The Connected Fitness industry has grown rapidly in recent years, and platforms offering online fitness services must contend with the challenge of sustained user engagement. In this study, we examine whether the virtual environment (VE) is effective in improving users' online fitness experience and thus amplifying long-term engagement. We used a field experiment in which 178 college students aged 18+ were randomly divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of a VE for cycling using a digital fitness platform. The power size is 0.91. Participants' fitness data, experience (attention, immersion, and self-presence), and willingness to use in the future were collected weekly over a four-week period. Our study showed that the VE made participants more inclined to perceive the avatar as themselves, significantly increased attention to the avatar, but had no significant effect on willingness to use in the future.