Quick Answer: The best Echelon bike for most people in 2026 is the Connect EX-5 (~$999 on sale, $1,299 list) — it drops the built-in touchscreen and lets you strap on your own phone or tablet, while keeping the steel frame, 32 magnetic resistance levels, a 28.6 lb flywheel, and a 300 lb capacity, per Garage Gym Reviews. Want a native screen? The EX-5s adds a built-in HD touchscreen for a few hundred more, and the flagship EX-8s ($1,999 sale/$2,299–$2,799 list) adds a 24-inch curved display, a 38 lb dual flywheel, and reactive LED lighting. Budget buyers should look at the EX-3 (under ~$800). The one non-negotiable: Echelon’s classes require the Echelon Fit membership (roughly $11.99–$39.99/month) — factor that in before you buy.
Last updated July 17, 2026 — prices reflect current Echelon Fit and major-retailer listings and fluctuate with frequent sales; specs and test facts sourced from Garage Gym Reviews, BarBend, and Tom’s Guide.
Echelon built its business as the value answer to Peloton, and in 2026 the bike lineup is where that pitch is clearest. The Tennessee-based company sells connected spin bikes that pipe in live and on-demand classes through the Echelon Fit app — the same core idea as Peloton, at consistently lower hardware prices, and with a bring-your-own-tablet option the competition doesn’t offer. This guide ranks the current Connect bikes — the budget EX-3, the value-champion EX-5, the touchscreen EX-5s, and the flagship EX-8s — and spells out the subscription math that decides whether an Echelon is actually a bargain for you.
By the numbers: Every current Echelon Connect bike offers 32 levels of magnetic resistance and a 300 lb user capacity, per Garage Gym Reviews. The value EX-5 runs a 28.6 lb flywheel; the flagship EX-8s steps up to a 38 lb dual-ring flywheel behind a 24-inch curved touchscreen. Echelon’s class library exceeds 15,000 live and on-demand sessions, and membership runs from $11.99 (Fit Pass) to about $39.99/month (Premier), or roughly $33.33/month prepaid annually, per BarBend. Garage Gym Reviews scored the EX-8s 3.63 out of 5, praising the ride but flagging the cost and mandatory membership.
The 2026 Echelon bike lineup at a glance
| Model | Screen | Flywheel | Resistance | Capacity | ~Price (sale / list) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connect EX-5 | Bring your own tablet | 28.6 lb | 32 levels | 300 lb | $999 / $1,299 | Best overall value |
| Connect EX-5s | Built-in ~21.5–22" HD | 28.6 lb | 32 levels | 300 lb | $1,299 / $1,799 | Best with a screen |
| Connect EX-8s | Built-in 24" curved HD | 38 lb dual-ring | 32 levels | 300 lb | $1,999 / $2,299–$2,799 | Flagship / immersive ride |
| Connect EX-3 | Bring your own tablet | ~28 lb | 32 levels | 300 lb | Under $800 | Best budget |
1. Echelon Connect EX-5 — Best Echelon Bike Overall
Echelon Connect EX-5
- 32 magnetic resistance levels, a 28.6 lb flywheel, and a 300 lb capacity on a steel frame — genuine studio-bike hardware, per Garage Gym Reviews.
- No built-in screen: a device holder grips a 5.5"–12.5" phone or tablet and flips 180° so you can follow off-bike classes on the same screen.
- Four-way adjustable seat and handlebars, dual-sided SPD/cage pedals, and transport wheels; base warranty ~12 months, extendable to 5 years with an active membership, per BarBend.
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The EX-5 is the Echelon that makes the whole value argument work. It ships without the expensive part — the touchscreen — and instead gives you a holder for the tablet you already own, which flips 180 degrees so you can follow floor classes off the bike. Everything that actually determines ride quality is here: a steel frame, a 28.6-pound flywheel, 32 levels of magnetic resistance adjusted by knob, and four-way seat and handlebar adjustment that fits a wide range of riders, all confirmed in Garage Gym Reviews’ testing, where the reviewer praised “a quality build, tons of adjustability, and a wide range of resistance levels.” Because a decent tablet costs a fraction of a 24-inch curved display, the EX-5 delivers the identical Echelon Fit class experience as the flagship for roughly half the money. It’s the pick for the overwhelming majority of buyers — see how it stacks up against Peloton, Schwinn, and Bowflex in our best stationary bike guide.
2. Echelon Connect EX-5s — Best Echelon Bike With a Built-In Screen
Echelon Connect EX-5s
- Adds a built-in HD touchscreen (about 21.5–22") that runs the Echelon Fit app natively — no phone or tablet to supply or mount.
- Shares the EX-5's core hardware: 32 resistance levels, the same flywheel and adjustable steel frame, and a 300 lb capacity.
- The screen pivots for off-bike workouts; the mid-tier choice for anyone who wants the "hop on and go" simplicity of a fixed display.
The EX-5s is the EX-5 with the one thing some riders won’t compromise on: a screen that’s always there. The ‘s’ models integrate a roughly 21.5-to-22-inch HD touchscreen that runs Echelon Fit directly, so there’s no fumbling with a tablet, no charging cable draped over the bars, and no app to launch on a second device — you sit down and the class is on the glass. The trade is money: the EX-5s typically costs several hundred dollars more than the EX-5, which, as Tom’s Guide notes in its review of the line, is close to the price of a good tablet you could have bought instead. If a fixed display genuinely changes whether you’ll ride consistently, it’s worth it; if you’ll happily prop up a tablet, save the money and buy the EX-5. Either way the class library and subscription are identical. Compare the immersive-screen approach against a treadmill’s in our best cardio machine roundup.
