Sunny Health and Fitness Exercise Bike Review (2024): High-Quality, Low-Cost Cardio Machines Fit for Any Space

Indoor cycling can be an effective, low-impact way to get your daily dose of cardio, but, despite their relatively compact footprints, the best exercise bikes can get pricey, with some models costing upwards of $2,600. Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes offer an affordable solution, as few brands can match the quality, performance, and, perhaps most importantly, savings they provide.

To give you a head start in your purchasing process, we wrangled up our favorite silhouettes from the brand’s roster to help you determine whether a Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bike is right for your space, and which model best fits your training needs. While these machines are more utilitarian than high-tech, we think everyone from beginners to seasoned cyclists will find them a reliable (and budget-friendly) option for at-home cardio.

Why Should I Buy a Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Bike?

Exercise bikes tend to have a smaller footprint than other cardio machines, making them a great tool for athletes tight on space. The best exercise bikes on the market, though, often cost well over $1,000, and also rely on integrated fitness apps that cost an additional subscription fee that needs to be paid monthly or annually.  

[Related: The 8 Best Fitness Apps]

Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes, on the other hand, pair a space-saving profile with price tags that rarely creep over $1,000 (only one model eclipses the $1,500 mark). For reference, the four bikes we picked for this review — the SF-B1002, SF-B1879, SF-B901, and SF-B1995 — all fall below $620.

A big reason that Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes can keep costs so low is their emphasis on sturdy, well-built silhouettes over more intricate, tech-heavy profiles. Like the brand’s other fitness equipment — including some of the best treadmills and other home gym essentials — these bikes utilize heavy flywheels, comfortable saddles, and stable handlebars to prove their worth rather than a laundry list of live and on-demand courses.

Resistance mechanisms are often friction-based — a louder yet cheaper option for indoor cyclists — but Sunny Health and Fitness does feature some (more expensive) magnetic resistance machines for a smooth ride that’s less likely to wake any fellow housemates during sessions. 

Additionally, all the bikes chosen for this review have a weight capacity of 275 pounds. This supporting capability isn’t the highest we’ve experienced in our time testing over 20 indoor cycles over the years, but it should be suitable enough for most.

[Related: The 6 Benefits of Exercise Bikes (Plus Workouts From a Personal Trainer)]

We’ll be honest — most of our trial rides and cycling workouts were spent on the SF-B1002 model. However, we’ve ridden enough stationary bikes and tested enough of Sunny Health and Fitness’ exercise equipment, to understand how these four bikes separate themselves from one another (and which athletes they’d be best for). Ready to dive in? Let’s hop in the saddle and get up to speed on our findings.

Main Takeaways

• Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1002 Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike: This exercise bike can be a great option for athletes needing a quiet training setup. The belt drive can move smoothly through each pedal cadence, and the heavy 49-pound flywheel is prime for maintaining momentum throughout your revolutions. 
• Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1879 Synergy Exercise Bike: The SF-B1879 is the lone exercise bike in this review with magnetic resistance, a preferred component for those wanting smooth intensity changes throughout their training. However, the beefier feature does raise the price slightly to $619.99, making it the most expensive bike in this guide.
• Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B901 Chain Drive Pro Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike: This indoor cycle employs a chain drive system that can better mimic the experience you’d feel with an on-road bike. However, this tech will require more upkeep than a belt-drive model.
• Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1995 Pro II Stationary Indoor Cycling Bike: With felt pad resistance, a 40-pound flywheel, and a convenient device holder, this SF-B1995 can be an ideal pick for beginner athletes just getting used to indoor cycling. We do recommend, though, that you take proper care of the felt pads to help prevent any fraying or loss of friction.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1002 Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Bike

If you’re looking for a no-frills spin bike to give your cardio sessions some movement, the Sunny SF-B1002 is a solid pick. Available for less than $400, this compact exercise bike takes up just 7.15 square feet of space — less than that of your standard coffee table. (2) Additionally, the front transport wheels can allow you to easily move and maneuver this bike into place, which is useful when trying to make the most of your floor plan outside of workout sessions.

