Cycling indoors has all the health benefits of a good ride – plus you get to catch up on your box sets. It’s win win

York Perform 210 exercise bike

Price £279.99

Work outs 32

Weight 29kg

Display LCD

yorkfitness.com

A bike with no wheels that will never leave the four walls of your home doesn’t sound like much of a proposition. But the cycling bubble and the popularity of spin classes mean the old workhorse of domestic fitness is once again cluttering up our bedrooms. Price, quality and complexity vary enormously between models, but this bestseller from York Fitness is an excellent midranger.

It’s sturdy so won’t wobble about when you pound the pedals, yet light enough to drag towards the TV so you can take your mind off your burning thighs. It has 32 different levels of magnetic resistance, a padded seat and fully adjustable handlebar. It tracks your progress in terms of time, distance and calories on a colourful screen, and has a palm-pulse sensor to monitor your soaring heart rate. It also gleefully announces your percentage of body fat.

There are five of us in my home and we’ve had two aims through January: 1) lose some weight; and 2) be able to cycle through an entire episode of Modern Family. Between us we’ve lost a combined 12lb, but ModFam is longer than you’d think…

Cool kit

Liven up bleak winter rides with this vivid thermal women’s top.

dhb Blok Strata jersey £38.50, wiggle.com

Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter@MartinLove166

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