FitDesk’s trainer is sleek and has a height of just 20cm to fit under even the smallest of desks. Designed for home and office use, the elliptical offers a smooth and quiet design with a built-in monitor and hands-free adjustment.
Read on for a closer look into this highly regarded compact elliptical.
Features and Specs
- 8 magnetic resistance points
- Hands-free adjustments
- Six-function display
- Large pedals
- Forward and reverse function
- Dimensions: 86.3cm x 30.48cm x 50.8cm
- Weight: 5.8kg
While the height is low, the overall size of this elliptical is a little larger than what you would find with other models we review. The larger width and depth do offer one major benefit: stability.
You’ll find that this is one of the most stable under-desk ellipticals, and it comes with forward and reverse functions.
Since you can pedal in reverse, you’ll be engaging different muscles than just pedaling forward. Reverse pedaling is a nice addition along with my favorite feature, which is the hands-free adjustment. Simply push the lever down with your foot to cycle through all of the magnetic resistance levels.
Large foot pedals allow for large foot sizes and should fit nearly every foot with ease.
In terms of noise production, you should enjoy a relatively quiet operation for the first two months. Once you notice the unit start making noise, you can add lubricant to keep the squeaks down and allow you to pedal without interrupting your television show or your coworkers.
The monitor can stay mounted to the FitDesk, or can be removed to use on your desktop, too.
You can monitor a plethora of stats, including:
- Time
- Speed
- Calories
- Distance
- Scan
Manufactured with a steel frame, the FitDesk is one of the sturdiest models on the market and offers superb stability despite a larger overall size. A low height allows you to use your elliptical under most desks without an issue.
A built-in wheel lock keeps you from sliding away from the machine when you’re using a rolling chair. A desk stand has been included for easy access to the monitor, but it’s completely optional and only needs to be used if you want.
Assembly
Instructions are good, and tools are provided in the package for easy setup. I would recommend using your own tools, as the included tools are not ergonomic and actually make the assembly process longer than needed.
You will also find lubricant included in the packaging that will allow you to lubricate the joints of the machine as necessary.
If the lubricant does open during shipment, which is quite common, you can use some WD-40, which will more than suffice. Make sure to wipe off the excess lubricant on the joints to protect your clothes.
Assembly is easy for most people, but you will come across a few users who complain that the assembly process was harder than expected. Again, use your own tools for assembly and it will be much easier.
In total, it should take you about 10 minutes to put this machine together.
Pros
- Hands-free adjustment is convenient
- Forward and reverse function works more muscles
- Rolling chair lock
Cons
- Wheels require frequent lubrication
The wheels on this elliptical are not as smooth or quiet as most people hope. A key issue is that the unit needs frequent lubrication. If you don’t lubricate the wheels and joints, movement is less fluid and noise levels rise.
But you would also need to lubricate the track and wheels of a full-size model.
Aside from this one small complaint, I really like that you can adjust the tension with your feet thanks to the lever design. Hands-free adjustment just seems more natural and intuitive, and it’s nice not having to stop and bend over to make adjustments.
Elliptical exercise machines also come in full-size for home use and we covered the best cross trainers and added a buyer’s guide.