A mini exercise bike is not a miniature bicycle like you may imagine. And while it is similar to a stationary bike from the gym in some ways, it is still quite different regarding the flexibility and versatility it provides.
So you know what it’s not, but what a mini exercise bike IS is a small contraption that consists only of the pedal portion of a bicycle. It is so small that it fits very comfortably under a table or desk. Many people use them at work or at home to burn extra calories and give their legs a little exercise that they would not normally get when they are doing something that requires them to sit down for any period.
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While it won’t give you the same intensity as a solid run on a treadmill or some time on an elliptical, it can be an excellent way to sneak in a little more motion, health, and exercise at a point in your day that usually keeps you entirely idle.
Top 5 Mini Exercise Bikes Reviews 2018
The Pedal Exerciser by Vive impressed us right out of the box. It comes almost pre-assembled and needs to fix the feet only. With an incredibly compact yet effective structure, this unit lets you do the pedaling exercise while you’ll be working on your desk. Besides, this portable peddler can be an ideal health partner in your office, thanks to its noise-free design!
Since the idea of toning your muscles is not limited to legs only, the manufacturers have made it applicable to use for strengthening your arms as well. The non-slip, non-marking feet further seals the deal. We loved the secured toe loops, a unique feature that other typical models usually lack. A lot of users rave about its easy to adjust resistance level that is good for a customizable workout.
Even more, this mini exercise bike features a comprehensible, easy to read LCD screen that exhibits a lot of info together, starting from time and speed to RPM to distance and calories burned. Appreciatively, you can get access to any of these measurements with just a single touch of the button. We thought this multifunction display has made the bike unique, however, the convenient carry handle rounds out its feature set.
2. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B0418 Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike, Gray
A little bit higher in price than the previous model, the SF-B0418 Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike is still worth every penny. It’s great for burning calories while sitting on the couch, or while multitasking in your office, or even in the bed. It’s also possible to reach your fitness goals using this bike like a traditional stationary cycle. You’ll love how it improves blood circulation and muscle endurance, focusing on the calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
With its compact dimension of 22 inches in length and 18 inches in width, it easily fits any under desk arena. Cool, huh? Another thing that makes it more interesting is the way it supports the users’ forearms and shoulders. Simply place the unit above your office table and start running with hands. Furthermore, the durable design of the Sunny Health & Fitness can keep on working unfailingly for its users weighing up to 220 Lbs.
The need for speed and intensity varies from person to person when it comes to peddling on an exercise bike. Understanding this fact, the manufacturers have induced 8 levels of responsive magnetic resistance in this mini bike. Among other features, you’ll see maintenance-free internal belt drive mechanism, smooth and silent pedal stroke, easy-to-read LCD digital monitor, ergonomic hand grips, straps for secured pedaling and built-in carrying handle for portable friendliness.
3. Stamina Mini Exercise Bike with Smooth Pedal System
The Stamina Mini Exercise Bike is a popular workout gadget for toning both the lower and upper body, for a good reason. With the upgraded smooth peddle system paired with gears, this space-saving unit cuts off the jerky strokes felt on the regular mini bikes. The same feature also comes handy in preventing the bike from skidding.
Needless to say, you would love having the smooth, easy to reach resistance as it helps you control the intensity of the workout. The process is also very straightforward. All you have to do is merely turning the dial to your desired resistance and you’re good to go. Interestingly, even at the tightest intensity, you’ll find the motion equally smooth.
Whereas you’ll see the rigorous workout, i.e., cycling at the fullest speed, a little challenging with the other models, Stamina Bike works like magic! Because this kit has got textured pedals and adjustable straps as added security. Again, you can target your upper body with the cycle to get the most out of this mini bike workout.
And since workout is something the experts suggest to be done on a regular basis, owing to its lightweight design and convenient built-in handle, this item would be your perfect go-to option for working out anywhere. Another feature the previous models lacks is the tilting mechanism in its multi-function monitor that lets you view motivating stats such as workout time, stroke count and calories burned, so you can track your progress without facing any difficulty.
4. DeskCycle Under Desk Exercise Bike and Pedal Exerciser
It’s hard not to be impressed by the DeskCycle Under Desk Exercise Bike. True, the DeskCycle has the highest retail price of all the mini exercise bikes we reviewed here, but it’s definitely worth it. Starting from the basics – unlike other models that can’t fit underneath the desks with a lower height, this cycle (with its 10” pedal height and 3½” pedal arm length) is perfectly compatible with the tables as low as 27 Inches. Besides, regarding the outward appearance, whereas many pedal exercisers look the same, the DeskCycle stood out.
This uncommonly stable and durable pedal exerciser is a great pick for children (above five years old) as well. Cycling under their desk during the class hour will help them be more focused while lowering the anxiety and increasing their critical thinking ability for a better understanding of the study materials. However, its advantage doesn’t end here. You can use the bike to burn your calories remaining productive at the office or while passing leisure hours at home watching TV or playing video games.
