Do you own a Peloton Bike? It may be one of millions that have been recalled.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the fitness company Peloton today issued a voluntary recall of some 2.2 million original Peloton Bikes (model PL-01) sold in the US between January 2018 and May 2023.
Pity the poor loved ones of devoted cyclists. When the weather’s good, they abandon you for the open road. When the weather’s lousy, they’re down in their bike cave, elbow-deep in chain lube and tire sealant. Then comes the challenge of finding an acceptable gift. Anything too practical, like a helmet or a pump, they probably already own. (Plus, they Have Definite Opinions on what they prefer.)
Fitness trends come and go, but pedaling in place on an exercise bike is a classic, low-impact way to nurture cardiovascular fitness. Whether you prefer to tool along at a moderate pace a few times a week or tackle intense, studio-style workouts daily, the bike you choose can help set you up for success. After riding 19 indoor-cycling bikes over the past three years, we’ve found four that will please a variety of riders. Our recommendations include a top-notch, top-dollar connected-cycling experience; a less expensive magnetic-resistance bike for those who prioritize versatility (and wish to provide their own touchscreen); a model with friction resistance that’s made for streaming connected apps; and a sturdy budget option.
Here our focus is on stationary indoor-cycling bikes. We have not yet tested upright exercise bikes, which position you in a vertical riding position; recumbent exercise bikes, which position you in a reclined riding position; or fan bikes, which utilize user-generated air resistance.
If you use two wheels for transport, we suggest carrying your everyday gear not on your body, but on your bike.
The best option for most people is usually a pannier, a bag that attaches to your bike’s rear rack and won’t make your bike hard to steer.
After spending four years testing dozens of panniers, we’ve chosen six that’ll be great for daily duty no matter what you’re toting.
A bike handlebar bag is simple.
It’s a fanny pack for your bike, built with consideration for all of your bike-specific needs, like being able to open it while you’re riding, or having access to a subway card or a key.
While a good one can’t change your life, it can save you from showing up with a sweaty back after pedaling across town to the office, the party, or the office party. And maybe showing up less sweaty to that party will change your life.
After spending almost 20 hours interviewing cycling professionals and researching handlebar bags on the internet, we picked 14 bags, put them on our bikes, and started riding. And now we’re sure that the Road Runner Bags California Burrito is the best choice for anyone looking to change their ride.
Cleaning your Peloton Bike should be as habitual as riding it. A Peloton—or any type of indoor-cycling bike—routinely collects sweat streaks, fingerprints, bacteria, and dust. A simple post-workout wipedown and disinfection can help keep the machine clean and those who ride it healthy. Here’s how to do it.
As a string of setbacks—tanking earnings, layoffs, recalls—continues to knock Peloton off its pandemic-built pedestal, you might wonder if spending top dollar for its signature bike is worth it right now. If you have your heart set on pedaling in place within the Peloton universe, we think you’ll still be very happy doing so even in light of the company’s current woes. The Peloton Bike (see our full review for more) combines excellent equipment, top-notch workout content, ultra-engaging instructors, and a fervent (some might say fanatical) community of impassioned riders. But buying one of the company’s bikes or treadmills is not without risk. Now, as questions about Peloton’s future abound, here’s what we know.
Just like regular bikes, electric bikes experienced a pandemic boom, giving more people an alternative way of commuting, picking up the kids, or just getting outside. But you might already have a functioning bike and wonder if you need to invest in (or make room for) another. If you’re willing to put in some light to medium work, you might not have to. How do I know? Let me tell you—I’ve done it myself.
Cleaning and lubricating your bike’s chain can be kind of a messy process. But doing this can keep your bike rolling properly, and it will extend the life of both the chain and the drivetrain (that is, all the gears the bike chain touches).
Some of us at Wirecutter like our bikes so much that we’ll ride them when it’s raining—or snowing, or sleeting, or freezing, or whatever the weather brings. Thanks to our experiences riding in many conditions through many cities, we’ve accumulated a few pieces of gear we think you should consider if (as we do) you like to show up on a bike when nobody expects it.
There are certain things that separately I cannot stand but that together become tolerable, even enjoyable. Gin and tonic. Blue cheese and pears. And, now, gaming and riding my bike on a smart trainer.