The SF-B1002 is one of our favorite bikes from Sunny Health and Fitness thanks to its heavy 49-pound flywheel and belt-driven drivetrain. A heavier flywheel works to maintain momentum throughout your workouts, leading to less stops and starts. (3) The belt-drive system, on the other hand, can allow for a quieter riding experience overall, and will require less maintenance than a bike running off of a chain-driven drivetrain.

[Related: The 7 Best Exercise Bikes for Small Spaces of 2024, Expert-Tested and Reviewed]

However, while we are fans of this effective system, the audio feedback of the leather friction resistance system is louder than you’ll find on a bike with magnetic resistance. As the flywheel rubs across the leather strap — which can be micro-adjusted via the resistance knob — I have experienced some loud feedback. While I’ll give the adjustability across this system a 4 out of 5, I would say that this may be a better bike for those that don’t need to worry about sleeping children nearby or interrupting a housemate as they try to talk on the phone or answer Zoom calls during work hours.

The portability of this SF-B1002 is beneficial since you’ll need to set up this exercise bike in front of a television or monitor if you want to view any workouts or intra-workout entertainment during your rides. 

There is no centralized LED or LCD monitor across the handlebars, meaning you’ll need to set up your phone (paired to a handy heart rate monitor) or tablet if you want to view your stats. Sure, the multi-grip, non-slip handlebars are comfy, but this lack of a screen may be a turnoff for data hounds.

Lastly, the Sunny SF-B1002 is a pretty stable ride that can support athletes up to 275 pounds. However, the brand states that the adjustable seat can only be toggled enough to accommodate athletes up to 6 feet 1 inch in height. Taller athletes may struggle to find a comfortable setup to fit their longer frames.

[Related: Are Exercise Bikes Good For Weight Loss? (+ Workout From a Personal Trainer)]

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1879 Synergy Exercise Bike

For those wanting a quiet workout experience to go along with their wallet-friendly fitness gear, the SF-B1879 can be an ideal pick. Along with its belt-drive system, this spin bike also utilizes magnetic resistance across its 30-pound flywheel, which can keep revolutions more feedback-free than friction-based resistances.

Our tester, a certified personal trainer, rated the bike’s durability a 5 out of 5, and also noted a few of the key conveniences it provides. “I like that Sunny Health included a rugged water bottle holder for mid-workout refreshments,” our tester said, rating its conveniences a 4 out of 5. 

“Plus, the small dumbbell holders at the side can help me keep lighter weights at the ready, which can be great for HIIT workouts that give me some movement versatility over just pounding the pedals to different resistances,” they added. 

There’s also an integrated LCD monitor with this Sunny Health and Fitness offering. While it isn’t the most tech-heavy unit — our tester rated the programming at 0 out of 5 because, well, there aren’t any training programs available — it can still be helpful when trying to monitor your heart rate, speed, distance, RPM, calories burned, and more.

[Related: The 8 Best Exercise Bikes for Beginners, Tried and Tested]

Additionally, we should point out that the flywheel used in the SF-B1879 is lighter than other Sunny Health and Fitness bikes we’ve tested. The 30-pound flywheel can be great for startups, as it doesn’t take as much effort to get the wheel rolling, but maintaining your pace can be more difficult than other bikes featuring a 40-pound flywheel or heavier. 

If you’re okay with the occasional stop and start, you’ll likely be fine with this setup, but if you want to get moving and stay moving, it may be best to opt for a heavier flywheel.

Lastly, we’d be remiss to not point out the price of this exercise bike. The SF-B1879 retails for roughly $620. While, yes, this is far cheaper than other high-quality exercise bikes from the likes of NordicTrack, Peloton, Echelon, and other brands, it’s one of the more expensive Sunny Health and Fitness bikes. For reference, all of the bikes included in this guide come in below $400, albeit without the quieter, smoother magnetic resistance system.

