Mountain-bike training on a stationary bike is like prepping for a rodeo on a merry-go-round: The thrill is gone, and you’re just spinning. Enter the Trixter X-Bike: Hinged handlebars rock from side to side to provide the core-and-upper-body workout you get from blazing trails and climbing hills—minus the risk of broken bones. Grip shifters let you set your ideal resistance, and a freewheel (rare for stationary fitness bikes) gives you the crank-and-coast feel of a real ride. Since January, several gyms across the country, including Gold’s, have begun offering 30-minute X-Bike workouts designed by world champion mountain biker Missy Giove and former British Olympic cycling coach Dave Smith. “It seems a little strange at first,” says Hope Gamble, fitness manager for New York’s trendsetting Sports Center at Chelsea Piers, which bought nine X-Bikes in June. “But once you’ve ridden it, it all makes sense.” $1,195; 650-364-7525,
