When fitness eventually goes virtual, cyclists and triathletes will lead the charge. Lycra clad, pain-cave warriors were avatars in virtual training worlds long before Mark Zuckerberg went Meta. Now, the indoor-ride experience is about to get even more real.

The Muoverti TiltBike is a sensor-packed indoor system; it’s the first to deploy a digitised handlebar steering and an elastomer-guided side-to-side tilt to create a realistic ride.It has an algorithm-driven physics engine that simulates real-world forces such as acceleration, deceleration, incline, braking and inertia. The Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, meanwhile, ensure it plays nicely with the most popular training platforms, such as Zwift.

So is this the tool that’ll help men in Lycra conquer the Metaverse? We got up to speed.

i) 7

The number of prototype iterations the TiltBike has been through since inception with over five years spent in development.

ii) 49cm-64cm

The TiltBike’s adjustable frame-size range is suitable for most riders. You can also tweak the handlebar reach and stack, seatpost height, and saddle and crank.

iii) 14

Degrees of lean to either side work with normal steering to replicate the way riders move on the road in the real world.

iv) 3

Riders can switch easily between a trio of frame types, including road, MTB and time trial, in under a minute.

v) 41

Metrics tracked in real time, including power, speed, cadence, left-right balance, pedal smoothness, torque effectiveness and lateral force.

vi) 1,000x

The algorithm that ensures the electromagnetic resistance stays true to real-world physics updates a thousand times per second. You can create real-time ride simulations such as angular-wind speed and rolling resistance.