As transportation enthusiasts, we are constitutionally disinclined toward things that don’t move. Stationary bikes, in particular — with their pedaling and sweating but with none of the moving — seem like a lost opportunity. But sometimes, we make an exception. And this is one exceptional exception.The Ciclotte Carbon Fiber is a minimalist monument to that workout staple, the stationary bike. With its large single wheel — mysteriously hubless — it is a creature evolved beyond the Exercycle and Airdyne, whose broken skeletons litter hotel exercise facilities and the spare rooms of well-intentioned baby boomers. A luxurious padded seat hangs out behind its big wheel, and its handlebars stand erect like the horns of a graceful gazelle.
But why carbon? Why bother to make something lightweight when it is, well, stationary? The answer seems to be in the “dual satellite epicycloid system” — a sort of transmission that increases rotation on the super-light wheel, which then creates a magnetic field and, therefore, resistance. Rather than simply damping down a clamp on a rim, the Ciclotte closely mimics the feel of shifting a bike while on a road ride. A touch screen display positioned on the side of wheel indicates which gear the rider is in.