One of the most important factors for most people who want an exercise bike is size. If space was not an issue, then many people may consider a treadmill or elliptical machine. But exercise bikes are reliably small, and perfect for working out in small spaces. In this article, we will be looking for the best small exercise bike to buy right now.
What to Look for in an Exercise Bike?
Size isn’t everything! You can’t just judge an exercise bike on how small it is. They have so much more to offer. We will obviously be judging each bike on how small it is, but we will also look at durability, value for money, mobility, comfort, and how easy it is to install.
- Value – Value for money is not just looking at finding the lowest price item, it is about finding an item that is well worth its price. Be that $100 or $3,000. A ridiculously low-priced exercise bike that falls apart after a week does not represent good value for money. While a $3,000 exercise bike that lasts 30 years does. That doesn’t necessarily mean that expensive = good value for money. We rate our bikes on how well they are made, how long they will last, and whether their price accurately reflects that.
- Durability– This ties in with value (see above). It doesn’t matter if your exercise bike looks amazing, or if it has its own 22-inch touchscreen. If the bike doesn’t look like it will last you 5 years, then is it really worth it? A very inexpensive exercise bike that lasts 3 years, may be seen as durable to some, whereas a hugely expensive bike that needs to be replaced after 6 years may be seen as poor when it comes to durability.
- Mobility – This is not a description of how mobile the exercise bike is to ride, but rather, it is a description of how easy it is to transport the bike around the home between uses. Chances are that if you are looking for a small exercise bike, you are also looking for a bike that you can move out of the way easily when not in use.
- Comfort – Small exercise bikes are not usually that comfortable, but we have tried to pick bikes that provide some comfort to the user. The comfort is based around the seat. If you are very tall, then a small exercise bike is going to leave you feeling uncomfortable however well-made it is, because you will be cramped.
- Installation – How easy is your exercise bike to build? Are the instructions simple to follow? Does it require hundreds of steps and several hours of your day? Or did it already come fully installed?
Those are the five factors that we will be rating in our table (see below). Each factor will be scored out of five, with a total score of twenty-five at the end. We will then take an in-depth look at each bike, to give you a better idea of what to buy.
We don’t have a category for size, because each bike has been chosen for being small already, so they would all score the same for that. We will discuss the different sizes in the individual review for each bike.
Comparison Table
| Best Small Exercise Bike | Value | Durability | Mobility | Comfort | Installation | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sovnia Exercise Bike | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 20/25 | Check Price |
| YOSUDA Exercise Bike | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 19/25 | Check Price |
| Sunny Health Mini Desk Cycle | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 19/25 | Check Price |
| Lanos Folding Exercise Bike | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 20/25 | Check Price |
| DGQHME Exercise Bike | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21/25 | Check Price |
As you can see, there is one winner (DGQHME Exercise bike) but there isn’t much in it, with the lowest scoring bike only 2 points behind the highest scoring bike. None of the bikes on this list blew the rest of the competition away. But they all delivered a well-priced, durable, and comfortable exercise bike that fits in a small space.
We will now go into detail for each bike to help you find out which small stationary bike is the best exercise bike for small spaces.
Small Exercise Bike #1: Sovnia Exercise Bike
The Sovnia Exercise bike, like the YOSUDA exercise bike (reviewed below) are not particularly small. They are small compared to most exercise bikes, but nowhere near as small as the Sunny Health & Fitness mini desk cycle that we also review.
If you are looking for an exercise bike that is quite small, but fairly normal, then this could well be the bike for you. It is excellently priced, and highly durable. It has a max weight user capacity of 285 lbs, which is very decent for a small exercise bike.
We’ve scored it low for mobility as it is quite awkward to move around, particularly when compared to some of the other bikes on this list. But it’s not impossible, just tilt it onto its front and wheel it wherever you like.
Comfort-wise, it scores highly. The seat is pretty comfortable, the handles are well designed, and you should be able to ride on this bike for quite a while before feeling uncomfortable. When it comes to installation, the Sovnia exercise bike really shines. This is the easiest bike to build straight from the box, and only takes a few minutes.
Overall, this is an excellent exercise bike, sold at a very reasonable price, that also happens to be smaller than the average bike. If you’re looking for a truly tiny bike, then check out our reviews of numbers 3,4, and 5 on this list.
Small Exercise Bike #2: YOSUDA Exercise Bike
As with the Sovnia bike, this is more a smaller than average exercise bike than it is a small-by-design bike. This is a truly compact spin bike, that reminds of us a more budget-friendly version of the Peloton bike. We’ve scored it highly for value and for durability. With a max user weight capacity of 330 lbs, it is probably the most durable and long-term bike on this list.
When it comes to mobility, the YOSUDA is very similar to the Sovnia. It is certainly possible to transport this bike around the house, but by no means as easy as it could be. Hence the middling score. The bike is comfortable when compared to other spin bikes, but you may decide to purchase a new seat if you plan on longer rides.
The only area where we’ve scored it low was in installation, which we found to be particularly difficult compared to others on this list. Again, like mobility, it is not impossible, just more difficult than we had hoped. Overall, this is a wonderful small exercise bike, that performs superbly.
Small Exercise Bike #3: Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Desk Cycle
If your goal is to find the smallest possible exercise bike, then the Mini Desk Cycle by Sunny Health & Fitness absolutely delivers. It’s tiny! It’s just a wheel and some pedals, there is nowhere for you to sit, nowhere for you to put your arms, and certainly no LCD display or Bluetooth connectivity!
Let’s be honest here, if you are looking for a high intensity cycle workout then the Mini Desk Cycle is not going to deliver. But if you are looking for a low-intensity workout which can be done under your desk, this absolutely hits the spot.
We’ve scored it a 5/5 for mobility. You can literally pick this machine up by the handle and carry it like a suitcase. We scored it a 2/5 for durability though, as the pedals tend to only last a year or so before giving up due to wear and tear. Considering the low price, we still believe that this is a great option for a small exercise bike, but the low durability is certainly something that you should consider.
Small Exercise Bike #4: Lanos Folding Exercise Bike
The Lanos folding exercise bike is a great small exercise bike. Not only is it relatively small when in use, but once folded it becomes significantly smaller. It’s a very reasonable price, and it is surprisingly durable for a foldable exercise bike.
Despite it looking frail, it actually has a max user weight capacity of 300 lbs, which is very reasonable. It’s very easy to transport and store when not in use, the main benefit of a foldable exercise bike. It offers 10 resistance levels, and a decently comfortable seat. We scored it down for comfort though, this is because you tend to end up sitting quite far forward on the bike, which removes a lot of the comfort.
Overall, this is a great low-priced exercise bike, that is small in size and perfect for busy homes and small spaces. If you are on a budget and have little space, then the Lanos folding exercise bike is the right choice for you.
Small Exercise Bike #5: DGQHME Exercise Bike
The final exercise bike on our list, is also the highest rated. With a name as catchy as DGQHME the bike is going to need to do a lot to earn our respect. It does this easily. This bike is great value for money, which is reflected on its excellent durability, and a max user weight capacity of 330 lbs.
It’s easy to store, easy to transport, and very comfortable to ride on. At the time of publishing this article it was in fact the easiest bike on this list to install, just edging out the Sovnia exercise bike, and it should last you years if you maintain it well. Overall this is a worthy winner of our top small exercise bikes list.
