Small Portable Pedal Exercisers - Smallest Exercise Bikes Under Desk

MagneTrainer ER Mini Exercise Bike - Includes Large Pedals with Velcro Straps

Amazon Price: $169.00 (as of 06/03/2012)

The difference between a mini exercise cycle which creates resistance via the use of friction and a small pedal exerciser which generates resistance via magnetism, is quite marked and very obvious once you compare the machines. Users of the lightest pedal exercise bikes are often disappointed with the stability, inability to provide much resistance and general inability to 'go fast' or get any kind of intense workout from the machine. They tend to move around on carpet, tip sideways because they are so light and the pedal action gets choppy and jerky as you approach higher speed.

For many, this isn't an issue because they only want to pedal lightly with a little resistance as they watch TV or sit at a desk. For the rest of us, there's the Magnetrainer ER.

This is an excellent mini exercise bike which will more closely mimic the stationary or recumbent exercise bikes seen in the average gym. If you tried a manual friction resistance bike like the Stamina XL and were disappointed then this is where you should stop next on your search. It's a much better exerciser but is also comes with a price tag of over $100 more expensive to match. This is justified by the vastly improved quality of the machine in question.

This bike uses magnetic resistance to provide a more or less intense workout as you desire. This means for a much smoother action in the pedals no matter whether you are going fast or slow you do not get the choppy or jerking motion friction resistance often provides which is much kinder on your joints and muscles. This is important as you want sore legs and arms from a great workout not because jerking pedals have caused uneccessary strain. Resistance is controlled with a knob on the front of the bike and can be adjusted from almost nothing up to 160 watts of resistance with gradul intervals in between which is almost twice what similar mini exercise bikes offer.

The frame is made from steel with a heavy duty plastic cover which all leads to this unit coming in at around 23 pounds in weight. It's a little heavy but its still easy for most people to move around with ease and certainly much lighter than any full frame exercise bike. This heaviness however, means more stability and it feels very firm and sturdy when you use it. No wobbling and shaking to be found here. Some users still say it slips on carpet but that can be solved with the addition of a cheap yoga mat placed underneath before use.

It's quiet too as most magnetic resistance machines are as there is no scraping friction resistance and with this being a study unit, there's none of those unwanted extra noises from a jostling or bouncing frame or rattling pedals.

The Magnetrainer ER features a more advanced feedback monitor than you will find on cheap pedal exercisers. Here you will be able to see your workout time, distance travelled, speed and even an estimation of calories burned during your time spent working out. These are useful motivators and help you get a better and more repeatable workout from your machine.

You can even hook this up to a computer through a PC interface to automatically keep track of your exercise progress. Not only that, but it will connect to driving and racing games or the NetAthlon 2 cycling simulator software to add some fun interactivity to your time spent working out.

This is a top of the line mini exercise bike which comes at a great price to the home consumer.

Stamina 15-0120 InStride Cycle XL

Amazon Price: $35.88 (as of 06/03/2012)

Stamina makes great low priced exercise machines for the home user and this is no exception. The Stamina InStride Cycle XL is an inexpensive pedal exerciser built around a lightweight but rugged tubular steel frame. This seatless exercise bike does away with the bulky handbars, seats and other unecessary elements to provide just the core pedal and resistance elements of a standard exercise bike. Instead of a seat you can use a standard dining chair (or other seat) and pedal away with either your hands or feet in a forward or backward motion. Non slip rubber feet prevent the unit from moving when in use and the wide base is designed to help prevent tipping to either side. Users of the Stamina InStride XL cycle are impressed by the price but caution it is not going to replace vigorous exercise and the lightness does produce some instability and slipping on carpeted surfaces. It does have an exercise timer but there is no way to measure things like speed, calories, distance etc. which more expensive models can do. It is also not designed for you to pedal like a madman either, for a more intense workout you will need a heavier more expensive machine, but for a general light workout this machine will fit most the bill for most users.

Stamina 55-1610 InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer

Amazon Price: $89.98 (as of 06/03/2012)

OK so it's not a mini bike as such, but if you are in the market for a small sized exercise machine for the home then it's worth taking a look at this mini elliptical trainer as well. No, you can't pedal this with your hands like you can with the mini pedal exercise machines on this page but for a lower body workout it is highly recommended. You can also combine it with resistance bands and hand weights as the video which follows shows, to get a full body workout.

What you are basically buying here is an elliptical machine without the arms or front console. You are getting the chassis and the pedals which not only makes it much cheaper, far more portable and easy to stow away when not in use, but is also still capable of packing a workout punch and all for under $100.

The oscillating non-slip pedals move in the elliptical motion you are used to and provide the same low impact workout a full sized cross trainer provides but in a much more compact elliptical machine.

You can use this either seated or standing up on the machine. If you suffer from balance problems then your should probably stay seated as you can still take advantage of the great sedentary exercise you can do with this mini elliptical machine.

PCGamerBike Mini

Amazon Price: (as of 06/03/2012)