The Proform Desk Bike is an upright bike that has a desk attachment where you can place your devices. It affords you the ability to work or browse easily on your laptop. It’s a good entry-level stationary bike with 8 resistance levels. The SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance technology makes it a very smooth and quiet ride. On the LCD screen you can monitor your heart rate, speed, distance, calories burned and resistance.
The Proform Desk Bike is a solid upright bike with an attachable desk that allows you to use a laptop, hop on a work call or just peddle your heart out. It has many benefits and comes at an affordable price point.
The SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance makes for a smooth and quiet ride through the eight levels of adjustable resistance. This is especially great if you happen to be on a conference call or don’t want to disturb anyone else in close proximity.
The SpaceSaver® Design is a great selling feature – at 50 lbs it’s easy to fold and wheel out of sight. It can even fit into your car.
The large LCD window allows you to view and monitor your progress and results—including speed, time, distance, calories burned, heart rate and resistance—with ease.
It is a solid machine for a beginner with resistance levels that offer light-to-moderate intensity. The padded seat and backrest are comfortable and offer good lumbar support.
The warranty is short, with parts and labor limited to three months and the frame for one year.
The Great:
- SMR Silent Magnetic Resistance: This technology allows for a very smooth ride even when changing levels of resistance. The transitions are smooth with no interruption in your training.
- Large LCD Window: On the large screen you can keep an eye on your progress and track your results. It’s clear and straightforward making it easy to focus on your goals.
- Attachable/Removable Desk: Because you can take the desk on and off, this bike is useful as a work station as well as a more traditional exercise bike that can give you a light-to-moderate cardio workout.
- EKG Grip Pulse: Capturing your heart rate is easy with the built in sensors on the handle grip. Just hold, read the results on the LCD screen and keep it moving.
- Folding/Space Saver/Wheels: The bike is perfectly engineered to provide an effective workout and then be easily folded up and rolled out of the way. If having both work space and exercise space is an issue, the Proform Desk Bike is the solution.
- Pedals with Toe Cages and Straps: Focus and momentum are important to building your strength and endurance. The desk bike gives you the stable footing you need to help you peddle towards the next level of fitness.
- Padded seats and backrest: Comfortable padded seats and backrest provide lumbar support which helps you stay on the bike longer. Good for your health!
The Not-So-Great:
- Dim LCD Window: The LCD window—though large—doesn’t light up, so a well-lit room may be required to track your progress during workout.
- Lack of programs/apps: There aren’t any programs that come with the bike, however, the desk attachment allows for the close placement of a device that helps you access programs across the web or via apps.
- Not for the short: Once assembled the bike is on the high/tall side and might be a little challenging to get on and off for someone 5’3″ or under.
- Light Resistance Levels: There are enough levels of resistance for a lighter workout or a novice rider. A more serious rider would want a more advanced machine to get a strenuous workout.
- Short Warranty: 90 days for parts and labor and 1 year for the frame.
WHO SHOULD RIDE THE PROFORM DESK BIKE
The Proform Desk Bike is ideal for light-to-moderate workouts. By virtue of it being a desk bike, it is not made for a super rigorous workout. It is, however, a good start for a novice rider, rehab training, someone older or someone who just wants a light workout to get their heart rate up and circulation flowing.
It is a tall bike. Those who are shorter than 5’3 may not find it easy to hop on and off.
For those concerned about back support, it has good lumbar support with the padded backrest.
It’s a good work/workout solution for those who may have limited space and it is light enough to fold up and move out of the way for easy storage.
The Bottom Line
The Proform Desk Bike is a good option for beginners. As one can expect from a desk bike, it is made for a lighter routine, not a rigorous workout. It offers a range of eight levels of resistance that will improve endurance and tone.
It offers the basics—no fancy apps or gadgets. With the large LCD screen you can view your heart rate, speed, distance, resistance, time and calories burned—the necessities. It is comfortable, with padded seats and a backrest that offers lumbar support. Pedals, toe cages and straps help with stability and a water bottle-holder is situated behind the seat for easy access. The fact that you can fold the bike up easily when you’re done and move it out of the way makes it especially appealing for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of space to work with.
If you’re looking for a strike against this bike, we’d say the short warranty isn’t ideal.
Overall it is a good bike for its price point and although it doesn’t offer any fancy extras, it does exactly what it is supposed to do – improve your fitness level while you get some work (or play) done.