Shortlist · Fitness · 6 models
Best folding exercise bikes for a flat: six X-frame bikes compared on levels, weight limit, footprint and weight
A folding exercise bike is the gym kit that fits a British flat: it stands behind a door when folded and is quiet enough for a neighbour below. The figures that matter are the resistance levels, the maximum rider weight, the footprint in use and folded, the bike's own weight, and whether there is a backrest. Six X-frame bikes, from a 14 kg budget fold-up to the 23.5 kg Sunny with an app.
Quick answer
- 135kgA maker's name, a backrest and an appSunny Health & Fitness Smart Folding X-Bike: 14 magnetic levels, mesh backrest, arm bands, Bluetooth, 135 kg.
- 172kgA heavier rider in a small roomYosuda EB4: 16 levels, 172 kg limit by the listing, 66 by 45 cm in use.
- 136kgMost levels, stated height rangeMerach MR-S14: 16 levels, 136 kg, riders 132 to 185 cm, four positions.
- 150kgPedalling while readingLeikefitness 2280: 12 levels, recumbent position, 150 kg, folded size stated.
- 130kgSimplest, lightest proper bikeUltrasport F-Bike: 8 levels, 130 kg, 15.5 kg, wide saddle.
- 120kgLives in a cupboardEvoland X-813: 8 levels, 120 kg, 14.3 kg, about 0.13 m² folded.
The six at a glance
| Model | Max user weight | Resistance | Positions | Footprint in use | Weight | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Folding X-Bikefor a maker's name, a backrest and an app | 135 kg | 14 levels, magnetic | Upright and semi-recumbent with backrest; arm bands | 97 × 56 × 134 cm | 23.5 kg | View listing |
| Yosuda EB4 5-in-1 Folding Bikefor a heavier rider in a small room | 172 kg† | 16 levels, magnetic† | Upright, recumbent, arm bands (5-in-1) | 66 × 45 × 122 cm† | No confirmed data | View listing |
| Merach MR-S14 4-in-1 Folding Bikefor the most levels and a stated height range | 136 kg† | 16 levels, magnetic† | Upright, recumbent, arm bands (4-in-1)† | 108.5 × 53 × 115.5 cm† | No confirmed data | View listing |
| Leikefitness 2280 Folding Recumbent Bikefor pedalling while reading | 150 kg† | 12 levels, magnetic† | Upright, recumbent, arm bands (3-in-1)† | No confirmed data | 18.5 kg† | View listing |
| Ultrasport F-Bike (8-level)for the simplest, lightest proper bike | 130 kg† | 8 levels, magnetic† | Upright | 87 × 43.5 × 118 cm† | 15.5 kg† | View listing |
| Evoland X-813 Folding Bikefor a bike that lives in a cupboard | 120 kg† | 8 levels† | Upright | 65.5 × 40.5 × 110 cm† | 14.3 kg† | View listing |
Scroll sideways to see every column
† Figure from a retailer listing or otherwise awaiting confirmation from the manufacturer; other figures come from manufacturer manuals and leaflets.
Only Sunny and Yosuda have maker pages that could be read, and even those do not state every figure; the rest of the table is each listing’s claim and is flagged accordingly.
What an X-frame bike is, and what to read
Every bike here is the same design: two steel tubes hinged in an X, a seat post on one and the flywheel on the other, folding flat when the hinge is released. The resistance is a magnet near a small flywheel, in 8 to 16 steps. The 3-in-1, 4-in-1 and 5-in-1 labels mean the seat and backrest let you sit upright or lean back, and that elastic bands clip to the frame for your arms.
Read five things. Levels: eight is enough for steady cardio, sixteen gives finer steps and a harder top end. Maximum user weight: your weight with a margin. Footprint in use, because the folded figure is only useful if you will actually fold it every day. The bike’s own weight, which decides whether folding it is a chore. And the backrest, if you will pedal for forty minutes at a time.
Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Folding X-Bike, for a maker’s name, a backrest and an app
for a maker's name, a backrest and an app
Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Folding X-Bike
- Max user weight
- 135 kg
- Resistance
- 14 levels, magnetic
- Positions
- Upright and semi-recumbent with backrest; arm bands
- Footprint in use
- 97 × 56 × 134 cm
- Weight
- 23.5 kg
Check price on Amazon
The one bike here with a manufacturer’s page describing it: 14 magnetic levels, an adjustable padded seat with a mesh backrest, resistance bands on the frame for arms and shoulders, transport wheels and Bluetooth to the SunnyFit app. The UK listing gives 135 kg, 23.5 kg and 97 by 56 by 134 centimetres in use.
