Even if you’re an avid cyclist, hopping on your bike for a daily ride simply isn’t always a possibility, whether it’s rain, snow, or a long day at work standing between you and hitting the road or trail. Having a well-rounded home gym ensures that you can keep up your training even when a ride isn’t in the cards. Having non-cycling home gym equipment at home also means you aren’t just training the same muscles as you do on the bike, which makes you a stronger rider and increases your overall strength and cardiovascular fitness.
The most important thing to consider when thinking about home gym equipment is: “What will I actually use?” You don’t want to drop hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars on something that’s just going to gather dust in the corner of a bedroom or the garage, making it little more than an expensive paperweight.
Space
Consider how much space you can dedicate to working out. If you have a full room or garage to work out in, you can get equipment that you don’t have to stow away after each use. However, if you’re in a smaller home or apartment, you’re going to need equipment that can be stored easily.
connectivity
It’s important to consider whether you want workout equipment that offers classes. Plenty of popular pieces of equipment come with apps, screens, and guided workouts or exercises. However, these often have ongoing subscription costs, which can add expense to your home gym equipment.
variety
A well-rounded home gym shouldn’t just focus on one thing. You should have equipment for all facets of exercise, and while we included a couple spinners for those rainy or cold winter days, we also considered equipment for stretching and weight or resistance training.
How We Selected
We selected a wide range of our favorite equipment to keep you interested and engaged in training, lifting, and stretching at home to keep you primed for riding all year long. We also made selections that fit practically any space and budget and prioritized equipment with glowing customer and expert reviews.
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1
The Cadillac of Home Gyms
Tonal
Adaptive
Digital weight system
Thousands of workouts
Expensive
Requires electricity
Monthly membership costs $49
Smart accessories add $495 to the cost
Key Specs
Workout Type: Resistance, digital weight training
Features: Interactive, guided workouts
Connected or App Supported: connected
Size (HxW): 39 x 17.5 inches
Weight: N / A
Power Requirements: AC outlet
If you’re looking for a gym that adapts to your needs and workout style, then check out the Tonal home gym. It’s a compact, interactive unit that learns by testing your capabilities in four key exercises: the bench press, seated lat pulldown, seated overhead press, and a neutral-grip deadlift.
The digital weight machine scores your abilities based on how you move through the exercises. The machine then sets initial resistance based on your performance and has smart features including sports-based programs and on-demand classes, and it can adjust resistance up to 200 pounds over time.
Unlike most cable machines, it can even adjust resistance while you’re doing an exercise.
More than 10,000 classes
Bluetooth connectivity to smart devices
Guided classes
Interactivity with trainers
Expensive
Monthly membership is extra
Base package doesn’t come with any accessories
Key Specs
Workout Type: Guided workouts
Features: Live workouts, personal classes, over 10,000 on-demand classes across 50 categories of workouts
Connected or App Supported: connected
Size (HxW): 56 x 22.4 inches
Weight: 70 pounds
Power Requirements: AC outlet
The Mirror offers its users a variety of workout types, from personal training to live classes to guided workouts on demand. Users can see their reflection in the Mirror at the same time as they see the guided workouts and stats.
To up the fun, a 5MP camera allows users to workout virtually with others as well, whether they want to compete or just share a class. Trainers can see the users and their stats during workouts. To get the most out of its capabilities, users can also use Bluetooth-connected smart devices, like heart monitors and weights, during their Mirror-based exercise routines.
3
Best Smart Trainer for Bikes
KICKR Core Smart Bike Trainer
Great connectivity with apps and devices
Compact
Incline simulator
1,800 watts of resistance
Expensive
Doesn’t come with a cassette
Key Specs
Workout Type: Cycling
Features: Smart trainer, ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity, flywheel technology, 16 percent grade simulation
Connected or App Supported: App supported
Size (LxWxH): 20 x 23 x 19 inches
Weight: 40 pounds
Power Requirements: AC outlet
The Wahoo KICKR Core Smart Bike Trainer is a great way to keep up with your cycling training even on days when you can’t get out for a ride. The KICKR Core is a user-friendly trainer that works with KICKR Trainer Accessories, including its grade simulator and the Wahoo fitness app.
The device can also connect to multiple Bluetooth and ANT+ devices, like heart rate monitors and power sensors. It also measures up to 1,800 watts of resistance and can simulate climbs up to 16 percent. The trainer doesn’t come with a cassette but it can accept 8-11 speed Shimano and SRAM cassettes.
