SpeedX's Unicorn bike comes with smarts already installed

If you're serious about cycling, you'll want to track every ride. How far you went, the amount of calories you burned -- that sort of thing. Until now, that's meant equipping your bike with a slew of third-party sensors and a less than sleek cycle computer on the handlebars. Not so with SpeedX. The company is building carbon road bikes that integrate all of these components in a sleek, seamless way. Its latest creation, the Unicorn, takes the concept one step further with a new, detachable "SpeedForce" computer that runs on Android and -- in a first for the cycling industry -- comes with a built-in power meter to measure your effort on the pedals.

At CES, I was able to hop on the bike for a brief moment. I couldn't ride it, because I was in a hall packed with curious visitors, but that didn't stop me from pretending I was Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana for a moment. The new computer was underwhelming, because it didn't turn on -- the bike was merely a prototype, so I could only imagine what its various screens looked like. Lame. Otherwise, it's quite the looker. All of the break cables are hidden inside the frame, so it feels like a complete, unblemished package. It's the cycling equivalent of an all-in-one desktop, basically.

SpeedX is also touting a new "Vibration Control System," which uses different carbon fiber blends to give the frame some flex. For now, I'll have to take the team's word that it works -- the showfloor was caked in carpet, with not a single pebble or discarded paper plate to test its effectiveness.

Gallery: SpeedX Unicorn | 12 Photos

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The concept isn't for everyone. If you've already sunk hundreds of dollars into a top-end road bike, you're probably better off buying the ride-tracking parts separately. It'll be cheaper and easier to upgrade when you decide to switch them out. For novice cyclists, however, or people that are ready for an all-new rig, the SpeedX Unicorn could be worth considering. The only problem is getting one -- SpeedX is using Kickstarter to crowdfund its bikes, and doesn't have a good track record shipping them in a timely manner. With the Unicorn, maybe that'll change -- but seeing some unfinished prototypes today didn't fill me with confidence.

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