[Related: The 8 Best Magnetic Exercise Bikes, Tested by Experts]

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B901 Chain Drive Pro Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike

Granted, most indoor cycling bikes can help home gym enthusiasts save a few square feet, but the SF-B901 is one of our favorites for making the most of a compact floor plan. The footprint of this no-frills exercise bike measures 5.81 square feet, which is nearly half the flooring you’d need for a standard coffee table. (2)

I scored the footprint at 4.5 out of 5, too, because of the larger transport wheels located at the front base of this machine. This can be ideal when trying to transport or maneuver the 102-pound frame for your dedicated spin classes.

This SF-B901 also features an impressive emergency brake system that allows you to quickly halt your training with a simple twist of a lever. This added safety measure may be overlooked by some, but having the ability to completely stop your progress can be helpful when looking to keep setups as safe as possible. That’s especially true with caged pedals — getting out of them can be easier said than done at times. As such, I rated the safety features at 4 out of 5.

[Related: The Best Compact Exercise Equipment for Any Small Space]

In terms of resistance, this Sunny Health and Fitness bike utilizes a felt pad friction-style setup. This can be helpful when trying to keep costs low, but I have found that felt pads tend to require a little more upkeep when compared to other friction systems like leather or synthetic rubber. 

Over time, these pads can begin to fray, which will require some lubrication. While I do appreciate how easy the tension knob is to set across the micro-adjustable resistance levels, I did have to dock the resistance down to 3.5 out of 5 given the required maintenance.

Another key component of this SF-B901 is the chain-driven drivetrain. Like your favorite road bike, this mechanism uses a chain to connect your pedals to the flywheel. I actually prefer this drivetrain style as it can easily mimic your on-road experience, but like the felt pads, it will require some maintenance every now and again. 

Additionally, Sunny Health and Fitness does claim that chain drive systems can be louder than belt-drive bikes. If you’re really focused on keeping workouts as quiet as possible, it may be best to opt for a different silhouette.

[Related: The Best Exercise Bikes Under $500 of 2024 — Expert Tested and Reviewed]

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1995 Pro II Stationary Indoor Cycling Bike

The SF-B901 from Sunny Health and Fitness is what I’d refer to as a mid-range exercise bike. Yes, you get a 40-pound flywheel for improved momentum throughout your workout. Yes, the stable steel frame can support athletes up to 275 pounds. However, I wouldn’t put it at the top of my list for exercise bikes, nor would I place it at the very end. It’s an affordable, high-quality machine that doesn’t necessarily have any standout features … and that’s perfectly fine.

I do enjoy how this Sunny Health and Fitness bike comes equipped with an integrated device holder across the handlebars. This can make viewing your favorite streamable workouts or content a more approachable endeavor, although the front transport wheels can also make setting it up in front of your television that much easier. 

Additionally, I appreciated how easy it was to fine tune the resistance to my desired intensity level thanks to the micro-adjustable tension knob. While this unit does lack the digital features of other exercise bikes, I’d still rate the workout experience at 4 out of 5.

[Related: The Best Exercise Bikes on Amazon]

There are also plenty of adjustment points across the well-padded seat, which can be helpful for lankier athletes searching for that premier fitment. I had no issues with the ergonomics on hand with the SF-B901, and rated the adjustability at 4.5 out of 5.

Like other Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes, the SF-B901 relies on felt pads for its friction-based resistance system. This can be fine for keeping costs low, but I caution that you will need to tend to these pads sooner rather than later. 

The constant contact with the 40-pound flywheel can begin to wear across the profiles, resulting in a frayed makeup that’s less effective over time. A simple lubrication schedule can keep these pads operating smoothly, but it is more required maintenance than you’d experience with, say, a magnetic system.