The gym is still closed, warm weather is here, and everybody’s still giving public transit the side-eye—odds are good that your old bike has found its way out of storage. (And if you didn’t have a bike already, with any luck you were able to find one.) If the bike hasn’t seen daylight in a while, examine its essential parts with an ABC Quick Check (PDF). Then, if you’re missing any safety gear, we’ve made a list of inexpensive basics, based on years of research and testing, that should help get you on the road for the same price as a few trips on the bus or subway.
]]>If you’re seeking a bike for your daily commute and your weekend exercise, a fitness hybrid—that is, a road bike with flat handlebars—may be the right choice.
Over the past six years, we’ve spent 60 hours sifting through nearly 75 options, test-ridden more than a dozen bikes, and concluded that the Marin Fairfax 1 is the best hybrid for most people. It provides a stable, comfortable ride on city streets, and it’s a better value now than when we first tested it.
If you thrive on the competition and camaraderie of studio cycling classes and are intrigued by the idea of replicating that experience at home, a Peloton Bike could be for you. Becoming a member of the Peloton pack is an investment, requiring roughly $2,000 for the first year and more than $500 each year thereafter. And that’s for the base model. But for a set of indoor-cycling devotees, these recurring costs for live-streaming and on-demand classes make financial sense: Specifically, those who typically take four or more Peloton-style studio classes a week may find the at-home bike and classes to be a superior value in as few as four months.
A folding bike may be the most convenient mode of transportation on two wheels.
It can get you from point A to point B just as readily as a full-size bike, but you can stash it in a car trunk, tuck it under a desk, or store it in a closet, on a boat, or inside an RV or van.
To suss out which folding bike does it all best for most commuter riders and utilitarian users, we pedaled and shifted, folded and unfolded, and carried and maneuvered 13 popular models from nine manufacturers.
After our 85-plus hours of research and testing, the well-designed Dahon Mariner D8 edged to the front of the pack, combining a comfortable ride and easy folding with good-enough components, all for a reasonable price.
The folding bike may be the most convenient mode of transportation on two wheels: It can get you from point A to point B just as readily as a full-size bike, but you can stash it in a car trunk, tuck it under a desk, or store it in a closet. To suss out which folding bike does it all best for most commuter riders, we pedaled and shifted, folded and unfolded, and carried and maneuvered 11 popular models from eight manufacturers. After our 60-plus hours of research and testing, the well-designed Dahon Mariner D8 edged to the front of the pack, combining a comfortable ride and easy folding with good-quality components, all for a reasonable price.
]]>Cyclists who live in small spaces know the conundrum: You want your bike easily accessible but hate tripping over it all the time.
After spending some 30 hours researching dozens of indoor bike-storage stands, we assembled and tested the 10 most viable options, leaving our bikes at their mercy for days—and sometimes weeks—on end.
Ultimately, we decided that for most people, the Delta Cycle Michelangelo Gravity Stand is the best way to store your bike indoors.
The stand takes minimal effort and expertise to install, it’s lightweight and strong, and it can accommodate one or two bikes of any variety—mountain, road, hybrid, and even step-through cruisers.
Cyclists who live in small spaces know the conundrum: You want your bike easily accessible but hate tripping over it all the time. After spending more than 30 hours researching dozens of indoor bike-storage stands, we assembled and tested the 10 most viable options, leaving our bikes at their mercy for days—and sometimes weeks—on end. Ultimately, we decided that for most people, the Delta Cycle Michelangelo Gravity Stand is the best way to store your bike indoors. The stand takes minimal effort and expertise to install, it’s lightweight and strong, and can accommodate one or two bikes of any variety—mountain, road, hybrid, and even step-through cruisers.
]]>Although pandemic-related bike shortages have eased, bike thieves are still a persistent plague. The first line of defense: a good bike lock.
To find the best bike lock, we ordered 33 of the toughest we could find and then sawed, chopped, and cut them to pieces.
We learned that almost every lock can be defeated in under a minute, but the Kryptonite New-U Evolution Mini-7 offers enough of a security advantage over other locks in its price range to keep a modest commuter bike from becoming an easy target for thieves.