It is the heaviest here by five kilos, which matters if it is folded and wheeled away every evening, and Sunny’s US pages quote the limit in pounds that round differently.
For someone who wants a brand behind the frame and a seat to lean back in, it is the one.
Strengths
- A maker's page and a UK presence behind it
- Backrest and bands for a seated session
- 14 levels, Bluetooth app
Limitations
- 23.5 kg is a lot to fold and wheel away
- Maximum user weight quoted differently in the UK and US
Good for
- a flat with somewhere to wheel it, and a rider who wants back support
Look elsewhere if
- anyone who needs to lift it into a cupboard
Yosuda EB4, for a heavier rider in a small room
for a heavier rider in a small room
Yosuda EB4 5-in-1 Folding Bike
- Max user weight
- 172 kg†
- Resistance
- 16 levels, magnetic†
- Positions
- Upright, recumbent, arm bands (5-in-1)
- Footprint in use
- 66 × 45 × 122 cm†
Check price on Amazon
The highest stated rider limit, 172 kg, and the smallest footprint in use, 66 by 45 centimetres, with 16 magnetic levels and bands. Yosuda’s page confirms the folding frame and that the EB4 comes in 8- and 16-level versions; the limit, the 3 kg flywheel and the dimensions are the listing’s.
The 3 kg flywheel is light, so the pedal stroke will feel less smooth than on the heavier bikes, and Yosuda does not publish the bike’s weight.
For a heavier rider, or a very small room, it is the one.
Strengths
- 172 kg limit, by the listing
- Smallest footprint in use here
- Five positions including bands
Limitations
- The 3 kg flywheel is light; expect a less smooth pedal than the heavier bikes
- Weight not published
Good for
- a heavier rider in a small room
Look elsewhere if
- anyone chasing a road-bike feel
Merach MR-S14, for the most levels and a stated height range
for the most levels and a stated height range
Merach MR-S14 4-in-1 Folding Bike
- Max user weight
- 136 kg†
- Resistance
- 16 levels, magnetic†
- Positions
- Upright, recumbent, arm bands (4-in-1)†
- Footprint in use
- 108.5 × 53 × 115.5 cm†
Check price on Amazon
Sixteen magnetic levels, a 136 kg limit, four positions with a backrest and bands, an app, and, usefully, a stated rider height range of 132 to 185 centimetres, which most listings leave you to guess. Merach’s site does not list this UK model code, so every figure is the listing’s.
Weight is not published.
For a household of different heights sharing one bike, it is the one that tells you it will fit.
Strengths
- 16 magnetic levels, the most here
- Stated user height range, 132 to 185 cm
- Four positions
Limitations
- No maker page for this model code
- Weight not published
Good for
- a shared flat with riders of different heights
Look elsewhere if
- anyone who wants a figure they can check with the maker
Leikefitness 2280, for pedalling while reading
for pedalling while reading
Leikefitness 2280 Folding Recumbent Bike
- Max user weight
- 150 kg†
- Resistance
- 12 levels, magnetic†
- Positions
- Upright, recumbent, arm bands (3-in-1)†
- Weight
- 18.5 kg†
Check price on Amazon
The most recumbent of the group: a backrest and a seat you can lean back in, twelve magnetic levels, bands, a 150 kg limit, 18.5 kg, and a folded size the listing actually states, about 47 by 25 by 134 centimetres.
The recumbent position needs the full 134 centimetres of length, and there is no maker page.
For someone who will pedal for an hour with a book, it is the one.
Strengths
- Twelve levels, between the 8s and the 16s
- Folded size stated
- 150 kg limit
Limitations
- No maker page
- Recumbent position needs the full 134 cm length
Good for
- someone who wants to pedal while reading, with a backrest
Look elsewhere if
- a room where 134 cm of length is the problem
Ultrasport F-Bike, for the simplest, lightest proper bike
for the simplest, lightest proper bike
Ultrasport F-Bike (8-level)
- Max user weight
- 130 kg†
- Resistance
- 8 levels, magnetic†
- Positions
- Upright
- Footprint in use
- 87 × 43.5 × 118 cm†
- Weight
- 15.5 kg†
Check price on Amazon
The bike that started the category, in its wide-saddle version: eight magnetic levels by a dial, a 130 kg limit, 15.5 kg, an LCD for time, speed, distance, calories and pulse, upright only, no bands, no backrest. Light enough to fold and lean behind a door one-handed.