More? The 8 calibrated resistance settings and 5 function display (where you can see the speed, time, distance, calories, and scan) are two essential features you would highly appreciate. One downside to note here – a few users found it the inner mechanism noisy after a few days use. This is something we don’t expect from a pricey model. But we cannot overlook DeskCycle’s 1-year warranty along with its 30-day money back guarantee either.
5. MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser
If you are looking for a superior commercial grade mini exercise bike for physical therapy, look no further than the MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise. This is our favorite option for the patented magnetic resistance which is 2 times more effective than the other models available out there. Such precision in the resistance level lets the device work as lightly as the therapy requires, and it allows high cardio workout if you like that way.
This durable bike is designed with the glide in mind. Therefore, apart from the sturdy steel base and wide footprint, its pedals feature finger grooves so that your hands fit comfortably during arm workouts. Thanks in part to its unique wide adjustable velcro straps as well. With the machined flywheel, 7 hefty precision sealed bearings, 3 piece crank and 4v long lasting belts perfectly compiled together in its solid steel construction, this pedal exerciser is built to last and presents an exceptional level of quality.
In addition, to meet the recommendation of pedaling backward and forwards by the physical therapist, this cycle is made bidirectional. Consequently, the user can easily build their muscle balance. And while doing so, they can read the speed, time, distance, and calories on its display that has auto turn on and off feature. Overall, it’s every penny well-received product.
If you like to exercise at home, power rack is anothr tool you may use. Read review of power racks from powerrackpro.com
Features of a Mini Exercise Bike
Magnetic Resistance
A good quality mini exercise bike will often have magnetic resistance. This type of adjustable resistance gives you control to either pedal with very low resistance or very stiff resistance. At the upper ends of resistance, you will be able to feel the burn of success in your muscles, as they work hard to keep the pedals turning. These mini exercisers include digital displays allowing you to see how far you have pedaled, the speed you are going, and may even display the approximate number of calories you have burned.
Game Playing Addon
Some of the mini exercise bikes include an interface to plug into your PC or game deck to allow you to watch scenery and progress right on your computer screen or TV. This can make exercising more fun and challenge as you exercise against a “terrain” or course. Getting your competitive edge engaged during training is one of the best ways to give yourself the motivation to exercise on a daily basis, and get the health benefits of regular exercise.
Upper Body exercise equipment Instruction
One of the feature you will not find on a mini exercise bike, but do on some full-size bikes, is upper body exercise equipment. If you want to combine an upper body routine while pedaling on your mini bike, you can use dumbbell weights, or even a rubber resistance strap to give you a great upper body workout. Many of the mini exercise bikes also come with instructions for using them on a desktop to workout your upper body. If you want to give it a try, you will want to make sure you put the bike on a very sturdy table to make sure you do not have the bike slipping around, or even have it falling into your lap.
The Pros and Cons Of A Mini Exercise Bike
The development of the mini exercise bike certainly added quite a bit of convenience for people looking to get some ‘spinning’ into their busy schedules. This isn’t a tiny bicycle like you would ride to work, nor is it a small version of the stationary bikes at the gym.
Instead, the mini exercise bike is a small device that is essentially just the pedal part of a bike. It is mounted on a small gear base enclosed by a case and is small enough to fit under a desk or table.
If you’re considering buying one, here are some of the pros and cons, to help you decide if this is a right decision for you (and if it’s something that you’ll get significant use out of).
Positive benefits of the mini exercise bike:
- Small and convenient to be used anywhere
- Multi-task by pedaling while working, watching T.V., surfing the web, etc.
- Pedaling is easy on the joints
- Low exercise throughout the day is not strenuous
- Burns calories
- Sitting in a chair makes it easier for balance (good for older people)
- Far more affordable than a land or stationary bike
Possible downsides:
- Not as fun as riding a real bike
- May not have as many functions as a stationary bike with computer
- Could be distracting to office mates
So clearly, there are more benefits than there are possible downsides. The key is determining whether these downsides are significant enough to make a difference for you and to make sure you will use the bike once you buy it. Exercise equipment has a legacy of being bought but not used by the person or people who bought it.
But in this respect, the mini exercise bike really has a lot going for it. People who don’t use the treadmill they bought the claim that they don’t have time to use it. But because the mini bike fits under the desk at work, or under the breakfast table, that excuse holds no water. Working out at home has never been easier, so even if you just pedal away from a few calories at a time, it’s better than nothing!
Five Ways To “Sneak” Health Into Your Day With A Mini Exercise Bike
First of all, make sure you know what a mini exercise bike is. It is not a tiny version of a bicycle, nor is it a kid-size version of a stationary workout bike. A mini exercise bike is a small contraption that consists of just the pedal portion of a bicycle. It fits under a desk or table, so it is easy to use in places where you are sitting, or where you don’t have room to put a stationary exercise bike.
