I ditched the $30 spin class to tone and strengthen lower-body muscles with this affordable Echelon bike instead

echelon ex-5s photographed in front of a blue background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

An exercise bike is an investment. There’s no denying that fact. But the same can be said for any piece of gym equipment that you decide to get for your own home workout setup.

But if you’re willing to invest in your health at home, then you want to make sure you’re getting all of the benefits of in person classes. That means having a way to stay motivated, and the Echelon EX-5s, which I think is one of the best exercise bikes around, is the perfect way to do that.

It offers live classes and a community to keep you motivated, and can even save you money if you’re someone who regularly attends a fitness class that can cost up to $30 a session.

A worthwhile investment

echleon ex-5s photographed in front of a blue background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Echelon EX-5s Smart Connect Bike is available for $999 at Amazon U.S., which is a pretty big investment, and then you need to pay an annual membership fee. But if you’re someone who spends a lot of money on gas heading back and forth to the gym, and then pays extra to sign on to spin classes, this is going to be a worthwhile investment

The annual membership fee is $399, and with this, you have access to pre-recorded workout sessions, live sessions, and guided tours. The best part though is the sense of community you get from the competitive nature of the program. The instructors will encourage you, and you can even see how other people in the live sessions are doing.

Included in the membership is access to an even wider catalog of other workouts. It can be used in conjunction with other workout machines and even offers video HIIT sessions to get your sweat on off the bike too.

From the comfort of your own home

Heading to the gym can be totally overwhelming at times, and that’s often part of the reason people miss their gym sessions. So having your workout right there in the comfort of your home is totally ideal.

It’s nice to interact with real-life humans in workout classes, but after a long day of work and commuting, I want nothing more than to lock myself away from the world, so that’s where the Echelon comes in.

It means I get to spend more time at home with my loved ones rather than driving to and from the gym, and I can even have my dinner cooking while I work out — it’s such a time saver.

To find out more about the bike, you can read this full Echelon EX-5s Smart Connect Bike review.

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Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health. She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best. When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good fantasy novel or out hiking.

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