looks like someone just got the april issue of popsci....

Didn't I see this at Disney World, fifteen years a go?

We have these at my athletic club, but the company is called Epresso. The bikes are basically the same but the UI is different. They are really fun to ride. You can race the person next to you, have ghost riders like in Mario Kart, and have a pace rider. Even the most awkward of non-athletes can feel cool on one. The Espresso bikes set you back around $4000.

Ridden the espresso, worked on it....it's a piece of shit. Proprietary parts abound, no way to get the company to send them, even at a charge. Fun stuff.

Stick to Spin bikes.

That's stupid. Sure, it might simulate the feeling in the dirt in the equipment or whatever, but from what I can see, it's just a stationary bike with a TV on the front.

Seriously. Stupid.

Stationary bikes are the absolutely the most boring thing ever invented, so adding anything is going to be an improvement. I can do treadmills and rowing machines for 30 minutes easy, but after 5 minutes on a stationary bike I want to shoot myself.

Also they should make the screen bigger.

I would rather just ride my bike. A really nice Trek partial carbon road bike.
And the weather is just starting to break here in Iowa. So I may be able to get out for the first time in months this weekend. :)

@CaptCaveman: Comment on Xdream Fitness Bike: Ride Outdoors Without All of That Pesky Fresh Air dude, not to burst your bubble, but we have 70+ F here last several weeks and we have been doing some nice century rides along the PCH. god bless san diego and southern CA

Actually as far as stationary bikes go, their original standalone stationary bike was the best bike by far. No electronics. Nice and smooth, no maintenance. Of course, riding the real bike would be way better! But I bet that these guys build a quality solution .

This is sad, it's not like all stationary bikes are bad but man can we promote the actual bike ridding. Well as far tech value it is much better than any that I have seen, by adding the moving head it gives you a bit more of a real deal feel.

Who exactly do you market this 2? Where can't u ride a bike? On the (N/S)Pole or something?

I think I'll stick to my Segway...

@xXCapto-ExsequorXx: Well, I live in MI, and haven't been able to ride a bike for quite a few months. This would be great in the off season to keep up training, etc.

@CaptCaveman:
I'm with you on this!
Get REAL people... real bikes going to real places / real interaction with real people / real sex with real partners... virtual reality is just unreal enertainment... as my dear ol' Grandma used to say... "use it or lose it!"

@duckandcover: I was going to say 20 years ago in Epcot Center.

I have ridden the version of this called Expresso (or something like that), and I personally find it horrible. Its not fun, its boring and slow. Honestly, it's not at all a 1 to 1 virtual representation of true biking. No matter how high the gear, no matter how fast you pedal, the virtual world goes by friggin' slow! Honestly, just go ride a bike, its more fun and better in general.

@duckandcover: I remember the bikes at disney to be really fun. The faster you pedal the faster the screen went. I think they had videos of a room and you were a mouse, and the Rose Bowl Parade. I think they were recumbent bikes too.

I think this is a good idea for days that the weather is attrocious. I would like one with a 25"+ screen though.

@spaceman37: snap, seen it at epcot.

My Dad has something like this by Rebok and it plugs into the ps2. Only you have to pedal damn fast to get 1st place.

innovative|immersive|interactive but first and for most BLOODY STUPID!!!!!

@Manve:*foremost

needs a bigger monitor. Honestly the whole exercise while you play a video game never seems to work. Personally I just watch TV while I work out.

For $4000 you could buy a damn good mountain or road bike and get more exercise riding around the neighborhood.

For $100, you can get a bike at Target. For $150 you can get a training stand for the back wheel. With whatever money you have left over, you can buy a HUGE-ASS TV and just watch movies while you pedal. Screw the interactivity of it all. I need to be entertained if I'm going to be sitting there pedaling in my living room.