Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike • Hacker News Board

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#31

Post by RankingMember » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

Grustaf wrote: post #13

> "my desk is actually the perfect height for peddling" Why is it so hard even for native speakers to spell the verb "pedal"? I mean it's spelled exactly like the noun, which most people seem to be able to spell properly. It's a genuine question, I see this all the time, maybe most of the time actually. It's strange because typically people tend to over-generalise, not the other way around.

Probably the same part of the brain fouling up that causes the loose/lose screwup we've all probably made.

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#32

Post by karmakaze » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:43 PM UTC

snarfy wrote: post #16

I have one. I don't like to use it. When I exercise my brain is way off in alpha wave territory. I found it harmful to actually getting work done. I go jogging or ride a bike instead.

I came to say something similar, but without the reasoning. I found that when I used a standing desk over a treadmill, the mechanics were alright as I type code (rather than mouse designs). The problem was in the thinking. The level of exercise increased bloodflow but didn't sync with the careful deep thought needed for working through complex/detailled situations.

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#33

Post by chaibiker » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:45 PM UTC

Regular movement is key, and even switching between sit and stand every 30m is not enough. We are working on something along these lines by supporting more frequent useful movement, every 1-2m, without impacting typing with a smart robotic chair. Looking for early beta users in Silicon Valley and Boston for May- https://movably.typeform.com/to/y5NPOA2U

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#34

Post by lfowles » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:47 PM UTC

Great writeup! I did something similar for the (much dumber) DeskCycle which has a simple odometer. Conveniently I was just able to plug it into Aux In and track pulses.

https://github.com/lfowles/deskcycle

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#35

Post by gumby » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:48 PM UTC

smithza wrote: post #12

josefresco wrote: post #9

Is it practical to do fine mouse work while pedaling? Or is pedaling more something you do while checking email etc.? I know if someone so much as jiggles my desk I immediately notice.

Throw the mouse out and just use emacs!

As a bonus you get more fine hand exercise -- on both hands!

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#36

Post by fiftyacorn » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:49 PM UTC

If your doing this sort of project your can get a head start integrating into golden cheetahs dashboard. I done it years ago with a Google map/turbo trainer as a project

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#37

Post by impendia » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:51 PM UTC

yabudemada wrote: post #30

impendia wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought an under-desk bike near the beginning of lockdown and have run the odometer into the four figures. I highly recommend it to anyone. I definitely agree with you that it is no replacement for walking, yoga, or other active forms of exercise. But I have found it a great substitute for just sitting while using a computer.

What about men's testicular/prostate health though? Bike seats are specially designed for cycling ergonomics; desk chairs are design for sitting upright in an ergonomic _stationary_ position. I say this because I had some prostate bruising (I recovered from that quickly doing yoga), but I attribute it to sitting too long; I don't even want to think what a pedaling motion in my chair would do down there! Granted, I ha…

I haven't experienced, nor done anything to avoid, any sort of pain or injury like this. Maybe I'm just lucky?

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#38

Post by gumby » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:54 PM UTC

Grustaf wrote: post #13

> "my desk is actually the perfect height for peddling" Why is it so hard even for native speakers to spell the verb "pedal"? I mean it's spelled exactly like the noun, which most people seem to be able to spell properly. It's a genuine question, I see this all the time, maybe most of the time actually. It's strange because typically people tend to over-generalise, not the other way around.

"Peddle" is a legitimate homophone for "pedal". Some people hear the words while they read/write so make this class of mistake. Such errors always confuse me momentarily as I don't hear the words, but it doesn't make me think there's something wrong with the author.

They can also come from autocorrect guessing, though probably not this case.

(FWIW Reading poetry doesn't work for me and I have long assumed it is only a pleasure for people who hear the sound while reading).

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#39

Post by throwkeep » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:58 PM UTC

smithza wrote: post #12

josefresco wrote: post #9

Is it practical to do fine mouse work while pedaling? Or is pedaling more something you do while checking email etc.? I know if someone so much as jiggles my desk I immediately notice.

Throw the mouse out and just use emacs!

Tempting. For those who have never used emacs or vim, how long would it take to get up to speed?

Re: Hacking a $200 Under Desk Exercise Bike

#40

Post by slantyyz » Fri, Apr 09, 2021, 5:59 PM UTC

lfowles wrote: post #34

Great writeup! I did something similar for the (much dumber) DeskCycle which has a simple odometer. Conveniently I was just able to plug it into Aux In and track pulses. https://github.com/lfowles/deskcycle

Nice Work!

I have a MagneTrainer, which is made by the same manufacturer as the DeskCycle, and uses the same "trip computer" as the DeskCycle.

When I bought the Magnetrainer years ago, they had some Windows games they could link to using the Aux connection, but the connection kit was overpriced, and the games that were available looked "meh".