# Perfecting the stationary bicycle **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253 "2015-07-26T19:45:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/1 "2015-07-26T19:45:26Z")
If someone set out to try and replicate the feel of riding a bicycle using a stationay model what challenges would they face? Lets say cost is no issue and allow for a reasonably larger unit if needed. My first thought is that a heavy flywheel could be used on computerized treadmill to replicate momentum, and I guess a variable speed fan could be hooked up to replicate wind speed. Grades would be simulated by adding or reducing power to the heavy flywheel. I haven’t given this too much thought though so that might be a looser. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/2 "2015-07-26T19:52:30Z")
I don’t have one, but I’ve seen models that can download a route using Google maps and vary resistance depending on grade. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/3 "2015-07-27T02:01:21Z")
There has been some promising work on a stationery bike: > **[A $9 Dollar Bike Made of Cardboard | ](https://thecityfix.com/blog/a-9-dollar-bike-made-of-cardboard/)** > > A version of this post was originally published in Portuguese by Maria Fernanda Cavalcanti on TheCityFix Brasil. Urban cycling has become ever more popular and has even entered recent Armani advertising campaigns as a symbol of... ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/4 "2015-07-28T12:25:11Z")
The ProForm Tour de France bike is about the best in the business right now. > **[Best Home Exercise Bikes | Recumbent, Stationary, & More | ProForm](https://www.proform.com/exercise-bikes)** > > Find top-rated exercise bikes, including recumbent bikes, stationary bikes, and a hybrid trainer, when you visit this page. Learn more now. I’ve spent a large number of hours on stationary bikes over the years and none of them will ever replace riding an actual bike outside. Aside from the 360° scenery, smells, and noises there are other things they just can’t replicate. 1. Coasting. Most stationary bikes won’t let you coast and you have to keep pedaling. On a real bike you often coast. 2. Shifting gears. 3. Cornering. 4. Riding in a group and/or drafting. 5. Other bike handling skills such as bunny-hoping a pothole. 6. The feel of the road beneath you whether it’s rough or smooth. 7. The sun beating down your back (bring out the sunlamps I guess). 8. Cars and trucks passing you at 65 mph and only 3 feet (or less) away. 9. Headwinds, crosswinds, and the blessed tailwind. 10. The adrenalin rush of the occasional squirrel, rabbit, dog, or even deer jumping out in the road in front of you. 11. And much more stuff. A stationary bike is like a treadmill or some video games. It simulates similar processes and can keep you in shape, but it’s never going to be the real thing until Star Trek holographic chambers actually happen. I struggle to ride an hour on a stationary bike; however, I can ride many hours on a real bike. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/5 "2015-07-28T16:34:37Z")
Could the weight of the drive wheel be calibrated to simulate momentum? Possibly install centrificaly operated padles or fan blades that would correspond with speed to simulate wind resistance. The heavy drivewheel would simulate coasting I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfecting-the-stationary-bicycle/726253/6 "2015-07-28T17:53:59Z")
[Computrainer](http://www.racermateinc.com/computrainer/). Ride _your_ bike on a trainer. Follow a course on a computer, including real race courses, harder/easier to pedal based upon terrain. Can link together to ‘race’ your training partner(s).