It’s also a lot more affordable than these larger bikes, running anywhere from $50 to a couple of hundred dollars. So does this sound like a neat idea, but you’re not sure exactly how you would use it? Here are five ideas to sneak a little workout (every little bit helps!) into your day by using these clever little exercise bikes.
Bike during breakfast. This sounds silly, but if breakfast is already the most important meal of the day, why not make it even healthier by pedaling a mini exercise bike while you prepare for your day at work? Even just 15 minutes burns calories, gets your metabolism going, and helps you wake up to approach your day.
Continual motion. Keep the bike under your desk at work, and slowly pedal while you work on your projects, or while you are on the phone. Keeping the pace slow means it will be less distracting, and after a short, while you’ll easily be able to tune out the pedaling and focus just like you normally do.
Use it as a healthy alternative to a snack or smoke break. Tempted to hit up the vending machine for a candy bar or duck outside for a cigarette? Turn up the resistance to give yourself more challenge, and get in a good solid 5-minute pedal to fend off your cravings.
T.V. anyone? People watch T.V. while they’re on the treadmill at the gym, so why not get a quick pedal in while you watch the nightly news? You might as well.
Phone time calorie burner. Do you find yourself on the phone in the evening, talking to your child away at college, or a family member or friend? Pedal while you chat to burn some extra calories. The mini exercise bike is full of possibilities!
Want To Keep Fit At Work? Try A Mini Exercise Bike!
First of all, let’s establish one thing: a mini exercise bike is not just a normal bike that is a smaller size. Nor is it a tiny version of the stationary bike you use at the gym, but that is a little closer at least.
A mini exercise bike is essentially just the pedals of a bicycle. It comes on a very short stand and is made to be used while you sit in a chair. This is what makes it so perfect for use at work. The bike fits quite easily under a desk or table. So whether you work from an office and get restless at your desk, or work from home and spend lots of time at the kitchen table, this simple but brilliant device is the perfect way to incorporate exercise and motion into your daily routine.
Multitasking is something that is almost expected of us at work today, and it’s something we pursue in our home lives, too. Think of people who read (sometimes books and magazines for fun, sometimes reports and articles for work) while they are on the treadmill or stationary bike at the gym.
Now imagine incorporating the exercise you get from the gym into your day at work! You have to be at work anyway, so keeping a mini exercise bike under your desk is a great way of burning calories and building muscle without having to devote extra time to it outside of the workday.
How you use the mini bike depends entirely on what you are looking for. Say you get restless and feel the need to get up, walk around, and burn off some energy, but you really need to keep working on the big project that is due at the end of the day. Just pedal while you work; you needn’t go too fast to burn calories if you keep up a slow to moderate pace throughout the day.
Or maybe you do like pedaling fast, or cranking up the resistance for a good muscle burn. Trying to quit smoking? Use the mini exercise bike to get out some of your frustration instead of going outside when it’s break time.
How you use it is up to you; the possibilities are endless, and that is what makes it such a great product!
Two Great Ideas For Using A Mini Exercise Bike At Work
Have you heard of a mini exercise bike? This is probably one of the simplest and most brilliantly convenient work out tools you’ll find. The motion of biking is a great one. It builds slow muscle tone (depending on how much resistance or torque you have it set to provide), and is a great cardiovascular workout. It is also easy on the knee joint, which makes it a good workout motion for people with joint problems, and it’s even sometimes used in physical therapy!
But what a mini exercise bike has that a regular bicycle (or even a stationary exercise bike) does not is that it takes up a very small amount of space. If you’re picturing a tiny bicycle (like a tricycle with just two wheels), or a little version of an exercise bike, then you’re on the wrong track. A mini exercise bike is not a miniature bike. Rather, it is a small workout tool that is essentially just the pedal part of a bike.
So a mini bike can fit under a desk or table with ease, making it more convenient than ever before to use your leg muscles without having to go outside or devote space to a large exercise bike.
So here are two excellent ideas for using the mini exercise bike in creative and healthy ways in your work life.
- Place it under your desk and pedal lightly while you are working. Studies show that if you get into the habit of continuous motion, you will be able to perform your work duties with no distraction while you do the motion. You can even buy a standing-height desk with a treadmill attached. Putting pedals under your desk is a lot easier, and just as simple a way of burning calories while you work without having to stop work to do so.
- Use it instead of going for a smoke/soda break. Want to get healthier by quitting bad habits? Crank up the resistance and do five minutes of solid pedaling instead of going for a cigarette or grabbing a can of soda. You’ll feel more refreshed, and it will be better for you!
Verdict:
If you want to lose weight, having a mini exercise bike underneath your desk, set on a low resistance setting so that you can pedal while you work, can burn calories throughout the day. Keeping your body in motion is one of the surest ways to burn off the extra calories, and see your weight heading in the right direction.
The convenience of the small footprint of a mini exercise bike makes it a great choice for anyone needing exercise in tight quarters.
Last update on 2024-12-03 at 14:52 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Details
Does it help your bum as well