A solid rear rack is the foundation of any good carrying-stuff-on-your-bike setup: It enables you to attach other components to your bike and get a heavy pack off your back. After considering 38 models and testing eight top contenders, we’re confident the Topeak Explorer is the best rack for the average commuter.
]]>No matter what kind of bike you ride—road bike or mountain bike, beach cruiser or hybrid, ebike or unicycle—you need a way to inflate its tires.
After testing 35 pumps over the past six years, we believe the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive 3.5 is the best floor pump for most bike commuters thanks to its sturdy construction, easy-to-read dial, and utterly reliable screw-on head (which fits both Presta and Schrader valves).
We also have a pick for a portable pump to use while you’re out on a ride.
When you need to carry your bike by car, you want to do it as easily and securely as possible. That’s why we recommend the Küat Sherpa 2.0 as the best option for carrying two bicycles, as long as your vehicle accommodates a hitch receiver.
After researching some 220 bike racks and testing more than 75, we’ve found that the Küat Sherpa 2.0 offers the best combination of solid construction, ease of use, light weight, and a reasonable price.
If you own a bike, you need a flat-fixing kit. It’s really that simple.
Sure, maybe you’ll get lucky and get a flat close to a shop, or the buses will be running on time for once, but even with all that going for you, getting stranded across town will cost you time, money, and precious sanity.
You can put together a great kit in less time than it takes to read this guide.
If you own a bike, you need a flat-fixing kit. It’s really that simple. Sure, maybe you’ll get lucky and get a flat close to a shop, or the buses will be running on time for once, but even with all that going for you, getting stranded across town will cost you time, money, and precious sanity. You can put together a great kit in less time than it takes to read this guide.
]]>We get it. You don’t race in the Tour de France. You don’t ride off cliffs, à la Red Bull Rampage. You can’t even do a wheelie. All the same, if you ride a bike—even just to work and back—you should wear a helmet. Slick leaves, loose gravel, wet trolley tracks, they can all bring you down, so protect your noggin. Since 2015, we’ve examined more than 70 helmets and tested more than 20 in person to determine that the classic Specialized Echelon II is the best bike helmet for commuters.
If you thrive on the competition and camaraderie of studio cycling classes and are intrigued by the idea of replicating that experience in the comfort of your living room, a Peloton indoor bike could be for you. Becoming a member of the Peloton pack is an investment: roughly $3,000 for the first year and nearly $500 each year thereafter. But for a set of indoor-cycling devotees, these recurring costs for live-streaming and on-demand classes make financial sense. Namely, those who typically take four or more Peloton-like studio classes a week may find the at-home bike and classes a superior value in as few as six months.
]]>Although you could strap a flashlight to your handlebars to illuminate your path home at night—people do it!—a good set of bike-specific lights will help you see and be seen in all riding conditions.
After testing more than 110 lights over the past nine years, we think Portland Design Works’ City Rover 700 USB Headlight outshines the competition with its combination of brightness, run time, and value.
We also recommend Cygolite’s blindingly bright Hotrod 120 taillight to help you stand out in traffic, night or day.
Whether you’re trying to stand out against a brightly lit urban backdrop or to find your way along lampless backroads, you, like every cyclist, need a reliable pair of bike lights. That’s why we’ve tested 90 lights over the past six years to find the best ones for your commute. Our picks, Cygolite’s Metro Plus 800 USB headlight and Hotrod 50 USB taillight, both offer good value and exceptional visibility thanks to wide-angle beams and solid, strobe, and pulsing modes.
]]>Keeping your bike in optimal condition makes riding it more comfortable and extends the life of all its parts as well. And being able to handle routine repairs yourself, and not having to rely on a shop’s mechanics—or, should you run into problems while out on a ride, the kindness of a passing cyclist—will give you a sense of self-reliance and independence. (Not unlike the feeling of freedom that bubbled up when you first learned to ride your bike!) Here are the tools we’ve come to rely on, in order of importance.
]]>If you use two wheels for transport, we suggest carrying your everyday gear not on your body, but on your bike. The best option for most people is usually a pannier, a bag that attaches to your bike’s rear rack and won’t make your bike hard to steer. After spending three years testing dozens of panniers, we’ve chosen eight that’ll be great for daily duty no matter what you’re toting.
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