Freebeat Xbike Review

The Freebeat Xbike is one of the first stationary bikes to turn spinning into a game. I've taken my fair share of spin classes over the years, but I've never taken any workout class that gamified working out. Usually, my instructor just yelled at me to peddle faster. I can't say it was always fun, but it was a good workout. Freebeat, however, strives to make working out more entertaining. I have taken over 20 classes on the Freebeat Xbike, and each time, I genuinely enjoyed the workout.

If you get bored easily or are looking for an entertaining, unique way to work out, the Freebeat Xbike is a great option. That said, while it's cheaper than many options including Peloton and Bowflex, the inability to use another platform or to "just ride" might be a hindrance for some. Read on to read our full Freebeat Xbike review. 

Freebeat Xbike Review: Price and Availability

The Freebeat Xbike costs $1,499, which you can purchase upfront or pay for in installments of $23 per month. That's about mid-range for home stationary bikes. As of this writing, Freebeat is offering $500 off, so you can purchase it for $999. They also have a 30-day return policy. Compared to the basic Peloton package of $1,895 or the Wattbike Atom exercise bike at $2,599, the Freebeat Xbike is much cheaper. Plus, shipping is free.

On top of that, it's $40 a month for a membership to the Freebeat program. Unfortunately, you can’t just cycle on your own; to use the bike, you need to buy the membership. The workouts I've tried from Freebeat have all been fun and exciting, but it would be nice to have the option to spin on your own terms.

Freebeat Xbike Review: Design and Set-Up

When the Freebeat Xbike arrived in its massive box at my house, my first thought was, "How am I supposed to put that together?"

Assembling the Freebeat Xbike was much simpler than I thought. I was shocked at how easy it was to put together; I’ve had more trouble with most Ikea furniture.

Setting up the Freebeat Xbike and creating an account is just as simple.  The 22-inch HD touch screen is easy to use; it also has anti-fingerprint and anti-glare technology. One thing that sets the Freebeat Xbike apart is the 180-degree rotating screen, similar to that found on the more expensive Peloton Tread+. I've found the ability to rotate the screen helpful for off-the-bike classes.

The Freebeat Xbike itself is simple and sleek. It is much easier to move around than many other stationary bikes, so you aren't limited to keeping it somewhere forever. The bike stands at 54 x 22 x 53 inches, with a minimum height of 60 inches and a maximum height of 76 inches.

The Freebeat Xbike has an extra-large, cushioned seat that is ergonomically designed and made of soft, elastic materials. Of any primary bike seat, it's one of the more comfortable ones I've ridden.

The bike uses magnetic resistance levels, which allow you to adjust the intensity of your workout without noise. The red lever at the front is easy to toggle and find your preferred resistance. The smooth flywheel makes little noise, so you don't have to worry about it bothering other members of your household, or waking sleeping children if you’re pedaling at night. Of all the spin bikes I've tried, it's been one of the quietest options. 

The power cord of the Freebeat Xbike is long enough that you should have space to fit it into most areas of your home —  I didn't have an issue finding a "spot to set up."

Freebeat Xbike Review: Performance

In order to use the Freebeat workouts, you must purchase a membership to Freebeat. Despite many stationary bike companies reserving the full library of workouts for paying members, I find the fact there are no free basic options to choose from on the Freebeat a little silly. There’s also no option to stream from third-party services on the Freebeat, which there is on the Bowflex Velocore. 

That said, once you are signed up, the classes from the Freebeat Membership are what sets the Freebeat Xbike apart from other stationary bikes. Instead of a "push yourself to the limits" class, they are designed like a game — to be fun! In fact, Freebeat classes are all games. Your goal is to "ride to the rhythm" and score combos. This means it's not always who pedals the hardest or fastest who wins. 

With your membership, you’re able to store 10 different accounts on the Freebeat Xbike. So if your friends and family are interested, they can create their own profile and you can compete against them. It does make it much more fun to work out against people you know. 

The classes for Freebeat Xbike are all on-demand. You can even pause a class and come back to it, if needed. I appreciate this feature because my schedule often changes, and I don't have a set time to work out. The trade-off is that live classes bring a sense of camaraderie which is missing on the Freebeat and it would be fun if, eventually, they did offer a live class once a week.

The Freebeat App provides data such as instant feedback, performance tracking, calories, and class progress. 

Freebeat Xbike Review: Classes

With the Freebeat Xbike workouts, you can choose either 15 or 30 minutes. I like that there are 15-minute options because it limits the excuse of "not enough time." In the same regard, I wish there was a longer option, such as 45 minutes or an hour.

The instructors from Freebeat come from studios like Soulcycle, Flywheel, Equinox, and Cyclebar. Within the bike category, there are endurance rides, resistance-heavy climb rides, HIIT rides, rhythm rides, warm-up rides, and recovery rides.

There are thousands of on-demand Freebeat Workouts. It's hard to get bored. I’ve worked through several of the workouts and I haven’t found myself counting the minutes until the class is over once. As someone who is not musically inclined, it’s fun to challenge myself to ride to different rhythms and I was surprised to find I preferred the classes with upbeat and intense music. 

After a few weeks of testing, my favorite instructor has been Kayley because of how positive and upbeats her classes felt. She also leads strength classes as well as cycling sessions and I’ve found myself enjoying those too. Freebeat also offers recovery classes but for me, the more intense the better. The hardest class I’ve done so far is led by Brandon and was called “climb the hill”. I thought I was climbing a mountain, but it was an enjoyable mountain. I also appreciate all of the holiday-themed classes — on Halloween weekend, it was fun to ride to spooky music. 

Freebeat Xbike Review: Music

The Freebeat program is designed around music. Each ride is a game of who can stay "on the beat" the longest, complete with a leaderboard; the longer you stay on the beat, the faster you climb on the board. 

This means even if you are pedaling the fastest, you might not be at the top of the leaderboard. It also means you should have the music turned up (or wear headphones if you’re cycling at an unsociable hour) so you can try and mimic the beat. If you are someone who thrives on loud and fun spin classes, you'll love the Freebeat workouts. If you consider yourself a “middle of the pack” athlete, you might find yourself with the highest score in the class. I wouldn’t consider myself a great cyclist, in fact, I would consider myself a below-average one, but I have won several classes simply by following the beat. 

There are all sorts of music, from Top 40 hits to rock, EDM, and pop. Whatever your music preference, they have a class for it with the Freebeat Xbike. I find myself enjoying the EDM classes most, but I've appreciated all the options.

Freebeat Xbike Review: Off-the-Bike Workouts

In addition to cycling workouts, the Freebeat Xbike also offers strength workouts. The bike has a spot to store weights, but you'll have to purchase your own. (We’ve found the best adjustable dumbbells to invest in for weightlifting at home here). 

The ability to rotate the screen comes in handy with the off-the-bike workouts. You're able to spread out in your space and do the HIIT, stretch, or any of the cross-training workouts, without being right next to your bike. I’d go as far to say this is one of the best features of the bike.

Freebeat Xbike Review: Verdict

As someone who gets bored easily, I like that the Freebeat Xbike turns workouts into a game. If you are looking for a stationary bike that genuinely makes working out fun, the Freebeat Xbike is a good choice. 

That said, there are some downsides to this platform as it stands. I do wish it had the option to "just ride" and save the data from cycles when you’re not in a class. Luckily, there are thousands of on-demand workouts to choose from, but again, I do wish there were live classes to take part in. 

If you are looking for a bike that makes working out fun, the Freebeat Xbike is a good, music-focused alternative.