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There are a few reasons why you might have clicked on this page: Perhaps you’re like me and have restless leg syndrome and need to find a way to keep moving at all times, or maybe you just have a busy job and can’t leave your desk to get a quick cardio workout.
No matter the reason, our best mini exercise bikes roundup has options that can work for just about anyone. Want to know the best part? These mini bikes can be placed under your desk so nobody has to know that you’re pedaling away while you’re in that two-hour meeting that could’ve been an email—heck, I’m using one of them right now!
Re-Tire from Exercise Bike Reviews? Couldn’t Be Us
The Garage Gym Reviews team has tested and reviewed the best exercise bikes, the best recumbent exercise bikes, the best exercise bikes for seniors, folding exercise bikes, the best exercise bikes with moving arms…you get the point; we’ve used and written about a lot of these things.
That’s because as certified personal trainers, CrossFit Level 1 Trainers, and competitive weightlifters, we know how important it is that everyone finds a piece of exercise equipment that works for them. And it’s why we’ll continue to review exercise bikes in all shapes and sizes.
Best Mini Exercise Bikes
- Best Overall Mini Exercise Bike: DeskCycle 2
- Best Mini Exercise Bike for Low-Impact Workouts: MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser
- Best Budget Mini Exercise Bike: Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser
- Best Mini Exercise Bike for Offices: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Mini-Exercise Bike
- Best Portable Mini Exercise Bike: Hausse Portable Exercise Pedal Bike
Best Overall Mini Exercise Bike: DeskCycle 2
Good for: Those who want a steady and compact mini exercise bike that feels like an indoor cycling bike
Best Overall
DeskCycle
Product Highlights
- Compact piece of exercise equipment that’s meant to fit under your desk
- Allows you to pedal at any time for a quick cardio workout
- Comes with 8 magnetic resistance settings
- Only 10 inches in height, but it’s not adjustable
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Sells for less than $200
- Can be easily stowed away when not in use
- Uses magnetic resistance to provide a smooth and quiet ride
- 8 resistance settings
Cons
- Resistance isn’t challenging for advanced athletes
- Height isn’t adjustable
- Made with lots of plastic, so it’s not very durable
Bottom Line
A compact piece of exercise equipment that can easily fit under most desks for a quick workout.
It shouldn’t be too surprising that a mini exercise bike called the DeskCycle 2 is our top pick for the best under-desk bike, but this rose could go by any other name and be just as sweet. Equipped with eight silent magnetic resistance levels, adjustable pedal heights, and adjustable velcro pedal straps, this tiny yet mighty machine packs a punch in a compact footprint.
Compact might be a relative term here if we’re being honest. The Desk Cycle 2 is about two feet in length, whereas most of the other models we tested were about 12 to 20 inches, so if you have a smaller desk it might stick out a little bit, as GGR editor and product tester Nicole Davis found out.
Despite that, Nicole still enjoyed the Desk Cycle and actually found the higher resistance settings to be a bit challenging. “No way Id be able to work and use them,” she says, and folks let me tell you that Nicole has used her fair share of exercise bikes so that’s saying something.
She also found it to be stable while in use, the foot pedals were easy to slip in and out of, and assembly took less than 10 minutes with just one problem—the batteries were dented. We haven’t found any other reviewers who experienced the same problem so we’re sure that was a mistake (hey, things happen).
At around $230, the Desk Cycle 2 is certainly not the most expensive piece of cardio equipment, but it is on the higher end of mini exercise bikes. That said, we believe it’s worth it if you’re looking for the best pedaling experience.
RELATED: Best Cardio Machines for Weight Loss
Best Mini Exercise Bike for Low-Impact Workouts: MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser
Good for: People in physical rehabilitation, seniors, or others looking for low-impact exercise
Best for Rehab
MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser
Product Highlights
- Under $200
- Simple assembly
- Magnetic resistance
- Quiet
- Adjustable foot straps
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Can be used as an arm exerciser
- Simple assembly
- Magnetic resistance
- Adjustable foot straps
Cons
- Not adjustable
- Stability issues when used as a pedaler
- Relatively expensive for a mini-exercise bike
Bottom Line
This is a versatile and durable mini-exercise bike that has some stability issues when used as a pedaler.
Take one look at the Amazon reviews for the MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser and you’ll quickly notice a theme: a lot of people use this for physical therapy, and not just for their lower body either. This machine can also be placed on the desk and used as an arm exerciser as well.
