{"id":791788,"date":"2026-10-04T15:24:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T15:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/791788\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T15:24:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T15:24:19","slug":"review-i-put-two-at-home-exercise-bikes-to-the-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/791788\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: I put two at-home exercise bikes to the test"},"content":{"rendered":"

Journalist Glenn Kelly was sent two smart bikes for the purpose of review. Here, he shares whether the tech-savvy equipment is worth the hefty price tag.<\/p>\n

With the evenings getting longer and the will to get outside for your daily workout slowly waning, now is the time to be looking at equipment that you can use indoors.<\/p>\n

As luck would have it, I might have just the machines for you.<\/p>\n

\"two<\/p>\n

Home fitness is big business; in fact, according to Fortune Business Insights, it is worth $14 billion globally each year. That means manufacturers are stretching the boundaries of technology to replicate the feeling of outdoor activities from the comfort of your home.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, I was lucky enough to spend the last month testing two of the best premium exercise bikes on the market to see if they warrant your hard-earned money.<\/p>\n

NordicTrack and Echelon both compete in the premium studio bike tier through their flagship models, but which machine will win out when we test them on features, build quality and ride performance? Grab your water bottle and read on to find out.<\/p>\n

NordicTrack X24
Podium4Sport.com; \u20ac2,400<\/p>\n

\"smart<\/p>\n

Founded in Minnesota in 1975 by mechanical engineer Edward Pauls and his wife, Florence, NordicTrack has been at the forefront of the ever-evolving home cycling – from simple spinning to fully immersive home studio setups.<\/p>\n

The NordicTrack X24 is the brand’s flagship statement piece, engineered to blur the line between virtual indoor rides and real-world outdoor terrain. Packed with dynamic hardware and cutting-edge software integration, it offers a complete, highly athletic training experience, and at a premium price.<\/p>\n

Features<\/p>\n

\"bike\"<\/p>\n

If features are your thing, the X24 is stacked. Without doubt, the defining feature of the machine is its mechanical incline and decline capability. Raising from a steep -10% decline up to a massive 20% incline, the frame physically tilts to match the digital landscape on screen.<\/p>\n

Climbing steep virtual mountain passes shifts your body weight backwards, engaging your glutes and hamstrings just like outdoor road cycling.<\/p>\n

It was the first time I had seen or used a bike that does this automatically, and it really was a game changer for me. It reacted seamlessly with what was happening on the screen without delay, and I felt like I could be on a ride across Cyprus, California or beyond.<\/p>\n

Speaking of screens, you can’t fail to spot the huge 24″ HD touchscreen that sits “pride of place” at the front of the bike. The display tilts and pivots smoothly, allowing users to transition to their perfect position.<\/p>\n

The screen is bright, and connections are fast – which is not always the case on the home gym equipment front; and, get this, there is even a fan built into the bottom of the screen to blow air on your face if you so wish, to really replicate the feeling of cycling by the coast.<\/p>\n

Software<\/p>\n

\"smart<\/p>\n

Hardware is only half the story; software completes the setup. Powered by the iFIT platform, the X24 uses SmartAdjust\u2122 technology to automatically alter your resistance and incline in real time as trainers guide you through global outdoor routes or studio environments.<\/p>\n

iFIT\u2019s extensive library includes over 10,000 workouts shot across all seven continents, accompanied by custom Google Maps route creation for endless variety.<\/p>\n

For multi-taskers, integrated entertainment streaming options like Netflix and Prime Video allow users to view shows on the 24-inch display during recovery rides. I even caught my kids watching Netflix on there, but seeing as they were exercising, too, I didn\u2019t mind!<\/p>\n

A subscription for all the live rides is priced between \u20ac15 and \u20ac35 per month, which is about standard for the market and considering it also brings yoga and other floor-fitness classes. The machine even comes with some light dumbbells for the full gym-at-home experience.<\/p>\n

\"dumbbell\"<\/p>\n

Build Quality<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t comment on the assembly of the X24 as the kind folks at Podium 4 Sport assembled it for me before delivery; however, this bike is solid.<\/p>\n

Everything about it tells you that it will last the distance. That does mean it comes in heavy. At over 60kg, you won\u2019t be throwing it on your back anytime soon, so have a long-term place in mind before assembling or taking delivery.<\/p>\n

Ride Quality<\/p>\n

Very smooth. The mechanisms never jerked or jammed \u2013 something you wouldn\u2019t expect to happen on a machine of this price \u2013 but nonetheless reassuring.<\/p>\n

