9 Best Under-Desk Bikes, According To Experts

When it comes to home fitness equipment, our favorite models are those that don’t overcomplicate things. DeskCycle’s Under-Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser is about as straightforward as it gets. It’s designed to work comfortably from any desk/chair setup. Just sit down, strap your feet into the flat pedals, and cycle away. With up to 40 pounds of resistance, there’s plenty of wiggle room to up your seated exercise routine every day. Malek agrees, citing this as a "great option" for mini-pedalers/bikes.

The design is heavier than most on this list, but that extra heft, coupled with non-slip rubber caps on the ends of each leg, keeps the machine in place. Bonus: This is one of the quietest machines in our roundup—a great feature if you’re working from home with roommates or a significant other who likes you to keep the noise to a minimum. (An adjustable height model is available for $20 more)

The magnetic resistance construction of this under-desk bike makes for whisper-quiet operation, especially compared to most of the other (noticeably louder) models we tested this year. Women's Health writer and tester Mike Richard noted, "My girlfriend and I both work from home, sharing a space pretty much all day. She’s worked out with this Sunny Health & Fitness bike for the last three months, and I’ve barely noticed it at all. Thanks to the magnetic resistance, it’s whisper-quiet, even when she’s going hard!"

Eight levels of resistance provide enough of a range to keep things interesting as you progress through your seated routines. The built-in screen tracks all your workout essentials, including time elapsed, calories burned, speed, and distance.

The larger size of this bike is a pro and a con. It helps keep the bike in place even on slippery floors, especially given its almost 20-pound weight. But that makes it slightly harder to move to your desktop for arm workouts, which this model is capable of. Because it sits so low to the ground, the resistance knob can be a pain to reach, especially for anyone with a limited range of motion or who’s rehabbing an injury.

At around $100, it’s in the midrange of the under-desk bikes we tested this year. It’s not the cheapest nor the most expensive, making it a solid option for anyone looking to upgrade from the most budget-friendly models but who isn’t looking to drop $200-plus on one of the very best under-desk bikes.

About the size of a 12-inch cube, Himaly’s Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser is a great option for compact offices and other tight spaces. It’s small enough to fit under almost any desk, even most writing desks. Plus, its size makes it desktop-friendly, so you can work out not only your legs but your arms too. The fact that it weighs less than eight pounds makes moving it from under-desk to desktop and back again all the easier.

With eight levels of resistance, it offers a solid range to allow you to progress nicely with your daily workout. We also love the built-in LCD screen that keeps track of your total workout time, pedal count, calories burned, and distance traveled. Bonus: It’s available in several colorways, so you can coordinate it with the look of your office space.

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This under-desk exercise bike is another "great option," according to Malek. Not only can you pedal all day long, but the bike includes resistance bands, which are great for upper body mobility and strength. It's a solid, compact device for a full-body workout without stepping away from your desk. With 16 adjustable levels, it offers a wider range of resistance, making it perfect for upping your workout game over time. Another perk? It comes with a floor mat to keep it (and you) from slipping, and the companion training app is great for maximizing your time and workout.

On the downside, it's quite a bit larger than most options in our roundup, so you'll want to double-check that it will physically fit under your desk. It's also pricier than most of our recommendations. Still, it's more full-featured than almost any other under-desk exercise bike at this price point, making this model a great buy!

Quiet? Check. Easy to use? Check. Comfortable? Check. It's even a bit sleek in this black-and-teal colorway. This under-desk bike makes getting your heart rate up while you sit a breeze. The magnetic resistance makes for one of the smoothest strides of any model we tested this year, and it's whisper-quiet, too (important if you're working in a shared office environment). It also features eight resistance levels, allowing for plenty of adjustability in your workouts. Non-slip pedals ensure your feet stay put, even when you're going hard.

It also comes with a built-in LCD monitor to track your exercise time, stride count, and calories burned. It's a bit larger and heavier than others in our roundup, though still plenty portable. Plus, that extra heft helps keep it in place on more slippery surfaces. Bonus points that it arrives mostly assembled!

Using under-desk exercise bikes—even the best under-desk bikes—on non-carpeted floors like wood, vinyl, or linoleum can be tricky. Thankfully, this model comes with a non-slip mesh mat to help keep it in place. In our experience, even with its ultra-lightweight (just 8.5 pounds) construction, the mat does a solid job of keeping it from slipping around.

We also like the included stability strap that affixes to the base of your office chair for added security. The tiny LCD screen is a nice touch, especially at this price range, and keeps tabs on all the metrics that matter: Calories burned, pedal count, distance, and time elapsed. Our only real gripe is that, while the resistance is adjustable, it lacks numeric levels to precisely dial in the level you want. Still, at this price point, we can’t really complain.

Read more: Best Exercise Bikes

Who says under-desk bikes have to be bland? Cubii’s Move is the slickest bike in this year’s roundup. It connects with live, on-demand workout classes while at your desk. Each 10-, 20-, or 30-minute class is led by expert trainers, which is great for adding movement to your daily work schedule.

It’s larger and heavier than most other bikes we tested. But all that heft does make it more stable and secure when you’re going hard. Oddly, it lacks foot straps, which seems like a strange oversight on a $200 under-desk bike. However, our test panel found the large pedals to be stable enough to keep it in place.

“My girlfriend suffers from chronic pain and fatigue, and this bike was enough to get her exercising comfortably and safely,” said one tester. “She loves the pro classes, and the fact that it’s quiet, low-impact, and ultra-smooth so it doesn’t put the same stress on her body and joints that, say, a traditional exercise bike would.”

The great thing about under-desk bikes is that the most basic, entry-level models are extremely affordable. This pedal exerciser from Vaunn Medical is one of the most budget-friendly we tested. The roughly 9,000 five-star ratings also make it one of the best-reviewed under-desk bikes on Amazon. Bonus points for arriving fully assembled!

It’s larger than most in our roundup. Still, the featherweight 5.4-pound frame makes it easy to move from under-desk to desktop to work your upper-body too. It’s a great way to improve blood circulation and strengthen your arms and shoulders. Our only real gripe is the lack of numeric resistance levels, which can make it hard to get the exact intensity you want.

Wakeman Fitness’ Portable Under-Desk Pedal Machine is one of the most budget-friendly models we tested this year. While it lacks the advanced features of the best, most premium bike models, all the essentials are here. That includes an LCD monitor to track your time, revs per minute, total revolutions, and calories burned.

It’s a little larger than some in our roundup, and the overall height isn’t adjustable. But the sub-six-pound design makes it easy to maneuver when you need to. Setup is a breeze since the unit arrives almost completely assembled. Just adjust the resistance knob to your comfort level, position your feet on the non-slip pedals, strap in, and get going.

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