The Stryde Bike is a budget-friendly alternative to Peloton that's perfect for small apartments, streams Netflix, and offers a variety of app-based workouts

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• The Stryde Bike is thoughtfully designed, with a comfortable saddle, magnetic resistance, and a 22-inch touchscreen tablet with pre-loaded apps.
• When you subscribe to the Stryde app, you're able to gain access to hundreds of classes filmed at top cycling studios around the country — and they add new ones daily.
• One of its unique perks is that you can watch Netflix, surf the internet, and even check your email while you ride — an option that sets Stryde apart from its competitors.

Before the pandemic disrupted my daily routine, I wasn't a big at-home exerciser. I belonged to a gym down the street from my apartment, I loved attending yoga classes at my favorite studio, and I even ponied up for monthly ClassPass credits to attend a few boutique studio classes when I felt like it.

Then COVID changed everything — including how I stayed fit. Since March, at-home workouts completely replaced my typical gym and studio visits, and I really don't see myself going back to the gym anytime soon, if ever.

A crucial factor in coming to this decision was my time spent with an exercise bike called Stryde. Thanks to this perfectly sized, high-end-fitness-studio-quality, and (yes), even stylish bike, I can get in a heart-pumping cardio workout (and some strength work) with the nation's top instructors any time, right in my living room. Equinox, who?!

Currently offered at $1,550, the Stryde Bike is significantly more affordable than Peloton's Bike, which previously retailed at $2,245. (It's worth noting here that on September 8, Peloton introduced the new Bike+, and slashed the price of the original Bike to $1,895.) There is an optional Stryde streaming membership that sets you back an additional $29.99 per month, though recurring costs for updated content on a bike like this is expected.

While I found that the classes have a slightly different feel than what Peloton (or even NordicTrack/iFit) offers, the Stryde setup does provide everything I need in an at-home exercise bike. Here's what I loved, what I didn't love, and what else you need to consider before purchasing one yourself.

A familiar-looking bike

Stryde, a Boston-based startup, launched in spring 2020, just as everyone started to cope with spending more time indoors and altering their routine for keeping fit in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This, of course, was fortuitous timing for an at-home fitness brand. Indeed, Stryde's first shipment of hundreds of bikes nearly sold out before it even arrived in the U.S. in late April.

Fortunately, they've worked hard to keep up with customer demand. Currently, bikes are scheduled to ship out roughly three weeks after you order, and then will take another five to 14 days to arrive at your house. In non-COVID times, the company offers white-glove setup service, though that isn't available right now.

That said, the company reports that set-up is completely doable but since the bike frame is fairly heavy, it strongly recommends you have at least one other person to help. In full transparency, I received a fully set-up bike from the cofounder of the company,

Measuring 50 by 24 inches, the bike itself is big, but not that big. I wheeled it into a corner of my small studio apartment and it honestly doesn't feel that intrusive. Plus, the sleek black frame and silver flywheel are aesthetically pleasing — as long as you're okay with your apartment vaguely resembling a high-end gym. The most notable aspect of the bike is the large 22-inch touchscreen which is fantastic when you're riding (or watching Netflix or checking your email).

The ride and the workout

The Stryde bike is, quite simply, a joy to ride. From the handlebars with spaces for two water bottles to the comfortable saddle, the design is thoughtful, sleek, and supremely sturdy. The bike's mechanics rely on magnetic resistance, which you'd find on comparable high-end indoor cycling bikes, making every ride quiet and silky smooth. It comes with SPD pedals with toe cages, so you can either clip in with cycling shoes or just use sneakers. I've been using my regular sneakers which were perfectly sufficient, though I do plan to invest in proper cycling shoes soon.

The bike's 22-inch tablet comes equipped with several apps pre-installed, including an internet browser and the Stryde app, though you'll need to sign up for the above-mentioned $29.99 per month membership to access the classes.

If that's not your speed, the bike still offers one incredibly great perk: Rather than being limited only to Stryde's workouts (as you are with Peloton or NordicTrack), the tablet allows you to surf the web, check your email, watch Netflix, and even download other fitness apps to use directly on it.

