And the winner in the category “where geeks meet health freaks” is the Spark from Expresso Fitness, a stationary fitness bicycle with an integrated LCD screen with a video of the track and other cyclists to overtake.

Now here’s an invention that turns a boring workout into something beginning to resemble the real thing. The computer which powers the electronics is hidden in front, and can be hooked up to the Internet to race against friends. It’s not exactly a brand new product, as it can already be found in many fitness centres in California and elsewhere, but it’s a popular feature in the “personal health” section of Intel’s booth at the Consumer Electronics show.

If you can’t spare the $5,000 for the bike, the display and the computer hidden underneath, you can of course also turn to Performance Bike for their Travel Trac
RealAxiom v2 cycle trainers. At $550 you have to bring your own bicycle, computer and monitor, but the device which varies resistance does give you the option to cycle some real world climbs, such as the European road courses the Limoges climb from the 2004 Tour de France and the 2004 Verona World Championship course. Resistance changes based on the course and rider input.

Or if you would rather climb to the top of the time trial killer Mont Ventoux, or cycle the one-day Alps marathon Marmotte while watching the real footage, go to Tacx.