So you have your new exercise equipment in place and you’ve tried it out a few times but wait- something must be missing- you’ve just begun but you’re already getting bored. OK. The missing piece in your setup is motivational scenery to keep you pedaling forward- thus Bike-O-Vision! This page answers commonly asked questions about how to set up and best use our videos.
“Should I choose Blu Ray, Wide Screen Dvds, or Full Screen Dvds?”
Blu Ray is the best format because it gives you the full high-definition range of your flat-panel (LCD or plasma) TV. The discs are very tough, not prone to scratching. They are the more expensive option but in our opinion well worth it ...BUT you need a Blu-Ray player to use Blu Ray discs.
If you don’t have a Blu Ray player and don’t want to invest in one, the second choice is Wide Screen Dvds. These are the exact same titles and video content as the Blu Ray Discs but in the more-common standard DVD format. They don’t look quite as crisp on a large screen but, on the other hand they cost a few dollars less than the Blu Ray Discs.
The Full Screen series are the third, least recommended choice. They are completely different rides than the above two and are designed for the old box-style TVs. If you watch them on a modern flat-panel tv, they will be “pillar-boxed” with black on the left and right of the screen. They were produced from 2004-2010 and some are already starting to look a bit dated, but we keep them available for all the folks who’ve re-dedicated their old TV to their workout room. They’re the least expensive option and still totally useful, though. In fact, some of the “old” Full Screen titles like “California Coast” and “Hawaii’s Big Island” are still perennial best sellers!
“Which Videos should I buy?”
This is really up to you, according to what kind of place excites your interest. Obviously, if you already live in Santa Barbara, California, then “Santa Barbara to Dana Point” may not be very interesting to you, but something like “Swiss Lakes” or “The Painted Desert and Sedona, Arizona” would be very different.
Do you like fall colors? Try “New England Autumn”.
Do you like a lot of variety? Try “Western Seasons” or “American Gems”.
Do you like long stretches of beach and coastline? Try “The Gulf Coast”.
Some people go for the hardest, steepest climbs to challenge them and choose the “Hill Climbs 4-pack”.
Some folks like to revisit places they went in their earlier years or preview upcoming destinations.
Most of all though, we encourage you to follow your wanderlust- go where you’d really like to explore!!!
“How do I best set up my tv or screen?”
Bigger and closer is generally better here. You really want to immerse yourself in the scenery, so we recommend a big screen at least about 42 diagonal inches across set between one to eight feet in front of your bike. It should be large enough to take up your whole forward view so it really pulls you into the scenery but yet not be so large that you have to keep moving your head around to see it all. In other words, it would be silly to place a giant 60” screen just one foot in front of your bike, but even just a bit smaller and farther away would be pretty awesome.
The height should be about eye level or slightly higher if your equipment gets in the line of sight, but not so high as to have to crane your neck.
Also, a quiet fan placed near the TV will enhance the illusion of forward-motion while cooling you off!
“Is there music” and “What if I don’t like it?”
Every one of our dvd and Blu Ray journeys has instrumental background music. It is mostly chosen to keep you on pace with upbeat moods and/or musical ambiance that best suits the scenery. Some of the southern US rides have down-home chicken-pickin’ rockabilly guitar where Italian rides will greet you with accordions and mandolins. In between the cultural flavors you’ll get mostly contemporary electronic “workout music”.
That being said, music is as individually-judged as any fine art and you may not like all the tracks. Some may get too repetitive, simple or just not to your taste. No problem-there’s a solution! Just turn down the volume of your TV and crank up your other player of choice: radio, stereo, computer or ipod, etc. with your own favorite tunes. In fact, you may want to do this just to change-up the mood of the ride every once in a while anyway! Have fun!
“How long should I ride?”
This depends on your goals. If you are concerned about heart-health, a quick cardio mini workout might take you five to ten minutes. We like to do about a chapter a day- only about 10-15 minutes.
If you want to lose weight, do much more- even a whole video’s worth a day- up to 110 minutes. You will definitely burn a lot of calories doing that and we have actual success stories of people losing over 100 pounds on that regimen!
Some people use these for their one-hour spinning class and we hear that works-out great for them!
“How is this good for my health?”
Besides the obvious circulatory, heart and respiratory benefits, you are toning your leg and core-body muscles, burning excess fat and increasing your overall stamina. We have received direct reports of relieved arthritis, sciatica, hip-and -joint problems and more! There’s even medical research showing this kind of exercise is remarkably effective for slowing the symptoms of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
And last but certainly-not-least, the spirit-lifting value of virtually traveling through beautiful scenery shouldn’t be underestimated. We’ve even heard from several athletes who’ve crashed and successfully used our videos to gain confidence and strength and get “back in the saddle”.
