DeskCycle Original Under Desk Bike

i doubt that cycling under my desk is going to result in my figure looking like it did when i was practicing muay thai 13 hours a week, or even when i was spending an hour and a half on an elliptical trainer each night, but what i can say is that it is AWESOME to know i'm burning at least a handful of calories extra each hour than i otherwise would. here's my quick and dirty review after two days of use: this product is, as everyone else says, shockingly well made. despite the hundreds of reviews indicating its high quality, heft, smooth rotation, and absolute silence, i was skeptical, and couldn't help but wonder if perhaps everyone just had lower expectations. well, i can vouch: it is high quality, heavy without being forbiddingly so, and rotation is absolutely smooth and there is no noise at all. i cannot tell you how many people have walked by my desk in the past two days who didn't even know i was cycling unless i pointed it out. so that right out of the gate: if you want to try an underdesk cycler, don't go cheap to save $50, and don't waste your money on the $300 versions. start here. even if it ends up not being for you, it WON'T be because it's cheap or squeaky or impossible to put together. which brings me to the next thing: it is, again, as others have mentioned, painless to put together. i did it in about ten minutes, and it only took that long because people kept stopping by my desk to ask me wtf i was doing. as for results, it's too early to tell, and again, i don't expect them to be shocking, but what i can say is that my thighs and even glutes are already noticeably firmer (not sure how my glutes are, since i'm just SITTING, but indeed they are). the most surprising benefit, though, is already tighter abs. when i woke up this morning, i expected my legs to be sore - they weren't. it was my CORE that ached, and it was a delicious sort of ache. this is because if used properly, you will be sitting on the edge of your chair, holding your stomach in, and relying on your core for balance as you pedal and type at the same time. which brings me to an important note: you definitely want to observe correct posture,, and NOT try to use this sitting back in your chair, because if you don't, your lower back will begin to ache in as little as five minutes. also, regarding those who have said they don't like peering under their desks to look at the display - i can't speak for older versions of the machine, but at least in the new ones, there's a long cord and stand so that you can put the adapter on your desk and monitor your progress. i will say that i'm a little flummoxed by reviews here and elsewhere that indicate averaging "ten miles a day", or even 40, because at least if mine is calibrated correctly, i did 97 my first day and 104 today. i hit 7 miles within the first ten minutes of my workday today. of course, i have resistance set at only 2, and am pedaling quite fast, and doing so *most* of my workday (290 minutes yesterday, 300 today), but i have a hard time believing i'm ACTUALLY pedaling at 23 to 25 mph, which is what the meter indicates. so i'm skeptical i've actually hit THAT distance. either way, this is probably the best $160 i've spent in awhile, and even if i don't end up looking like i spend three hours a day in the gym as a result (and i won't), it's awesome to not just be sitting and spreading ever wider the nine hours a day i'm behind my desk. also, as others have stated, my coworkers are fascinated. the skeptical ones: "we'll see how long you stick with it," and "there's no way that mileage is correct." the curious ones: "that's so cool! if you start seeing results, i might get one too!" the enthusiastic ones: "let me try it! oh wow, this is awesome!! where did you get it? how much? can you send me the link?" all in all, again, if you want to go an under-desk cycle route, don't even hesitate to go with this product. oh, by the way: regarding the calorie counter, don't get excited. i'd supposedly burned 2000 calories by noon yesterday. even the literature that comes with the cycle says "don't trust the monitor, it's wrong." go to the website they give you and plug in your age, height, weight, resistance, distance, and time, and it will give you a theoretically more accurate calorie count. for a profound example, by the time i left the office today after 5 hours of cumulative peddling, i'd supposedly burned over 4000 calories. when i plugged my numbers into the site, it gave me a far more realistic read of 687. not as exciting as four grand, but still, 687 calories more than i'd have burned otherwise. in summary, you can't go wrong with this - though if you are tall or your desk is weirdly low, you'll have issues - but you would have issues with ANY of these products, in that case, and probably none that would be so smooth and silent and well-made. this is a shockingly high-quality product for the price, and honestly, i kind of can't believe how inexpensive it is relative to its worth.