And while all under-desk exercise bikes can go forwards and backwards, the MagneTrainer is designed to have bi-directional pedal motion, which can be useful for people looking to improve their muscle balance in the lower and upper body.
The bike itself was easy to put together and each turn felt smooth and produced little to no noise. I could absolutely see people using this in an office setting, so long as their desk is a little higher up (it has a 16-inch height, which is on the taller end of the bikes we tested).
As someone who’s tested quite a few stationary bikes, I was impressed by the tension this thing produced. But I do have a major complaint: it’s not steady at all. You get an anchor strap that you can wrap around your office chair to keep the bike in place, but even with that I found the mini pedal exerciser frequently toppled over. I saw a few reviews echoing the same concern, but it appears that people with shorter legs didn’t experience many issues.
Best Budget Mini Exercise Bike: Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser
Good for: Anyone looking for a basic pedaler at a budget-friendly price
Budget-Friendly
Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser
Product Highlights
- Foldable
- Around $50
- Friction resistance
- Adjustable resistance
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Costs around $50
- Comes mostly pre-assembled
- Foldable
Cons
- Flimsy LCD display
- Not the most challenging resistance
- Small pedals
Bottom Line
The Fit Sit is a compact mini-exercise bike that offers just somewhat challenging resistance, but is foldable.
We’re sure you’ve heard the phrase “You get what you pay for” more times than you can count, but that’s a quick synopsis of my thoughts on the budget-friendly Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser. At around $50, it’s a great pedaler for people who simply want to keep their legs moving throughout the day, but it’s certainly not for everyone.
Let’s start with the good stuff. This pedaler comes mostly pre-assembled and took about five minutes to put together. It’s also foldable, so even though it’s tiny to begin with, you can make it even more compact should you want to bring it on the road or store it for a short while.
And the resistance on it is fine, which is to say that someone like myself who trains pretty regularly had no issues with it at the maximum setting but others might find it to be a bit challenging. The adjustment knob is stepless so it’s hard to know exactly what resistance you’re on, but you simply follow the righty-tighty, lefty-loosey rule to fix the tension.
In terms of stability, it actually held up alright and performed better than some more expensive machines.
The LCD display is flimsy and has fallen apart on me more than once, and on top of that it can be pretty hard to read if you’re interested in tracking your metrics in real time.
Again, I wouldn’t recommend this to an athlete, but for the price it’s a great little machine that will serve anyone looking to get their legs moving on a regular basis.
Best Mini Exercise Bike for Offices: Sunny Health and Fitness Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike
Good for: Those who want a mini exercise bike that won’t disrupt their coworkers
Sunny Health and Fitness Under Desk Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike
Product Highlights
- Stable
- 8 levels of magnetic resistance
- Under $150
- Convenient carrying handle
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Stable
- 8 levels of magnetic resistance
- Less than $150
- Simple assembly
Cons
- Short and no adjustable height
- Not the most challenging
- LCD display is difficult to read
Bottom Line
The Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Exercise Bike is a stable and affordable mini exercise bike that has eight levels of magnetic resistance.
After testing the Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Mini Exercise Bike, I knew it would be my go-to recommendation for people who work in offices. For one, it has a flat base with rubber pads and that kept it in place no matter how hard I pedaled on carpet or hardwood floors.
But most importantly, the silent magnetic resistance means you can pedal your day away without disrupting your neighbors. Sure, the other bikes we tested also use a magnetic resistance system, but I found this to be the quietest of the bunch.
It also has a pretty compact design, coming in at 21.6 inches in length, 18.7 inches in width, and 14.4 inches in height. I was somewhat surprised that my legs were able to easily reach the pedals (for reference, I’m 6 feet, 3 inches) considering how low to the ground it was.
I’d honestly would’ve kept this bike for myself if the maximum resistance was just a bit more challenging. There’s eight levels of resistance and you can certainly feel the difference between one and eight, but I could and have easily pedaled during work calls with no issue.
But at the risk of sounding like a broken record, that may very well work for your fitness level. I also found the adjustable pedal straps came loose pretty easily, which impeded my rides at times.
Back to the good news: This 20.5-pound machine comes with a handle for portability and can also be used as an arm trainer. At around $140, it’s a pretty good value for those who want a durable pedaler with semi-challenging resistance.
