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If you’re on the hunt for a cheap exercise bike to stand the test of time in your living room, spare bedroom or garage, then stop your search. We’ve discovered 6 brilliant budget-friendly exercise bikes for those who don’t fancy going back to the gym and spending money on a monthly membership. Instead, you could invest (well, we say invest but these are all under £500) in an exercise bike for home use. Yes, it is possible to find an exercise bike at a budget-friendly price tag – and we’re here to help you do so.

We’ve been testing a range of exercise bikes and spin bikes, a few of which sit under the £500 mark. Now, when we say “cheap exercise bike” we’re not talking about something that will last a few months and then break on you, but more of an option that’s within a sensible budget and that you can use daily. Whether that be for spinning, getting in a quick 15-minute cycle during your lunch or something to use in front of the TV.

Since we are recommending affordable exercise bikes, you can’t expect the whole she-bang of Wi-Fi connectivity and the utmost comfort. In some cases, you can, but you mostly get what you pay for. Some of these exercise bikes are foldable, to save space, and a select few of them have programmes – this is usually something that comes with higher priced bikes. We’ve listed the flywheel weight of each bike below (the heavier it is, the tougher it is to ride) as well as info on resistance levels, whether that be 8 or 32. If applicable, we’ve said how many programmes each bike has. Programmes make for an easy way to work out, especially since they control the bike for you so that you need only pedal (and sweat). Exercise bikes without programmes will need adjusting (resistance) by you.

Related: Best yoga mat – our favourite buys for home workouts

Having an exercise bike at home is a great way to get your heart pumping and your legs working without leaving the house. Exercise bikes are an extremely popular piece of home gym equipment – and for good reason, since they can make your heart rate rise fast. This year it has been quite tough to find exercise bikes that are still in stock as the majority of gym-goers have decided to invest in their own exercise bike while in lockdown, and we can hardly blame them.

Scroll down for our comprehensive exercise bike guide to get in a sweaty workout from home – who needs the gym?

What is the best exercise bike?

Our overall best exercise bike for home use, especially if you are looking for something to use daily, is the Viavito Satori exercise bike. We’ve tried it, tested it and we love it. It’s sturdy, easy to use, it has a 9kg flywheel, 32 resistance levels and a whopping 12 pre-set programmes. Plus more – but you’ll have to read the rest below.

Best exercise bikes 2021

1. Viavito Satori

The best cheap exercise bike for home use

Image credit: Viavito

Flywheel: 9kg
Resistance: 32 levels
Programmes: 12

The Viavito Satori exercise bike is great for anyone, whether you are a beginner or a pro. It’s also compact and it’s on wheels for easy moving around your home. We’ve been using this exercise bike for a numner of months now and we love it for daily use – whether for 15 minutes of intense exercise or 30 minutes of light cycling.

Though not foldable, this Viavito bike still manages to be quite small when tucked into a corner. It weighs 31kg in total, and in terms of size it measures 130cm, 100cm long and 54cm in depth. It has an impressive maximum user weight of 140kg.

This bike has a whopping 32 levels of resistance while boasting a heavy 9kg flywheel for an intense workout. You can, of course, control the resistance to suit your fitness level by using the round button on the consle. Its handlebars also feature pulse sensors. There are 12 programmes on this bike, all of which are varied, and you can tailor each one to suit your preferences – from time to distance and calories. Your stats will show on the console, and you can use this console to view your progress throughout. There are four user programmes so each member of your family can use this bike, while it’s impressively quiet while in use.

We think this exercise is great value for £350 – it’s something you can use on a daily basis while watching TV, or even if the kids are in bed. Thanks to its heavy flywheel it can suit everyone, no matter how experienced they may or may not be, while it’s sturdy and completely adjustable. The only thing we aren’t too keen on, is that it doesn’t have a smartphone or tablet holder. Other than that, we love it.

Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars

2. Reebok ZJET 460 Bluetooth Exercise Bike

The best cheap exercise bike with Bluetooth

Image credit: Reebok

Flywheel: 9kg
Resistance: 24
Programmes: 19

This Reebok exercise bike doesn’t just look the part but it connects via Bluetooth to the Reebok Fitness App to enhance your workout. It’s similar to our top pick, the Viavito Satori, but it’s slightly less bulky and with the added bonus of the app compatilility, you can plain, track and analyse your workouts with ease. You can also sync it with an Apple watch.

In terms of size, this exerecise bike clearly isnt foldable, but it is quite small at 140cm high, 41cm wide and 109cm deep. With a maximum user weight of 120kg and a total weight of 35.5kg, it’s even on wheels for moving it from room to room.

