Stuart Heritage 

Is it worth it? Expresso Bike

‘This was by far the best, and most fun, workout I’ve had on an exercise bike in my whole life’
  
  

Is it worth it column 27/6/15 illo
Illustration: Son of Alan for the Guardian Illustration: Son of Alan for the Guardian

What is it? An exercise bike – with moving handlebars, gears and a 23-inch HD screen – that’s connected to the internet.

How much does it cost? For home use? More than £7,000. But there’s a good chance that they’ll start appearing in Virgin Active gyms before very long.

What does it promise? More than 40 trails of varying lengths and difficulty. You can steer the bike, and what you see on the screen is what you feel in the pedals. Plus, it’s connected to the internet.

What’s it actually like? When you start using an Expresso Bike, you’re given an account. Sign in when you get on one and you can access all your past workouts, wherever you are. Not only does this give you the chance to take part in monthly challenges, like travelling a set distance or burning a set amount of calories, but you also get to race against “ghosts” of either your personal best or the PBs of anyone else with an Expresso Bike account. This is a particularly nice touch, and similar to the function that kept me addicted to Mario Kart for several months a few years ago. This is just as addictive, but far less likely to turn me into a cholesterol-soaked blob.

Best and worst bit This was by far the best, and most fun, workout I’ve had on an exercise bike in my whole life. But the bikes are still fairly hard to come by.

Is it worth it? If you have an obscene amount of disposable income, yes. Incidentally, if you do, please invite me over. I really want another go on this.

 

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