Though it gives you the flexibility to try other apps, you won't necessarily need to. When you subscribe to the Stryde app, you get access to hundreds of classes filmed at top cycling studios around the country, including High Ride Cycle in Denver, CO (voted the best fitness studio in Denver by ClassPass in 2019); Vibe Ride in Atlanta, GA; and Ride House in Dallas, TX.

Classes range from 20 minutes to an hour, and Stryde often releases themed classes like a 90s hip-hop ride or a country music ride to satisfy a range of musical tastes. Some even have upper-body strength sections utilizing hand weights (which, unfortunately, aren't included with the bike). While there aren't live classes currently, Stryde adds several new classes daily, so you'll never run out of new rides to try throughout the week.

Tough, varied classes with one nitpick

This content model is what sets Stryde apart: Rather than filming and streaming the workouts from a centralized studio (a la Peloton), Stryde relies on partner studios to supply video content. For me, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

First, the good. You can try out tons of different instructors and class styles and actually feel like you're truly in the room with them — and the classes are seriously tough, too. They also have a leaderboard screen so you can see how your rides stack up against other Stryde users.

That said, I found the production quality of the videos to vary since they're filmed in various cycling studios around the country. Frankly, they have more of a homegrown feel and aren't quite as sleek or well-produced as the videos streamed by Peloton or NordicTrack's iFit — both of which have spent big bucks building top-of-the-line production studios. NordicTrack's even traveled the globe to film location-specific rides in places like Japan, Mallorca, and Moab, Utah.

But do they really need to have a higher production value? Honestly, I don't think so, and I didn't feel they were lacking at all. The instructors, while their hair wasn't perfectly coiffed or their clothing superbly styled like Peloton, were highly motivating, enthusiastic, and professional. And they expect a lot from you for each ride which is extremely motivating in itself.

Most of the workouts I did were with Alyssa and Rae from High Ride, two high-energy instructors who clearly have a ton of fun being on the bike — and made me have fun, too. Their classes incorporated a lot of different movements, such as tap backs, side-to-sides, and four corners, which come together to deliver a challenging workout that strengthens (and exhausts) a variety of muscle groups across my body.

And again, if you don't feel like riding along to an instructor's cues one day, all you have to do is tap the free ride option on the Stryde app, and you can DIY your ride while seeing your metrics populate on the screen.

The drawbacks

As mentioned, the production quality of workouts isn't consistently at a high level. If you want your instructors to look like fitness influencers, former dancers, and/or be professional athletes, Peloton, SoulCycle, or NordicTrack might be more your speed.

Otherwise, I'm confident anyone can enjoy riding with Stryd's wide range of instructors and learning the different teaching styles the app offers, just as I did.

There is one other minor nitpick, too: The app currently offers on-bike workouts only, so there are no separate strength-training or yoga classes to choose from. Though it's easy to navigate to YouTube and load up your favorites there, an all-in-one app is preferable (though certainly not a dealbreaker).

The bottom line

The Stryde bike offers a worthy option for the home exerciser on a budget. It's a truly top-of-the-line cycling experience from the ergonomic design of the bike to the various entertainment options it offers. The classes, while not as sleekly produced as its competitors' versions, are wildly fun, extremely challenging, and effective.

• Should you buy it? Yes. If you're looking for a high-end at-home cycling experience at a more affordable price point, with the flexibility to design your own ride (and watch Netflix as you do), then the Stryde bike is money well invested.
• What are the alternatives? You can't talk about connected home fitness without mentioning the dominant player, Peloton. The Peloton Bike did recently come down in cost (from around $2,245 to $1,895), so the $1,550 price tag on Stryde's option may not look as appealing as it did a few weeks ago. That said, the freedom the Stryde tablet provides you to program it as you please might be the deciding factor for anyone on the fence. Other options include NordicTrack's S22i Studio Cycle or Echelon's EXS5. You could even opt for an indoor bike trainer for something a little more analog.

Pros: Supremely well-designed bike, perfect size for small spaces, tons of classes to choose from, huge 22-inch display screen, good audio, flexibility to download other apps

Cons: Quality of classes varies since they are filmed in cycling studios around the country, Stryde app only has on-bike workouts