The Echelon Connect Sport spin bike is a bargain at $499

Regular Cheapskate readers know that I've been doing a lot of exercise-bike coverage: affordable Peloton alternatives, DIY smart-bike options and so on. One of the first bikes I tried was the Echelon Connect EX3, which at the time seemed like a great buy at just over $1,000. (A Peloton costs just over $2,200.) There's also the Connect EX1 for $840.

Walmart, however, carries an exclusive version of the bike that's priced even lower -- and right now it's on sale. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Walmart has the Echelon Connect Sport indoor exercise bike for $499, with free delivery. That's $100 off the regular price, though I should note that it's been at $499 for at least a few weeks.

I haven't tried this bike myself, so I can't say how the ride compares with the EX3 -- and there are a few question marks with regard to certain features. The pedals have toe cages, for example, but it's not clear whether you can flip them over for use with clip-in shoes. (At least one reviewer says that's an option; others note that you'd have to replace the pedals.)

What I can tell you is that you can get pretty close to a Peloton-like experience thanks to the Echelon app, which pairs with the bike to collect stats about your ride and slings all manner of live and on-demand classes (including off-bike ones like HIIT and yoga). So you'll need a phone or, preferably, tablet -- the bigger the screen, the better.

If you do indeed want all those classes, an Echelon subscription costs $39.99 a month. If you select the Freeride option within the app, however, you can still see your ride stats in real time and keep a log of your sessions. In other words, a subscription isn't required, and you could always position your bike in front of a TV if you'd rather, say, stream Netflix anyway.

The Connect Sport has a 4.7-star average rating from Walmart customers. If you're in the market for such a bike, this is without question one of the most affordable options out there.

Read more: Peloton alternatives: 4 great indoor exercise bikes that cost less

The RemoBell S smart doorbell with free cloud storage is $59 refurbished

I've been using a RemoBell S for nearly a year now, and for the most part I like it. The big attraction, initially, was the $99 price tag and free three-day rolling cloud storage. On occasion I've seen it dip to $79, but never this low: For a limited time, and while supplies last, you can get a refurbished RemoBell S smart doorbell for $59. Take note that although Remo Plus backs this with a one-year warranty, returns are not accepted.

The RemoBell S is a wired doorbell, meaning the ideal setup is swapping it in for an existing one. The upside to that is you don't have to worry about batteries.

Everything else you need to know can be found in my original RemoBell S deal post. Although my two big complaints (motion sensitivity and fish-eye recordings) were never resolved, I still like the doorbell overall. Ring notifications arrive on my phone pretty much instantaneously, and live video feeds appear very quickly.

This was already a great deal at $99, so $59 makes it even sweeter. Just make sure you're comfortable with the limitations.

Watch this: Peloton Bike makes spinning at home much smoother

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