This DeskCycle is the Cat's Meow...whether or not you own a desk. And to think I was within moments of purchasing one of the cheaper ones, I should say, one of the 'non-magnetic resistance' ones. Then somehow I stumbled across this one, and am so glad I did. I never knew cycling could be this smooth and quiet. I see no way for any part on this unique little machine to ever break down. Just wait until you see how it works. You can actually see the mechanism working as you cycle, thru the dark transparent top down into its smooth working innards. But you'll never hear it. Sweet.... I stumbled a bit putting it together, not paying enough attention to which end was the front, but once I recognized what I'd done wrong, everything was a piece of cake after that. I will emphasize what the instructions do, and that's to tighten down very tightly the pedal screws. You don't want the threads eventually stripping, which is the only thing I can see that could possibly go wrong with this cycle. I'm using the cycle with a very small fold-up round seated chair and sit back comfortably there and watch TV. Maybe tomorrow I'll read a book instead (currently working on the 1400 pg. 'Sacajawea' by Anna Lee Waldo...great book!). I think that will be a very pleasant time with a very pleasant cycle. I have no problem whatsoever with the cycle moving forward or anywhere else on my very short carpet. I can pedal it downward (as suggested in the instructions) or pedal it forward, it makes no difference, it stays securely where I've put it. This is a high-quality made exercise cycle. It's heavy enough to remain stable when on a carpet, but not too heavy to pick up and carry around. Although I think it would be perfect for placing under a desk, it's certainly not made for that purpose alone. Anyone who wants or needs this kind of exercise should be thrilled with the workout you can get with this cycle. And...you can take it easy on Setting 2 or 3, which you probably should anyway in the beginning, or set it on an upper number for a real tough workout. Don't worry about not getting enough 'resistance' with it. I can see now that I could never pump it at a setting of probably more than about 4 or 5 (it goes to 8). Oh...the pedals. I don't need the straps to go over my shoes so I just pedal on the straps (don't know if that's okay or not). I was pleasantly surprised to find that pedaling barefoot or with just socks (directly on the pedal) is equally comfortable. Somebody brilliant must have invented this cycle. And somebody equally brilliant wrote the instructions. They're clear and straightforward (a rare thing) and it should take you about 10 minutes to put this together. The pedals were just a little challenging for me...just be patient and make sure you start threading the screw in the right direction for each pedal. Then screwing it in all the way takes just a little muscle, but be sure the screw goes in all the way and to make it a very tight fit. (Don't keep screwing it in if you think it's not in the right threads...just start over til you're sure.) I wish everyone could afford to buy this cycle, and can just say it's more than worth saving up for if that's what it takes to have one. My advice to those who can't buy it right away is to either save up, or ask for it as a Christmas or Birthday gift. I would have been thrilled to receive it as a gift. Oh yeah, it comes with a one-year standard Warranty. If you're not sure between buying the DeskCycle or the MagneTrainer, write to 3D Innovations and they'll send you a chart that shows the similarities and differences between the two. The folks there are very friendly and helpful. I came down on the side of the DeskCycle because of its low and smaller profile. Well...I'm a lady and no spring chicken. And I don't work for this company. But I do think this DeskCycle is awesome! I'm looking forward to getting a lot of use out of it and having a lot of fun with it for a very long time. I highly recommend this DeskCycle to everyone who's looking to buy one. P.S. I just ordered another one for my daughter today (17 Dec). She tried out mine and fell in love with it. I think she knew if she raved about it enough I'd take the hint and get her one for Christmas. I bit the hook because she really wants it and I know it will help keep her healthy. What more could a mother want! lol

Since 'they' say sitting is the new smoking, I wanted to be doing something while sitting in front of my computer all day. I was planning on getting a less expensive model, but after doing a lot of research, this specific under desk bike kept coming up as one of the top models. Boy am I glad I decided to purchase this! Here are some of my concerns I had prior to purchasing. 1. I saw a few reviews about assembly. I was worried about it being too difficult. It was not at all! I did it myself in under 15 minutes. The directions were great! Not only pictures, but actual words of how to assemble it (other things I have put together only have pics and it drives me crazy!). You basically just screw everything in with the tool they give you. Easy peasy! See my first pic for the pieces it comes with. 2. I was worried that my knees would hit my desktop. They do not. However, I do not have a center drawer or lower keyboard shelf. Your knees might hit if you do. See the 2nd pic of it sitting under my desk. 3. I have wood floors and was worried my rolling desk chair would, well roll, when I was biking. Yeah, it kind of does. A strap comes in the box so you can wrap it around the chair and the bike to stabilize it. I did not use this strap because I wanted to be able to move my chair when needed. I found that I can put one of the chair wheels in front of the back part of the bike and this does the trick! See my 4th photo - I circled the chair leg. Other things I like 1. The 'monitor' can be unattached from the bike. I have it hooked up and sitting on top of my desk, so I can see it. Much better! I'm not sure how accurate it is - I don't think I am really traveling that many miles - but its good for me to see anyway. 2. It is QUIET!!! I did not expect it to be this quiet! I can even use it during work phone calls without anyone knowing. 3. The resistance dial really works! You can feel it and so do my legs..... 4. The "ride" is very smooth. I was pleasantly surprised. I don't use the foot straps (and there are directions on how to take them off if you want) but I just put my feet on top of them. No problems with my feet slipping off the pedals. I am very happy with this purchase! Now I hope that it shows in my health!!

First this is a well made and sturdy exerciser. It does have some weight to it which adds to it's stability during use. It uses magnetic resistance to increase pedaling effort which works well. It does not replace a stationary bike nor is it intended to. You must keep you feet parallel to the floor to keep your heals from hitting the floor when using so sitting position is important. The pedals are very low to the ground for under desk clearance. It is whisper quiet and smooth. It comes with a cheap velcro strap to attach it to your rolling chair to keep it from rolling back while pedaling. Since sitting is the new smoking I think keeping your legs moving is better than just sitting all day Just don't expect it to replace a good workout just a reasonable addition to your exercise routine. (IMPORTANT: the instructions are incorrect The right pedal tightens clockwise and the left tightens counter clockwise. Care should be taken when starting the threads as to not cross thread them. Keep moving America.)

