I started out looking at under desk pedal exercisers. But I wasn't convinced I'd use it, I wasn't sure I'd have under desk clearance, and I was concerned about noise. Then I found this and I thought, hey, why not. Well, I love it. I strapped my laptop onto the desk and I ride whenever I use the laptop. A couple of hours a day.
Set up was easy. A nice touch is that you don't get a bag of bolts and screws. Everything is loosely attached where it is supposed to go, (like, three bolts with locking washers are screwed into the seat; you unscrew them, put the seat in place, and then screw them back in). So, you don't have to fish around for hardware. Everything is solid and heavy duty - holes lined up and everything fit together solidly. Wiring is all done; just plug the monitor in. Resistance control is already fully installed. It took a little over an hour to assemble, and I took my time.
Couple of things. I'm pretty duck-footed, so my heels usually hit the crank on exercise bikes. On this the cranks angle out enough that I have good clearance. I can even use the pedal clips instead of putting my feet way out on the outer edges of the pedals.
That wrist rest thing? I thought it was a joke, but it's essential. You rest your forearms on it to type or to do anything on the desktop. Without it you'd have to hold your hands and arms up in the air and that would get old quickly.
The stretchy resistance thing I could take or leave, but I do fool with it when I just sit and read my Kindle.
Seat is fine. I might pick up a cover some time, but it's not essential.
I use a mouse for my laptop and there's no room on the desktop for that, so I'm using the touchpad, which is O.K. You could rig up an extension if it really matters.
The machine is totally quiet. No sound from the bike at all and no vibration into the floor.
The desk top slides forward and back, so you can adjust to get just the right reading distance for your laptop screen.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that I'm delighted by this. It's solid; it works; it's good value.
(I burned off 125 calories typing this review. Before, I would have done it on the couch. Sweet.)
(FitDesk gives away a free bike to a school for every ten Amazon reviews that are posted. So, while I would have done a review anyway, I guess I should just note that non-monetary incentive for reviewers.)
December 31, 2015 update. So, after 2,500 miles I started to get a clicking/grinding from the wheel housing that said "bad bearings" to me. I looked through Amazon comments and saw that this was a fairly common complaint about bikes bought around when I bought mine. Most people said the problem was promptly addressed. Not expecting much I went to the FitDesk website, found support, and sent a brief email asking if they'd stand by the bike. Get this. Email sent 12/28 at 3:30pm. Acknowledgment received at 4:10. Offer to replace entire main frame assembly at no cost and request for shipping address received at 5:01. On 12/31 entirely new frame delivered to my door. Twenty minutes later I'm on my new, reengineered, whisper smooth bike. Incredible. I love these guys.
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