IF YOU'RE struggling to find time to get your cardio in, you’re not alone. From work to kids to Zoom calls to sometimes just commuting to the gym, every so often, you don’t want to leave the comfort of your house–especially just to get a quick sweat. That doesn’t mean you need a full gym at home–and very often, especially if you live in the city, you can’t make room for a full gym setup anyway. Thankfully, there is an interesting solution: The foldable stationary bike.

Straight up: Most folding stationary bikes aren't built to provide the same cardio-blasting workout as a traditional indoor exercise bike (or elliptical or rowing machine). You won’t drive your heart rate to its absolute limits on a folding stationary bike, and you won’t ready yourself to run a marathon. But if you want to burn a few extra calories here and there, a foldable exercise bike is a strong solution that doesn’t take up a ton of space. And, of course, there's the added benefit of being able to tuck it under a bed or into a closet when you want it out of the way.

At the end of the day, spinning is a solid cardio workout. Like many cardio workouts, it can help strengthen your heart, lower blood pressure, and of course, burn significant calories. Ready to upgrade your mini-home-gym setup, but not sure where to start? We've rounded up the best foldable exercise bikes if you’re trying to get that cycling done with a space crunch.

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XTERRA Fitness

amazon.com

$106.99

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This XTERRA Fitness bike has eight levels of manual resistance that can be changed through the tension knob. This folding exercise bike features a fly wheel construction with strap foot pedals and a small LCD window that displays your basic cardio workout essentials, including speed, distance, time, calories, and pulse. Many reviewers also note how surprisingly comfortable the padded seat is—a rarity among foldable exercise bikes. The best part for those short on real estate, though, is that it folds up easily and takes up minimal space, into dimensions of 18.1” x 18.1” of floor space, when not in use.

In general, folding exercise bikes are less durable than their non-folding counterparts. The downside here is that that's true of the FB150 too. It can only hold riders up to 225 pounds. While that's enough for most "average" guys, it's not ideal for bigger fellahs. It also lacks heart rate monitoring and the LCD screen is tiny (just 2" x 1"). But if you meet the weight requirement and you're looking to score a compact exercise bike on a budget, you can still clock plenty of miles on this bad boy for a low-impact cardio workout. If you don't mind "splurging" a little, the company's FB350 Folding Exercise Bike adds a few more creature comforts like a seat back, seat handles, and accessory handles.

What do buyers say? Out of more than 28,000 Amazon reviews, 89% recommend the XTERRA Fitness FB150 Folding Exercise Bike with at least a 4-star rating.

BulbHead

amazon.com

$199.99

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If you're looking for a more versatile, full-featured exercise bike, this model from BulbHead is much more than just a bike. It offers built-in resistance bands, too, along with eight levels of adjustable resistance to challenge your legs. It can also be adjusted to sit upright or in a recumbent position, for a lower impact exercise that still delivers a decent heart-pumping workout. The digital display tracks all the essentials: Burned calories, distance, speed, how many miles you rode, and your heart rate. Plus, while other bikes we've tested tend to be loud, we found BulbHead's motor as quiet as a whisper.

While the built-in resistance bands add a nice touch of versatility, we wouldn't suggest using them for intense resistance workouts as they're not extremely durable. This model is also slightly heavier than other comparable folding exercise bikes. But, given the sub-$200 price tag, overwhelmingly positive reviews (including over 10,000 five-star Amazon ratings), and easy assembly, this is still a great value bike, especially for beginners.

What do buyers say? "Very sturdy bike with comfortable seat and easy operating instructions. Pedaling is smooth and you can make it as easy or strenuous as you want," said one Amazon reviewer.

Exerpeutic

amazon.com

$354.99

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If you're looking to work while biking, this bike is a the perfect solution. Because it's meant to be used for longer stretches than your typical cardio workout, the cushioned seating with backrest is more comfortable than most other models. We like that the sliding desktop is adjustable, so you can tilt it forward, back, up, and down to find the ideal position for working and working out. The folding exercise bike also has an impressive 24-level magnetic tension control system with two dozen preset workouts to challenge yourself on the LCD display. Plus, because it's a belt-driven construction, it's super quiet so your workout won't interrupt your Zoom meetings.

Our only gripes—and those of some other reviewers—is that it's not as accommodating to shorter people. The addition of a built-in work surface also makes this model heavier than most (at 69 pounds), and the attachment can make this foldable bike a bit harder and more awkward to store. Still, given its unique design, mid-range price (under $400), and positive reviews, it's arguably the best WFH-friendly folding exercise bike we've seen this year.

What do buyers say? "A relatively inexpensive and convenient way to get some extra activity while working from home," said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Best Desk Treadmills

Exerpeutic

amazon.com

$199.99

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Everything about this foldable exercise bike is beefier, heavy-duty, and just plain bigger. It is built for bigger dudes ... it has a maximum recommended weight capacity of 400 pounds and a height capacity of 6'5". Plus, it boasts an oversized seat cushion, and a large LCD display that shows calories burned, distance, time, speed, and your pulse. It offers eight levels of magnetic tension for a comparatively challenging workout. The durable alloy steel frame can be folded up into half its size, making it another great option for anyone with limited floor space. Plus, beyond its sturdy build, it's also relatively high-tech. You can connect this Exerpeutic bike via Bluetooth to your smartphone to log your workouts, including to the Mycloudfitness app, which shows your live workout stats, and provides trainer-led video workouts. (Though, if you're planning to use the latter, we recommend using your iPad instead.)

We're hard-pressed to find much to dislike about this model. Our only two quibbles are that its bulkier build (including 20% more steel than some of Exerpeutic's other models) makes this one heavier at more than 50 pounds. Some reviewers find that it's also more difficult to assemble than other comparable models. But, if you're a big dude, this might be the best ultra-durable foldable bike model for you.

What do buyers say? "Great bike for bear-sized people. I am 6'6" and well over the 400lb limit of this bike, and I will let you know the important things for people my size right up front: It's sturdy," said one Amazon reviewer.

Lanos

amazon.com

$179.99

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Lanos' folding exercise bike has a solid level of variety with 10 levels of magnetic resistance. It's beefier than most models we've seen with support for riders up to 330 pounds and a max height of 6'7", so this is another great option for bigger guys. The plush, cushioned seat, solid back support, and three customizable riding positions (upright, semi-stationary, and recumbent) all ensure maximum comfort, even for longer sessions. Plus, it boasts an easy-to-read LCD monitor that also has a tablet holder located on the handle bars so that you can check your email and Instagram notifications as you spin.

This is another very well-reviewed folding bike with more than 5,000 five-star Amazon ratings. Reviewers note that the Lanos is easy to assemble, and folding is a cinch. The no-frills resistance system uses a knob that lets you adjust tension, and the LCD monitor shows all the essential stats (heart rate, distance, calories, and miles). With a sale price under $200, this is our hands-down pick for the most user-friendly folding exercise bike of 2023.

What do buyers say? "It was easy to set up and folds up quite nicely too. Only thing is it’s so fun and easy to use, my kids are on it more than me. But it gets them moving so it’s actually a win win!" said one Amazon reviewer.