Finally, the caged pedal setup can be useful for cardio newbies looking to pedal toward their fitness goals. That said, I would have liked to have seen a clipless variety offered in this budget-friendly exercise bike for those that already own or prefer to train in cycling shoes. While not an absolute dealbreaker, having the ability to clip into the pedals can make this bike more accommodating for those already ingrained in the indoor cycling community.

[Related: Recumbent Bikes Vs. Upright Bikes — Which Is Best for Your Goals?]

What to Consider Before Buying a Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Bike

According to Amanda Capritto, CPT, CF-L1, CES, CSNC, “Cycling brings an impressive collection of health benefits to the table: cardiovascular health, endurance, stamina, muscular endurance are all improved with cycling, to name a few.” As such, there are a few things to consider when deciding on a proper fitness machine for your space, whether from Sunny Health and Fitness or another popular brand.

Flywheel Weight

Your exercise bike’s flywheel weight can greatly influence your overall training experience outside of just your machine’s stability. Lighter flywheels — 20 pounds or lighter — can be helpful for quick starts and getting your machine up and running, but the lack of weight upfront can lead to less momentum throughout the revolutions. (3) As a result, you may need to stop and start more often in order to maintain a certain pace.

Heavier flywheels, on the other hand, may be more difficult to get moving, but have a greater tendency to maintain their sense of inertia during workouts, which can lead to more fluid movements and less of a drop in pacing overall. (3)

Whichever flywheel weight you choose can be subjective depending on how difficult you want your workout starts to be, as well as how efficiently you want to maintain certain speeds and paces throughout your sessions. For reference, all of the Sunny Health and Fitness bikes in this round-up feature flywheels no lighter than 30 pounds, which can be more attuned to better momentum and pace maintenance throughout training.

Durability

Having a durable exercise bike can not only improve your machine’s lifespan but also go a long way in ensuring your confidence atop the profile itself. A stable indoor cycle can alleviate worries of wobbling or imbalances, helping you stay upright more easily and allowing you to focus on hitting your mileage or speed goals without too much worry.

[Related: The 9 Best Exercise Bikes for Heavy People]

All Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes, including the four listed in this guide, feature durable steel frames that can support athletes up to 275 pounds. While larger individuals may need to search for a more supportive frame design, these cost-effective bikes should be more than enough for the average athlete. 

In our personal trials, we’ve experienced little to no imbalances, so while we can’t speak for every body type, our time with these fitness machines has been nothing but positive.

Resistance

Your exercise bike’s resistance system is what can help you toggle your training intensity up or down, depending on your goals and feelings on a given day. Some digitally-controlled bikes can feature settings adjustments across their display, allowing for quick, intuitive changes to your workout difficulty. 

Other, more simplified systems will see you turn a tension knob to create more or less resistance across your flywheel. This style of training resistance may be less advanced, but can also lead to a more fine-tuned setup.

All of the Sunny Health and Fitness bikes in this guide utilize a tension knob system to adjust the level of friction either across their implanted felt or leather pads, or via the magnetic unit near the flywheel.

Benefits of Indoor Cycling

According to Amanda Capritto, CPT, CF-L1, CES, CSNC, there are a number of benefits that can come from adding an exercise bike, like one of these Sunny Health and Fitness units, to your home gym setup. Outside of the (natural) ability to get your daily miles in without fear of unpleasant weather or dealing with daily traffic, indoor cycling can also be a helpful, low-impact discipline that can be easier on your joints and frame than other cardio modalities.

[Related: 14 Benefits of Owning a Home Gym to Convince You to Build Your Iron Oasis]

Below are some extra details outlining some of the key perks that make exercise bikes such a popular home gym must-have.

