The active-office lab
Independent research on walking pads, under-desk bikes, ellipticals and standing desks. We measure the things spec sheets leave out: noise at desk height, floor vibration, real belt speed, how a motor copes near its weight limit, and heat.
No product has been tested yet. Every result slot on this site says pending until real measurements exist.
Lab miles logged: 0.0. Testing starts [TO FILL].
Lab board
Protocols first, results later. Each slot below stays empty until we’ve bought the unit and run the test, and we publish how we test before the first number.
dB(A)
A-weighted sound level measured at seated/standing ear and desk height while walking at 2 mph, versus room background.
Spec sheets rarely publish noise. Your coworkers on the call will notice before you do.
Read the protocolm/s² RMS
Accelerometer on the floor 1 m away and on the desk top, on a wood-joist floor and on concrete.
Upstairs apartments and shared floors transmit footfall. This is the number neighbours care about.
Read the protocolmph
Optical tachometer on a belt marker at each displayed speed, loaded and unloaded.
Displayed speed and step counts are only as honest as the controller. We will check the gap.
Read the protocol% speed drop
Belt speed at rated load in 25 lb steps using calibrated weights plus a walker, up to the manufacturer rating.
A rating tells you the limit, not how the motor behaves near it.
Read the protocol°F rise
Thermocouple on the motor housing over a 60-minute walk at 2.5 mph, on hard floor and on a mat over carpet.
Heat is what wears motors and control boards, and carpet can choke airflow.
Read the protocolBrowse
Under-desk treadmills: weight limits, noise, speed and what fits your floor.
ExploreSeated pedal devices — knee clearance, resistance and whether they slide.
ExploreHeight range, stability and whether your desk goes high enough to walk at.
ExploreMats, carpet protection, lubricant and cable management.
ExploreBelt slipping, drifting, squeaking and error codes — manufacturer steps, cited.
ExploreWhat we will measure, how, and why. Protocols first, results when they exist.
ExploreFlagship tool
Walking on a 5-inch deck raises your elbows by 5 inches, and most people forget to check whether their standing desk goes that high. Enter your height, your desk range and your gear to get the answer, with a live side-view diagram.
Researched guides
Written from manufacturer manuals and published data, with every source listed.
Why walking pad belts slip or hesitate, and the steps manufacturers publish: unplug, check tension, adjust quarter turns, lubricate with silicone.
What walking pad makers say about carpet: which carpets work, why a dense mat matters, how to keep the motor vents clear and how to level the pad.
What a walking pad's max user weight actually covers, why walking loads the deck more than standing, and how to pick a rating with headroom.