Redrom

GameBike was a Cateye Product that you could plug into your Playstation to control video games, and worked best with racing games. Who's had success with this controller? What works and what was lame about it. Basically, I'm looking for some motivation to use my trainer, and think this could be the ticket; I used to really enjoy video games, and would really like to try it with that snowboarding game (Tricky-something)

Also, Cateye seems to be about to release it again in the beginning of next year. Anyone have information about the new product, or how it will vary from the original. BTW, I'm not so interested in information about their stationary bikes, too expensive and no recumbency that I have come to expect.

Thanks!

Peter Timkey

I cannot say enough good things about Gamebike. Mine has lots of miles and lots of crashes (simulated of course LOL). I was looking for a forum like this for Gamebikers to come together and help review games that work well. Watch for my reviews coming soon.

In another thread someone said they did not own one because it did'nt work with Xbox. Glad to announce that cateye now makes an adapter for all platforms and PC also.

Feel free to ask about specific games, I have riden/ played over 40 titles.

Redrom

Please do share the best titles for Gamebiking. I have now purchased from eBay the controller to put on my bike (w/ trainer), and was given a Playstation (1) to get started. I imagine I'll be looking for PS2 soon; I'm hoping that they come down in price when the PS3's come out. I'm most hoping that Gamebike will work well with SSX Tricky. My brothers brought it home for Christmas one year, and I was hooked immediately, haven't played because it's such a waste of time, but now if it works with the Gamebike I'll be in business...

Peter Timkey

Treat yourself to a PS2 before buying any PS games. Try half.com or Ebay for prices starting at $75. These are also great places to buy games real cheap. Remember that the Jampack samplers contain racing games that play great on a Gamebike. They can be purchased for under $5.

The best PS2 titles are Splashdown and Test Drive Off Road. Are you looking for games just to pedel to?
Do you like games that require tasks, i.e. Smuggler's Run or driving skills like Jet2O? Want something real easy? Kids like Space Race and Antz Extreme Racing. Some of the older (and cheaper) titles work best like Power Drome for $8. Another option is renting through the mail like Gamefly or Gamerang.

Please let me know what you like and don't like. I'm trying to build a database of game reviews. When you get real good I'll challenge you to a game of Simpson's Road Rage!!!

Redrom

Ha! I guess I'll need internet access to play you, I guess that comes with PS3?

I want to have enough fun that I choose/want to keep riding. Getting on a trainer bores me, and watching TV makes me slow down subconsciously. I figure a game that needs me to keep pedaling fast will keep me exercising through the extreme cold and heat of the winter/summer.

I guess I'm interested in racing games too. I've got to hold out on a PS2 purchase until I at least recover from Christmas. I don't plan on buying games until I do, keep me in the loop when you compile your list. Thanks!

Redrom

Ok, I have it up and running on PS2 playing Jet Moto 2.

I've got a problem.
When playing this game, you can not hit the accelerator the whole time or you get going too fast and just end up crashing. I find that I end up barely pedaling, and having to continually hit the break button. I'll see if I can get a hold of some other games, but I think this might only work well with a game in which you would need to hit the accelerator the whole time, and I don't know of any games like that.

Also, this seems to not work with PS1. When I hook it up to PS1, it doesn't recognise the controller, but it is recognised in PS2 (and PS1 recognises other controllers).

mcavana

this looks pretty cool... i can't find any web sites that go into product detail and pricing for the kit that attaches to an actual bike set up on a trainer... everything I find is them selling a cheap exercise bike... please give me a link if you have one.

has anyone had any success with this stuff on the Xbox?

Redrom

I had a little trouble finding it myself so I emailed Cateye. Some stores/distributors still have the product from the last advertising push, so if you look hard enough you'll find it (eBay, special order at LBS, etc.) As near as I can tell, this spring they plan to have another advertising push and they'll be available everywhere again.

I did some more research and found an actual review which recommended the game "Le Tour de France", because it actually needed you to push the accellerator with regularity to maintain speed, more quickly for going up hill, and less quickly downhill. This would agree with my findings so far for the type of game that would successfully use the information that the GameBike controller gives it. Of course, "Le Tour de France" is an import only.

I have seen a website that sells an adapter for XBox (~$25-$35 I think); expect to pay ~$75 on eBay and ~$150 at a LBS for the GameBike controller without the cheap looking exercise bike.

Redrom

I've tested a few games now. My goal is to use the GameBike to encourage me to keep biking as long and hard as possible, and I think my favorite game is a direct reflection of that.

The worst: Jet Moto2 & Splashdown, because they encourage you to pedal slowly or stop pedaling regularly.

Works: Need for Speed 2 & Need for Speed Underground 2 both work but I had to do some settings that make it less optimal. Because you're pedaling the whole time, you have to use cars with Manual Transmissions, and then drive on big open roads (Free Rides). Driving in second gear seems to work the best even though you end up redlining, because it caps your speed at around 60mph which is manageable. The handlebar steering produces a lag in response which makes driving in the city or track with tight turns difficult. With all the settings I selected, I don't see much opportunity to use the game in any other way, and imagine that in the near distant future I would grow bored.

The Best: Gran Tursimo is the best (so far) because you can choose cars and courses which fit the style of driving that is condusive with the GameBike. I rode for an hour and a half last night, and would have kept going if it wasn't so late. My favorite mode setup was racing on dirt/gravel in the Swiss Alps in a Mini Cooper against a VW Bug. It's the first time that I was able to compete (win); the roads are wide, and the steering lag from the gravel seems to coorelate to the GameBike steering lag fairly well. Bigger "muscle" cars get going too fast, and are so heavy that they just slide all over the place. You can set the view to be 1st person, and convince yourself that you're riding a mountain bike. When you hit big bumps it vibrates the controller which you feel in the handlebars. The acceleration is not just an on or off function; there's the ability to register how fast you're pedaling, so you will find yourself pedaling harder uphill and slower when going downhill.

I would really like to find someone who has "Le Tour de France" for PS2 - it was only released as PAL, so I guess it needs to be converted to NTSC? I don't know too much about it, maybe I'll post in Foo.