does anyone use an under-desk cycle for light cardio?
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kiela64
Posts: 1,447 Member
There are a few reasons I'm interested in one of these under-desk things.
I recently had a blood clot, and I think that just keeping my legs moving when I'm watching a movie or sitting around will help me avoid another one. I'm very sedentary, and I have weak leg muscles (for which I have physio exercises to help) and sometimes the weight of walking can strain and hurt my knees and ankles. I want to be able to build up my strength so that a 30 minute walk isn't a gamble on whether or not I'm going to hurt myself.
Especially on days like today that are very heavy on the snow and cold, I'm not motivated to go outside or take the bus to a gym. Sometimes I'm required to be at home for a whole day to watch some of my family members, and even if I have the energy/motivation I am not able to do so. I don't really have space for full-size exercise equipment, so something I can keep tucked away and still use casually sounds useful.
However, I have some concerns.
I haven't really been able to find any in-depth product reviews on these items like I would any other online purchase. There are a ton of reviews on amazon, just pages and pages of vastly differing reviews, "yes it's wonderful" and "this product is garbage".
They don't seem to be sold in-store so I can't go somewhere and try one out, and I don't know anyone that has used one.
So if anyone has had experience with an item like this, how did it work or not work for you?
I recently had a blood clot, and I think that just keeping my legs moving when I'm watching a movie or sitting around will help me avoid another one. I'm very sedentary, and I have weak leg muscles (for which I have physio exercises to help) and sometimes the weight of walking can strain and hurt my knees and ankles. I want to be able to build up my strength so that a 30 minute walk isn't a gamble on whether or not I'm going to hurt myself.
Especially on days like today that are very heavy on the snow and cold, I'm not motivated to go outside or take the bus to a gym. Sometimes I'm required to be at home for a whole day to watch some of my family members, and even if I have the energy/motivation I am not able to do so. I don't really have space for full-size exercise equipment, so something I can keep tucked away and still use casually sounds useful.
However, I have some concerns.
I haven't really been able to find any in-depth product reviews on these items like I would any other online purchase. There are a ton of reviews on amazon, just pages and pages of vastly differing reviews, "yes it's wonderful" and "this product is garbage".
They don't seem to be sold in-store so I can't go somewhere and try one out, and I don't know anyone that has used one.
So if anyone has had experience with an item like this, how did it work or not work for you?
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Replies
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Do you not have room for a full size cycle machine?0
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thechiopodist wrote: »Do you not have room for a full size cycle machine?
She said right in her post she does not have space for a full size exercise machine2 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.3 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.
Thank you!
I will say I won't do laps around my house. My house is broken up into very small rooms so there isn't really hallways to necessarily do 'laps' in. And if I do the stairs too much I will injure myself.1 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.
My Fitbit one would not give me steps for cycling.
I also drive my family crazy doing laps around the house
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I read a white paper on one of these once, assuming the data in it were true, the average exerciser can expect to burn about 50 kCal per hour with one of these. Using it for a whole hour. That's above and beyond your BMR.
Because of the light resistance, it won't help to build leg muscle.
Personally, I don't think they're worth it. But we all value time and space and money differently, so hopefully the rest of this is moderately useful for making your mind up.0 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.
My Fitbit one would not give me steps for cycling.
I also drive my family crazy doing laps around the house.
When I take spin class and want to make sure I get credit on my Fitbit for it because spin is a real crazy workout... I clip my Fitbit One onto my shoe LOL1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I read a white paper on one of these once, assuming the data in it were true, the average exerciser can expect to burn about 50 kCal per hour with one of these. Using it for a whole hour. That's above and beyond your BMR.
Because of the light resistance, it won't help to build leg muscle.
Personally, I don't think they're worth it. But we all value time and space and money differently, so hopefully the rest of this is moderately useful for making your mind up.
My friend had one of them. Her husband got it for her to help her "get in shape." She told me she would cycle with it while she ate ice cream. LOL2 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.
Thank you!
I will say I won't do laps around my house. My house is broken up into very small rooms so there isn't really hallways to necessarily do 'laps' in. And if I do the stairs too much I will injure myself.
One of my Fitbit friends marches in place in her living room while she watches TV. I have done that too when I did not want to do the lapse anymore and did not want to miss what was on TV.
I will say that I have noticed that while my Fitbit One will acknowledge and register marching in place, the step counter on my phone in the Samsung Health app will not acknowledge marching in place.0 -
For exercise, I really do not think they are of much value with the exception of keeping your feet moving. I know people on Fitbit use them to up their steps and some of these people get 20 and 25 thousand steps a day using these things but it's hardly the same kind of exercise is actually walking 20 to 25 thousand steps a day.
