Bikerumor creates the Ultimate Virtual World Indoor Training environment

February 21, 2020

It takes more than a big screen to recreate a virtual cycling world in your home

It takes more than a big screen to recreate a virtual cycling world in your home

Indoor cycling has seen massive growth lately thanks to new virtual environments and real-world video training that simulate riding better than ever. But the way we view our efforts hasn’t kept up, so Bikerumor wanted fix that.

“We saw the marketing for these virtual worlds, and it made it appear as though the rider was immersed in this digital, wrap-around scenario,” says Bikerumor founder and special projects lead, Tyler Benedict. “But the reality is, most of us are just watching on our phone. Or maybe a laptop. So we wanted to see if we could really make it look like we were riding in the ‘game’.”

The project was Bikerumor’s largest branded content project today, involving Kinomap and Saris and about two months of prep, planning and production. The end result shows readers all of the steps, products and costs of turning their training room into a fully immersive environment. It’s as close as you can get with today’s technology to looking and feeling like you’re riding outdoors.

“There were a few surprises, and definitely some hurdles to overcome with the way everything has to come together,” Benedict says. “Projectors are the only way to get room-filling visuals, but their placement and brightness makes it impractical in many rooms when you have to work around the rider’s position.”

“All in all, it was a really fun experiment that our readers are really enjoying. And Kinomap and Saris are stoked on the natural integration of their brands into a story that provides real value, entertainment and information to our fans and followers.”

Bikerumor is developing more content-based programs with opportunities for select product categories, including ‘how-to’ and ‘explainer’ style options. Their popular ‘Where To Ride’ travel features are in planning mode for up to six global locations in 2020, building on recent trips to Slovenia, Tennessee, Nevada, Hakuba and Scotland. Interested brands can reach out directly to get involved.

“At the end of the day, we’re the world’s largest cycling tech blog,” Benedict explains. “But that doesn’t mean we’re only covering tech from the cycling world…we want to tell all the good stories that make our cycling lives more fun!”

Check out the Virtual Training Environment story here: https://bikerumor.com/2020/02/14/how-to-create-the-ultimate-virtual-world-indoor-trainer-environment/