Cateye GB-200 Upright Game Bike (Large)

by Cateye

Product Features

• Exercise bike adds workout component to your gaming; large version fits riders measuring 61 to 79 inches
• Control steering, speed, turns in over 50 racing games
• Compatible with Playstation 1/2; optional adapters for X-Box, GameCube, and PC games
• Eight workload levels provided by silent belt-driven magnetic resistance system
• Warranty: one year for parts, 90 days for labor

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Cateye Game Bike is an exercise bike and plug-and-play video game controller--which connects to Sony Playstation 2, and other video game consoles--that fully controls every movement on the screen with your own body movement. Control steering, speed, turns, strategy and more. The Game Bike works with any of the 50-plus speed-related games that are popular today, including many car, off-road, speedboat, and motorcycle racing games. Play against the computer, or, connect additional GameBikes and compete against friends. This large version of the Game bike fits users 5'1" tall (61 inches) to 6'7" tall (79 inches); it also comes in a small version.

The handlebars control the steering, while the pedal RPM controls the speed. Choose from eight workload levels provided by silent belt-driven magnetic resistance system. The comfortable advanced neoprene seat design is resistant to perspiration, stain, and tears. The Game Bike can also be used as a traditional exercise bike without being plugged into a game system. It works with Sony Playstation 1 and 2 game consoles. Adaptors can be purchased for X-Box, Nintendo GameCube, or PC systems, and wireless controllers and 4 player converters are also available.

Feature Detail:

• Seat adjustments: 9 settings (includes locking safety pin)
• Pedal adjustments: 8
• Resistance: Adjustable magnetic resistance
• Footprint dimensions: 38 by 20 by 48 inches
• Weight: 81 pounds

About Exercise Bikes
Despite the competition from trendy new fitness inventions, exercise bikes continue to be popular options for home exercise. They offer the same aerobic benefits of riding a bicycle at any time, in any weather, without leaving the comfort and safety of home. Exercise bikes don't take up much space, require little or no balance or coordination, and can provide an effective workout for all levels of users, from beginners to serious competitors. While the same could be said for a number of other types of home fitness equipment, the exercise bike is one of the few that allows you to watch television or read a magazine while you work out. For many people, having convenient access to quality exercise equipment is critical to sticking with a long-term exercise program.

What's in the Box?
Game Bike (large) and customized hand controller (PlayStation 1/2 system not included)

Manufacturer Warranty
One-year warranty, 90 days for labor

Product Description

Interactive game bike compatible with all home gaming systems, Includes bike and universal game controller. Workload adjustable to eight levels.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 78 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000CSG8SS
• Item model number: GB-200
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #766,848 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exercise Can Be Fun?!?, March 9, 2009

By 

Posterboy (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cateye GB-200 Upright Game Bike (Large) (Sports)

So, if you are looking at this product, you are probably wondering if this thing is worth a couple hundred bucks, or if it is going to end up sitting in your garage collecting dust along with that old Nordictrak skier and assorted other gear. I can't answer you that one over the long term (yet), but I can vouch for the fact that after 6 weeks, I am still enjoying this product and I enjoy jumping on the bike and racing for 30 minutes or so.

I've owned plenty of exercise equipment over the years. Heck, I even have a recumbant stationary bike set up in another room, which, I NEVER use. Why? Because its not fun. I don't particularly enjoy exercise... maybe some people love going out for a run, or jumping on the treadmill or something, but thats not me. Too boring. On the other hand, I also have zero desire to join a gym. Why would I want to spend a bunch of money on something that I don't want to do in the first place. If I had to work out I'd much rather do it in the time that it would take me to drive down to the gym and back again. At home, I can finish my exercise in the time that I would spend in my car... what sense does it make to spend twice as much time to do something that I don't really want to do in the first place, and to spend extra money on it to boot? Anyway, I've always enjoyed gaming, and this looked like it might bring a little bit of fun to something that I don't particularly enjoy.

So I took the plunge and ordered the Gamebike, which I've been thinking about getting for a long time. After muddling through the Eng-rish directions and getting the thing set up, I popped in a game and jumped on. I quickly learned that the original Gran Turismo might not be the best game to start out with on the bike as I was oversteering and fishtailling all over the track. After learning how to make the steering a bit less sensitve on the bike, I did quite a bit better. Before I knew it, I had spent 30 mins racing.

The fact is, the Gamebike is fun, and the best part is variety is just a used 5-10 dollar Playstation game away. There are tons of used games on Amazon for super cheap, and you can spend hours on any given game. The two games that I've spent the most time with so far are Need for Speed: High Stakes (PS1), and Splashdown (PS2).

A couple of Tips that I discovered to help you choose good games:
- Games with longer courses/races are much more enjoyable than those with short/fast races. You want to spend most of your time on the track, not in menus/options.
- Don't try to play PS1 games in your PS2 using the gamebike... the controls get "wonky". If you want to play PS1 games, pull out your old PS1 or buy a used one and the Gamebike will work just fine. I have not spend a ton of time verifying this, but it was true for a couple of games I tried it with.
- Racing games that require precision controlling probably aren't your best choice. Its a lot harder to pedal like mad and negotiate a precision corner with the handlebars than it was to sit on a beanbag, hit the x button and feather the stick.

So, is the gamebike perfect? No. Improvements could certainly be made imo, like putting L1, L2, R1 and R2 where they belong (they are small buttons on the face of the attached controller, very non-intuitive), and/or adding in the rumble feature to the handlebars... but all in all, I think buying it was money well spent. You could spend half as much for a magnatrainer + PC cable, but then you get no steering and nowhere near the amount of fun games to play. I like Warcraft as much as the next guy, but "running" around the world using "pedal power" doesn't exactly strike me as incredibly fun. The Gamebike just makes more sense to me, it brings you into the game. The first time you overtake an opponent at the finish line, you'll know why this was worth the cash.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Faulty parts., March 1, 2007

By 

A. Tietjen (Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cateye GB-200 Upright Game Bike (Large) (Sports)

I don't know if Cateye has updated their product, but the steering mechanism that tells the controller when you are turning broke on both of the game bikes we bought after only 2 months use. And it was only being used like twice a week. We've now had the bikes for 2 years. The peddling still works, and nothing else has broken, so as a normal exersize bike, it's okay. But for gaming on it, those parts broke. We found out it was easier just to play on it with out having it hooked up to a controller. So, you might as well just buy a normal exercise bike.