With an easy to read console and 19 user programmes, this bike has a 9kg flywheel so that even pros can use this bike, and 24 resistance levels make it easy to adapt it to suit your needs. It’s completely adjustable with strap pedals, and there are hand grip pulse sensors on the handlebars. It has suction-cupped feet to keep the bike firmly on the floor no matter how fast you are peddaling.

Overall, this exercise bike is a great pick for those who are willing to spend a tad more money in order to properlly track their workouts and analyse their progress. It’s best for daily use, whether that be five times a week or seven times a week.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

3. Ultrasport F-Bike and F-Rider

The best cheap exercise bike under £200

Image credit: Ultrasport

Flywheel: 1.5kg
Resistance: 8
Programmes: 0

The Ultrasport F-Bike is feature-packed yet foldable. It’s also affordable and great for smaller spaces. It comes in a range of colour options to suit your home decor, too. We’ve been using this exercise bike for a few months now, and so far we’re enjoying it. It’s definitely best for beginners, but it’s undeniably great for those who are short on storage space – and on a budget.

Foldable and lightweight, this Ultrasport bike weighs 15.5kg and when folded it measures 131cm high and 45cm wide. It’s worth noting that this bike is not on wheels, and it has a maximum user weight of 100kg. It’s pretty easy to move around your home, though, and it can slot neatly behind or under furniture.

With eight levels of adjustable resistance and a 1.5kg flywheel, this bike is better suited for beginners – or those who will be using it for a light to medium-paced workout. Whether you choose to work your way up to resistance eight or work at this level for your entire workout is up to you. Saying that, resistance can easily be tailored to you by spinning the dial in between your legs. The bike’s seat is adjustable from 78cm to 86cm. Though be aware that at this price point you can’t expect the seat to be comfortable. After around 30 minutes it may start to become a tad hard. It also has an LCD display so that you can see your time, distance, speed, calories burned and heart rate. We found this display to sometimes be inaccurate, but we always use our trusty Fitbit to track our exercise.  There are hand pulse sensors to check your heart rate, and these always seem to be bang-on.

At just over the £100 mark, this exercise bike is a bargain. It has all of the features a beginner needs, and it’s foldable so it’s great for smaller spaces. 

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4. JLL JF100 Exercise Bike

The best cheap exercise bike that’s compact

Flywheel: 4kg
Resistance: 10 levels
Programmes: 0

The JLL JF100 is affordable, compact and it’s great for all fitness levels – though it’s not the best option for those who love a spin class as you shouldn’t stand up on it. Makers of some of the best home gym equipment out there, rest assured that JLL products will last.

Compact in size although not foldable, this exercise bike is on wheels to make it easier to move around the home. With a max user weight of 100kg and a total weight of 18.1kg, an adjustable seat and pedals. 

Offering 10 levels of magnetic resistance for total control of how hard you work, this belt-driven bike has a 4kg two-way flywheel. Ideal for use by pros and beginners alike, just don’t stand up on this upright model. It has a six-function monitor so you can see stats such as time, speed, pulse, distance and odometer.

Price-wise, this exercise bike is a great investment when you consider its features and that it can be used by all fitness levels. It’s also definitely worth the money if you have a small home yet don’t want a foldable option.

Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars

5. Pro Fitness FEB2000 Folding Exercise Bike

The best cheap foldable exercise bike

Image credit: Pro Fitness

Flywheel: 3kg
Resistance: 8
Programmes: 0

This Pro Fitness exercise bike is without a doubt our best foldable option for those who have little to no floorspace in their home to store an exercise bike inside. It’s also from Argso so that you can click and collect or get it delivered to your front door, while it comes in at a really reasonable price tag considering its features.

Foldable and compact when both upright or splayed out, this exercise bike is also on wheels – a big bonus when it comes to wheeling it into a cupboard for safe-keeping once you are finished sweating. It weighs a total of 16kgs with a 100kg weight limit. It also has an adjustable seat and self-levelling pedals. Those with an eager eye will have noticed that this bike seat comes complete with a back, for extra support when you ned it the most. This means it can be used by anyone, at any age.

It also has a total of 8 levels of resistance and an impressive 3kg flywheel – this is double the weight of the Ultrasport F bike, making this bike a better option for those looking to push themselves a little harder. It’s still meant for beginners and occasional use, though you’ll probably be able to get more use out of this bike as you gain strength and get used to it. You can use this Pro Fitness bike to track your progress with help from its compact console. Here you can see everything from your workout time to distance, calories, speed and more. It also has sensors to monitor your heart rate as you work out.

