Nintendo Wii has upset the couch-potato cart.We have been starved for indoor exercise. Before Wii, we had Twister and Jane Fonda workouts. Most middle aged-men who participated in the lounge aerobics where mainly watching Hanoi Jane’s bouncing assets. Now we are calling out for Wii Cycling – the answer to busy roads and life schedules.
The hard truth is that Nintendo Wii and cycling are never likely to merge into a product. Some alternatives are suggested at the end of the article.
The hard truth is that Nintendo Wii and cycling are never likely to merge into a product. Some alternatives are suggested at the end of the article.
Nintendo's pitfalls are:
1. You need a bicycle – Nintendo don’t make white plastic moulds of bikes
2. You need to measure power from the back wheel – this is a specialty area that involves large investment from Nintendo
3. You need resistance – air guitar works; no-chain cycling doesn’t
There is also CompuTrainer: http://www.racermateinc.com/computrainer.asp
Let me know if you find any others.
2. You need to measure power from the back wheel – this is a specialty area that involves large investment from Nintendo
3. You need resistance – air guitar works; no-chain cycling doesn’t
4. Virtual reality software – riding along and seeing cartoon caricatures and Little Red Riding Hood is not what cyclist would like to see when they are training. The more real the better.
Never mind, there are alternatives already in existence. I happily use the Tacx trainer to web-race in virtual reality or for Real Life Video where I ride along the island of Majorca or some other pre-filmed route.
Check them out at: http://www.tacxvr.com/enThere is also CompuTrainer: http://www.racermateinc.com/computrainer.asp
Let me know if you find any others.
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Check out the patent filed by Nintendo in the bottom link. Perhaps instead of requiring a bike, there may be a way to attach the remote under the pedal of one's existing bike? Similar to what this guy did...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/sirexkat/2514280859/
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/06/nintendo-files-wii-accessory-patent-for-everything-includes-the/
I wouldn't rule it out completely so quickly...
This is the correct link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/06/nintendo-files-wii-accessory-patent-for-everything-includes-the/
I like The Idea of a remote under the peddle idea. and wii dosent have to spend money on rollers or what not. just partner with a company that already makes it and sell them as a package that would work.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just use sensors like a wireless bicycle computer has, one on the spoke, one on the chain stay? I will provide my own bike and bike trainer, I spent enough for it. You can get cadence from a sensor pair on the seat tube and crank. Why over complicate things by reinventing the wheel? If you want to measure power, Nintendo can produce a resistance unit to attach to a standard bike trainer. Really, I'm not the smartest man in the world here! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, it’s so obvious!
ReplyDeleteHi Guys: check out this website. Nintendo did launch a cycling game with cycle (home trainer).
ReplyDeleteSeems like a pretty neat product!
forgot the site: cyberbike dot com
ReplyDeletewww.cyberbikecyclingsports.com
ReplyDelete