$35 Kmart mini exercise bike

At the back end of the year, most people’s calendars start to seriously stack up. Christmas parties begin to roll in, client lunches are booked, and friends try to lock in much-needed catch-ups before they head on holidays. 

There’s a reason they say it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it also means it can be hard to fit in some much-needed ‘you’ time. 

Oftentimes, fitness and diet are the first things to be sacrificed – and for the most part, that’s fine. It’s a time of joy and celebration and you should be making the most of it, and eating all the roast chicken your heart desires. But for many people, their physical wellness is tied to their mental health, and feeling like you don’t have time to exercise can take a toll. 

But fear not, we’ve found the solution – and it’s actually perfect for all year round. 

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Kmart’s mini exercise bike is the ultimate fitness hack for those with a busy schedule – perfect for the office or the living room. 

Its unique shape means you can use it while sitting on your desk chair, on the edge of the sofa, or on the floor in front of the TV – which sounds like our idea kind of fitness, to be honest. 

No matter what arrangement you choose, the straps over the top of the pedals will keep your feet firmly in place if you work up some speed. They’re also large enough to fit most runners comfortably, so your feet won’t slide around. 

According to Kmart, you can also use the device for your hands. But whether that’s actually possible or at all enjoyable, we’ll let you be the judge of. 

Given its small size, you can passively pedal away while you’re working or turn it into a full-blown workout. There’s also a screen on the stand so you can check your time, calorie count and rate per minute, so you can really keep track if you so wish. 

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It’s not like this mini bike will let you slack off either. There’s a resistance knob in the centre so you can decide how hard you want to work that day, or easily go between intensity. Maybe we should all be doing HIIT workouts at our desks? 

The best part is that the bike is significantly more affordable than a proper spin bike or a gym membership – which is especially noteworthy given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. 

They’re also a solid option for those in small homes (i.e. every single person in Sydney), because they don’t take up too much space, wherever you choose to use yours, and they’re easy to store when you’re done. 

At $35 a pop, this is the perfect piece of equipment to keep you moving through the festive season – or a great stocking stuffer for someone you love too. 

Looking for an alternative? We love this one from Amazon with over 7,400 5-star reviews

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Holly is a Sydney-based writer and content producer with a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Sydney. She majored in English and Marketing and spent a semester abroad studying at the University of Copenhagen. She was awarded best multimedia undergraduate project in her penultimate year and also won a scholarship to visit media organisations around Korea. Holly has over five years experience working as a writer and producer: before making the jump to lifestyle earlier this year she worked across the food and travel portfolio at News, and has bylines across delicious., Escape, Taste.com.au, and GQ. Now, she is the social media and online producer at Body+Soul and Stellar, and is soaking up all things health, wellness, fashion and celebrity. Writing and video are her passions and she’s thoroughly enjoying writing the dating content across bodyandsoul.com.au, and creating reels for social. Holly loves dining out and travelling, and when she’s not investigating the newest bars and restaurants with a camera and margarita in hand), you’ll find her eyeing off her next pair of shoes, with a book by the water, or planning her next trip overseas.