Low-Impact Training

Unlike with running, where you’re constantly lifting your feet off the ground and landing aggressively on the pavement or treadmill belt, indoor cycling keeps you in constant contact with the machine. Your feet never leave the pedals as you push toward your speed or mileage goals, which, in turn, can help you lessen the shock absorption felt across your joints during training. As a result, you can achieve your cardiovascular training while keeping your entire frame more comfortable. (1)

Indoor cycling can also be a great solution for caloric burn and can actually be more efficient than other popular modalities. For example, studies have found that a 185-pound athlete can burn up to 441 calories in 30 minutes of vigorous activity with an indoor stationary bike. (5) For reference, an athlete at the same weight may only burn up to 420 calories if jogging at a respectable pace of 10 minutes per mile. (5)

More Accommodating Training Conditions

Of course, indoor cycling’s closest comparison would be on-road cycling, but hitting the roadways and trails can sometimes be more of a burden (albeit a more scenic way to get your miles in each day). You need to plan your routes to accommodate traffic, which can be intimidating for some, especially athletes that aren’t as skilled on a bike.

Capritto states, “Indoor exercise bikes provide access to cycling no matter the weather or outdoor conditions. Many people do not feel safe cycling outside. As someone who lived in Miami and trained for triathlons there, riding outside can be brutally terrifying for city dwellers. An exercise bike eliminates traffic as a reason to skip your session, so it can be someone’s golden ticket to exercising more frequently.”

[Related: 8 Benefits of Cycling to Fuel Your Next Ride]

Indoor cycling also eliminates the need to worry about impending weather. You don’t need to plan your workouts around potential rainstorms, or even daylight hours, for that matter. Your ride is kept comfortably in your room of choice where you can completely control your training conditions with your home thermostat.

Yes, you are confined to fewer views and scapes that can make on-road cycling a true treat, but we’re willing to sacrifice the setting every now and again if it means we won’t be caught in a torrential downpour midway through a ride.

Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Bikes, Side by Side

We won’t lie — the four Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes in this review are very similar, and differentiating between the silhouettes based on a coded product name can be difficult (even for us). To help paint a clearer picture of what separates these indoor cycles from one another, we’ve outlined their key metrics below.

As you can see, these four bikes are near identical when it comes to price, with three out of the four coming in at roughly $400. The SF-B1879 is the most expensive at $619.99, but does come equipped with the smoother magnetic resistance system. This feature can require less maintenance over time, hence the higher upfront cost.

The SF-B1002, SF-B901, and SF-B1995 all feature a friction-based resistance system, with the SF-B1002 using leather over the more traditional felt pads. This material can withstand more use and abuse than felt, but will need to be replaced or maintained to ensure the friction remains as tacky as possible. In the end, you’ll need to think about how much upkeep you’ll want to deal with within your fitness regimen.

In terms of the driveline, the SF-B901 employs a chain drive over a belt drive. This can be helpful for athletes that want the feel of an on-road bicycle chain, but the heavier component can lead to a louder riding experience overall. 

If you need to plan your workouts around napping children or other housemates, we’d recommend a belt-driven exercise bike, as these are traditionally quieter than other options. A belt-drive system may also require less maintenance over time.

All of these bikes feature a heavier flywheel, with only the SF-B1879 dropping below 30 pounds. Having a heavier flywheel can be beneficial when looking to maintain your pace more efficiently throughout a session. Be mindful, though, that heavier flywheels can make the entire silhouette more difficult to move, which leads into the next metric — overall weight.

[Related: Best Cardio Alternatives to Running, From a Personal Trainer]

Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes are relatively lightweight, with total masses ranging from 88.2 to 110.8 pounds. Plus, all of these indoor cycles feature front transport wheels that can help when trying to maneuver the machines into position for a workout. Think about how much effort you’d like to put into getting your bike ready for a session, and take your personal strength into consideration when looking at how light or heavy your exercise bike of choice is.

With weight capacities each at 275 pounds, you can expect a similar experience from each of these exercise bikes in terms of stability. This weight capacity can be helpful in keeping your balances as you push through toward your goals. If a 275-pound weight capacity isn’t enough, there are many options on the market that support between 300 and 350 pounds, though they will likely cost more than these Sunny Health and Fitness profiles. 