Eight levels and a plain saddle; Ultrasport’s UK figures are on the listing only.
For gentle daily cycling in a small flat with no fuss, it is still the sensible one.
Strengths
- Light at 15.5 kg, easy to fold and lean against a wall
- Wide padded saddle
- The simplest bike here
Limitations
- Eight levels, manual dial
- No backrest, no bands
- Listing-only figures
Good for
- gentle daily cycling in a small flat
Look elsewhere if
- interval training or anyone over 130 kg
Evoland X-813, for a bike that lives in a cupboard
for a bike that lives in a cupboard
Evoland X-813 Folding Bike
- Max user weight
- 120 kg†
- Resistance
- 8 levels†
- Positions
- Upright
- Footprint in use
- 65.5 × 40.5 × 110 cm†
- Weight
- 14.3 kg†
Check price on Amazon
The lightest here at 14.3 kg and the smallest when folded, about 0.13 square metres by the listing, with eight levels, a 120 kg limit and 65.5 by 40.5 by 110 centimetres in use.
The listing calls the resistance friction in one field and magnetic in another, the 120 kg limit is the lowest, and there is no maker page.
For a bedsit where the bike must disappear every day, it is the one that will.
Strengths
- Lightest full bike here at 14.3 kg
- Folds to a very small footprint
Limitations
- 120 kg limit, the lowest
- Listing is unclear whether resistance is magnetic or friction
- No maker page
Good for
- a bedsit or a bike that lives in a cupboard
Look elsewhere if
- heavier riders or hard sessions
How to choose
- Your weight, plus margin. Over 130 kg: Yosuda, Leikefitness. Over 120: anything but the Evoland.
- Backrest. Sunny, Merach, Leikefitness. None: Ultrasport, Evoland, Yosuda upright mode.
- Levels. 16: Yosuda, Merach. 14: Sunny. 12: Leikefitness. 8: the rest.
- Folding daily. Under 16 kg: Ultrasport, Evoland. Over 23: Sunny.
- A maker’s page. Sunny, and partly Yosuda.
Who should buy a spin bike instead
If you cycle outdoors and want to train, not just move, a folding X-frame will frustrate you within a month: the flywheel is light and the top level is not hard. A belt-drive spin bike with a 15 kg flywheel costs two or three times as much and does not fold. These bikes are for fitness in a flat.
Which one, by situation
- Brand, backrest, app: Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Folding X-Bike.
- Heavier rider, small room: Yosuda EB4.
- Shared bike, mixed heights: Merach MR-S14.
- Long seated sessions: Leikefitness 2280.
- Simple and light: Ultrasport F-Bike.
- Cupboard bike: Evoland X-813.
Sources
Facts checked 23 October 2026
- Sunny Health & Fitness — Full Body Foldable Magnetic X-Bike Pro SF-B223012 product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (Sunny Health & Fitness) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (YOSUDA) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
- Yosuda — folding exercise bike (EB4) product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (MERACH) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (leikefitness) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (Ultrasport) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
- Amazon listing (EVOLAND) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
Are folding bikes any good for fitness?
For steady cardio, yes: thirty minutes at a level that makes you breathe hard is the same exercise on a 15 kg X-frame as on a spin bike. What they lack is a heavy flywheel, so the pedal stroke feels lighter and the top resistance levels run out for a strong cyclist. They are for fitness, not for training for a sportive.
What does the maximum user weight mean?
The heaviest rider the maker rates the frame for. Every bike here states one: 120 kg (Evoland), 130 (Ultrasport), 135 or 136 (Sunny, Merach), 150 (Leikefitness), 172 (Yosuda). Stay well inside it; a folding X-frame flexes near its limit.
Magnetic or friction resistance?
Magnetic: a magnet moved closer to the flywheel, silent and wear-free, adjusted by a dial or buttons. Friction: a felt pad on the wheel, which wears and whispers. Five of the six here say magnetic; the Evoland's listing says both, which is flagged.
How noisy are they?
Magnetic X-bikes are quiet enough for a flat at any hour; the noise is the belt and the frame creaking, not the resistance. Put a mat under it to stop the feet marking the floor and to take the last of the hum out of a wooden one.
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