Stamina InStride Folding Cycle Review

May 3, 2023

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Overview

Reviewed By

Office Fitness Ninjas

Review Summary

The most portable desk cycle we’ve reviewed so far, the Stamina InStride Folding Cycle probably belongs to a category of its own – in terms of weight, cost, and easy transport. It’s a folding cycle for quick use on the go. But its strengths don’t translate well to sustained use at a desk.

MSRP / List Price $89.99
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Shipping

Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

Warranty

90 days

Colors Available

Gray

Dimensions

18″ L x 15″ W x 12.5″ H

Connectivity Features

Electronic monitor

Product Weight

6.2 lbs

Where to buy Buy on Amazon

Rating

Stability
2.0
Safety
2.0
Reliability
2.0
Customer Experience
2.5
Quality and Aesthetics
2.0
Ergonomics
2.0
Innovation
2.0
Value
2.5
Positives Extremely inexpensive. Lightweight (6.2 lbs) and portable (folds up). Variable resistance settings. Comes with a timer.
Negatives Jerky motion due to lack of a flywheel. Squeaks with high tension. Friction based, so it generates a lot of heat. Cheap feel in general, especially the foot straps. No console for speed, distance, etc. Unit may slip away, especially at higher tension, requiring something to stabilize it.

Bottom Line

2.0
Here you have it—the bottom of the line budget cycle desk. Cheap as it gets price wise, cheap as it gets in all ways, really. The Stamina InStride Folding Cycle does come with a 90-day warranty and the convenience of folding up. But, predictably, it has quality concern issues. You’ll likely be folding this one up for good after a little use.

Review

A Foray into Folding Cycles

A folding cycle may come in handy for travel.
The folding option makes for easy transport to and from your desk.

In every product category, it seems there’s a product that comes in as an ultra-budget option, beating the competition in terms of price and, well, not much else. That’s what we have here with the Stamina InStride Folding Cycle. But before we levy our judgment, it’s only fair to note that this is a folding cycle and may be competing in a bit of different domain; it’s ultra-portable and pitched as a traveling companion as well as a desk partner. We’re reviewing desk cycles in terms of their applicability to office fitness, so we’re looking specifically at how these units operate under your desk while you work.

Cycle vs. Elliptical

This folding cycle's pedal motion raises the knees up higher than an elliptical motion will.
The circular bike pedal motion raises the knees higher than an elliptical motion, increasing chances your knees hit the bottom of your desk.

The InStride cycle suffers from several drawbacks, including the fact that it is a cycling and not an elliptical unit. Elliptical units are safer for the knees in two ways. First, they are easier on the knees from a pressure standpoint; there’s less chance of aggravating old knee injuries, for instance. And second, they’re easier on the knees because you stand a better chance of not banging them against the bottom of your desk while you pedal; the elliptical motion doesn’t raise the knees as high as the normal cycle motion. So, right off the bat, the InStride Folding Cycle is knocked down a few points from the perspective of office fitness, because it offers a circular cycle motion.

Predictably Poor Quality

The Stamina InStride Folding Cycle is built for portability, not durability.
One common complaint is about the flimsy quality of the pedal straps.

The main qualms we have with this folding cycle are unsurprising given its price. The quality necessary for sustained use simply isn’t there. There are complaints on Amazon about the short stride length; larger users, especially, find the motion uncomfortable. Criticism abounds about the unit being jerky due to the lack of a flywheel. And the scuttlebutt is that the product squeaks at higher tension levels. There’s no console to measure your speed or distance, and sometimes the unit will slip away if you’re pedaling at higher tensions. But the most alarming complaint is that the unit heats up due to friction from pedaling.

The Takeaway

With an overall 3.5 stars on Amazon, this is the lowest rating by half a star we’ve seen for any of these desk cycle products. Reviewers point to an overall “cheap feel” of the unit and target the foot straps particularly as objects of their indignation. Readers should note that star ratings on Amazon can be misleading, and that 3.5 stars from verified customers translates to a D rating in our book.

If you’re in the market for a desk cycle unit, check out our Desk Cycle Comparison Review to get a feel for the other products out there; there may be one that better suits your needs. Whichever unit you decide to buy, be sure to check out our primer on How to Set Up an Ergonomically Proper Desk Cycle before you make a final purchase decision. But let’s end this review on a positive note. The Stamina InStride Folding Cycle is remarkably inexpensive and portable. It has variable resistance and comes with a timer, as well as a 90-day warranty.

Epilogue

the ultimate office fitness workstationFor kicks, our review staff created what we imagine is the world’s first sit-stand-walk-pedal workstation. Check out the blog article on our Quad-Modal Office Fitness DreamStation. We integrated a Cubii with an iMovR Everest Dual-Tray desk, an iMovR ThermoTread GT office treadmill, a Tempo TreadTop Office Chair, and an EcoLast TreadTop Anti-Fatigue Mat to optimize movement during the workday.

Features

Stamina InStride Folding Cycle Features

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See our comprehensive Comparison Review of Desk Cycles and Bike Desks.

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2 Comments

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  • M September 4, 2023

    The left pedal came off!

  • H. Reid June 3, 2020

    This purchase was not worth my money! I have a desk job and cannot use this from my desk chair comfortably! The tension screw does not tighten and as I have read since, it’s low weight let’s it move around on the floor!. This deserves much less than the rating it has!

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