DeskCycle Ellipse Under Desk Elliptical Machine Review

Our Rating

Rating: 95.0/100. The DeskCycle Ellipse was designed to be used in a seated position, and you can enjoy a relative level of comfort at the lower resistance levels. Assembly was simple. It only took me about ten minutes to put together, and all tools needed are included. By simply attaching the pedals and then sliding the LCD screen in place, you’re ready to go. 

As with a traditional elliptical machine, you have two primary variables: speed and resistance. This allows you to switch up your training, and the DeskCycle Ellipse features eight resistance settings. Although there is little use of the upper body, you can easily get your heart rate up no matter what setting you’re on. We’ll get into more detail later on the eight levels, but, in a nutshell, the lower settings allow for a more intense cardio workout while the higher settings promote a great lower body strength session targeting glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. 

Especially if you’ll be using it in an office setting, it’s important to consider the noise factor, and I’m happy to report this machine is relatively silent aside from a minimal whirring sound. Thanks to the magnetic resistance, you won’t disturb your coworkers. It’s also very smooth and easy to use. While it’s certainly possible to use this product at the office, if you deal with customers directly, it can be awkward at higher resistance levels as this results in an upper body sway that can look odd from the other side of the counter. I’d recommend resistance level 1-2 in this case.

Pros:

• Front handle makes it easy to move.
• Can use without shoes
• More comfortable to use than UnderDesk Bike
• Higher achievable caloric burn at a leisurely pace
• Minimal footprint

Cons:

• High resistance results in more upper body sway, and this can be hard to do when you’re working at your desk. I’d recommend heavy resistance for sedentary moments and low resistance while working.
• Less strength focus at a leisurely pace
• If you have wheels on your chair, it’s hard to use

Introduction

The DeskCycle Ellipse is the perfect machine to burn calories while boosting energy levels during times you are unable to move around and perform a traditional workout. Using the large, 6-function LCD display, you can track up to 100,000 revolutions, RPM, time, and more. While you can’t directly integrate devices like smart watches, you can use the information tracked to manually input into your favorite exercise tracking program. 

When we think of the elliptical machine, cardio immediately comes to mind. However, thanks to the eight resistance levels, you can get a really great lower-body strength workout accomplished. The silent magnetic precision flywheel delivers a quiet workout, which is perfect for the office setting. This is complemented well by ergonomic features and lightweight design. 

As a fitness instructor who works with seniors, I highly recommend this product for elderly folks who struggle with typical problems like joint pain or mobility issues. It’s also a perfect tool for those in physical therapy or overweight individuals in the early stages of a fitness journey who aren’t sure where to get started. 

One of my favorite features of this product is the fact you can switch things up in more ways than just changing resistance. For starters, since the pedals are very wide, you can change the placement of your feet with horizontal strides being achieved with the feet closer to the bottom and up/down motion when placed toward the top. You can also position the machine further away from your chair to incorporate more core muscle recruitment.

Workout Programs

Unlike standard elliptical machines that often feature programmed workouts that target different goals, the DeskCycle Ellipse is relatively simplistic. While the LCD screen will track various metrics, you’re on your own to decide on your workout programming. Let’s break down some programming possibilities.

For starters, it’s important to understand the muscles that are used during a session on the DeskCycle Ellipse. In a nutshell, you’ll be using all of your leg muscles including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. Keep in mind, it’s important to incorporate upper body exercise for a complete fitness regimen. If you’re considering the purchase of the DeskCycle Ellipse, I’d highly recommend you also invest in a few sets of hand weights. When you purchase adjustable hand weights like those featured in this roundup, you can get the most bang for your buck with multiple weight options all in a single product. 

If you’ll be using your ellipse at work, the most realistic way to exercise while multitasking is at the lower resistance levels, around one or two. Anything higher than that will result in an upper body sway that makes it hard to work at the computer, take notes, etc. It also looks odd if you interact with other people who don’t know you’re exercising under your desk. If this is you, I’d recommend maintaining a steady cardio burn as long as you can and amp up the resistance during breaks. This checks cardio and lower body strength off your daily fitness to-do list. 

During my review process, I tested each resistance level for ten minutes each to see which resulted in a higher caloric burn than what I average while sitting. I maintained a pace that was comfortable while working at my desk, so my speed decreased as resistance increased. Levels one and two are ideal for a good cardio workout, and these are also the most viable for steady state cardio while seated. I found level three to be the most inefficient. Not only is caloric burn low, but there’s not enough resistance to get in a good strength training session. If you want to combine strength and cardio, I’d suggest level six. Levels seven and eight result in lower caloric burn, but they provide optimal strength training if you want to tone your legs. Remember, though, these levels aren’t ideal if you’ll be multitasking, so I’d save strength training for a time when you aren’t trying to do more than one thing at once.