How to Use The DeskCycle
Exercise at Work or Home
Get healthy exercise while,
- working at your desk,
- watching television,
- playing video games,
- on the phone,
- or in other times when you are sitting down and your legs are free.
How to Pedal the DeskCycle
The DeskCycle is solid with a wide base. It will stay in place when used properly.
The right way to Pedal the DeskCYcle
- Start pushing down on the pedal when the pedal arm reaches the 1 o'clock position (just past the highest pedal position).
- Stop applying force to the pedal when it is at it's lowest position.
- You should be pedaling downward throughout this range as shown by the arrows in the picture.
- Point your toes forward. This keeps your heels from hitting the floor or leg.
The Wrong Way to Pedal the DeskCycle
Don't pedal forward!
You can’t pedal a mini exercise bike the same way that you do a recumbent bike. If you do, it will slide forward when you pedal.
When using a recumbent bike,
- you begin appying the force when the pedal arm is in the 12 o'clock position.
- you push the pedals forward (the white arrows show the direction you are pushing)
- your toes are pointing upward.
This is the wrong way to pedal the a mini exercise bike. If you pedal it this way, the bike will slide forward.
Train Yourself at the Lower Resistances
When you first get the bike, set the resistance to level 1. This is the minimum resistance. Practice pedaling at this resistance. Focus on pedaling downward as shown in the above diagram.
Increase the Tension Gradually
Pedal at least 15 minutes at the minimum resistance. Increase the tension to level 2 and practice for at least another 15 minutes. Continue this until you are at the resistance you want to be at.
Your Upper Body Should be Still
When you pedal you should focus on keeping your upper body still. Only your legs should be moving. Keeping your head still makes it easier to focus on your work. One of the advantages that a bike has over a treadmill is that you can keep your head still.
How far AWAY should the bike be?
Your knees should be bent about 25 degrees from fully-extended when the pedal is farthest away from you.
How Tall should my Chair Be?
As long as you can reach the pedals your chair can be any height.
The height of the chair will determine which muscles you use.
- Lower chairs tend work your hamstrings and glutes more.
- Higher chairs will work your quads more.
The important thing to remember is to pedal downward. This will keep the bike in place.
If your Knees Hit your Desk
If your desk is short, your knees may hit the underside of your desk when you pedal the bike. In this case you can do one or both of the following things to lower your knees.
- Lower your chair.
- Move the bike farther away from you and extend your legs more.
If your Chair Rotates when Using the bike
If your chair rotates when you pedal then you are pedaling forward. Pedaling downward will eliminate this problem.
if Your Chair Rolls Away from the Bike
Pedal Downward. When you pedal downward, the bike and chair should stay together when used on carpeted floors.
For hard slippery floors, you can either lock your wheels on your chair or use the Velcro® tether.
The DeskCycle™ comes with a long Velcro strap that can be used to tether the bike to the chair as shown in the picture below. The strap is made from Velcro Loop material. On the back side of one end is Velcro Hook material.
Do I need the Tether?
Most people don’t need the tether. Pedaling the bike downward will keep the chair and bike in place when you are on carpet, even with rolling chairs. The tether may be needed if you use a rolling chair on a smooth surface. In this case the tether keeps the chair from rolling away from the bike.
Installing the Tether
- Position the bike in front of the chair.
- Sit in your chair and pedal the bike. Your knees should be bent about 25 degrees from fully-extended when the pedal is farthest away from you.
- Route the Velcro strap as shown in the picture below. Keep the strap as low as possible. Stretch the loop tight and attach the end with the Hook material to the Loop material to make a tight loop.
- Pedal the bike to make sure the distance is correct. Adjust if necessary.
- With a pair of scissors, cut away the excess Velcro strap. This will make it easy to create the same size loop later!
Important! Keep the loop as low to the ground as possible to prevent a tripping hazard!
You can get replacement Velcro tethers here.