Lastly, the product dimensions can vary slightly between these bikes, but you can generally expect a swath of floor that’s less than your standard coffee table. (2) 

It’s always a good idea, though, to measure your available space and look for a unit that fits comfortably within your area. We also recommend planning for some wiggle room across the front and sides of your exercise bike to make getting on and off the unit less of a cramped ordeal.

[Related: The Best Home Gym Flooring and Expert Buying Guide]

Places to Buy Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Bikes

Along with the brand’s roster of budget-friendly treadmills, recumbent bikes, and more, Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bikes are available online from the brand’s retail site as well as Amazon.

Customer Experience

Ordering a Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bike can be a quick and painless endeavor. The brand offers free shipping to help alleviate any transport costs, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In terms of warranties, each Sunny Health and Fitness exercise bike is supported by a 3-year structural frame coverage, as well as 180-day support for other parts and components.

We also appreciate how Sunny Health and Fitness offers financing options through Affirm, which can help those tight on finances get their new training tool while spacing out payments over a given timeframe.

Athletes shopping on Amazon are also supported when it comes to Sunny Health and Fitness products. These silhouettes are eligible for refunds, returns, and replacements through the third-party retailer’s coverage. 

Plus, eligible Prime members can potentially save on shipping, too, with quick transports to keep downtime low between finalizing your cart and getting into the saddle for your first ride.

Company Information

Founded in 2002, Sunny Health and Fitness has been making high-quality fitness equipment that caters to budding home gym enthusiasts and elite professionals. The brand’s emphasis on craftsmanship, performance, and affordability make them a solid option for home gym equipment, including treadmills, recumbent bikes, indoor stationary bikes, and more.

To contact the Sunny Health and Fitness brand, you have multiple options at your disposal. The brand’s site has a live chat feature, or you can reach them through their support center (https://support.sunnyhealthfitness.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) or via phone (1-877-90SUNNY).

In Conclusion

In the realm of affordable fitness equipment, Sunny Health and Fitness has staked its claim as a reputable brand for athletes, with their roster of exercise bikes rivaling the performance of other worthwhile profiles from the likes of brands like Peloton, Schwinn, NordicTrack, and others. The four exercise bikes in this guide — the SF-B1002, SF-B1879, SF-B901, and SF-B1995 — are some of our favorites of the bunch, each with their own beneficial perks and features.

When looking for an exercise bike for your own space, be sure to consider the flywheel weight, overall dimensions, and weight capacity. Opting for a magnetic resistance system over a friction-based design can also be beneficial, especially if you need to be mindful of other house dwellers. The four bikes in this Sunny Health and Fitness review may not be for everyone, but they can certainly be a jumping off point for your newfound at-home cardio interests.

FAQs

References

1. Bueckert, S. (2020, January 21). Magnetic resistance vs. other types of resistance for cycle bikes – wh. Sunny Health and Fitness. https://sunnyhealthfitness.com/blogs/products/best-cycle-bike-resistance-magnetic-contact-air
2. Bueckert, S. (2021, October 6). Exercise bike flywheel weight: Heavy or lightweight comparison. Sunny Health and Fitness. https://sunnyhealthfitness.com/blogs/products/indoor-cycle-bike-flywheel-weight-matter-comparison
3. Coffee table size: How to choose the right coffee table dimensions. Wayfair. (n.d.). https://www.wayfair.com/sca/ideas-and-advice/rooms/coffee-table-size-guide-T1084
4. Harvard Medical School. (2021, March 8). Calories burned in 30 minutes of leisure and routine activities. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-for-people-of-three-different-weights
5. Oja, P., Titze, S., Bauman, A., de Geus, B., Krenn, P., Reger‐Nash, B., & Kohlberger, T. (2011). Health benefits of Cycling: A Systematic Review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 21(4), 496–509. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21496106/ 

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