Get Off the Computer and Ride

Bicycle Retailer announced today that the industry's biggest enemy could very well be the personal computer you're using to scour this very site. As young Americans spend increasing time on the Internet and playing computer games, they are playing fewer sports and exercising less, the Leisure Trends Group, a business information resource company, said. "Simply put, the computer business is doing a better job of marketing virtual reality, computer games and other uses of technology than either the sport or the health sectors. The implications both short and long term are serious," Leisure Trends President Jim Spring said. In four years, physical activity by 16 to 24-year-olds has dropped 15 percent while computer usage has risen 63 percent, a Leisure Trends study found. Industry companies are reacting in two opposing ways: battling to promote cycling as a worthwhile alternative to computer entertainment, and integrating the two worlds. An example of the latter is CycleFX, a bicycle-driven interface designed for use with the Sony Playstation, a popular video game system.