We’re proud to be part of such a positively healthful sport!
If you still have any questions or concerns, feel free to give us a ring at (707) 569-9307, California time.
“Should I choose Blu Ray, Wide Screen Dvds, or Full Screen Dvds?”
Blu Ray is the best format because it gives you the full high-definition range of your flat-panel (LCD or plasma) TV. The discs are very tough, not prone to scratching. They are the more expensive option but in our opinion well worth it ...BUT you need a Blu-Ray player to use Blu Ray discs.
If you don’t have a Blu Ray player and don’t want to invest in one, the second choice is Wide Screen Dvds. These are the exact same titles and video content as the Blu Ray Discs but in the more-common standard DVD format. They don’t look quite as crisp on a large screen but, on the other hand they cost a few dollars less than the Blu Ray Discs.
The Full Screen series are the third, least recommended choice. They are completely different rides than the above two and are designed for the old box-style TVs. If you watch them on a modern flat-panel tv, they will be “pillar-boxed” with black on the left and right of the screen. They were produced from 2004-2010 and some are already starting to look a bit dated, but we keep them available for all the folks who’ve re-dedicated their old TV to their workout room. They’re the least expensive option and still totally useful, though. In fact, some of the “old” Full Screen titles like “California Coast” and “Hawaii’s Big Island” are still perennial best sellers!
“Which Videos should I buy?”
This is really up to you, according to what kind of place excites your interest. Obviously, if you already live in Santa Barbara, California, then “Santa Barbara to Dana Point” may not be very interesting to you, but something like “Swiss Lakes” or “The Painted Desert and Sedona, Arizona” would be very different.
Do you like fall colors? Try “New England Autumn”.
Do you like a lot of variety? Try “Western Seasons” or “American Gems”.
Do you like long stretches of beach and coastline? Try “The Gulf Coast”.
Some people go for the hardest, steepest climbs to challenge them and choose the “Hill Climbs 4-pack”.
Some folks like to revisit places they went in their earlier years or preview upcoming destinations.
Most of all though, we encourage you to follow your wanderlust- go where you’d really like to explore!!!
“How do I best set up my tv or screen?”
Bigger and closer is generally better here. You really want to immerse yourself in the scenery, so we recommend a big screen at least about 42 diagonal inches across set between one to eight feet in front of your bike. It should be large enough to take up your whole forward view so it really pulls you into the scenery but yet not be so large that you have to keep moving your head around to see it all. In other words, it would be silly to place a giant 60” screen just one foot in front of your bike, but even just a bit smaller and farther away would be pretty awesome.
The height should be about eye level or slightly higher if your equipment gets in the line of sight, but not so high as to have to crane your neck.
Also, a quiet fan placed near the TV will enhance the illusion of forward-motion while cooling you off!
“Is there music” and “What if I don’t like it?”
Every one of our dvd and Blu Ray journeys has instrumental background music. It is mostly chosen to keep you on pace with upbeat moods and/or musical ambiance that best suits the scenery. Some of the southern US rides have down-home chicken-pickin’ rockabilly guitar where Italian rides will greet you with accordions and mandolins. In between the cultural flavors you’ll get mostly contemporary electronic “workout music”.
That being said, music is as individually-judged as any fine art and you may not like all the tracks. Some may get too repetitive, simple or just not to your taste. No problem-there’s a solution! Just turn down the volume of your TV and crank up your other player of choice: radio, stereo, computer or ipod, etc. with your own favorite tunes. In fact, you may want to do this just to change-up the mood of the ride every once in a while anyway! Have fun!
“How long should I ride?”
This depends on your goals. If you are concerned about heart-health, a quick cardio mini workout might take you five to ten minutes. We like to do about a chapter a day- only about 10-15 minutes.
If you want to lose weight, do much more- even a whole video’s worth a day- up to 110 minutes. You will definitely burn a lot of calories doing that and we have actual success stories of people losing over 100 pounds on that regimen!
Some people use these for their one-hour spinning class and we hear that works-out great for them!
“How is this good for my health?”
Besides the obvious circulatory, heart and respiratory benefits, you are toning your leg and core-body muscles, burning excess fat and increasing your overall stamina. We have received direct reports of relieved arthritis, sciatica, hip-and -joint problems and more! There’s even medical research showing this kind of exercise is remarkably effective for slowing the symptoms of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
And last but certainly-not-least, the spirit-lifting value of virtually traveling through beautiful scenery shouldn’t be underestimated. We’ve even heard from several athletes who’ve crashed and successfully used our videos to gain confidence and strength and get “back in the saddle”.
We’re proud to be part of such a positively healthful sport!
If you still have any questions or concerns, feel free to give us a ring at (707) 569-9307, California time.