It's not bad, but the batteries (green ones) came smashed like a sad jolly rancher. Thankfully I have spare AAs to test it out. One thing I forgot to mention about both the DeskCycle 2 and the Ellipse is the option to use the Display stand for your desk. Do it! It works great and serves as a reminder on your desk to keep motivated. I guess, if the Ellipse is way out of your budget and you can settle for a lesser model, get the DeskCycle 2. Just know that you'll have to strap your feet every time you want to go. --- I left a review for both on the Ellipse model too, here's what I said: You know the saying, "quality over quantity?" It really shows with this Ellipse model. Please, don't wait any longer and get this one! Why? Oh, still not convinced? You want me to explain further? Ok then, no problem, read up! :) Look, I tried the original DeskCycle in 2018 and it...was okay but I returned it after a day. I purchased the DeskCycle 2 and the Ellipse at the same time and from ease of assembly, and trash/recyclables from packaging, Ellipse is the way to go. The Ellipse requires you to fit the foot board on one side, flip it over, screw, flip back, then do the same to the other foot board. Done. The DeskCycle 2 requires you to assemble both the front and back leg stands as well as the foot pedals onto the machine. You could probably assemble 10 DeskCycle Ellipse models in the time you finish 1 DeskCycle 2. So, yeah, it's easy to assemble. Yeah but it's pricy right? Sure, but remember "QUALITY over quantity?" This is a very smart piece of engineering, thoughtfully planned out without the potential IKEA assembly stress. For quality control, the machine is set to 8, the highest resistance, so be sure to read the instructions thoroughly and crank it down to 1 before trying. Both machines worked great for my chair with wheels, but I'm also not on carpet so maybe it's a different story for that. There's zero noise level from both models. Seriously. You could hypothetically take it to a public library and it wouldn't disturb others - you still might get looks. Again, hypothetical. I have returned the DeskCycle 2 and purchased another Ellipse for myself as the first Ellipse was a gift. If it helps, the person typically favored the recumbent bike at the gym when we used to go, while I preferred the elliptical. We both 100% enjoy the Ellipse more the the DeskCycle 2. You don't have to strap in everytime, as you do with DeskCycle 2. With Ellipse, you just go, and you can adjust your foot placement for motion type! Oh, one more thing, the pedals can be secured if you want to lug it around or use it as a free weight hahaha. This is probably my favorite Amazon purchase of the year.

This bike is EXACTLY what I wanted. High quality, as dead silent as I can possibly imagine, and does EXACTLY what it's intended to do. Sitting at a desk all day with horrible posture, made me fidgety and always uncomfortable. I'd have to stop what I was doing just to walk around and get out some energy. Plus, a desk job doesn't do much for staying in shape. This bike keeps me from getting tired or sleepy, keeps my legs moving and blood pumping, and even helps with my posture. When I first received it, I figured even though I have a chair with rollers, that I wouldn't need those (or want to be tethered to the bike). Boy was that wrong. If your chair has rollers, you pretty much have to use the velcro strap that comes with the bike in order to keep a stationary position while using it. This is actually the one drawback to the bike, I can't just move my chair around much without taking off the strap (can I recommend they include a strap with a plastic quick connect built in?). My other concern was that my desk is 27" to the bottom of the desktop, and I'm 6'1". According to the description, that is a no-go combo. I did get it to work though, and I'm really happy. Took a bit of trial and error on getting my distance right, banging my knees on my desk a few times, and changing my pedaling motion; but I'm now pedaling issue free. Some have stated that the bike makes noise. Unless you have superhuman hearing, or a cubical neighbor with a grudge, I don't think anyone is going to hear this thing or complain. My pants moving while pedaling make more noise than the bike does. There are some cheap alternatives on Amazon that I wanted to believe would do the job this bike would do, but after trying the DeskCycle, I can't imaging even thinking about a cheapo doing this good of a job. The setup is simple, build quality is pretty top notch, and it does exactly what I wanted to do: exercise at my desk while working. I did have to contact customer service on a warranty issue with a pedal clicking, and it was handled quickly, professionally and simply. I can't imagine anyone being sorry they bought this bike!

This Exerciser is great! The best thing about this one is it is VERY Quiet. It runs very smooth and is a pleasure to operate. The resistance adjustment is wonderful, unlike the ones that just move your feet. I would highly recommend this exerciser. I got mine because of restless legs in the evening. It works awesome for that.

I've tried many ideas for my work station and all have been distracting or loud or awkward or all three! This is very natural to use. I find it also takes a lot of pressure off my back and even a nice way to just vary your leg positions when not actively pedaling. I got it mainly to make sure I keep good circulation in my legs when sitting for hours, but I'm actually getting some good hard pedaling in. It doesn't move around and works well under my desk. Seems high quality and like it will last. I had a question and the seller responded right away.