

Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Fold-Away Exercise Bike

Now, if you want to buy a foldable exercise bike, you need to establish your fitness goals. Are you adding one to your home gym to complete your gym setup? Are you just looking for an easy way to lose some weight without joining a fitness centre? Perhaps you are a professional athlete who would like to incorporate this into your daily workout routine.

Once you’ve narrowed down your needs, you’ll have see whether or not the bike you are eyeballing fits in with some of the pointers we discuss below.

1. Flashy Features

There are loads of options to choose from even when you are working with a limited budget. Some fold away exercise bikes have very advanced features, but don’t let that take your eyes off the prize. You need to focus on functional features such as resistance levels, build and comfort. For example, the seat should be able to be adjusted easily.

2. Weight Limit and Weight

A good indication of the durability of a fold-away bike is its weight capacity and the weight of the bike itself. Bikes that have a lower weight capacity and weighs less tend to be unstable. In order for you to workout safely, the bike you end up buying should be stable and sturdy.

3. Added Extras

This might not be at the top of the list, but sometimes juicy extras can be the key to keeping you motivated to reach your goals. The majority of exercise bikes nowadays come with built-in LCD screens and pulse monitors. Some even have built-in fans to keep you cool while working out. These are all optional but can come in handy.

4. Smooth or Noisy?

Be sure to check whether or not the bike delivers a smooth ride or if it’s noisy. This is obviously not a deal breaker for most, but if you live with other people, a noisy bike might be a bit annoying and could even end up causing conflict.

5. Ease of Assembly

When you order a fold-away bike online, you are going to have to assemble it at home once it is delivered. Be sure to double-check that the model you order comes with assembly instructions and that it is not difficult to assemble by yourself. This will also ensure that you can start using your new piece of equipment sooner.

6. Different Types of Exercise Bikes

As you may well know, there are plenty of different types of exercise bikes out there. If you a beginner, you might find yourself lost. We’ve included a handy breakdown of some of the most common types of exercise bikes out there.

We specifically take a look at the different types of resistance. Understanding the inner workings of the best fold-away exercise bikes is the key to making the right purchase.

Fan-Based Resistance

These are not as common as magnetic resistance exercise bikes, but they still deliver the goods. Fan-based resistance bikes run on a large resistance fan that is connected to the pedals via a belt and pulley. As you pedal, the fan starts to rotate and build resistance. Pedalling faster will give more resistance than pedalling slower. One great benefit of this type of exercise bike is that the fan blows as you pedal, cooling you down while you train.

Magnetic Resistance

If you are looking to get an exercise bike that’s going to last a lifetime, a magnetic resistance bike is your best option. As opposed to traditional direct contact resistance bikes, these are less prone to wear and tear. This is thanks to the fact that there is no friction or direct contact involved in generating resistance. All the resistance you need is provided through electromagnetic induction. These bikes are also less noisy than their older counterparts. There’s nothing but smooth spinning all the way with a magnetic resistance bike.

Direct Contact Resistance

The more traditional type of exercise bike runs on direct contact resistance. These bikes work on a direct contact braking basis and use friction to cause resistance. A brake is applied to the flywheel which then recuses the rotational speed as you pedal. As far as accuracy and workout quality goes, these bikes are great. They do, however, wear down over time if used frequently, and they are also noisier than other types of bikes.

Conclusion

That concludes our review of the best fold-away exercise bikes. Remember to take note of the weight capacity and actual weight of the bike you wish to buy before making a purchase. Stability and safety should always be your priority. You won’t get a lot of pedalling done if you injure yourself!