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Nerdcycle Mounted Monitor Exercise Bike
Posted by Gina Trapani at 7:00 AM on April 6, 2008
Here's our final winner in the reader contest to win an autographed copy of our new book, Upgrade Your Life. Thanks to everyone who submitted!
Reader Martin is determined to not let the exercise bike next to his computer desk just sit there and gather dust. Instead, he wants to cycle while he surfs, and decided to start building his "Nerdcycle" by mounting an extra monitor to the stationary bike. Martin writes in:
I bought an exercise bike on Craigslist for $100. I rode it five times. It then became my footrest while I surfed the net, as it is next to my computer desk. Recently, I decided enough was enough, and I had to make it fit into my lifestyle. So, some hacking was in order.After the jump, follow along through a photo tour of Martin's ambitious project.
Exercise bike before:
Monitor I haven't been using for anything, plus an old mount I rescued from the trash:
Wiring doesn't seem too complex...
Needed to dremel off the book holder ledge and drill new holes for the wallplate:
Since a monitor was going to be replacing it, I needed to relocate the control unit. Decided on down by my left hand. Here's a mount mockup with PVC and a paint stirrer.
I was going to make a metal one after work sometime but this one is actually sturdy enough that I think I'll stick with it until/unless it breaks. The ergonomics of having the controls here is actually way better than the stock location.
However, the stock wires are only 12" long...not NEARLY long enough. Thirty butt connectors later...
...and I've got a 4' harness instead of a 12" one.
Moment of truth....yay everything works!
Here's the bike as I left it last night:
So for now Martin's got the bike control unit relocated to by his left hand and the monitor mounted. He's not done yet; here's what Martin's got on the Nerdcycle to-do list.
Still to be done:Eventually I'm only going to allow myself to surf the internet while on the bike. Even if I'm not at my peak heart rate, some pedaling is way better than sitting like a lump.
- Loom the wires and ziptie them so I can't trip and die
- Figure out what source I'm going to use for this (most likely: rig up a laptop shelf/slot)
- Make an adaptor plate to raise the monitor 3" (my knees hit if I'm peddling vigorously)
- Come up with a workable keyboard solution
- Make a matching mount by my right hand for a mousepad
Indeed! Even though it's not a complete project yet, Martin gets an A for his first efforts, plus an autographed copy of Upgrade Your Life. Congratulations, Martin! Be sure to send in photos of the final product once you get your laptop and keyboard hooked up to the Nerdcycle.
Thanks to everyone who sent in their best life hacks for the contest. You rock!
Tags: contests | diy | exercise | health | lifehacker book contest winner | mods | top | weekend project
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
asfg812
Posted 7:19 AM 6/4/08
Instead of a mouse pad... I'd go with a handheld tracball mouse like the Fellowes micro trac mouse. I use it to sit back and surf without getting the back/arm pain of constant mouse use. You can get them for $17 or so. Generic versions are around too that work well.
asfg812
spydrlink
Posted 8:37 AM 6/4/08
Is it just me, or was I the only one that recognized the State of Nebraska DMV property tax bill on the desk next to the monitor? I actually tried zooming in and didn't get anything but the state. Good thing I suppose.
spydrlink
witeowl
Posted 8:24 AM 6/4/08
Very nice. Now, to be the perfect "must use" stationary bike, all it needs would be an automatic shut off, monitor dim, or keyboard/input freeze if you're not pedalling. I've heard of this done with TV's, but it would be much more difficult with a computer.
On the other hand, I'd fel pretty foolish sitting on the bike without pedalling, so maybe it's not necessary.
witeowl
CWW
Posted 9:43 AM 6/4/08
@spydrlink: is this why your alias begins with "spy"?
Seriously, this is pretty cool... although it may be a classic case of procrastination by engineering. I somehow get the vague feeling that the same time could be spent ... taking up running or something.
CWW
spydrlink
Posted 10:15 AM 6/4/08
@CWW: Doh! My cover has been broken! Abort! Abort!
spydrlink
Urza
Posted 10:44 AM 6/4/08
Doesn't is seem a bit close to the face? I imagine thats not good for your eye muscles.
Urza
TPIRman
Posted 10:55 AM 6/4/08
Brilliant job, Martin. Lifehacking at its finest, especially since you're dedicated to tweaking and tweaking until you get it perfect!
TPIRman
phoenix
Posted 11:33 AM 6/4/08
very very cool! Definitely a cool way to make the thing work, and make it a little more appealing to hop onto when it's time to do a little exercise. Just don't drip sweat onto it! :D
phoenix
quixote
Posted 12:11 PM 6/4/08
I don't have the engineering skills, but I've wanted something like this for years. *Years*. When are going to farm out the manufacture so I can buy one?!
quixote
evilhomer3k
Posted 12:54 PM 6/4/08
Probably would have been a lot easier to put a laptop on the book shelf of the bike. I watch movies on my Macbook Pro while using the treadmill. Only issue is that I have to be careful not to sweat on it. Still, this is pretty cool.
evilhomer3k
detection
Posted 12:41 PM 6/4/08
Majorly cool hack, and majorly adorable cat. :)
detection
BlogsOfSteel
Posted 12:39 PM 6/4/08
Nicely done! Do you think that any sweat guards are needed to prevent shorts due to dripage?