Best Portable Mini Exercise Bike: Hausse Portable Exercise Pedal Bike
Good for: People looking for an easily transportable mini exercise bike
Most Portable
Hausse Portable Exercise Pedal Bike
Product Highlights
- Lightweight
- Carrying handle
- Friction resistance
- Under $50
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lightweight
- Carrying handle
- Under $50
Cons
- Sturdiness issues
- Uses friction resistance
- Very small screen
Bottom Line
A lightweight and budget-friendly mini-exercise bike that has some stability issues.
So yes, all mini exercise bikes are easily portable (the heaviest ones weigh around 30 pounds). But the reason why we gave this honor to the Hausse Portable Exercise Pedal Bike (besides the fact that “portable” is in the name) is because it weighs less than 10 pounds and comes with a handle, and that last factor isn’t always guaranteed with these bikes.
It’s so lightweight that GGR Head of Content Kate Meier’s nine-year-old daughter is able to carry it around her home gym with ease. Because of that, it’s also easy to lift it onto a table and use it for arm and shoulder workouts.
Here’s one thing you need to know about Kate: She can find the good in just about anything (yours truly included), and that’s why it was shocking to me that she struggled to find something complimentary to say about the Hausse pedal bike’s functionality.
“This thing wobbles and shakes unless you are really pressing into the pedals,” she says. “I can’t use it if I’m trying to concentrate on work, like you would with an under-desk exercise peddler that didn’t suck.”
You do get an anchor strap that’s supposed to increase its stability, but a product that weighs less than 10 pounds is always going to have some sturdiness issues.
She did say it was perfect for her daughter who used it every day, and the screen is easy to read.
Are we saying don’t buy this? No, because as we’ve repeated multiple times, this might work for you, we’re just letting you know its limitations.
How We Picked and Tested the Best Mini Exercise Bikes
As with most of GGR’s roundups, our search for the best mini exercise bikes began with researching popular models to see which ones we wanted to bring in for testing. And then we got to pedaling—like a lot of pedaling.
We are, after all, writers who spend hours a day at our desk, so we welcomed the opportunity to stretch our legs in the name of work.
Here’s how we graded each of the picks.
Stability
Mini exercise bikes are, by their very definition, lighter than normal exercise bikes and so they’re bound to be a little less stable. Each product tester took careful notes of how stable their mini exercise bike was while in use, and if using an anchor strap helped to keep it from moving at all.
Adjustability
We looked at whether the pedalers had adjustable resistance, adjustable heights or pedal straps, and how that affected the riding experience.
Resistance
Mini exercise bikes will never be as challenging as the real deal, but they should still provide a bit of tension to help give the riders a nice leg workout.
Pedals
We looked at the sturdiness of the pedals, how comfortable they felt, and if they could fit feet of all sizes.
Benefits of a Mini Exercise Bike
Even if you’re not planning to use it at work, there are a few reasons why you might want to invest in a pedaler or mini exercise bike.
The biggest one is that they help to increase your caloric expenditure, or the amount of calories you burn in a day. This can be beneficial to anyone who’s looking to lose weight or wants to maintain their current weight but may not be able to get out for a run or have space for an exercise bike.
If you’re someone who feels restless at night, a pedaler may also help you use pent-up energy that may result in better sleep.
Final Thoughts on Best Mini Exercise Bikes
Although not as heavy-duty as their full-sized counterparts, under-desk bike pedal exercisers can be a great way to stay active, increase your heart rate, tone lower-body muscles, and use energy throughout the day.
Although the DeskCycle 2 is our go-to pick, there are many other high-quality options that offer smooth pedaling in a compact footprint.
Best Mini Exercise Bikes FAQs
What are the best mini exercise bikes?
In our opinion, the best mini exercise bikes are:
Best Overall Mini Exercise Bike: DeskCycle 2
Best Mini Exercise Bike for Low-Impact Workouts: MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser
Best Budget Mini Exercise Bike: Platinum Fitness Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser
Best Mini Exercise Bike for Offices: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Mini-Exercise Bike
Best Portable Mini Exercise Bike: Hausse Portable Exercise Pedal Bike
Do mini exercise bikes really work?
They do! Many mini exercise bikes utilize magnetic resistance, which provides tension for the lower body, and some of them can get quite challenging at their maximum setting. They’re an easy and convenient way to increase caloric burn and tone your lower body.
Do mini exercise bikes help you lose weight?
Weight loss requires being in a caloric deficit, or burning more calories than you consume. Mini exercise bikes can help you achieve that caloric deficit by helping you burn calories.
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