After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, desk cycles began to take over the work from home market space. And if you’re looking to hop on the bandwagon, you’re likely starting your research journey to find the best desk cycle on the market.
But, where should you buy your very first desk cycle, with so many different brands on the market?
I’ll tell you where: Amazon. I mean, if you’re going to buy your cat food, shampoo, and your new work-from-home uniform (AKA: pajamas) from Amazon, why not add in a desk cycle too?
Desk cycles are a great way to stay more active while you’re at work. You need to keep busy, especially if you’re spending several hours at your desk every day. There’s a lot of new products on the market that claim they can help you stay active while you’re working, but nothing beats the effectiveness of a desk cycle.
So, I’ve gone through to review the top desk cycles on Amazon. I looked for positive customer experiences, investigated the size and weight of each unit, and took a hard look at how easy these bikes were to use.
Keep in mind you’ll only find desk cycles that go under your desk in this guide. That’s because these desk cycles are different than bike desks, which are a type of bike you sit on (to pedal) that has a desk attached to it. We won’t be including any of those in this guide!
Selection Criteria
Before I introduce the best desk cycles you’ll find on Amazon, you need to understand the criteria I used to make the product recommendations in this guide. Here are the criteria I used to make the product recommendations listed in this guide:
I chose the products recommended in this guide based on availability, affordability, and positive customer reviews. With that said, let’s hop into looking at the best Amazon desk cycles!
What to Look for When Buying a Desk Cycle
There are a few things you should look out for when you’re in the market for an under desk bike cycle.
Weight
The first thing that you need to think about when you’re buying a desk cycle is the weight of the cycle. There are some individuals that won’t be able to move heavy pieces of Machinery, so it’s important for you to make sure the weight of a cycle isn’t too much freedom to move around. You want to make sure that the desk cycle you’re investing in does not only make it easy for you to move around, but it’s also heavy enough, so it’s secure while you’re using it.
Resistance
Next, you’ll also have to check the resistance of the bike cycle. The resistance option On a desk cycle will determine how easy it is for you to Pedal your bike, which will ultimately determine how many calories you’re burning for an exercise session. If it’s important for you to have sessions that are high intensity, you want to have a vesicle that offers a larger amount of resistance.
Price
You’ll also want to consider the price of the desk cycle that you’re looking into. Also, you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t spending too much money on a piece of equipment that you’re unsure that you’re going to use for a long period of time.
Style
When you’re looking around for an under-desk bicycle, you should also be considering listing all of the cycles that you’re looking at. You may find on your hunt that there are some under desk bike cycles and ellipticals that are in the same categories. There are some people but prefer ellipticals, and others prefer the desk cycles, so you need to consider which one you prefer over the other.
The main difference between a cycle and an elliptical is that ellipticals provide a smoother range of motion, whereas bicycles provide a full range of motion.
Best Amazon Desk Cycles
Now, let’s get into the good part – the list of the best Amazon desk cycles on the market.
DeskCycle Under Desk Cycle
The DeskCylcle Under Desk Cycle is a great option if you’re someone who is looking for the classic feel of pedaling a bicycle while you’re sitting at your desk.
The pedals on this bike come with adjustable straps that use Velcro, so you can customize the fit of your pedal straps to your feet.
Plus, there’s an adjustable LCD monitor that tracks six different functions, like counting calories, mileage, and other progress markers.
With the adjustable resistance option, you can customize your workout to whatever you’re feeling for the day. So, you can choose to just do some light pedaling, or you can choose to do a full-on workout.
Pros:
- Eight different resistance options for you to select
- The foot pedals come with adjustable straps
Cons:
- Not accurate with counting calories burned
Sunny Health Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike
The Sunny Health Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike is an amazing option because you can use it while you’re standing up and while you’re sitting down. You can track how far you’ve traveled in the distance, your speed, the time you’ve spent cycling, and how many calories you’re burned using the device.