In terms of price tag, this bike is only a tad more expensive than the other foldable options on our list. Something to think about if you’re tight on space and a tad more flexible with your budget. Similar to other foldable exercise bikes, we wouldn’t recommend them for every day use but it’s undeniably perfect for occasional exercise and light use.

6. Opti Folding Magnetic Exercise Bike

The most affordable exercise bike that’s worth your money

Flywheel: 1.6kg
Resistance: 8
Programmes: 0

If you are a beginner and you don’t want to feel too overwhelmed by an exercise bike, then this Opti bike is the best option for you. 

Foldable to a very small size and also lightweight at 13.1kg, this exercise bike really is a smart buy for smaller spaces. Despite its small size and light weight, it still has a maximum user weight of 100kg. Though it’s not on wheels…

Boasting a magnetic resistance system that can be controlled with a knob, it has a light 1.6kg flywheel. With pedal straps to keep your feet in place, as well as an adjustable seat and handlebars, it even has pulse sensors on the handles, too. A console sits in your eye line while working out, to tell you everything from your speed to the number of calories you have burned, the distance you have travelled and more.

There’s no doubt that this Opti exercise bike is worth every penny. At under £80, it’s even worth buying for sporadic use or just until gyms open again.

Ideal Home’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

What should I consider before buying an exercise bike?

There are several things to consider before buying an exercise bike:

• Think about the size of the exercise bike before you buy, as well as how much space you will ideally need to use it at home. Some exercise bikes are foldable for when it comes to storing.
• Another thing to be mindful of is the exercise bike’s resistance. This is usually manual or electric. Ensure this can be adjusted by you so that the bike can be used by all fitness levels.
• Also have a look at how easy it is to change resistance, and where this can be done. Some exercise bikes will have a control on their console, while others may have a knob that will sit in between your legs.
• Consider the maximum user weight of each bike to ensure that everyone in your household can use it before you buy.
• All exercise bikes all have a flywheel – the heavier this wheel, the harder the bike will be to use. Beginner? You may want to choose a bike with a lighter flywheel.
• It’s worth noting if your new exercise bike is adjustable – we’re talking about its seat height and handlebars, as well as the pedals in some cases.
• Heart rate monitoring is another feature to look out for when choosing a bike. Some models have built-in sensors on the handlebars.
• Finding a bike that is on wheels will prove handy if you are going to be moving it back into a cupboard or corner of a room after use.
• The majority of exercise bikes have a display console so that you can see your stats while riding. If you have a fitness tracker, then you may not need this. Otherwise, this is handy as they usually sit in your eye line.

Where to buy a cheap exercise bike?

Where else to buy cheap exercise bikes? See below and click through to shop exercise bikes from low to high prices. You’ll be sure to find something to suit your budget.

• Argos cheap exercise bikes
• Amazon cheap exercise bikes
• eBay cheap exercise bikes
• Sweatband cheap exercise bikes
• John Lewis & Partners cheap exercise bikes
• Aosom cheap exercise bikes
• Decaathlon cheap exercise bikes
• OnBuy cheap exercise bikes
• Sports Direct cheap exercise bikes
• Powerhouse Fitness cheap exercise bikes

Read our exercise bike guide above to find the best option for you.

The post Best cheap exercise bikes – 6 affordable buys under £500 appeared first on Ideal Home.

Whether your staircase is large or small, the right banister ideas can totally transform the space. Because you’d be surprised the impact your staircase railings will make to your hallway and landing.

‘A whole staircase can be completely transformed by simply updating and fitting new bannisters, treads, newels and spindles,’ explains James Murray, Senior Staircase Designer at Neville Johnson.’From the raw, industrial effect – ideal for a modern or minimalist space – to rich wood finishes for a traditional home, a new riser adds a different design element to the home.’

For James, attention to detail is key to his banister-centred staircase ideas. ‘Those all-important decorative touches such as twisted oak or wrought iron spindles can be used to introduce a touch of traditional charm. Alternatively, incorporate glass panels to add light to your hallway and create a contemporary feel.’

Banister ideas for stairways

1. Choose contemporary curved design

Image credit: Future PLC/ Katie Lee

Rethink the wooden banister by reshaping the design, choosing a curvaceous rail to guide you along the stairway. A sleek polished wooden banister rounded at the edges helps to soften the presence of such a solid structure. The fluid shape takes the edge off, especially when teamed with contemporary glass panels.

This look is perfect for a modern interior or if you’re looking for small hallways ideas that offer a sense of space.

