This overall score consists of performance (50%) and ease of use (50%).

To score performance we recruited the expert opinion of Dr Lee K Wallace, high level triathlete and sport and exercise science lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney. He looked at the bikes’ build quality and sturdiness, seat comfort, smoothness of action and the ease of resistance adjustment and program levels.

Our expert Antonio Bonacruz assessed which bikes were easiest to assemble, adjust and program. He also adapted several clauses of the exercise cycle safety requirements standard (AS 4092-1993) and checked for the guarding of moving parts and sharp edges, as well as user instructions.

We recommend all models that score 70% or more.

Price we paid in December 2016. This does not include delivery. For some models, delivery was up to $200.

Boxed weight in kg as stated. In the case of the Horizon Paros, this is the stated unboxed weight.

The maximum recommended capacity as shown in the instruction manual. In some cases we saw minor differences on the bicycle label and on the manufacturer's website, so you may want to double-check this figure with the manufacturer.

The braking system on currently tested models uses magnetic resistance technology to increase or decrease the difficulty of pedalling, which is quieter.

Whether the resistance can be controlled electronically via the bike console, or whether you need to turn a dial manually.

The number of pre-programmed, preset routines that the bike offers. These will vary from bike to bike.

Based on our measurements, this is how wide the increments are between seat heights.

All will run on mains power but some also use batteries which back up any saved data when the mains power is switched off.

Whether the user can manually set routines to meet particular goals (such as time or distance).

These can be useful for cooling your face during your workout.

Handy to plug in a portable music player to listen to when you are exercising.

A USB connection is handy for keeping your device charged during your workout.

Whether the bike can connect to your device using Bluetooth in order to use an app, for instance.

Some bikes have the capability to wirelessly connect to a fitness app that runs on your mobile device.

Whether the seat can tilt when you are adjusting it. The seat should be as level to the floor as possible because too much tilt can put strain on your back, but some minor adjustments may be required to aid comfort.

Whether the seat can be rotated to aid comfort.

Whether the bike comes equipped with a drinks holder. You may be able to add one separately.

Whether the bike comes with a stand to hold your electronic device.

Whether the bike's screen turns off automatically after a period of time.

Whether the cycle operates in cardio or heart rate control (HRC) mode. How this feature works may vary from bike to bike but generally lets users set a pulse/target heart rate that is suitable for their age and fitness level.

Lets you set a preferred output in watts, which is a measure of how much power you are producing. This is affected by the resistance of the pedals as well as the speed you are going. The bike will adjust the pedal resistance accordingly to ensure that your watts output remains constant.

After an intense workout, this mode measures your heart rate as you slow down and rates your performance.

Some of the exercise bikes will be able to measure your body fat. Although we did not rate this feature, we tried it out where available and found they were generally in keeping with our tester's expected body fat levels.

Whether the device can display your body mass index, which is calculated when you enter your weight and height.