Play and display

It used to be so simple. Either you were a games geek or a sports jock. You picked your corner and stayed in it. But the Reebok Cyber Rider is set to change all that - and the result could be geeks with obliques.

Virtual cycles aren't new. Upmarket gyms generally boast one - an LCD trying to entice you into flat, pixelated country while tinny sound effects compete with the MTV banks. But Reebok's new baby is next generation.

A games-compatible, affordable-ish, homeversion that plugs into your PC, it combines the virtuous fitness of the gym with the virtual reality of your home console.

It's simple to use. A cable connects the cycle - with racing seat and pedals - to your PC or PlayStation and, hey presto, you're a human console. While you control left and right with your thumb pads, handles stay irritatingly static but the stunt button's a finger-flick away and your legs act as your X button - propelling your car/bike/biplane through sheer pedal power. Ever tried Grand Theft Auto doing 30mph? Believe us, it's no fun and, once that alpha-male instinct kicks in and the adrenalin gets flowing, your limbs will be pumping like Catherine wheels.

Effects are exactly as if you were at your PlayStation - you can alter perspective, and your hand movements are replicated on screen but, unlike your console, you can increase loads by upping the electromagnetic resistance for a tougher ride. Handling was definitely trickier; controls were far more receptive and we found ourselves regularly lurching from one side of the road to the other but, once you get the hang of it, 20 minutes feel like five.

The most compatible games are the least obvious ones. A circuit of No Fear Downhill Mountain biking proved fiddly and fussy but the wide-open, triple carriageway of Burn Out felt like second nature - particularly when the volume is cranked up and you lose yourself in the sound of traffic.

As a fitness aid, it's inspired. It's a great stress buster and you can compete against someone on a console or another bike, giving it a brilliant competitive edge. It's also fantastic exercise - pushing both your aerobic rate and adrenalin sky high. On the down side, the stopstart nature of learning means it is more like interval training and we weren't sure how the control pad would fare when small beads of sweat were streaming on to them, but Reebok assures us it's a hardy little model - and if we keep at it, so could we be. Sure, the saddle's not as comfy as the couch, but no one ever got a good physique out of reaching for the remote.

Reebok Cyber Rider CRX, £299, John Lewis nationwide from next month. Queries: 0845 604 9049. www.johnlewis.com