Here’s a sobering fact: Before the pandemic, a quarter of Americans spent 77% of their waking hours seated, according to research published in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. Sedentary behavior has been linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and even an increased risk of death, according to a 2015 scientific review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. And these days, you know those numbers have only gotten worse with so many people staying in and working from home.
The sad reality is that it’s hard to prioritize movement when work and life boundaries are so blurred and you feel like you’ve become one with your computer or smartphone. But staying healthy isn’t just about making time for one hour of working out — in fact, even 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise isn’t enough if you’re taking fewer than 5,000 steps per day, a February 2021 study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found. Instead, it’s about consistent movement throughout the day. One of the easiest ways to do that? Multitasking via an under-desk bike.
Under-desk cycles are a low-impact exercise tool that can help you keep your legs moving without forcing you to get up from your desk. This can lead to benefits like increased energy and circulation, plus longer-term health benefits including preventing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, a 2018 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reported. Plus, the more engaged your body is at any moment (versus hunching over your desk), the more engaged your brain will be.
We set out to find the best under-the-desk cycles to keep your legs moving through long, at-home workdays. We combed through Amazon buyer reviews, scoped out other product roundups, and consulted with brands to find the latest, most innovative products. During our research and testing, we evaluated more than 15 products to narrow down our list and chose the best ones for anyone looking to upgrade their desk space.
From portable picks to app-compatible machines, our roundup has everything you need to know about the best under-desk cycles and ellipticals.
Shorter stride length may be difficult for taller users
Difficult to balance during standing use — best when placed next to a wall
With nearly 10,000 Amazon reviews — over 5,000 of which awarded it 5 stars — the Stamina elliptical is a standout in the category. Compact and lightweight, you can easily carry it from room to room so you can pedal while working or watching TV. It’s so quiet, one pre-pandemic purchaser reported that “no one (so far) even knows I have it under my desk!”
Pedal forward and backward to target different muscles, and vary the intensity by simply turning the adjustable dial.
For those who can’t bear not tracking their workouts — even when multitasking — the CubiiPro is for you. It syncs not just to the Cubii app, where it tracks stats like miles, minutes, and strides, but also to your Fitbit, iPhone, or Apple Watch, and you can include those metrics for more holistic health tracking.
The 2,000 5-star reviewers on Amazon swear the device is a cinch to install and is also whisper-quiet while you work.
Height (23 inches) can be limiting for smaller desks
No Bluetooth connectivity
Instead of just spinning your legs, cycle through the Ellipse’s eight calibrated resistance settings to challenge your legs as you pedal — that’s going to help you burn more calories, too.
The extra-long, wide pedals also allow you to switch up your foot position and pedal forward and backward, changing which muscles you’re targeting with each stroke. Peek at the attached LCD display to track revolutions, RPM, time, calories burned, and more.
This no-frills pedal exerciser looks basic, but it still has everything you need. It has adjustable resistance (with the turn of a dial, you can switch it from low-tension for rehab to higher intensity for strength training and cardio), an electronic display (the screen displays time, revolution count, revolutions per minute, and calories burned), and no-slip shoe bands to keep you steady.
Over 3,500 Amazon reviewers have given Sunny Health’s lightweight but sturdy under-desk cycle 5 stars, and for good reason: It has eight levels of tension to make pedaling progressively harder, and it easily switches to a desktop device for upper body workouts.
The magnetic resistance isn’t quite as quiet as other devices’ flywheel systems, but that’s no problem if you’re working sans coworkers or roommates.
Compact design is 9 inches high, easily fits under most desks
Legs fold for easy out-of-sight storage
Total weight is only 12 pounds
Some instability when adjusting tension
Not much variation in resistance
Not great on carpeted surfaces
Another budget-friendly option, the compact Vive pedal exerciser is super easy to set up — and just as easy to fold and move to a different room or stow away when you want extra foot space under your desk.
Nonslip feet under the device make sure it stays in place no matter what surface you’re pedaling on (including tabletops, if you prefer to use it for arm strengthening), or how challenging you make the resistance.
Accommodates users between 5-foot-1 and 6-foot-2 with pneumatic adjustment lever
Desk surface is large enough to fit a laptop, notebooks, and phone
Expensive
Bulky
Battery is not included
Without the detachable desktop, this standing bike can slide right under any home table. But with the desktop, you have a built-in table (that moves forward, backward, up, and down) for your laptop, tablet, or books.
And while it looks more heavy-duty than the standard under-desk cycle, four wheels with 360-degree swivel capabilities make it easy for you to move the bike from room to room — or stash it out of the way when you don’t need it.
Ashley MateoAshley Mateo is a writer, editor, and UESCA- and RRCA-certified running coach who has contributed to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Women's Health, Health, Shape, Self, and more.
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