DeskCycle Ellipse Under Desk Elliptical

I have had chronic pain in my SI joint, right hip, and right leg for nearly three years due to a work injury. After going to the chiropractor for months and months to very little avail, I was losing hope in how to address the injury and fix my atrophy and strengthen my core while being unable to work due to the pain and discomfort. I am only 31 years old... After starting Physical Therapy and realizing that low-impact exercise is the key to recovery (in my situation, and many others), I decided to do research on at-home under desk cycles and ellipticals. It was a close call between this, the Desk Cycle 2, and the multiple versions of the Cubii. The Cubii seemed to have too much fitness tracking and tech addons that made the price unjustifiable/unnecessary to me. I also noticed through days and days of comparisons and reviews that Desk Cycle Ellipse was coming out above the competitors on range of motion, resistance settings, noise, and foot placement (different foot placement works different muscles vs the Cubii working only one set). So far, the Ellipse has made a HUGE difference in my physical recovery. When I am not at PT or doing my exercises at home, I am using the Ellipse any chance I can get. It really helps my morning aches and stiffness when using it first thing in the morning while checking email/drinking coffee. It really is about as silent as it gets without being invisible and/or defying physics. the rotation is very smooth, the 'clicking' people mention is attributed to a lack of lubricant on the wheels/base, not the bearings or flywheel. I was concerned when I got the clicking noise, but after trial and error, realized that a little lubricant of any kind and making sure no cat hairs were on the wheel 'track' was the fix for me. I would like the option to strap my feet on like the Cubii, as I notice my feet sliding around on higher resistances without running shoes on, but this is an easy and cheap velcro fix vs paying more for the Cubii. Super easy to move and store, and the display screen it comes with is an awesome addition and works well with the Desk Cycle fitness tracker. Zero sliding on carpet, I'd assume wood or tile is even more sturdy but I have zero complaints there too. Highly recommended - zero regrets, and the best investment hands down for my physical recovery I've taken in 3 years of exhausting other avenues!

I could not be more impressed with the Ellipse. It's very sturdy and feels substantial. By comparison, I passed on a competing product that looked and felt flimsy. I'm confident it will last a long time. The claims that the Ellipse is "whisper quiet" struck me as possible marketing bluster, but I have to admit it's no exaggeration at all. The movement is smooth as can be, also. It was a breeze to assemble, and I love that the monitor can be placed on my desk with the included extension cable. The tension control works well, and I've been surprised at how much I can feel this 'workout' in my legs using just tension level 3. Using it in my home office on carpet, it does not slide at all. I'm sure that not all desks can accommodate having this underneath, though. You need some width to your desk, for sure, and some clearance for your legs. I had to lower my chair and I may also need to raise my desk up a hair with some 1 inch wood blocks to prevent my knees from hitting the bottom of the desk. Otherwise, I have to sit slightly further from my desk than normal which is less comfortable for typing, but doable. The slight drawback to being built like a tank is that it is pretty heavy, so if you're thinking it will be portable back and forth from an office, it may not be ideal. After just a couple days, I truly do feel looser and more energized than when I am just sitting here with no activity. I look forward to continuing to use this in my work from home job and seeing what the long term benefits can be.

The DeskCycle is very well built, though heavy. Its action is smooth and silent. Its one weakness is that its easy to sever the bungee cord that keeps the foot pedals in place when moving the unit. The good news is that Vivo actually has customer service: a number you can call and a real human being you can talk to (thanks, Sydney!). A replacement was promptly sent out at no cost. This kind of customer service has almost vanished. Bravo, Vivo!

Well worth it - esp when it’s on sale. I’ve been using it daily for several months. It’s built like a tank. I’m very impressed how solid it is. It even has little bungee clips that securely hold the step platforms in place when you store the machine on its side or move it to a different location. And - importantly - the machine is very quiet so you can use it while on the phone, watching tv, or in an office setting. No slipping or sliding. And you can easily target different leg muscles depending how you position your feet. Very effective lower body workout for those with sedentary jobs. Works out of the box - no assembly required other than inserting a battery into step counter and sliding the counter onto the frame or desk stand. Deducting one star because synching the deskcycle counter with IWatch & Garman watch a bit clumsy & my workaround has been to either keep my watch-wearing wrist on my thigh to capture the steps/rotations or place the watch in my sock. I think the company sells a Bluetooth device to auto sync or you can manually sync, but I prefer my method even if it’s not 100% accurate. I’ve been able to achieve my weekly zone 2-3 intensity minutes & 8000 daily steps goal using this machine & my beloved Forerunner 255S.