Under Desk Elliptical vs Bike – What are the Differences?

We spend the majority of our workday sitting at our desks, only to spend even more time at home sitting on the couch watching television or on our laptops and tablets. According to Medical News Today and the Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN), this sedentary lifestyle is a “significant public health issue…linked to a range of chronic health conditions.”

If you are trapped in this sedentary lifestyle, struggling to find time to keep active, why not exercise and burn calories at your desk with an under desk bike or under desk elliptical trainer? It’s time to get moving!

Under Desk Elliptical vs Bike: The Differences

An under desk bike and an under desk elliptical are very similar in size, weight, and primary function. Both options are suitable for exercising in your office environment (or at home), and both offer the same calorie-burning benefits. The major differences between an under desk bike and an under desk elliptical are the pedals and the stride, the pattern of the movement required to burn calories. With an under desk bike, you will make an up and down circular motion versus the forward/back motion of the under desk elliptical.

Our Top Picks

Cubii JR1 Under Desk Elliptical

4.8

Pros:

• Low-impact
• Quiet
• Easy to use
• Built-in display monitor

Cons:

• No Bluetooth connectivity
• Bit heavy

Price & Reviews Discount Check

DeskCycle 2 Under Desk Bike

4.7

Pros:

• Magnetic resistance for smooth and quiet functioning
• Great portability
• 8 levels of resistances
• Adjustable pedal height
• Suitable for low-height desks

Cons:

• It is only suitable for low-impact workouts
• Difficult to use with wheeled-office chair

Price & Reviews Discount Check

1. Workout  

Although both machines work on your legs, the way you work out using them greatly differs. In the Under Desk Bike, your legs move up and down in circular motions, just like riding a bicycle.

In contrast to this, the Under Desk Elliptical leg motions are like shuffling your legs back and forth. The major difference in movements’ direction will contribute to the exercise of various muscles on the legs. Moreover, the feet’s range of motion would also be different. You’re likely to get tired quicker with the Under Desk Elliptical because of all the muscle movements involved.

The difference on the pattern of the movement

Under Desk Bike Movement: Circular Motion

Under Desk Elliptical Movement: Forward/ Back Motion

2. Space

Although both are comfortable under a regular desk, being taller will place you at a disadvantage when using an Under Desk Bike.

While sitting with your legs, making 90-degree angles on your knees, going up and down can also cause you to knock your knees on the bottom of the desk if there’s not enough room beneath the desk. With the Under Desk Elliptical, the knees remain almost at the same position. So there won’t be any need to worry about knocking your knees on the bottom of the desk.

3. Feet Placement

With the Under Desk Bike, the pedals require you to insert your feet in it. If your foot size is more than average, we will recommend you consider getting a bike having pedals that can accommodate your size. In case you cannot find a bike that can accommodate your size, you can put your feet on the pedals instead of inserting them in the pedal loops.

The Under Desk Elliptical has larger pedals to accommodate any foot size. The pedals require you to stand on them and push them back and forth. Their design offers small barriers on the front and back to hold the feet in line.

4. Leg Muscles

Although the Under Desk Bike supersedes the Under Desk Elliptical as it offers more ways to involve the entire body and the legs, on the other hand,  the elliptical does offer more and better ways to work the legs.

You can target several leg muscles with the elliptical. You need to adjust the position of your feet on the pedals to get the desired result. To achieve the needed results, you can use the flat-footed position, toes, and heel. These positions are perfect when you recover from injury and you need to work out your legs.

You may also vary the difficulty of getting to the level of fitness you need. It’s particularly crucial when healing a joint, and you’re going through different stages of the healing process.

5. Benefits beyond Leg Muscles

Although both machines promise a focus on the legs, the Under Desk Elliptical is the one that sticks to this role only. While working with the elliptical, your workout will focus on your legs only. The Under Desk Bike can be moved to a table, a bench, or another desk for working out the upper body. By putting your hands on the pedals, you can pedal away as you do with your legs.

The fact that you can regulate the difficulty levels of pedaling makes the bike better for the upper body. The pedaling movements work not only on the arm muscles but on the upper body as a whole. It’s a more complex machine than an Under Desk Elliptical.

As a result, if you have large feet, under desk ellipticals may be a better choice for you as they could provide you with the leg clearance you need.

Below, we will describe how those two machines differ, and then we will give you some tips about what to choose based on your needs.

Sum-up: Comparison Table

Under Desk Bikes

They have smaller bicycle pedals that travel in a circle, much like a stationary bicycle. If you have larger feet, the size of the pedals may be a consideration.

One benefit of the under desk bike over the elliptical is the fact that you can place the “bike” on a bench, table, or desk and use it as an upper-body ergometer by placing your hands on the pedals.

Under Desk Ellipticals

They have significantly larger pedals than the under desk bike, almost like a boot-shaped platform, which may be a better choice if your feet are large.

The motion of an under desk elliptical is more forward and back than circular, much like walking or climbing stairs. The larger foot surface combined with the elliptical pattern allows you to target different muscles in your legs by choosing different foot positions, including flat-footed, tiptoe, and heels.

How Do Under Desk Bike & Under Desk Elliptical Work?

Under Desk Bikes and Ellipticals are great at improving overall fitness, burning calories, improving tone, maintaining healthy joints, and improving circulation. They are easy to use under a desk, in front of a TV, or wherever they are convenient.

The main difference between the typical stationary upright exercise bikes and under desk bikes or ellipticals is the sitting position. The person is seated upright in the saddle on the upright bike, using the middle torso area’s core muscles to balance the exercise. With under desk bikes/ellipticals, you are less likely to get this advantage unless you pick the right chair for your workout.

Using Under Desk Bikes or Ellipticals helps you lose weight and exercise muscle groups, improving tone and definition through a bit of extra use. In particular, it will strengthen your leg muscles over time.

Which is better: Bike or Elliptical?

Well, the short answer is: It depends. As we mentioned before, although those machines work a little differently, they share many common features and the results of the exercise are quite similar.

The right question is: Which is better for my needs?

Check out the following tips, so you can pick the right one for your needs.

• Clearance:
  If you have long legs (or a low desk), the up and down circular motion of the under desk bike may not provide you the leg clearance you need. The more forward/back motion of the under-desk elliptical may be the best option.
• Resistance:
  If you are “hardcore” and like a challenge, look for an under desk trainer that allows you to increase the resistance. The under desk bike option may be best for you as increasing the tension on an elliptical may result in your feet sliding off the platforms. If resistance is a requirement for you, you need to choose a trainer that has enough weight to remain in place as you exercise.
• Smooth, Quiet Operation:
  You need a trainer that you can use as you work, type, answer phone calls, without disturbing your coworkers. For example, DeskCycle and Cubii Jr. Elliptical are known to be very quiet machines.
• Pedals:
  Under Desk Elliptical has longer and broader pedals. This helps the user to exercise in a variety of positions. The larger pedals allow you to target and exercise different muscles of your leg. If you are pedaling with your heel, toes, or even a flat foot, it involves various muscles in your legs. Under Desk Bikes have pedals resembling that of a bicycle.
• Bells & Whistles:
  Under desk bikes and under desk ellipticals are much like automobiles in that, the more you spend, the more options and accessories you receive. Examples of available options include digital displays, monitors, and the ability to link to applications on your phone or computer.

FAQ

Questions you might have

Sources: American Journal of Preventive Medicine: Total Worker Health Intervention Increases Activity of Sedentary Workers.

Our Proposals

F5F Editorial Team

The article has been researched & compiled by the Editorial F5F Team, a group of experienced fitness & health writers.