I live in a small house. I do not have room for a treadmill or a exercise bike. I do walk laps around my house though. Does it get a little boring yes. But not so boring to push me outside and bitter cold temperatures and walk on the road LOL.
I have a basement and I have an upstairs. So I frequently make these laps around the house going around the living room through the kitchen Upstairs Downstairs down into the basement around the basement back upstairs LOL. It drives my family crazy but in 15 minutes time I can get quite a few steps in especially now that my Labrador has learned to ignore my laps.
My Fitbit one would not give me steps for cycling.
I also drive my family crazy doing laps around the house.
When I take spin class and want to make sure I get credit on my Fitbit for it because spin is a real crazy workout... I clip my Fitbit One onto my shoe LOL
Never thought of that. 0 -
Can you buy it from a place that offers free returns if you don't like it?
People have differing needs,abilities, and expectations. I don't think it's for me, but based on what you've said and comments in other similar threads, I suggest you give it a try.
PS You can a search on MFP for "desk cycle" and find many other threads about this. I can't post a link right now.1 -
It seems like it would be great for keeping your blood moving, but I wouldn't think it would provide much exercise otherwise.0
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Can you buy it from a place that offers free returns if you don't like it?
People have differing needs,abilities, and expectations. I don't think it's for me, but based on what you've said and comments in other similar threads, I suggest you give it a try.
PS You can a search on MFP for "desk cycle" and find many other threads about this. I can't post a link right now.
Thanks! I don't know anywhere that offers returns for anything after you've taken it out of the package, but I'll look.TimothyFish wrote: »It seems like it would be great for keeping your blood moving, but I wouldn't think it would provide much exercise otherwise.
Yes, that's the sense I'm getting, especially from:NorthCascades wrote: »I read a white paper on one of these once, assuming the data in it were true, the average exerciser can expect to burn about 50 kCal per hour with one of these. Using it for a whole hour. That's above and beyond your BMR.
Because of the light resistance, it won't help to build leg muscle.
Personally, I don't think they're worth it. But we all value time and space and money differently, so hopefully the rest of this is moderately useful for making your mind up.
I'm thinking if I get one, it's going to just be about blood circulation on stuck-at-home blustery wintery days. But that itself, given the clot this year, I think might be worth getting a cheapie one. I'll probably poke around for the lowest price, because I'm gathering it looks like it's not really going to be super useful fitness-wise.
Thanks everyone for weighing in on this!! It seems like these things can get very expensive, and I'd hate to drop a lot of money on something useless.1 -
https://deskcycle.com/
30-day unconditional return policy
If for any reason you decide that the DeskCycle is not for you, simply return it within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. We even pay for return shipping. All of our US retailers support our 30-day return policy. Returns will not be accepted after 30 days of purchase.
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I have one and I like it for just getting a bit of extra movement when I'm stuck at the desk. Mine was the cheapest option on Amazon and I wouldn't recommend the same one. The metal frame is a bit wobbly.0
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My husband uses one of these for exercise while he is sitting at his computer. However, he is a stroke survivor and uses it as part of his rehab program. Good for anyone with limited access to activity (for whatever reason: health, environment, etc.) to keep things moving. I think it would also be good for anyone who is new to activity and wants to ease into things.
My opinion only.1 -
I have one, but I don't really use it. It may be due to my height and size, but I find it very difficult to sit comfortably and also be able to reach it. I'm very short though.0
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I used to have a cheap one and it was lightweight and flimsy so it would move around a lot, I got frustrated with it.0
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i really dont think it would work as a cardiovascular exercise at all. i just cant see it getting my heart rate up enough for that
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MissMaggieMuffin wrote: »My husband uses one of these for exercise while he is sitting at his computer. However, he is a stroke survivor and uses it as part of his rehab program. Good for anyone with limited access to activity (for whatever reason: health, environment, etc.) to keep things moving. I think it would also be good for anyone who is new to activity and wants to ease into things.
My opinion only.
Thanks. I think given all the mixed reviews, I'm going to set this one on the back burner. Given the blood clot, the tendonitis, the weak ankle, and subluxed kneecap, I'm attracted to the lighter side of things. But I don't feel like I have the money now to put on this if I don't use it. It might be worthwhile to just try to do a peddaling motion with my legs while seated.0
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