FlexiSpot’s Sit2Go F1 is an interesting under desk exercise bike because unlike most, it actually comes with a desk style work chair.
With a large backrest and adjustable height seat, the Sit2Go certainly looks more like a traditional office chair, but of course it also functions as an exercise bike, allowing you to keep those legs moving throughout the day.
The F1 comes with 8 resistance levels and a small LCD console that displays basic workout stats, like time, distance, speed, etc.
This is all pretty good stuff, but with a max weight limit of only 220 lb, this fitness chair is only suited for the smaller workers out there.
That said, if you’re looking for a solid under desk bike, the Sit2Go could be a pretty good option, but before you decide, you need to know what you’re in for.
And that’s where I can help.
In this review, I’ll go over all the stuff you should know before making a decision on this bike, including the performance specs and features as well as how it compares to other comps in the market.
After reading, you’ll know whether or not the Sit2Go F1 is a smart buy.
Let’s begin.
The FlexiSpot Sit2Go F1 2-in-1 Fitness Chair
Office fitness equipment has been around for some time, but this stuff certainly took off over the last few years, what with the pandemic and all.
More people ended up creating home offices and working from home, so I guess it makes sense that more people would be looking for ways to get some exercise while sitting at their desks.
And as a physical therapist, I’m a fan of anything that gets people moving and exercising more.
And if you can pedal a bike at your desk while still being productive, it’s win-win as far as I’m concerned.
Even if you’re not getting super strenuous workouts in, the gentle motion of the cycle can still help keep your blood pumping, get your heart rate elevated, and probably keep you more focused and alert at the same time.
Which brings me to FlexiSpot.
FlexiSpot specializes in office/home office equipment, including adjustable desks, ergonomic office chairs, and all the accessories you’d need to use any of that stuff.
The Sit2Go F1 we’re here to talk about now (great name by the way) is one of 2 desk bikes currently in their lineup, with the other being the Deskcise Pro V9.
The Pro V9 comes with its own desk surface, while the F1 does not – meaning you have to provide your own desk with the F1.
Pros
- 8 levels of resistance
- Able to provide decent challenge
- Quiet, smooth pedaling
- Large backrest
- Adjustable height seat
- Caster wheels
- Reasonable price
Cons
- 220 lb weight limit
- Requires standing desk to fit comfortably
- Short warranty
Resistance
I realize the F1 is an under desk bike, but I’m still inclined to review like I would any other traditional exercise bike – and that means starting with the performance specs.
And with traditional exercise bikes, that means starting with the resistance system and the flywheel.
As standard exercise bikes go, having heavier flywheels and magnetic resistance levels is all good stuff because they make for smoother operation and more substantial workouts.
That said, under desk bikes are usually designed for more gentle workouts, so I’m not sure we should expect the same kind of performance from these guys.
Anyway, in terms of flywheels, FlexiSpot doesn’t disclose any flywheel weights or anything like and I wouldn’t expect them to.
Instead, we know that this under desk bike comes with 8 resistance levels that are adjusted by turning a dial in the middle of the frame.
Most users agree that the first few levels are quite easy and that the last few levels are fairly challenging, with most opting to keep the resistance somewhere in the middle for casual cycling while at a desk.
More specifically, according to FlexiSpot, the resistance output ranges from 20 – 145 watts (at 60 rpm cadence), give or take a few watts here or there.
A max output of 145 watts is definitely substantial enough to give most of us a challenge, especially if we tried to maintain that while actually getting work done.
Most users also agree that the Sit2Go provides a smooth, quiet pedaling motion, which is important when trying to get work done – especially when working around co-workers or being on the phone/Zoom.
Overall, I’d say the Sit2Go scores pretty highly when it comes to its resistance system – with quiet operation and a max output of 145 watts, it’s got a lot to offer for a desk bike.
Frame
The design of the F1 is that of an office chair with an extended base to fit the bike components.
At nearly 34″ long at the base, it’s quite a bit longer than most office chairs and having the seat set back so far from the front of the base could make it difficult to get this bike comfortably positioned under traditional desks.
That, and the fact that you’ll be sitting up higher on the F1 than you would on a traditional office chair too.
For these reasons, FlexiSpot recommends using adjustable or standing desks with this exercise bike and most users agree it’s hard to fit this bike with regular desks.
So, definitely something to keep in mind.
In terms of heavy-dutiness, the F1 comes with an assembled weight of around 50 lb, which is pretty substantial for an under desk bike.