4
Best Resistance Trainer
Machine Control
Works with multiple devices and apps
Inexpensive compared to other smart trainers
Excellent resistance
Louder than some other trainers
Resistance only controlled through apps
Key Specs
Workout Type: Cycling
Features: Integrates with apps, Bluetooth and ANT+ devices, 12-pound flywheel
Connected or App Supported: app
Size (LxWxH): 27 x 27 x 11 inches
Weight: 36 pounds
Power Requirements: AC outlet
The Kinetic Road Machine is a compact, more affordable smart trainer for cyclists that features plenty of connectivity—and users don’t have to take their back wheel off to use it. The Road Machine works with the majority of wheels from 22 to 29 inches and folds easily for storage when you’re not using it.
5
Best Adjustable Dumbbells
SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
Space saving
Great range of weights
Easy to select weight
Key Specs
Workout Type: Free weights
Features: Two adjustable dumbbells
Connected or App Supported: app
Size (LxWxH): 26.8 x 22.1 x 27.8 inches (with stand)
Weight: 111 pounds
Power Requirements: None
No good home gym is complete without a great set of dumbbells. At $399, the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells aren’t cheap, but if you consider that you’re actually replacing 15 sets of dumbbells with two that switch from 5 to 52.5 pounds each with the turn of a dial, their value is clear.Two or three sets of heavier dumbbells alone can cost more than this pair of adjustable SelectTech dumbbells, and a full set of dumbbells can cost upwards of $600. Likewise, the SelectTech dumbbells take up considerably less space than a full set of dumbbells and the accompanying rack or case.
6
Best for Stretching
eKO Lite Mat
natural rubber
Great balance between support and cushion
Good grip
Not best suited for hot yoga
Heavier than some other mats
Key Specs
Workout Type: Yoga, stretching
Features: Natural rubber-based yoga mat
Connected or App Supported: N / A
Size (WxLxH): 24 x 71 x 1/8 inches
Weight: 5.2 pounds
Power Requirements: None
Just like every home gym should have weight or resistance equipment, it should also have a yoga mat to stretch out on. Manuka’s eKO line of mats are made with natural, sustainably harvested tree rubber, which should set your mind a little more at ease when you’re in corpse pose. With 4 millimeters of support, this eKO mat can handle all your stretching needs from faster vinyasa practices to the slow hum of yin poses.
7
Best Compact All-in-One
Xtreme 2SE
Compact
Easy to adjust weights
Upgradable
Key Specs
Workout Type: weight/strength
Features: 210 pounds of resistance, 70+ exercises
Connected or App Supported: app
Size (LxWxH): 96 x 78 x 83.25 inches
Weight: 185 pounds
Power Requirements: none
If you want a more traditional take on a home gym that still doesn’t take up much space, check out the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE. Bowflex debuted this unique resistance trainer 20 years ago and keeps refining it, making it a long-standing favorite of home gym users.
By using rods for resistance rather than plates or weights, Bowflex has made this gym both relatively light and compact, so it can fit in a corner and is easier to move than similar models. It comes with up to 210 pounds of resistance but you can upgrade it to 310 pounds of resistance.
8
Best Adjustable Kettlebell
SelectTech 840 Kettlebell
6 different weight settings
Easily switchable
Space-saving
Handle not as spacious as traditional kettlebells
Expensive
Key Specs
Workout Type: Weight
Features: Adjustable weight
Connected or app supported: app
Size (LxWxH): 8.8 x 7 x 12.5 inches
Weight: 40.5 pounds
Power Requirements: None
Kettlebells are great for dynamic exercises like swings and rotational movements. However, figuring out the right weight for your needs—and how quickly you’ll need a heavier kettlebell—can be daunting. That’s why we like Bowflex’s SelectTech 840 Kettlebell so much. It allows users to easily switch from 8 pounds to 40 pounds, and like many other pieces of equipment on our list, it reduces the amount of space needed for your home gym area.
9
Best Modern Jump Rope
Get Lean Medium Weighted Jump Rope
Interchangeable weights
Comes in multiple lengths
Ball bearings make it smooth
Expensive for a jump rope
Key Specs
Workout Type: cardio
Features: weighted jump rope
Connected or app supported: app
Size: XS-XL
Weight: 4 or 6 ounces
Power Requirements: None
Home gym equipment doesn’t need to be super expensive or high-tech to get the job done. Case in point: the humble jump rope, which is great for warm-ups and boosting your stamina. The Crossrope system is a lightly weighted jump rope that helps with fat-burning and building lean muscle. The system comes with two different weighted ropes, which are easy to change out for more or less intense workouts.
Chris Meehan Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience.
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