In late summer, we received an invitation to test and review the Flexispot Desk Bike. Unfortunately, shortly after it arrived I contracted COVID and had to spend the next few months recovering – including a week’s stay in the hospital.
Within a day I went from training everyday to being in my bed nearly all day, for weeks on end.
Now that I’m getting back to work, it was a real blessing to have the Flexispot Desk Bike in my office. Not only can I exercise while working, but I also use an adjustable standing desk so having the bike seat height adjustable has been a real benefit as well.
There’s no question the desk bike is a great way to get in some exercise while you work. It’s perfect for those who are looking for an easy way to increase their activity levels during the day. You are literally sitting on the equipment you are using. Sometimes I’ll pedal while I’m on the phone or writing (like I am for this review) and even when I’m not pedaling my posture is better because of the seat’s ergonomics.
The bike’s aesthetics are pretty great too. It’s well designed and well made, it also comes in both black and white to fit your decor.
Assembling the Desk Bike
The Flexispot Desk Bike comes with all of the features that you would expect from a high-quality piece of equipment, and it also has some useful adjustments. Assembly was literally a two step process once you remove it from the box – it essentially comes pre-assembled.
The first step is to swing out the stabilizer legs and lock them in place. The second step is to lock the pedals in place and from there you are ready to rock and roll.
The Desk Bike Features
The Flexispot Desk bike comes standard with a number of key features. There is also an optional desk attachment for an extra $70, but my model didn’t come with that.
What it does come with is everything you need to comfortably exercise while sitting at your desk. There’s an LCD monitor that allows you to track a 6 different metrics:
- Time
- Speed
- Distance
- Calories
- Total Distance
- RPM
There’s also a SCAN setting that rotates through all of the settings. My preference on the Flexispot Desk Bike is to use the Calories or RPM settings, with calories being my primary.
In addition to the digital display there are 8 resistance levels. I typically leave it on level 6 while I’m actively working or typing, but for breaks, level 8 gives you more of a workout.
A height adjustable seat makes it easy to raise and lower your seating position to the desired height. At 6’1” my seat is typically at the highest level, but sometimes I’ll drop it all the way down to use as a normal desk chair.
Locking wheels round out the features, ensuring you aren’t moving all over while pedaling your bike. A bonus feature is the wheels automatically lock when you sit down – there’s no levers to try to lock in place.
Pros and Cons of The Desk Bike
The Pros
- The Locking Wheels. A clever detail is the locking wheel mechanism. When you are sitting on the bike the wheels lock to keep it from moving around. To release them – just stand up!
- Height Adjustable Seat. The seat on the Flexispot Desk Bike is stable yet easily adjustable from a lever under the seat on the left side. I use the height adjustability all the time when alternating front the low sitting position – and using the bike as a seat – to the high sitting while pedaling.
- Size. The bike isn’t much longer than a desk chair, so even in a small office like mine it fits without being obtrusive.
The Cons
- Knocking Knees. My only complaint is occasionally my knees will hit my desk. This has more to do with how my desk is actually two desks one on top of the other than the design of the bike. I’m considering the optional desk attachment to eliminate this from happening.
- The max resistance. Before getting sick I trained almost everyday so I was reasonably “fit”. The Flexispot Desk Bike is not a replacement for any miles you’d typically put on a road bike or other serious biking equipment. The max resistance level is too low for that.
Closing Comments About the Flexispot
In conclusion, I’m glad I had the Flexispot Desk Bike to review. Post COVID it’s helped me regain some of my former fitness levels at a time where I couldn’t go to the gym. The variable resistance, let me ease back into training again and now I feel better about the hours I have to spend at my desk. I can sit low, I can sit high and pedal, or I can stand.
If you have to be at a desk I would highly recommend a Flexispot Desk Bike – just be sure to get the optional desk attachment to give you maximum flexibility.