BlogsOfSteel
Jim (The Canuck One)
Posted 6:39 PM 6/4/08
Now if you could just convince the cat to use the treadmill properly. :)
Seriously, good job, man.
Jim (The Canuck One)
Kevin
Posted 9:55 PM 6/4/08
Absolutely nice...!!
Kevin
AvaTari
Posted 10:46 PM 6/4/08
I've been wanting this for years, or a keyboard/mouse mount on the bike with a nearby monitor. Sweet! You've convinced me I need to just go for it (esp. since I just broke the controls off my bike moving it).
AvaTari
jb008
Posted 2:08 AM 7/4/08
External portion of mail should be perfectly safe to view online - it's nothing that can't be found in the phonebook or the junk mail that doesn't get shredded before being recycled. My naive question though... why not flip the bike to face the wall, and mount the monitor on the wall and use the opened space where the monitor currently sits to house a keyboard and trackball? Excellent example of workmanship though!
jb008
wheelsoffire
Posted 1:05 AM 7/4/08
I could've sworn the bill said Arizona, not Nebraska. Oh well.
I second the notion to make the computer go to sleep or lock up when the user isn't pedalling.
wheelsoffire
vma03
Posted 2:30 PM 6/4/08
I wonder if you could combine this with a generator that would power the computer while you pedal.
vma03
Darkenigma75
Posted 8:20 AM 7/4/08
Excellent! Imagine how much healthier all of us could be if we had something like this. The trackball idea was a good one, even though I have to admit I hate them, it seems more practical, less movement.
Darkenigma75
RevWaldo
Posted 10:09 AM 7/4/08
Nice. I wonder if a recumbent exercise bike would be less awkward for surfin' & pedelin'. Also a touchscreen instead of a mouse.
I read years back of someone who rigged an exercise bike to the TV for their kids. No pedel, no TV. Yes, it may seem cruel, but...
RevWaldo
Mark-Lancaster
Posted 3:12 AM 7/4/08
I like how you integrated it, looks awesome.
Personally I invested in a recumbent bicycle and a laptop stand from Ikea.
I can peddle in the mornings when I get out of bed for an hour or so and do my morning surf/diggs etc and not feel like I've wasted the time.
I might not be doing it at the same intensity as I probably would be, but like you I realise that its better than what I would otherwise be doing (nothing)
Kudos on doing this.
Mark-Lancaster
theKing
Posted 7:34 PM 7/4/08
More details on the Treadmill Desk...
[www.treadmill-desk.com]
theKing
theKing
Posted 7:33 PM 7/4/08
This is quite a similar idea to the Treadmill Desk posted on Engadget a few months back - good idea though.
[www.engadget.com]
theKing
PotKettleBlack
Posted 12:47 AM 8/4/08
I hate to piss on the parade, but:
If you're doing anything useful, aerobic exercise wise, a recumbent bike is murder on your lower back and hips. If you're just gonna couch along at a regular speed and low resistance, no big deal, but if you are actually gonna "proj" on and do some work, you're a lot better with an upright. Or on the dreadmill.
Just saying. Clearly, the point here is to add some calorie burn to blog rolling, so we're probably talking "couching" type of cardio. So, probably no biggie.
Nice limes to limeade solution if it actually comes to fruition.
PotKettleBlack
MikeDeuce
Posted 9:04 AM 8/4/08
Previous posts that should be on the 'read more' list:
Treadputer: [lifehacker.com]
Geek-Cycle: [lifehacker.com]
MikeDeuce
Justabfler
Posted 12:30 AM 8/4/08
One one hand, it's a really neat idea. On the other, it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George takes a sandwich under the covers with him while he is "entertaining" a woman.
You'll get a lot more out of your exercise routine if you are 100% engaged in what you're doing. Intensity matters!
If you just won't exercise unless you can do something else at the same time, then build away. Something is certainly better than nothing!
Justabfler
radagenais
Posted 11:21 AM 6/4/08
butt connectors?? learn to solder dude. heatshrink tubing is your friend.
inspiring hack, though. i'm going to work on something similar.
radagenais
sweavo
Posted 7:27 PM 8/4/08
sweet! now you need to limit your bandwidth and mouse movement based on your pedalling :-)
sweavo
har86vey
Posted 2:54 PM 8/4/08
nice!...you can also try www.gymlobby.com to monitor your exercise after using this equipment. very helpful
har86vey
thunderbird5
Posted 9:52 AM 9/4/08
Thinkgeek has a smaller veriosn for $200
[www.thinkgeek.com]
thunderbird5
engtech
Posted 1:47 AM 11/4/08
You know the sweetest thing about this hack?
I have the same bike! :)
I think I'm going to go with a laptop stand instead though.
engtech