Finally, a Stationary Bike that Goes Somewhere

I’ll be the first to admit it, grinding away on some piece of exercise equipment can get a little stale. When that happens it’s hard to fully engage in your workouts, and guess what? Your results suffer.

If only you had something to focus on. How about a virtual course complete with competition to pit yourself against?

The Expresso Bike blends the fitness essentials of spinning with an interactive training environment. Over 30 courses, ranging in difficulty from the California Coast to the Peruvian Mountains, provide plenty of scenery. Riders can also simulate the experience of biking outdoors by shifting gears and moving the handlebars to steer. Pedal resistance also adjusts automatically with terrain changes. On top of that you can compete against a pacer, a ghost rider (your previous time) or the guy sitting on the bike next to you. And since it’s all online, race results are uploaded to a central leader board so you can compare your times with the rest of the country.

I’m not a big fan of spinning or stationary cycles; however, I was 45 minutes into my ride before I even realized it. Even more important: I had fun doing it. Remember when getting exercise was fun (playing ball or swimming in the lake)? Expresso Fitness does. If your gym doesn’t have some of these bad boys, get some of your fellow gym members to request them. I used the ones at Crunch on West 83rd St. here in Manhattan (thanks guys). Otherwise take matters into your own hands and set one up at home. I realize it’s a sizeable investment, but that’s a small price to pay for equipment you’ll actually enjoy using.

Cost: $5,145 @ Expresso Fitness