A year ago, I discovered that I LOVE indoor cycling! This is how I created a simple indoor bike set up at home. If you are looking for a fun way to exercise that gets your heart going and makes you sweat, give a cycling workout a try.
I didn’t want to make a huge investment in an exercise bike until I knew that I was going to stick with indoor cycling. My bike budget was around $350. I wanted to buy a decent starter bike, and after reading tons of Amazon reviews, decided on a Sunny Health & Fitness bike (pictured below.)
I have been really happy with my choice. This Sunny bike is built solid and works great. It offers almost everything I wanted in a budget-friendly indoor bike.
TIP: Save money and assemble the bike yourself.
The bike is actually pretty easy to put together, so don’t pay the extra assembly fees unless you think paying the extra money is worth it. You will probably need another adult to help you in a couple spots where the heavy parts need a lift.
Once the bike is assembled, the small transportation wheels make it easy to move around. It took me less than an hour to assemble the bike (everything you need for assembly is included with the bike.)
I got a heavy duty equipment mat to go under the bike, and think it’s a good idea, especially if you are putting the bike on carpet. A good mat definitely helps protect the floor underneath the bike. Plus, it makes it easier to keep the floor clean.
See the Sunny Health & Fitness Bike SF-B1805 on Amazon.
I recently upgraded to a newer model of Sunny Health & Fitness indoor cycling bike (pictured above.) This one has features similar to more expensive indoor exercise bikes – things like a magnetic belt drive and a tablet holder on the handle bars.
Okay so now that the bike is set up, what’s next? Time to find indoor cycling workouts. Some people can simply pop in earbuds and crank up the music and ride for hours. Others plug in to watch a show while they ride. I am not those people. I need more structure.
I figured out that I do best in an instructor-led cycling workout with a good playlist. I took a chance and signed up for the Peloton app to see what it was all about. This app has become a major part of why I enjoy riding my bike so much. Peloton cycling classes are amazing!
You don’t have to have a Peloton bike to take advantage of all the live and on demand cycling classes found in the Peloton app. All you need is a tablet or smartphone so you can watch the workouts while you ride. There is a monthly subscription fee for the app; it’s totally worth it!
TIP: If your indoor exercise bike does not have a tablet mount, you can easily add one like this tablet mount for spin bikes or get an adhesive wall dock.
TIP: If you want a way to track cadence on a bike that doesn’t track cadence, you can get a Wahoo cadence tracker for the bike.
TIP: If your bike does not track heart rate, you can do that with a wearable fitness tracker. I use an Apple watch to track my heart rate.
I like the convenience of being able to exercise in my home. I feel more comfortable working out at home than at the gym. My at home indoor cycling set up is my happy place! Feel free to ask me questions about my Sunny bike and/or how I use the Peloton app for my indoor cycling workouts. I will do my best to answer.
Other things that come in handy during my indoor cycling workouts:
- Water Bottle
- Gym Towel
- Light weights (some cycling workouts include an arms section)
- Tablet or Smartphone (for streaming online workouts, music, etc.)
Full Disclosure in case you can’t already tell: I’m not a fitness blogger, I’m just a regular person who enjoys exercise and being active. If you want to hear more about this topic from me, please comment below and let me know.
