Jump to content

Peloton Worth It?


Recommended Posts

My wife (no pics) is a workout warrior and is going stir crazy. She is now trying to convince me to buy us a peloton.

I hate running, but I like bicycling and would probably get a lot out of it.

So, does anyone have one, how do you like it, was it worth it?  Also, does anyone have the NordicTrack competitor, and would you recommend that? https://www.nordictrack.com/exercise-bikes/s22i-studio-bike?gclid=CjwKCAjw7e_0BRB7EiwAlH-goJKIu7jcSU1GekzdR_u4e10JmOuUIu42GjBhVtHFiZCNFyQK2Z2kABoCuC0QAvD_BwE

 

I’ll hang up and listen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never ridden a Peleton but you can get a pretty good setup for a couple hundred bucks with an actual bike set up on a fluid trainer and a TV or computer with TrainerRoad or Zwift or one of several other bike trainer video subscriptions.  Online community workouts, race footage while you ride, racing online against your buddies, interval workouts, etc...  The stuff Peleton is doing is great but cyclists have been doing the same thing on CycleOps trainers for years.  

Cycleops-Magnus-Lifestyle.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We got one in September. With the monthly plan payment plan, it cost less than the wife doing cycling or yoga classes. And, I enjoy using it occasionally too. And the wife enjoys using the subscription plan for the floor exercises videos as well (e.g., yoga, general workouts, and meditations). As to the bike itself, the thing that is really nice compared to other in-door cycles is that it is silent. Not quiet, but silent. It is impressive. It also has more resistance settings that you'll find in anything but the most expensive competing products. Whether that is worth it or not depends on personal preference. You can certainly get something that is 85% as functional for a lot less. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to ride my fluid trainer a lot but I think it's a much better workout experience with the video workouts.  Sufferfest was my favorite.  Pro bike racing footage that matches the intensity of the workout and online instructions for the intervals.  Then I went through a couple years where I just wasn't interested in riding bikes anymore and I sold the trainer.  Might pick up another soon to supplement my mountain biking.  Riding on the roads amongst the cars is probably something I won't ever do much of again and some days the logistics of getting to the trails is too much. 

https://thesufferfest.com/

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Your Mom said:

I used to ride my fluid trainer a lot but I think it's a much better workout experience with the video workouts.  Sufferfest was my favorite.  Pro bike racing footage that matches the intensity of the workout and online instructions for the intervals.  Then I went through a couple years where I just wasn't interested in riding bikes anymore and I sold the trainer.  Might pick up another soon to supplement my mountain biking.  Riding on the roads amongst the cars is probably something I won't ever do much of again and some days the logistics of getting to the trails is too much. 

https://thesufferfest.com/

 

 

Great minds think alike.  I also did Sufferfest for a couple of years using TrainerRoad.  I lost my ant+ key when we moved back to Texas and haven't thought about replacing.  I also feel the same way about cars.  Where I used to live - East Tennessee - I could get on my bike and be amidst beautiful scenery and rolling hills within 2 minutes.  Very, very few cars, climbs, nature... man I miss it.  Now I'm stuck in flat-assed DFW with very few options.  I bought a mountain bike, but I just prefer road biking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For anyone interested... When I'm on my trainer, I watch the below video.  This one is 45 mins; however, there are longer and shorter workouts.  I go at about 50% effort during the normal parts, and shift into my hardest gear and ride out of saddle when the bar at the bottom/right of the page shifts to red.  This workout has 7 spots of 1 - 1:30 segments of "red" and then some sprints at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSFYRiqodvU

Edited by Knoxtnhorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Feel like I am reading some bullshit MLM campaign here. You should check-out avon.  This is shaggy pissedoff angry surly.  Go ride your fucking bike and just fucking get cold or wet sometimes then send me a check for tree-fiddy every week. I will call you while you are riding and yell at you that you ride like a pussy. 

  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lulz.  The gf just brought this up 10 minutes ago and then I saw this thread.  She’s trying to decide between Nordic and Peloton.  
 

I asked which one would fit better next to the elliptical and the inversion table/whatever the fuck it is that don’t get used.  Tone.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Lobwedgephil said:

Yes it is worth it. Don't know anyone who has regretted getting one. 

This is what I've heard from people as well. I also assume that some people do NOT use it much, and they're probably quiet about the expensive clothes hanger in the corner. However since you and your wife already work-out, this would not seem to be a problem.

