Platinum Fitness PFP2100 Fit Sit Deluxe Folding Pedal Exerciser Leg Machine with Electronic Display, Blue

I have had this pedal exerciser for just a little over one week and I have been very happy with it. I will give my initial impression and then after a few more weeks, I will follow up if I have any additional observations.I am a male approaching 60 years old and have had one knee replacement several years ago. My physical therapy after surgery at a rehab center included the use of a recumbent exercise cycle. I was impressed how much it seemed to help during that recovery. I have since lapsed into a sedentary lifestyle both at the office and at home. So in addition to dieting and increasing my regular walking, I was looking to purchase a recumbent cycle to use at home especially during the winter months. My wife suggested that I should start out with a portable pedal exerciser that was less expensive and took up much less room. It was good advice.After reading some reviews, I chose to skip past the lowest price models that had the weakest reviews and purchase the Platinum Fitness Fit Sit. 1) The item arrived in good condition and was packaged neatly in a sturdy box. I had specified the yellow accent color and that is what I received. The product came basically assembled. So I merely unfolded the legs (they lock in), attached the LCD display in the manner stated in the instructions and threaded the tension knob. The battery was already installed in the LCD display. To refold the legs, you have to push a button in on each leg to unlock them.2) My specific need was at home and primarily while watching TV and I am quite happy with how that has worked for me so far. I have not paid too much attention to the LCD readout yet as I just decide on how long I want to pedal ( I am starting out with just 10 minutes) and then keep an eye on a wall clock.3) I am using it on carpet and as long as I pedal correctly, it has not shown any tendency to be pushed away. I have not needed to use the tether that they provide.4) So far, I have only used it with the tension knob barely engaged.My observations so far:a) This is for folks with modest exercise needs and not for people that are looking for a strenuous workout.b) With the legs folded, it takes very little room and I can keep it stored near where I sit for TV so that it is readily available.c) It seems very quiet and has not hindered television viewing or conversation.d) The pedal straps are not adjustable. It is not a problem for me at home with my shoes off. But when I tried it with my normal work shoes on, it was a challenge to get just the toe portions of my shoes to fit in the straps. Then when I tried to pedal, my heels would catch on the legs. When I flipped the pedals over, it did allow me to position my shoe more evenly on the pedals, but then the straps hit the ground at each turn. For those that intend to use this under their desk at work, this might be a consideration as your work environment might not be okay with you kicking your shoes off. An improvement to the product in my opinion would be to provide adjustable pedal straps and maybe ones that you can remove entirely as well.In summary, it has suited my needs very well so far and I can recommend it to those with similar needs. It is low intensity and low impact and allows me to conveniently engage in at least some activity at home when I would normally be just sitting still.

I've been using this desk pedaler daily at work for about 2 months. I pedal for a total of maybe 5 hours a day, and a lot of my rest time I still just keep my feet in the pedals because it's a habit now and I like moving my legs. When I bought this cycle, I was debating between it and splurging on the $160 DeskCycle, which I knew would be better but I wasn't sure if I'd commit to using it so I bought the cheaper one. I'm glad I bought this one and saved the money, though there are some disadvantages.The resistance knob is my biggest complaint. It's friction resistance while the DeskCycle is magnetic, and you have to forcefully tighten the knob. I can't tighten it enough to get a satisfactory resistance for any kind of real workout. And being friction, the pedaling isn't as smooth as I imagine magnetic would be.The display is useless when using it under the desk. The cycle is strapped to my rolling chair with the provided strap, and it's a pain having to reposition it just right so my knees don't hit under the desk, so I try to just not move it if possible. Therefore, to look at the display I have to get on my hands and knees since it's dark under there, and I've just given up using it. The DeskCycle comes with an extension cord to a display which sits on your desk, which would be nice. It is light though, so if I have to move it I can pick it up with my strapped-in feet and get a little more ab exercise.The pedals are good, the straps fit almost just right, but it'd be nice to have more adjustment holes than 2 on each side. The straps are a flexible plastic and seem durable.It's a little squeaky sometimes, but soft and I don't think it bothers my neighbors.I've read other reviews mention the heat, and while the bars do get hot, I never need to touch them so I don't notice.As I said the resistance isn't really high enough to give a good workout so it doesn't make me sweat, but it's just enough to keep my legs active while sitting. It's a habit now so I imagine I'll use it for some time. Also, if I really need to concentrate on my work I can't pedal, but the pauses are welcome and I pick right back up after the moment.