For the sake of comparison, LifeSpan’s Solo Under Desk Bike weighs around 43 lb.
This much weight gives the F1 a stable feel during use and most would agree this bike feels sturdy and well-built.
That said, it only has a weight capacity of 220 lb, which is really low for any exercise bike.
The same Solo Desk Bike I just mentioned has a weight limit of 400 lb, so there’s that.
With such a low weight limit, FlexiSpot is telling us that this bike is designed with smaller riders in mind, meaning larger folks will have to look elsewhere.
Overall, if you have a standing desk, you shouldn’t have any problems getting the F1 into a comfortable work position and I like how heavy this chair is, but the low weight limit is a bummer.
Warranty
FlexiSpot backs their Sit2Go F1 Fitness Chair with the following home warranty:
- 1 year all inclusive
So, FlexiSpot will cover the F1 for a year, so if anything goes wrong in that time, you’re good and they will cover the cost of fixing or replacing your bike.
They also offer a 30 day risk-free policy, so even if everything’s working fine and you change your mind, you can send it back within that first 30 days for a refund.
As warranties go, 1 year isn’t that long, but it’s the norm for fitness equipment in this price range.
After all, affordable equipment is affordable for legit reasons.
There aren’t a lot of comps for this type of desk bike, but LifeSpan’s Solo does come with a much better warranty (10 year frame, 2 year parts, 1 year labor).
Overall, I think FlexiSpot’s warranty is pretty average here.
Features
The FlexiSpot Sit2Go F1 Fitness Chair comes with the following included features:
LCD console- it might be a stretch calling this display a “console”, but hey, I’m feeling generous. In reality, it’s just a small digital screen that shows your basic workout stats (time, distance, speed, etc.). You can push a button to switch from one metric to the next or put it on scan mode so it’ll scan through ’em automatically. There aren’t any built-in workouts or bluetooth features or anything fancy like that here.
Adjustable seat- the F1 comes with a large cushioned seat and a mesh backrest. The seat is easily height adjustable (22.4″ – 31.5″) and you can technically adjust the horizontal position of the seat as well, although you have to unfasten it and change its position manually (so it’s not really convenient to do on the reg). In terms of comfort, most users seem to think the seat is ok, although some have complained that it’s not that comfortable when sitting for hours at a time.
Caster wheels- there are built-in caster wheels that let you roll the chair around as needed. These casters are designed to lock when you’re sitting in them, to help keep you from rolling around when biking. This is nice in terms of stability, but it will make it harder to move the chair around when sitting in it.
Price
Alrighty, as I’m writing this, FlexiSpot has their Sit2Go chair listed for $469.
It looks like Amazon carries it too, but their price is pretty identical (at the time of writing this anyway, things can change).
At just under $500, the Sit2Go is one of the more expensive under desk bikes out there, especially compared to the smaller under desk cycles that don’t come with a seat.
The DeskCycle and the Cubi Jr are two of the better examples of these and they both go for around $200, give or take.
But again, they don’t come with their own seats – instead, you simply place them in front of whatever chair you’re sitting in, so if you need a desk chair anyway, this could be a disadvantage.
LifeSpan’s Solo Under Desk Bike is similar to the Sit2Go in that it comes with its own seat, but it’s seat only comes with a really small backrest, so it doesn’t mimic the feel of a real office chair like this one does.
The Solo is priced around $500, comes with a much better warranty, and a much higher weight limit (400 lb), but its magnetic resistance isn’t adjustable… which could certainly be annoying.
Final Thoughts
Ok, I’m running out of steam here so I should probably start wrapping stuff up here.
When it comes to the Sit2Go, I think it’s an interesting take on the under desk bike.
I like that it comes with a full seat/backrest and is designed to mimic the feel of a real office desk and I also like that the resistance is quiet and able to offer a real challenge for those who are looking for it.
The biggest downsides I see is that you need to have a standing desk to comfortably use it and that it can only handle folks up to 220 lb.
It also feels a little expensive to me, but there aren’t that many comps to compare it to and the ones that are out there are similarly priced… so who knows.
If you already have a standing desk (or are planning on getting one) and you need a desk chair anyway, I could see the Sit2Go making a lot of sense.
But if you don’t want to invest in a standing desk, it probably makes more sense to go with a smaller, more affordable under desk bike.
Either way, I still think the Sit2Go is one of the best under desk bikes of the year.