2. Refresh banisters with a splash of colour

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

If your stairs and existing banister are in good shape and simply just need an update paint can go a long way. Define the banister on a white staircase by picking it out in an accent colour. To make the colour a practical choice select a shade that won’t show up signs of wear and tear as easily as the white perhaps.

To enhance the overall staircase further, choose to paint the wall beside the stars in a coordinating colour to define the rise of the staircase.

3. Paint around the handrail

Image credit: Future PLC/ Brent Darby

For a more traditional approach to decorating the stairs, leave the banister natural and paint all the elements around it. Use your chosen hallway colour scheme, brilliant white in this case, to carefully paint the walls, wall panelling and stair spindles leaving only the handrail unpainted. This helps to create a serene backdrop against which the banister can shine.

4. Create a contrast by mixing materials

Image credit: Bisca

This house conversion beautifully mixes materials to fuse the old with the new. The bespoke Bisca design fuses natural materials to celebrate the heritage of the building while taking into consideration modern design.

The main structure is a steel ribbon of with kiln-dried oak treads and tapered steel spindles. The banister is made of an oval solid oak handrail that sits on top of the hand-forged balustrade below. The handrail sweeps up the staircase, inviting you to journey up.

5. Wow with a wire design

Image credit: Neville Johnson

This Neville Johnson staircase demonstrates beautifully how alternative materials can really make an impact when designing a banister. If you’re designing a stairway from scratch you have the freedom to explore different forms and finishes.

This striking metal staircase feels like a piece of art, making a highly functional element of your home feel more impactful and well throughout rather than just ‘there’.

6. Source sustainable materials

Image credit: Bisca

This new staircase in a refurbished property is made using locally sourced, sustainable materials. ‘The client was remodelling and modernising a brick and stone farmhouse near Hartlepool’ explains a member of the Bisca design team.

‘Local materials reclaimed by the homeowner were the inspiration for the design of a new staircase to be located in a newly created triple-height entrance space providing a link between old and new.’

7. Embrace the natural beauty of wood

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Merewether

On a painted staircase choose to leave the banister bare, stripped back to the natural grain to give it prominence and celebrate its natural beauty. By keeping the banister and spindles bare against a painted backdrop it helps to define the structure of the staircase.

8. Seek a sensitive design in a new build

Image credit: Bisca

If renovating or building your staircase from new, be sensitive to the surroundings when planning the design. ‘For a new-build home in Derbyshire which replaced the owner’s previous house on the same site, Bisca designed and built a staircase for the main entrance hallway’ explains a representative of the design team.

‘The property was inspired by Arts and Crafts architecture, and the brief for the new staircase was to include distinctive features associated with the movement – a simple, utilitarian design where the beauty of natural materials is allowed to shine. Bisca’s sensitivity to ‘the right design for the right place’ really comes in to its own in this project, where the finished staircase is a beautiful, stylish addition to the new build.’

9. Break up the framework with a fractured design

Image credit: Neville Johnson

Create interest by breaking away from a traditional continuous banister design. Go for a more contemporary look, such as this example by Neville Johnson. Break the flow of one piece of material with separate  sections, adjoined by fastenings in the same material.

9. Wall mount a handrail in a narrow stairway

Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes

In a narrow hallway where the stairs are framed by walls, as opposed to open spindles, it’s best to wall-mount a slim handrail. To save valuable space choose one dominant wall to place the banister on. Making sure it’s positioned practically to assist journeys both up and down the stairs.

Incidentally, we’re massive fans of this smart staircase runner idea, which draws the eye up. If you wanted to make the staircase appear wider, you could opt for a horizontal stripe instead.

10. Add interest with curved steel

Image credit: Future PLC/ Jake Curtis

This banister ideas contrasts a wooden staircase with a sleek alternative steel handrail. In this curved stairway, the banister curves round to add a stylish finish to a modern stairway design.

11. Make it monochrome

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles

Refresh an existing, perhaps dated, staircase and banister with a coat of wood paint. This creative take on decorating offers a monochrome finish, providing a great base for a colourful hallway scheme.  To unify the scheme, paint a staircase in the same colour continuing on door frames and skirting boards within the hallway.

How much does it cost to replace a banister?

Costs for replacing a banister depends on the material you choose to do the job, but can range from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands.

A carpenter will replace a banister for a reasonable price, dependant on the work involved and the size of the staircase. You’re looking in the hundreds, rather than thousands. But as with any interior design element there’s a high end option, if you have the budget.

