Blue Lion Lifestyle Kenji desk bike and mini exercise bike

Ode to the Blue Lion Kenji desk bike

Watch me be productive while cycling from my chair

Are you looking for some healthy activity from the comfort of your armchair? Burning off those crisps while watching a film? Being at the office for 8 hours and still being able to say you've used the exercise bike? Sitting and still moving? That sounds relaxed, and it is, but fortunately, it's not *too* relaxed.

Why the Kenji mini exercise bike?

Sitting has become less bad

Thanks to the Blue Lion desk bike, you can still get a good amount of exercise while sitting. The Kenji looks like a bike, but its elliptical (forward) motion makes it more akin to a cross-trainer. It combines the movements you make when walking and cycling, thereby activating many muscles. It can be used on the sofa, in your armchair, at the office, and essentially wherever you want.

More movement, recovery, warming up, cooling down

There are numerous applications for the Kenji. Firstly, it helps you to get moving in places where you usually wouldn't find it so easy.

However, it can also be used by already very active users. For example, consider a recovery activity the day after a strenuous workout. But even before that strenuous workout, you can use the Kenji to ideally warm up and prepare yourself for the real work.

Easy to use

The Kenji mini exercise bike is not only easy to assemble (more on that later) but also user-friendly. It features a large knob at the front to adjust the resistance to 8 different levels. At the back, a display faces you, showing various information:

• Time (TIME)
• Revolutions per minute (RPM)
• Distance (DIST)
• Calories (CAL)
• Total revolutions (T-CNT)

Suitable for the office

Given our background, we were naturally immediately curious if the Kenji is suitable for office use. Good news: it is! There's one caveat: you need a height-adjustable desk, and your office chair will also need to be able to go up by about 5-10 cm. The desk bike raises your sitting height, meaning you'll need to position both your chair and desk a bit higher. Your thighs need that space, and this maintains a good working posture.

Tip for users with an electrically adjustable desk: once you've found the ideal height, save it to your control unit's memory.

Heavier and lighter pedalling without adjusting resistance

The Kenji has 8 resistance levels, but it also pedals lighter or heavier depending on use. If you place your feet a bit further forward on the pedal, it will be easier. You will also experience less resistance if you place the Kenji closer to you. However, be aware that in this case, your knees will be higher, making this position inconvenient under a table or desk.

What makes a desk bike so good?

It's compact, does what you expect of it, and effectively gets your body moving. A desk bike isn't a drastic addition to your workspace, TV corner, waiting room, or lunch area. Yet, it has a lot to offer and can therefore be called incredibly effective.

Get the most out of your mini cross-trainer

Get your hamstrings working

Your 'hammies' can be wonderfully activated thanks to the elliptical motion of the pedals. You'll notice that simple pushing movements, as you're used to with cycling, won't suffice now.

Also usable while standing

We advise against using the Kenji while standing at a desk. You'll be moving too much to be able to use a mouse, type, and read your screen properly at a short distance. However, you can easily hold meetings or watch TV while standing on the mini exercise bike. It has a maximum load capacity of 100 kilograms.

Kinomap and Zwift - activity apps

The Bluetooth connection in the Kenji allows you to track your activity in various apps. It connects easily with Kinomap and Zwift. Scan the QR code in the manual or on the Kenji, and you'll immediately go to the Blue Lion webpage where it explains how to get started quickly.

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Usable up to size 50

The inner dimensions of the Kenji's pedals measure approximately 34 cm in length and 12 cm in width. This means you can use it barefoot up to size 50. If your feet are larger than size 46, measure your shoes to determine if they fit in the pedal.

Metal plate protects your floor

The pedals on the Kenji desk bike roll smoothly back and forth thanks to the wheels underneath. However, you don't have to worry about damaging your floor, as they roll over a metal plate that you attach to your Kenji.

"I can't get it to move!"

It's possible that the pedals are positioned in such a way that it's harder to get them moving. In that case, make sure to place your foot slightly over the front edge of the front pedal. This will make it much easier for it to 'release' from its position.

Easy to move

The bracket at the back of the Kenji features 2 wheels. When you grab the handle of the iron plate and tilt it about 30-40 degrees, it rolls smoothly behind or in front of you. You can also lift it using the sturdy handle on the top.

Pros and cons

•  Be active while sitting
•  Multifunctional
•  Suitable for the office
•  Can connect to activity apps
•  Relatively heavy at 12.8 kg

Brief specifications

How happy will my body be with this?

Product features

•  Elliptical (forward) pedalling
•  8 resistance levels
•  Display with activity information
•  Moving parts do not touch the floor
•  Black with blue accents
•  Kinomap and Zwift activity apps available
•  Features Bluetooth  
•  Load capacity up to 100 kilograms
•  Pedals suitable for bare feet up to size 50
•  Manual in Dutch, English, and French
•  Assembly materials included
•  Assembly time 30 minutes
•  Weighs 12.8 kilograms

What's in the box?

•  1 x Desk bike
•  1 x Assembly materials
•  1 x Manual
•  2 x AAA batteries for display

Frequently asked questions