I find it hard to make time to workout every day. This is especially true during the week when I’m at work all day and then come home and want to work on Gadgeteer stuff. I’ve often fantasized that I could plug into a machine that would work out my body for me while I do more enjoyable things like watch TV, surf the web or read a book. Unfortunately, there isn’t such a machine (yet), but the Cubii under-desk elliptical trainer looks like an interesting alternative. It’s a mini exercise device that interfaces with a mobile app to track your calorie burn and distance. It’s a quiet device that has been designed to be used at the office where you typically sit for hours without moving around. It’s obviously not going to give you a strenuous workout, but it claims to provide incidental exercise throughout the day that can improve energy and help burn extra calories. The Cubii was a successfully funded Kickstarter project that recently earned over $293,000. Now they are selling Cubiis through their website for $347. What do you think? Would you use one of these machines under your desk?
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I tried something similar a while ago – but due to the level of the keyboard tray on my stand/sit desk attachment my knees hit the tray. I see from this site that it doesn’t raise the knees as high while pedaling – but for me it’s a bit pricey to see if it works for my situation.
You’re right, it’s designed to be more ergonomic than similar products. I agree that it’s very pricey and from the looks of it, it’s made mostly of plastic.
I have a similar machine I got for my recovery after knee replacement surgery. It doesn’t connect with your smartphone, but you can using it standing up or sitting down. I only use it while sitting, and I can get it going fast enough to get a little winded after a while. It’s quiet, so you could still hear TV or use it at work without disturbing other people. And it only costs $81 instead of $350. It has some plastic shielding on the outside, but based on the weight of it, it seems to be mostly metal.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VICRO8/?tag=thegadg0e-20
Does it make your knee go up and down so much that you might hit them on the underside of a desk like Betty mentioned?
My knees don’t go up high enough to hit the underside of my desk, but I don’t have a keyboard tray, and I have really short legs…
@Janet I did have an elliptical trainer similar to yours that I made work under my desk – I propped it at an angle against a box so that I was pushing more at a 45 degree angle than straight up/down.
FYI I just got fed a Facebook ad for this with a 10% off code “SAVE10” if anyone is thinking to buy it soon.