Should you buy an exercise bike in the Prime Early Access Sale?

You may have guessed from our intro, but we're big fans of exercise bikes as way of getting our workout fix. 

Not only are they a low impact way of torching calories, lowering your chance of injury while helping people with weight-loss goals achieve a calorie deficit (opens in new tab), but they can also improve your overall health. 

A systematic review conducted in 2019 — published in Medicina (opens in new tab) — found that indoor cycling twinned with the right diet can lead to fat loss, reduced blood pressure and increased aerobic (opens in new tab) capacity.

Unlike outdoor cycling, you won't have to worry about the weather when planning your ride either. Come rain or shine, you can enjoy a challenging and time-efficient workout from the comfort of your own home.  

But it's worth bearing in mind that not all exercise bikes are made equal. Modern smart bikes like the Peloton (opens in new tab) and the Bowflex C7 (opens in new tab) come with touchscreens capable of streaming high-energy workout classes into your living room to keep your exercise sessions fresh and motivating. However, these features do come at a price. 

Alternatively, if you don't feel you need interactive classes or like linking to a separate cycling app that provides exercise videos, you can lock down a simple-yet-effective exercise bike like these Yosuda (opens in new tab) and Sunny Health and Fitness (opens in new tab) models for a few hundred dollars. 

The Prime Early Access Sale covers October 11 and 12 this year, and rewards Prime members with a wealth of wonderful discounts across various brands and categories. Not a member? You can still sign up for a free trial (opens in new tab) to access discounts. 

It might seem like a no brainer to swoop in on exercise bike deals during this time then, right? Well yes, as the cost of living continues to increase, this slashing of prices is just the tonic we all need. So, if you're in the market for a new exercise bike, it's a brilliant time to buy.

And although the Prime Early Access Sale is steadily gaining notoriety, it hasn't hit the heady heights of Black Friday or the post-Christmas January sales just yet, so you might just be in luck when it comes to stock. But increased demand can take its toll on manufacturing and production, so it's best not to wait around if you've found your favorite model, as it could be snapped up fast.

We recommend checking out daily deals, coupons, and spotlight deals each day to see what's available.

Amazon's competitors often hold similar sales to rival the online retail giant's discount events, so there could be even bigger savings to be made elsewhere. Before you head straight to the checkout, it could be worth having a shop around to see what else is out there. 

You might also find the brand of bike you want isn't available on Prime or won't ship to your location, so checking other retailers is a must if you're set on your style.

Some models, like the Schwinn IC4 Indoor Cycling Bike (opens in new tab), for example, list updated prices leading up to – and during – the Prime Early Access Sale, so you might run the risk of buying too early rather than waiting it out for further price drops. Schwinn is currently peddling one of their top bikes with a 27% discount at Amazon.  (opens in new tab)

Make sure your address is updated with your current location when you're searching online, and we also recommend signing up for notifications on your favorite products – this way you're the first to know when price or stock changes. Not found what you need? Holding out for sale events later in the year could be your answer. 

The Prime Early Access Sale is taking place on October 11 and October 12, and gives Amazon Prime members early access to incoming deals. There will also be plenty of savings to be had for non-Prime members, with discounts on fitness kit, tech and more.