Cubii Pro Review
When I first heard of the Cubii, I assumed it was Wall-E's (Pixar fame) cousin or a friend of a friend. Both are mechanical, have fantastic tech integration, and are cute. However, Cubii does work, when it comes to office exercise, Wall-E meh not so much.
Full disclosure I was sent the Cubii to try out. As always, I want my product reviews to be transparent and honest. I'm sent products almost monthly now, and some don't make it to the blog. If I believe the product has value to my readers, then I'll do a review.
With that being said, let's take this Cubii for a lil' spin.
What is it?
The Cubii touts itself as a mini elliptical that promotes movement regardless of the situation, and it does that...remarkably well. The machine design allows the user to work their lower extremity while at a desk, couch, etc. The low profile and compact design will enable it to fit almost anywhere.
For instance, my Cubii is behind my desk, where there is minimal space to do any physical activity. I'm personally not a fan of having it under my desk as it tends to limit the movement of my feet throughout the day. If you have adequate room to have in under desk, then do it; however, if you're like me with a cramped boxed in desk, I would set it adjacent to the desk.
The product has substantial weight to it and is well constructed. I was worried that with a more vigorous demand, the unit would wobble slightly. I have not found that to be the case at all, and I've tried to push it like I'm training for the Tour de France.
Cubii’s wide base
The base is broad and solid metal, which allows for the support needed for stable pedaling. The unit has substantial weight like this thing is a beast but in the right way. If you are smaller or prone to back injury, I will caution you when transporting it around the office or home.
The pedals boast a rubberized track insert for a substantial grip while pedaling. Some mini ellipticals on the market only have half of the surface rubberized, which can cause slippage. The surface of the pedals is ample to support even the biggest clown feet like mine.
On the front of the unit is a resistance dial, which numbers 1-8. To be honest, I didn't feel much of a difference between 1-6. I started on the six setting, but I typically run with the last setting of 8. That's not to say I'm some amazing athlete (ponders), but instead that I feel that's the most bang for my buck.
The Cubii App
The thing that elevates the Cubii over most of the competition is the app integration. The walkthrough of the app was clean and ridiculously easy to follow. From there, I connected my HealthKit and then Apple Health with my watch. Then we watched the rings close as we pedal away! I monitor my Health app daily, so this feature was a big winner for me.
The overall layout of the app has an animated feel that I love. It still has a clean look, but the aesthetics make it more inviting than some apps that push the modern tech look into your face.
The Bluetooth tech in the Cubii Pro auto connects to your phone once you begin pedaling, which is a great feature. All I have to do is start pedaling, and the little cyclist starts rollin' across the screen. It is oddly satisfying watching the cyclist, and the gamification is a turn on to continue to work out more. I also feel better about myself knowing I'm a cyclist now, yet I'm not holding up traffic three blocks behind me.
The competition component comes into play with different groups, accessible through the app. You can search for different public groups, cities, states, or if you want to make your own private group. For smaller companies, I think this would be an excellent incentive for employees to become healthier while lighting up some friendly competition. I could also see this as an area to decrease health premiums throughout the year.
How I use it?
The way I use my Cubii and the way you will use yours will be different. Everyone has a different office situation or fitness goal. Some will use it for rehab of the knee while on the couch, some of my gamers out there will use it between games, and my deskers will use it while on an annoying conference call that they've discussed the same topic three times this week already. Whatever the case may be for you, the important thing is that you're using it.
Cubii While Gaming
From a gaming standpoint, I've included a video that will demonstrate it far better than I am writing it out. The gist of the video is to use the Cubii between games to promote movement. There are many ways to encourage movement while gaming, as I've covered in the past, but I'm always looking for ways that work for everyone.
Streamers typically don't want to leave their desk as this is their time to get caught up on donations/subscribers or interact with chat. The Cubii provides an easy way for them to stay connected yet perform healthy habits to not only improve gameplay. I'm by no means advocating not getting up and moving. Instead, I want to promote the concept of always moving the body in some form or another.
For example, when I'm gaming, I find myself flipping around in my chair to pedal for a minute or two. Once again, it allows me to stay engaged with my party while getting some much-needed body movement.
In-Office Use
Patient notes consume a lot of my sitting time. As most medical providers will tell you, it's the most time consuming and least enjoyable part of the day. I've begun to use a standing desk located directly behind my sitting desk, which allows me to transition positions throughout the day.
I'm also seeing patients throughout the day, which allows for a ton of movement. The constant flow from treating patients is excellent, but sitting is still sitting. My task chair will enable me to perform active sitting movement and stretching throughout the day, but the lower extremity is often neglected. The Cubii solves this for me with a quick transition while on a phone call or taking a quick mental break.
Even while I'm on a call, I'll hop on "The Bike" to keep my mind occupied. If you're reading this and I've been on a call with you recently, I apologize, but we have to keep it real here on FTW.
The ninja-like noise levels are a bonus to the machine. Besides the occasional foot slap, the unit was near silent.
Chair Locks
The Cubii comes with two chair locks, which, as you might have guessed, lock the wheels of your chair in place to cease movement while pedaling. I didn't use these the first couple of times, and that was dumb on my part. The locks are relatively easy to install and take out while pedaling. In my case, I wasn't a fan of always having to bend down a put them in. As stated previously, I use mine differently than some who want it stationary, so this is purely based on preference.
One recommendation I would make is to unlock your chair back or use a chair that has a dynamic back. This allows you to find the "sweet spot" during pedaling and promotes the upper body movement of the back. Once again, it's all about movement promotion regardless of the part. Finally, make sure your chair is the proper height for an optimal hip angle.
Why I Use The Cubii
The answer should be obvious: if you are a frequent visitor to my site and content, movement is magic. When we keep the body in motion, regardless of the body part, we see benefits both physically and mentally. The Cubii is made for the desker or gamer; both occupations demand mental performance. I've linked my latest post on exercise and mental performance here. If you want to dive deeper into the why exercise WILL give you a mental edge in the office.
Once again, I advocate getting up out of your chair to walk around the office, take the stairs, fill up your water bottle, or see if Karen has any of that juicy gossip. The Cubii adds another tool to your health toolbox; it doesn't replace it.
"My Why"
Provides movement where it's typically absent
App interaction makes competition fun
App gamification and animations make the experience enjoyable
Provides a mental break from whatever I'm doing while enhancing mental performance through physical load
Provides a small way to be active throughout the day that can snowball into healthy behaviors throughout my life
The Verdict
Should you buy a Cubii? The big issue most people will have with the Cubii is the sticker price, which I get. It's going to be an investment at 350 for the Pro and 250 for the JR. The big difference between these two is the BlueTooth tech and app interaction. If you're big into fitness tracking or want to compete against others, I would go for the Pro. If you can stick to your fitness goals and are looking to incorporate more fitness into your day, go with the JR.
Products that promote movement in the office or while are always a plus for me. The construction is solid and stable, with a comfortable stride length for me even with longer legs. The mental and physical breaks it provides are so clutch during the day. It's one of those experiences that you won't want to go without it once you've had that uptick in productivity.
If you can swing the cash for the 250 or 350, then get the Cubii; if you can't right now, then get up, walk around more, and hold yourself accountable.
Thank you again to Cubii for sending me the Pro to try, and if you want to get yours click here!! or the JR