So you started the New Year well, with that Billy Bunter Memorial Jog along the beach. Or perhaps you bought a bicycle, and puffed and panted your way around the block a few times before staggering back indoors, collapsing in an armchair and calling for more Maltesers.

Clearly you cannot jog to work, and, unless you want to arrive at the first meeting of the day gasping, sweating and cursing, cycling is out too. In fact, unless you count that two-minute period between the office and the car, you appear destined to get no fresh air at all this year.

But now you can say goodbye forever to that "I-have-to-move-my-legs" misery, with the Powerbyke. It looks like a bicycle, it moves like a bicycle, but the great thing about this new device is that the cunningly lifelike pedals can be regarded as mere decorations.

The battery-powered bike has a range of around 20 miles, a top speed of 15 mph and can be recharged from any power socket. It apparently needs no road tax, insurance, or licence.

It comes in a choice of styles - classic or mountain bike - and a range of seven different colours; red, blue, green, turquoise, silver, yellow and black.

The Powerbyke, around £600 (€762 ) can be bought from bicycle shops, or direct by dialling +44 1225 443737.

Gizmo suggestions welcome: smaccarthaigh@irish-times.ie