The people most likely doomed to fail are those who do zero workouts and then want to spend large amounts of money on home equipment.  In those scenarios, I doubt the lack of equipment is the main cause of low motivation.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

I could get on my bike and be amidst beautiful scenery and rolling hills within 2 minutes.  Very, very few cars, climbs, nature... man I miss it.  Now I'm stuck in flat-assed DFW with very few options.  I bought a mountain bike, but I just prefer road biking.

This sort of does not compute.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We don’t have road bikes but we have been doing spinning classes for about 15 years. Depending on where you spin, long term, the cost may not be a huge deal. The live videos were fabulous and I’m looking forward to their return. You really do get the sense of being in the studio. With our fitness clubs being closed we use it even more. But yes, if you haven’t been into working out, I wouldn’t spend the money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quality wise, how does peloton compare to a good spin bike?  Spin class is the thing I miss the most about all this social distancing bullshit.  My wife's gym is doing online workouts and she's got the sunroom full of slam balls, kettle balls, etc.

It’s high quality. I’ve tried many of them over the years and it’s one of the better ones. It should be for what it costs.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would start with the digital app first just to get a feel of the classes. If they're not your wife's cup of tea, no point dropping all that money on the hardware. I like my bike and I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To the question of quality of bike versus spin classes... I’ve not done Soul Cycle but it’s definitely right up there with Cyc, Ride and others.

If you are choosing between Peloton and Nordic, etc make sure and see which of your friends are using either. For my wife and I we have tons of friends using Peloton therefore it was a no brainer since the network of people using it make a huge difference. That’s who you will be riding with or at least doing the challenges against to help push yourself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was skeptical before we bought our Peloton. I never thought I would say this but I love it, good mix of classes as well as someone mentioned above a ton of non bike add ons- cardio, stretching, yoga, etc.

One thing I do like that I never thought I would is the instructors do make a difference. Yesterday I was watching the end of Bosch so I just did my own workout and I wasn't anywhere close to the calorie burn then when I take an actual class. 

The only thing I don't like is the "social media" aspect of it. I don't share any of that shit but the adding of friends and "we are all family" stuff is a little lame but I get that some people need/want that in a workout class/gym setting. 

Most of the instructors are really good as well. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

This sort of does not compute.

Yeah.  My words were not chosen carefully.  I've been spoiled by the road cycling scenery of East TN AND the mountain bike options - Tsali and Haw Ridge.  I know how much you like mountain biking, so no offense.  Perhaps I should start checking out spots other than RCP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Rougarou said:

Peloton is great. Good luck getting one right now though, I thought I heard everyone was buying them and they are mega-backlogged. With financing, it's a no-brainer.

Chat sales lady said 4 weeks for my zip and $100 discount because I was referred by one of their (cult) members. 
Think I’m going to pull the trigger tomorrow. Wife will use it every day and I bet I’ll use it 2-3x per week.

Thanks for the feedback.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bought ours for the wife two years ago - she never uses the damn thing... Didn't think I'd use it much myself but I gave it a shot. I wouldn't say I was overweight but after some consistent work I ended up quickly dropping ~30 pounds and obviously improved my overall health immeasurably. It's certainly a luxury item and the subscription cost can sting a bit but I've wasted far more over the years on memberships and other bullshit. 

Almost two years to the day and I just clocked my 600th ride. I can't recommend it enough to anyone who asks. Definitely get some Bluetooth earbuds - a good HR monitor is nice as well. Good/fitted shoes make a huge difference but can wait. 

Good luck! 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have 4 in our gym.  Have tried it a dozen times and it is mediocre at best.  The classes are not live, and seem to be very repetitive.  I just got bored with it very quickly.  There are some setups and virtual reality bike tours that I like much better.  

Wife and daughter(No pics of either) only used it a few times and quit.  It is free and they still do not use it.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Gladeite said:

We have 4 in our gym.  Have tried it a dozen times and it is mediocre at best.  The classes are not live, and seem to be very repetitive.  I just got bored with it very quickly.  There are some setups and virtual reality bike tours that I like much better.  

Wife and daughter(No pics of either) only used it a few times and quit.  It is free and they still do not use it.  

There are live classes, actually were a ton of them daily before the shutdown. 

Edited by Dahobbs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just bought a peleton and received it within 2-3 weeks. Love it so far. The classes are very good, they compare well with CycleBar, soul cycle etc.. the app is free for 90 days which contains yoga, running,walking, outdoor, and strength classes. Don’t even Have to put in your cc. Their outdoor workouts are good too.

