Viavito · Exercise Bike Review
Viavito Onyx Review 2026
The Viavito Onyx is a folding exercise bike for one specific buyer: someone with no room for anything else. At £99 and folding to fit behind a sofa, it solves a space problem well, but a light 1.2kg flywheel and 8 resistance levels mean most riders will outgrow it quickly.
Viavito Onyx
Folding budget exercise bike
Now £89.10 with code GOAL10 at Sweatband
The verdict
Judged as what it is, a compact folding bike for tight spaces, the Onyx is decent. It folds to just 33 by 41cm, tucks away easily, and is quiet, comfortable and surprisingly well put together for £99, with a padded, height-adjustable seat and a clear LCD showing your time, speed, distance, calories and pulse. For gentle, casual sessions in front of the TV, or light rehabilitation work, it does exactly what is asked of it, and owners rate it highly for the purpose.
Judged as an exercise bike, its limits show fast. The 1.2kg flywheel is very light, so the ride lacks momentum, the handlebars are fixed rather than adjustable, and while the 8 magnetic levels offer more top-end resistance than many folders, they top out quickly for anyone building fitness. There are no apps and no programmes; you get on and pedal. It is fine for beginners and casual use, but if you have the space for a full-size bike, the Satori is a far better buy for not much more.
Strengths
- Folds to just 33 by 41cm for easy storage
- Quiet and comfortable for gentle use
- Well assembled and sturdy for the price
- Cheap at £99
- Clear LCD with heart rate via hand sensors
Watch-outs
- Very light 1.2kg flywheel, little momentum
- Fixed, non-adjustable handlebars
- 8 resistance levels top out quickly
- No apps or workout programmes
- Most riders will outgrow it fast
Ride feel and real-world experience
On the bike, the Onyx is gentle and easy rather than challenging, which is exactly what it is designed to be. The 1.2kg flywheel is very light, so there is little momentum in the pedal stroke, and the ride feels closer to a basic folding bike than a full-size machine, which it is. That said, it is smoother than many folders at the price, and reviewers have been pleasantly surprised that the top of its 8-level magnetic resistance offers a noticeable, if not punishing, challenge for a 20-minute session.
Comfort is a genuine strength for casual use. The gel-padded saddle is wide and height-adjustable, the self-presenting pedals have adjustable straps, and the whole thing is quiet enough to use in an apartment while watching television. The significant limitation is the fixed handlebars, which do not adjust, so taller riders in particular may struggle to find an ideal position. The battery-powered LCD covers the basics, including a near-accurate heart rate from the hand sensors.
The honest summary is that the Onyx is a bike you mindlessly pedal for half an hour in front of the TV, and for that it is fine. What it is not is a bike you progress on. Anyone building fitness will run out of resistance and feel the lack of momentum, and there are no apps or programmes to keep things varied. It is a starter and a space-saver, not a bike to grow into.
Assembly, size and setup
Assembly is one of the Onyx’s strong points. Most owners report it taking around 10 minutes, with everything lining up cleanly and a reassuring feel of quality to the components for the price. It arrives nearly ready to ride, and being light it is easy for one person to handle. A locking key secures the fold for safe, stable storage.
Living with it: noise, footprint and storage
This is the whole reason to buy an Onyx. Folded to just 33 by 41cm and 136cm tall, it slips behind a sofa, under a bed or against a wall, and at a light weight it is easy to move and store, with an easy-fold mechanism and a locking key. It is quiet in use, making it genuinely apartment-friendly. Upkeep is minimal, just the occasional wipe-down, and the only thing to watch is keeping the console batteries fresh.
Console and features
The Onyx is as simple as a connected age allows. A single battery-powered LCD shows your time, speed, distance, calories, an odometer and your pulse through the hand sensors, and resistance is set with a twist dial offering 8 magnetic levels. There is no Bluetooth, no app support and no onboard programmes: you get on and pedal. For the casual, gentle use the Onyx is built for, that simplicity is fine, but it offers nothing for anyone wanting guided or interactive training.
How it compares
The Onyx really only competes with other folding bikes and with the question of whether you need one at all. Within the range, if you have the floor space, the Viavito Satori is a vastly more capable bike for around £130 more, with a heavy flywheel, apps and adjustable bars, and it is the bike we would steer most people towards. The Onyx’s case rests entirely on its folding footprint: against a full-size budget bike it loses on every performance measure, and wins only on storage.
Who it is for
Buy the Onyx only if space is your overriding constraint, if you genuinely cannot fit a full-size bike and need something that folds away completely. For that buyer, and for beginners, casual exercisers and light rehabilitation, it is a fine, affordable choice. For everyone else, it is the wrong bike: if you have any room at all, the Viavito Satori is far better value and a bike you can actually progress on, and most riders will outgrow the Onyx within months.
Specifications
| Bike type | Folding upright |
|---|---|
| Flywheel | 1.2kg cast iron |
| Resistance | 8 levels magnetic (twist dial) |
| Console | Single LCD, battery powered |
| Console feedback | Time, speed, distance, calories, odometer, pulse |
| Heart rate | Hand pulse sensors |
| Seat | Gel-padded, height adjustable |
| Handlebars | Fixed (not adjustable) |
| Folded size | 33 x 41 cm, 136cm tall |
| Maximum user weight | 100kg |
| Warranty | 1 year, home use |
Warranty and after-sales
Viavito covers the Onyx with a 1-year home-use warranty, sold and supported through Sweatband, who owners report responding well to issues such as replacement pedals. Register on arrival if prompted and keep your proof of purchase. The 1-year term is shorter than the 2 years on the Satori and SB1, which is worth bearing in mind, though not unusual for a simple, lightly used folding bike at this price.
FitRank breakdown
Performance 2.6
A very light 1.2kg flywheel and 8 resistance levels make for a gentle ride that suits casual use but tops out fast for anyone building fitness.
Build quality 3.2
Well assembled and sturdy for £99, with a quality feel on setup, though the fixed handlebars and very light flywheel limit it.
Value 3.6
Good at £99 for what it is, a cheap, well-made folder, but the performance limits mean it is only good value for the right, space-constrained buyer.
Features 2.6
Minimal. A basic LCD and 8 levels, with no apps, no programmes and fixed bars. Fine for casual use, but there is little here.
Frequently asked questions
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Chris writes the home fitness reviews across our sites, including our sister site HomeTreadmill.co.uk. He compares every machine against its rivals on UK pricing and specs, and scores each one with FitRank.
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