3. Echelon Connect EX-8s — Flagship / Most Immersive Ride
Echelon Connect EX-8s
- 24-inch curved HD touchscreen with dual front-facing speakers and a 180° pivot — the most immersive, "wraparound" ride Echelon builds.
- Heavier 38 lb dual-ring rear flywheel for a smoother feel, plus reactive LED lighting that syncs to heart rate or workout intensity.
- Belt-driven and quiet, 300 lb capacity; Garage Gym Reviews scored it 3.63/5, calling out the cost and required membership.
The EX-8s is Echelon’s answer to the Peloton Bike+, and it’s the only model where you’re paying for spectacle. The 24-inch curved touchscreen genuinely changes scenic rides, the 38-pound dual-ring flywheel spins smoother than the EX-5’s, and the LED strip that pulses with your heart rate is the kind of party trick that sells bikes on a showroom floor. It also earns the lineup’s most measured review: Garage Gym Reviews gave it 3.63 out of 5, praising the ride while flagging that “it is costly and does require a membership,” and noting the screen “did shake” during hard out-of-saddle efforts. The list price has bounced between roughly $2,299 and $2,799 depending on the season, with frequent sales near $1,999. Our honest read: unless the curved screen and lighting are the specific reason you’ll ride, the EX-5 or EX-5s gets you the same classes and nearly the same workout for far less. If a top-tier screen is the goal, weigh it against Peloton and NordicTrack in our Peloton vs NordicTrack comparison.
4. Echelon Connect EX-3 — Best Budget Echelon Bike
Echelon Connect EX-3
- The most affordable Connect bike: 32 resistance levels, SPD-compatible pedals, and full access to the Echelon Fit programming using your own device.
- Strips out the extras — no touchscreen, no water-bottle cages, no dumbbell holders — to hit the lowest price in the lineup.
- Same 300 lb capacity and app ecosystem as the pricier bikes; the entry point for first-time connected-bike buyers.
The EX-3 exists to get you into the Echelon ecosystem for the least money, and it does that honestly. Under about $800, you still get the full 32 levels of magnetic resistance, SPD-compatible pedals, and — crucially — the same Echelon Fit classes as every bike above it, streamed to your own phone or tablet, per Garage Gym Reviews. What you give up is the trimmings: there’s no touchscreen, no water-bottle cages, and none of the dumbbell holders found on the fancier models. The frame is a touch lighter-duty than the EX-5’s, so serious cyclists doing frequent heavy standing sprints should size up. But for a beginner, an apartment, or anyone testing whether connected classes will actually stick before spending four figures, the EX-3 is the right amount of bike. Building a whole room around it? Start with our best home gym equipment pillar for the full build order.
The Echelon subscription: what you’re really paying
The single most important thing to understand before buying any Echelon bike is that the hardware price is only half the cost. The bikes are gateways to the Echelon Fit membership, and the classes — the reason to choose Echelon over a plain magnetic spin bike — live entirely behind that paywall.
- Tiers and pricing. Membership runs from a $11.99/month Fit Pass (limited features) up to the Premier / All-Access tiers at roughly $34.99–$39.99/month, dropping to about $33.33/month if you prepay a full year, per BarBend and Garage Gym Reviews. Over three years, that subscription can cost more than the bike did.
- The touchscreen models need it most. On the EX-8s, most of the 24-inch screen's value is locked without an active membership — Garage Gym Reviews notes core functionality is "severely restricted" without a subscription. The bike still spins, but the smart features go dark.
- The bring-your-own-tablet bikes are more flexible. Because the EX-3 and EX-5 use your device, you can pedal to a free workout app, YouTube, or a scenic video without Echelon's subscription at all — you just lose Echelon's own classes, leaderboards, and structured programs.
- Membership doubles as extended warranty. Some models stretch the base ~12-month coverage to as long as 5 years while the subscription stays active, per BarBend — a real perk, but one that evaporates the month you cancel.
How to choose an Echelon bike in 2026
- Default to the EX-5. For most riders it's the whole lineup's sweet spot: full studio hardware, the same classes as the flagship, and a tablet holder instead of a screen tax. Buy up to the EX-5s only if a fixed display genuinely changes your consistency.
- Only buy the EX-8s for the screen. The 24-inch curved display and LED lighting are the entire reason it costs what it does — the workout itself isn't twice as good. If you're not chasing that immersive experience specifically, the money is better kept.
- Test the habit with the EX-3. Not sure connected classes will stick? The sub-$800 EX-3 is the low-risk way to find out, using a tablet you already own.
- Price the subscription first. Add roughly $400–$480 a year for membership to whatever the bike costs. If that recurring number doesn't work, a non-connected spin bike from our best stationary bike guide may serve you better.
- Cross-shop the value bikes. Echelon's closest rival on the bring-your-own-screen strategy is the Bowflex C6, which pairs with the Peloton and Zwift apps — we cover it in the best Bowflex machine roundup.
Is an Echelon bike worth it in 2026?
For the value-minded rider, yes — with eyes open about the subscription. Echelon’s core promise holds up: a Peloton-style connected ride for meaningfully less money, and the bring-your-own-tablet EX-3 and EX-5 give you an escape hatch the premium brands don’t offer. The EX-5 in particular is one of the better values in connected cardio, delivering the full class experience for around $999–$1,299. The caveats are the short base warranty and the mandatory-for-classes membership, which over years can quietly outrun the hardware bill — so run that math before you commit. Buy the bike that matches how you’ll actually ride, keep the best home gym equipment build order in mind, and compare the field once more in our best stationary bike and best cardio machine guides before you check out.