They started doing live classes this week, in their home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wife has started agitating for one of these. Her sister and a couple friends have them and they want to ride together. That's how they get you, I guess. Not worried about her not using it, she's good about shit like that.

Couple questions for y'all:

  1. how much space would you say you realistically need for it? Their website says just 4' x 2', but that must be the dimensions of the bike itself. Give it another foot all the way around?
  2. how functional is it without the app subscription?  $39/mo isn't a killer but I promise they'll eventually keep adding stuff no one wants and raise it to $69/mo.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, tokamak said:

Wife has started agitating for one of these. Her sister and a couple friends have them and they want to ride together. That's how they get you, I guess. Not worried about her not using it, she's good about shit like that.

Couple questions for y'all:

  1. how much space would you say you realistically need for it? Their website says just 4' x 2', but that must be the dimensions of the bike itself. Give it another foot all the way around?
  2. how functional is it without the app subscription?  $39/mo isn't a killer but I promise they'll eventually keep adding stuff no one wants and raise it to $69/mo.

4' x 2' seems right. It comes with a mat that I believe is around those dimensions. You dont need a ton of space. 

Without the subscription, it will just be a very nice stationary bike. It is silent, has a ton of resistance settings, and I believe you'd still be able to track your workouts and metrics. You just will not have access to the classes. I'd definitely start with the subscription because it is a valuable service in my opinion, but it isnt necessary. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/3/2020 at 9:08 AM, tokamak said:

Wife has started agitating for one of these. Her sister and a couple friends have them and they want to ride together. That's how they get you, I guess. Not worried about her not using it, she's good about shit like that.

Couple questions for y'all:

  1. how much space would you say you realistically need for it? Their website says just 4' x 2', but that must be the dimensions of the bike itself. Give it another foot all the way around?
  2. how functional is it without the app subscription?  $39/mo isn't a killer but I promise they'll eventually keep adding stuff no one wants and raise it to $69/mo.

You would lose a ton of the value without the subscription... if she wants to be able to tap into the classes and track her metrics amount her friends doing the same you need the sub.

In terms of space you likely need something at least 3.5-4 feet wide. Most arm exercises extend forward and backward versus sideways but if too close you would feel awkwardly boxed in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I pulled the trigger on one about 10 days ago. Delivery via XPO was originally scheduled for May 30. I called their automated line and was immediately offered a May 6 delivery date. To my surprise, it showed up. I've done 5 rides so far and I'm liking it. Also have done a few treadmill runs (using the app and my non-Peloton treadmill) and strength workouts and those are great too. I highly recommend the Scosche Rhythm+ hear rate monitor. It goes on the forearm and blows the chest strap ones away in terms of comfort, and I have no reason to doubt it's accuracy.

I looked at the Nordictrack competing bike which looks pretty cool. It has incline/decline via a motor which is loud. The incline and resistance are automatic when doing a ride...you don't have to adjust it yourself. I think I'd rather control resistance myself to be honest. It also has a fan built in, which I find gimmicky and just another thing, along with the incline/decline motor, which will eventually fail.

I also looked at the Echelon offerings, but their top of the line bikes are $1650, and the monthly subscription price is the same as Peloton. I've heard the Peloton app/ecosystem is a lot better than Echelon, so the added up front cost made sense to me.

Finally, could I have bought a decent spin bike on Amazon and used that with the Peloton app to get a great workout and save quite a bit of money? Sure I could have, but that's not how I roll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So far so good for me also.  I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality, but I am finding I actually prefer the male instructors.  The women get too deep and cheesy in their efforts to motivate.  Plus, they wear those stupid pants that cover their belly buttons.  Show me a little midriff for fuck's sake.   The men usually keep their talking limited to the task at hand.  All in all, it's been a good purchase so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alex is probably my favorite instructor. Dennis Morton & Ben Alldis are great as well. Emma ain't bad and keeps the cheer leading to a minimum most of the time. 

Been trying to get my monthly mileage up so I'm throwing on podcasts and knocking out hour long scenic rides which is a nice change of pace. Makes me want to get a road bike... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I’ve done 22 rides in a tad over three weeks since I got the bike. These have been a mix of 30 and 45 minute rides. I have noticed that my knees are making a crackling noise every time I walk up stairs or squat. It sounds like someone is crunching up paper. It doesn’t hurt, but is a little unsettling. I have checked the seat settings and all appears to be they way it should be. Anyone else experienced this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...