Bespoke staircase specialist Bisca designs and makes award-winning staircases all over the UK, built entirely in the North Yorkshire workshop. ‘Each commission is the handiwork of a dedicated team of multi-skilled craftspeople who combine traditional disciplines, including metal work, blacksmithing, cabinetry and leather. Working with precision-engineered designs and modern materials.’

Prices for this level of expertise, for a full staircase, start from £25k.

The post Banister ideas: 11 staircase railing designs to transform hallways appeared first on Ideal Home.

The Dulux Colour of the year 2022 is literally a breath of fresh air waiting to be added to your home. While last year’s colour focused on keeping us grounded, this year is all about embracing optimism in your home and looking to the sky.

The paint trend selected by the experts to epitomise our homes in 2022 is Bright Skies, an airy light blue shade designed to capture the hopeful mood of the moment. After the bright and rich shades of the last two years, a return to a light optimistic blue is a welcome change and one the team at Ideal Home can’t wait to embrace in their bedroom colour schemes and beyond.

Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies

Image credit: Dulux

‘As a big fan of the outdoors I’m loving the freshness of Bright Skies. It’s perfect for 2022 with its feeling of optimism,’ says Heather Young, Ideal Home Editor. ‘I’m on the hunt for a wall colour for my bedroom at the moment. Blue wasn’t on the table but now I’m very tempted to give Bright Skies a try.’

‘It’s a lighter, brighter and more refreshing colour than that of last year’s Brave Ground, yet it still has a deep connection to nature,’ adds Tamara Kelly, Ideal Home Digital Editor. ‘It pairs so beautifully with a whole range of accent colours, is this the new alternative to light grey?’

Image credit: Dulux

Many of us have been turning to shades such as blue in our home office ideas and bedroom ideas thanks to its connotations of offering peace and serenity. However, its connection to the outdoors also makes it the perfect colour choice to give your mood a boost at home.

‘Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around us?’ says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK.

Image credit: Dulux

‘It is widely known that nature makes us feel better and taking steps to bring the outside in enhances our sense of wellbeing. So whether we are working or relaxing, creating or exercising, it is essential to have a space that reflects the optimism and desire for a fresh, new start that is top of the agenda for the year ahead.’

‘However, Bright Skies is not about idle day-dreaming. It is about turning those dreams into reality and forging ahead with the changes that we want to make.’

How to use the Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 in your home

If you are keen to add Bright Skies to your home Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux says the best place isn’t on your walls but your ceiling.

Image credit: Dulux

‘If you use this colour on the ceiling you don’t have to commit to the walls. It just makes that ceiling melt away, it just fills a room with a breath of fresh air,’ she says.

‘I absolutely believe when people put it on the ceiling and can see what it can do that’s going to be an amazing revolution.’

‘I’m going to paint it on the ceiling of my bedroom. In fact, I’m going to immerse my bedroom, watch this space,’ she adds.

How is the colour of the year selected?

The Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies was selected by a panel of design, fashion and colour experts. It was heavily influenced by the events of the last few years, homes dealing with the aftermath of three lockdowns and many of us craving freedom and a return to nature.

Even the process by which the colour is usually selected had to be changed due to the pandemic. For the first time in 19 years, rather than attending the Global Aesthetics Centre, where the colour is chosen, the group gathered online for a virtual summit.

Image credit: Dulux

‘Over the past 19 years, we’ve seen a dramatic shift from a concentration on brighter tones to an emphasis on neutrals,’ Heleen van Gent, head of the AkzoNobel Global Aesthetics Centre.

‘This year, however, vibrant colours and light tones are re-emerging – a reflection, perhaps of our need for positivity and a fresh approach. After a spell of feeling shut-in, we crave expansion – the great outdoors. The 37 curated colours in this year’s collection help to make it easy to choose on-trend shades.’

What colours go with Bright Skies?

Four colour palettes have been built around the versatile Bright Skies – Greenhouse, Studio, Workshop and Salon. Each palette is starkly different from each other demonstrating the genius of this year’s colour of the year at adapting to different spaces.

Image credit: Dulux

The Greenhous palette showcases fresh greens, paired with the lovely blues. If you’re a houseplant fan then Bright Skies is the surprising, but perfect backdrop shade to make your green babies pop.

While Salon and workshop feature more muted shades for a grown-up spin on blue, the Studio colour palette really caught our eye. Partnering the pale blue of Bright Skies with reds, oranges and pinks, it is an unexpected and modern colour combination for blue bedroom ideas we can’t get enough of.

Will you be trying Bright Skies in your home?

The post Dulux reveals this is the perfect colour to create a happy home in 2022 – and we can’t get enough of it appeared first on Ideal Home.