What I really love about this exercise bike is that you can use it while you’re sitting up or while you’re standing down. Plus, the frame of this bike is super sturdy, so I didn’t feel uncomfortable while I was standing up to use this cycle.
Pros:
- There’s a top handle on this bike, which makes it easy to move around
- Sturdy frame
- LCD frame displays important tracking information
Cons:
- The pedal height was too high, so it made it difficult to use while sitting at a standard height desk
- The clacking noise this bike makes is annoying
- It slides around on the floor while you’re using it
DeskCycle 2 Under Desk Cycle
The DeskCycle 2 is a bit different than their first model but still has the same core concepts. So don’t expect a huge difference between and the first and the second desk cycle.
The DeskCycle 2 comes with an adjustable pedal height, so if you’re shopping around for a model that’ll work for taller people, this is an option you’ll want to look into.
Also, it has a visual display that has more featured than the DeskCycle, including a larger display.
Pros:
- Comes with adjustable pedal height
- Has an LCD display
- Quiet pedaling
Cons:
- Weighs 24 pounds, so it may be difficult for you to move around
Stamina InStride Folding Cycle
This is the cheapest cycle on our list, but it’s cheap for a reason. It comes with a super portable and lightweight frame that makes it easy for you to fold it up and carry it around to different work settings.
Surprisingly, this bike cycle comes with several resistance settings and a timer, so it does come with some of the very basic functions that the other desk cycle on this list has.
I wouldn’t recommend this cycle if you’re looking to share your bike with one person or another team. I would recommend the cycle if you’re extremely unsure of whether or not you should invest in a desk cycle and don’t want to spend a lot of money trying to figure out whether you should get one or not.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Lightweight
- Easy to carry around
Cons:
- Very noisy, it creates a squeaking noise
- There’s a lot of heat is generated with this bike because it’s fiction based
- Slips around while you’re using it
MagneTrainer Mini Exerciser
This desk cycle isn’t just meant for you to work out your legs with. You can use this machine to work out both your arms and your legs. The pedals on this bike are comfortable enough for you to grab with your hands for you to pedal with your arms, so you can truly get a whole body workout with this piece of equipment.
If you’re looking to invest in a piece of exercise equipment that’ll provide you with versatility, this is the option you want to go with. Plus, it’s well-made enough that you can share it with your office or whoever else you’re working with while you’re at home.
There’s an LED monitor of the progress of your workout, so you don’t have to invest in another app that’ll track your progress for you. In addition, it comes with a tension dial, so you can ingest the resistance with your bike pedals.
Read our full MagneTrainer Desk Cycle Review here.
Pros:
- Resistance is adjustable
- You can use both your hands and your feet
- Comes with a one-year warranty
- LCD monitor
Cons:
- Tall model, around 16 inches in height
- Slides around on floors that aren’t carpeted
FAQs
Answer: The answer to this depends on what you’re looking to accomplish by using a desk cycle. But, desk cycles work to help burn calories, improve your blood flow, and can help to relieve tension while you’re working.
Answer: A desk cycle works your heart muscles because you’re doing a cardio workout. But, it also works your neck, shoulders, and other parts of your upper body that are often strained while you’re doing your desk jobs.
Answer: There are a lot of advantages of using a desk cycle. Using a desk cycle will allow you to be more active, even if you’re spending long hours at your desk. It’ll give you the opportunity to burn calories even while you’re working, which may help you to be in a better mood and even feel better about yourself.
Buying Your First Desk Cycle
Adding a desk cycle into your office will help you to stay more active while you’re working long hours. Plus, it may be a more practical solution than other options in the market, such as an exercise ball or a standing desk.
Out of all of the options listed in this guide, I would highly recommend the Desk Cycle 2; it was my favorite desk cycle to use. I loved how quiet it was to pedal and easy it was to put together, but it’s still offered modern upgrades to it, such as the LCD screen.