The changes in incline\/decline were effective, and I found myself wondering how they could tie it in so well with the on-screen cycles. This is certainly a machine that could fulfil the needs of a beginner all the way through to expert.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/p>\n

As you will have gathered from my review, I think the NordicTrack is fantastic, probably the best home fitness equipment I have ever used.<\/p>\n

Are there negatives? Of course. The price tag could be hard for people to swallow at over \u20ac2,000, and for those after a more basic bike, there are plenty out there for half the cost. It is also heavy and may not be best for those with mobility issues.<\/p>\n

Rating: 5\/5<\/p>\n

Echelon EX-5s
Echelonfit.uk; \u20ac1,285<\/p>\n

Fellow American brand Echelon\u2019s EX-5s balances studio-grade construction with space-conscious design, solidifying its place as a powerhouse alternative in connected home cycling.<\/p>\n

Equipped with a sleek 22-inch HD touchscreen display, it delivers an engaging platform for riders who want high-energy guided classes without sacrificing living space.<\/p>\n

Features<\/p>\n

\"smart<\/p>\n

At the core of the EX-5s sits a rear-mounted flywheel paired with a quiet magnetic resistance system.<\/p>\n

Moving the flywheel to the back keeps critical moving parts out of the “sweat zone,” reducing long-term wear and maintenance issues. Resistance is controlled via a classic manual tension knob, offering 32 precise levels.<\/p>\n

While it lacks the digital auto-adjustments of the NordicTrack, the magnetic drive ensures whisper-quiet transitions during late-night workouts.<\/p>\n

The 22-inch HD screen tilts 180 degrees, transforming the bike into a full home gym hub for off-the-bike workouts like strength training, yoga, and HIIT. The screen is bright but doesn\u2019t quite seem as crisp as on the X24 and doesn\u2019t feature streaming apps at the time of writing.<\/p>\n

Four-way seat and handlebar adjustments make tailoring the geometry to different heights simple and fast. It only took me a few seconds to find my ideal cycling position.<\/p>\n

Software<\/p>\n

\"smart<\/p>\n

The bike relies on the Echelon Premier platform to stream live daily classes, thousands of on-demand studio sessions, and scenic rides across the globe. The interface cleanly displays key metric readouts, including cadence, estimated output wattage, calories, and real-time leaderboard ranks.<\/p>\n

For households with multiple riders, a single subscription supports up to five unique profiles.<\/p>\n

Setting up the machine was a little tricky, and I have noticed this about Echelon in the past, whereby it takes the equipment some time to connect to your home internet. Be prepared for a couple of restarts.<\/p>\n

I didn’t find that I could be as involved with some of the riders on the screen as with the NordicTrack, but this could be personal preference, and the settings were still really interesting to look at as you cycle along.<\/p>\n

Again, to avail of all the services, you have to pay a subscription, and this is similar to the NordicTrack at around \u20ac20-\u20ac35 per month.<\/p>\n

Once the connection was established, it was easy to navigate around the settings and programs.<\/p>\n

\"bike\"<\/p>\n

Build Quality<\/p>\n

My wife and I put the bike together in around half an hour, which I thought was pretty good! Echelon is excellent at providing everything you need for assembly in the box, and this made the job much easier. Online instruction videos also helped.<\/p>\n

The bike feels good, with perhaps a little too much movement in the seat post despite my best efforts. Like the X24, this bike will last for years and benefits from being a little lighter and more manageable on its front wheels.<\/p>\n

\"bike<\/p>\n

Ride Quality<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t fault the Echelon here. Everything felt as it should and behaved very quietly in operation; I would even say the pedal comfort was slightly better than on the X24, with better space for feet.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/p>\n

The Echelon EX-5s offers exceptional build quality, smooth magnetic resistance, and an expansive content ecosystem. Its rear-flywheel design and rotating 22-inch screen make it a durable, highly adaptable choice for riders who want an immersive studio environment paired with total off-bike flexibility.<\/p>\n

I did find the manual resistance setting a pain after stepping off the X24, and it can\u2019t compete with some of the luxuries you get with the NordicTrack. In saying that, you are paying about \u20ac1,000 less and that is a substantial saving.<\/p>\n

Rating: 4\/5<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Journalist Glenn Kelly was sent two smart bikes for the purpose of review. Here, he shares whether the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":791789,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-791788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/791789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}