WINNOW Exercise Bike Review: Is This Budget Bike Worth It?

Thinking about the WINNOW Exercise Bike but not sure it's worth the money? If you're shopping for a home exercise bike on a tight budget, the WINNOW Exercise Bike is one you'll keep running into, and the honest answer is that it's a surprisingly good machine for the price.

Here's everything you need to make an informed decision.

Unboxing and assembly

The bike arrives as a self-assembly kit, with the parts clearly marked and laid out. Owners generally describe the instructions as easy to follow, with only one or two confusing moments. The seat post, for example, is listed as a separate component but sits hidden inside the main body of the bike, so it's easily missed if you don't know where to look.

Most owners report building the bike in around 40 minutes, and it's a job you can do on your own.

WINNOW Exercise Bike features

First of all, it looks good. Not technically a feature, but worth noting: it's a smart-looking, sturdy machine with no loose nuts and bolts and no wobbling parts. Here's a closer look at the features that matter most.

Resistance levels

The WINNOW uses a magnetic resistance flywheel, a big step up from the cheaper tension resistance you typically find on budget bikes. There are eight levels in total, ranging from warm-up (1-3) through cardio (4-6) to muscle-building (7-8). The higher levels replicate cycling up a steep hill, delivering a genuinely tough workout in a short space of time. Eight levels should be more than enough for the vast majority of users.

Heart rate monitor

Pulse monitors are built into the handles, letting you track your heart rate as you exercise. It's handy if you're optimising your workout, though probably not essential for most home users. As with almost every bike at this price, treat hand-grip pulse readings as a rough guide rather than accurate data, and use a chest strap or a watch if heart rate really matters to you.

LCD display

The LCD display is large and bright, showing live metrics for time, speed, distance and calories burned. It's fairly basic, but remember this is a budget bike. We'd rather manufacturers spend more on build quality and less on gimmicks, and that's exactly what WINNOW has done. By stripping away the fancier bells and whistles, you get a solid home bike that's ideal for indoor cycling.

Adjustable seat

The seat height adjusts to suit multiple users comfortably. There is an upper limit, though. Taller owners consistently report that at 6ft 3in or more the bike feels a touch small, so a larger model may suit you better. The seat itself is comfortable and supportive for longer sessions. If you're planning regular workouts of an hour or more, a gel seat cover is a cheap upgrade worth considering.

Compact design

The WINNOW is built for the home, including being tucked out of sight when not in use. Built-in wheels let you move it quickly and easily without lifting, which is great news for anyone who struggles with heavy lifting.

Tablet and phone holder

Beneath the LCD display sits a tablet holder, so you can watch TV or listen to music while you cycle. It fits most tablets and phones. The one catch is that it covers the built-in LCD display, so you can't use both at the same time.

Build quality

Build quality matters with any bike, but even more so at the budget end. The last thing you want is a flimsy frame that breaks after a few months, or one that rocks around while you pedal.

The good news is that build quality is the thing owners praise most. It's up there with £300+ bikes at half the price, and reviewers consistently report that it doesn't feel wobbly during a workout, even when pushing hard at high resistance and high speeds.

It's ultra-quiet, too. WINNOW rates the internally magnetically controlled flywheel at around 20 decibels, and owners back that up. If you're worried about waking the neighbours or family during early-morning workouts, this is the bike for you, helped in part by the magnetic resistance flywheel, which is far smoother and quieter than tension-based bikes.

The pedals support your feet well, with adjustable straps that fit snugly. The one niggle that comes up repeatedly in owner reviews is a slight forward creep on hard floors during longer sessions, so it's worth buying a mat to sit the bike on if you have laminate or wooden floors.

Verdict

FAQs

Can you lose weight just by riding a stationary bike?

If you want to lose weight with an exercise bike, you can burn over 600 calories an hour while working out on a stationary bike. The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume each day, and a stationary bike helps you achieve that.

What does 30 minutes on a stationary bike do?

A moderate ride can burn up to 300 calories for the average person, a total of 2,100 calories a week if done daily. Thirty minutes on a stationary bike each day can contribute significantly to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.

Is a mini exercise bike as good as an exercise bike?

Mini exercise bikes are great for those with limited space or mobility issues. They won't give you the same cardio or calorie-burning benefits as a standard exercise bike, but they can still deliver a good workout.

What is the difference between a cycling bike and an exercise bike?

A standard exercise bike uses a flywheel that typically weighs a few kilograms and relies on magnetic resistance or tension to power the workout, so the pedals stop when you do. A spin bike has the pedals attached directly to a much heavier flywheel, so they keep spinning under momentum.

Recommended reads

• Best Exercise Bike Under £100
• Best Exercise Bike Under £200
• Are Mini Exercise Bikes Any Good?