Get a Real Workout in Virtual Reality with the Widerun Bike Trainer, Now on Kickstarter

Stationary biking is boring almost anyway you slice it. And while some people can zone out to music or lock their attention to a TV screen, others crave something a little more interactive. This is where Widerun sees their made-for-VR cycling system, a bike trainer that aims to get you cycling through 3D environments instead of staring at butts in the gym.

Widerun, a project based out of Milan, Italy, wants you to connect your beloved bike to their device, put on your favorite VR headset and cycle across the seven hills of ancient Rome, the Brazilian rain forest, or anywhere else for that matter. And Widerun isn’t just a glorified bike rack either—with a Bluetooth connection to your computer, the system provides variable resistance based on the in-game environment, making those seven hills seem dauntingly real. Thinking about navigating to the top of the Palatine hill where the Roman Forum sits, and feeling the resistance of the slope as you look over the city would be powerful (and tiring) experience to say the least.

Widerun Kickstarter Campaign

“Widerun can be seen as a controller enabling a full ecosystem of fitness oriented games in virtual reality, this is why we provide an open marketplace and SDK, to support developers,” said Jasmin Mair, Community Manager at Widerun. “Widerun is more about fun and fitness, this is why we are also modding popular games like Minecraft and Skyrim to be used with it. As a product specifically designed for VR we will work on all possible systems able to deliver motion feedback providing the best possible and full immersive VR fitness experience.”

The company has made available an early demo of the virtual environments in which users can ride. The company says that four riding environments will be included in the Kickstarter package: The Great Wall of China, Run Fast, Toon City, and Four Seasons.

We can bet taking a Sunday ride up to the monks at High Hrothgar while avoiding Skyrim’s (2011) dragon infestation would be a serious, sweat-inducing workout, so the minds behind Widerun have suggested using About Face’s line of VR foam replacements, a machine washable insert that works with Oculus DK1 and DK2. We’re eager to see if this can adequately protect the headset from sweat while at the same time keeping lenses defogged, which otherwise could easily become a very frustrating experience.

Provided their Kickstarter campaign reaches its funding goal of £30,000 (~$45,000), Widerun will be compatible with tethered VR headsets like the Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2, and mobile VR headsets like Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard via a direct Bluetooth connection with the company’s front wheel controller (which also allows for steering input). An SDK will ship alongside the device which will have communication scripts for Unity 3D and Unreal Engine, online API (multiplayer leaderboard, fitness session stats), and social networks integration.

Estimated shipping costs, although still variable at this point, will total an extra £40 (~$60) for the United States, and £60 (~$90) to the UK.

• Pledge £250 (~$370) or more: WIDERUN TRAINER KIT – STEERING EXCLUDED. You’ll get Widerun in it’s basic version, without the steering input system for the front wheel. With this pledge you’ll also get access to 10 VR worlds (straight path) and to Widerun SDK.
• Pledge £275 (~$405) or more: WIDERUN EARLY BIRD, just the first 75 backers. You’ll get the FULL TRAINER KIT with the steering input system included, Widerun SDK, access to all actual and next VR worlds developed by Widerun and to a personal dashboard to check all your scores and training performances!
• Pledge £300 (~$440) or more: WIDERUN COMPLETE TRAINER KIT. You’ll get the full trainer kit, with the steering input system included, Widerun SDK, access to all actual and next VR worlds developed by Widerun and to a personal dashboard to check all your scores and training performances!