What are your needs/wants for the perfect exercise bike?

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Doing an assignment for my design class and need to interview at least five people for it. The prompt asks, regarding an ideal product, "...what can they identify as needs, opportunities, or problems that relate to the category assigned to your group"?

We had an energy category, and I noted this funny little machine that entails a bike attached to a spin dryer. Exercise and dry/wash your clothes at the same time!

What would you all NEED or WANT in an exercise bike that also does your chores? Help appreciated! Not asking for 'answers' to my homework; I'm specifically supposed to interview 5 people.


Thanks!

 

[ActionableMango]

The main thing I miss is an alarm that tells me when I'm spinning too slow to be useful exercise. I had that on a previous machine and it kept me honest. My current one does not have this feature, and I often find myself spinning way too slow and unsure for how long I had been doing that.

But that would be for a normal exercise machine. For a machine like you describe, I think gearing would be crucial. You need to match a user's variable ability to pedal with loads that have variable weight.

 

[shinji]

Built-in fan because it would get hot sitting right next to the dryer.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

The main thing I miss is an alarm that tells me when I'm spinning too slow to be useful exercise. I had that on a previous machine and it kept me honest. My current one does not have this feature, and I often find myself spinning way too slow and unsure for how long I had been doing that.

But that would be for a normal exercise machine. For a machine like you describe, I think gearing would be crucial. You need to match a user's variable ability to pedal with loads that have variable weight.

Good idea about the gears. It feels awkward when an exercise bike has 'tensions' rather than real gears.