Peloton - worth it?

[Littlepigsmig]

I'm contemplating getting a Peloton bike. Are they worth it?
Would I be better off spending that money on a turbo trainer and bike as then I'd have a bike I could use outside as well as in.
It's is quite an expensive purchase so was hoping to hear from those that have one before I make up my mind.

I don't have one - but people who do seem very cult-like about it and I'd avoid them like the plague for that alone.

They're also hideously expensive - you can get a really good bike and turbo trainer for the up front cost, let alone the monthly fee.

You can basically do the same with any bike+trainer and an iPad mount - there are various apps which do the same thing, or Youtube spinning classes etc for free.

Yes, I know what you mean about the 'cult'

I've never owned a turbo before, are they easy to set up? I know they're like hens teeth at the mo, but I'm happy to wait. I think I'm cautious as I know nothing about them and don't want to be sold a dud.

Mine's an ancient castoff Tacx from a friend - dead easy to use, not that I do very much since moving to a location where I blissfully have both quiet hill roads and river/canal paths I can go around. It's a pure mechanical resistance and you just drop the back wheel on and let the axle grabs grab, takes ten seconds.

If I was buying today I'd be looking at this sort of fancy shit:
www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-smart-trainer/

And then probably getting a pure mechanical £200 one instead :D

Just checked with donor friend, he's currently using an older model of this (pre-electronics, so it was about £200) and loves it:
www.wiggle.co.uk/kinetic-rock-and-roll-smart-2-t-2810

It's got a rubbery bit so you get a decent amount of sideways travel, you're not clamped into vertical.

Thank you, will take a look. Not that quiet around me so whilst I can cycle out on the roads it can be a risky business!!

I don't have a proper bike so the turbo set up wouldn't have worked for me. I absolutely love my peloton, I bought mine after struggling with arthritis in my hip and my consultant recommending using an exercise bike. My hip is more or less pain free now.

There was an interesting article about how clever the peloton is because they've used gamification to make it addictive. You're much more likely to keep using a peloton than another form of indoor cycling. The down side of that is the weird cult thing but that is easily avoided if you don't engage!!

uxdesign.cc/how-peloton-uses-psychology-to-perfect-their-customer-experience-bd9344e9e4c3

Brilliant result on the hip RNBrie - a bad back is what I cycle for, so amazing when you find a simple exercise that makes it feel like new!

We have one and for us it’s well worth the money. The app offers more than spin classes with outdoor running, yoga, meditation, stretching and strength. For us it’s replaced the gym, the only thing I miss is reformer pilates. The yoga classes are excellent, I’ve learnt so much that I’ve missed in 10 years of studio classes.

Obviously you can replicate it to a certain extent with a turbo trainer and bike, but I’m never going to buy a road bike (did quite a few Olympic distance triathlons when I was younger, don’t have the time now) and turbo trainers are extremely noisy.

It can get a bit cult-y if you become an enthusiastic participant in the various Facebook groups, but equally sometimes people are evangelical because something’s actually really good, and this is one of those things.

Hi - my husband got a Echelon spin bike a couple of weeks ago and loves it. It’s less expensive than the Peleton as it doesn’t have the screen included but does have a tablet holder so he just geta the live classes on the iPad via the app.

We ordered it on the Sunday afternoon and it arrived Tuesday morning. We put it together ourselves, it was fairly simple and we’re certainly not DIYers!

I think it was £1200 but my husband loves it and has been using it every day, in fact he on it right now!

We bought a peloton during lockdown a couple of months ago and have found it brilliant.
Both of us using it quite a few times a week and clothes fitting a lot better already (after eating far too many naughty things).
I haven’t heard of the cult thing at all but then I don’t have social media so only use the peloton app!
If you think you would use it regularly then I would say it’s worth it!

Peloton is so expensive about £2k for the bike and £39 a month subscription. Bike/tubo set up will be cheaper and more versatile i.e. a bike to use outside also. However bikes are a bit like hens teeth at the moment with many models sold out due to lockdown cycling boom.

I got a set up just before lockdown started. I use an 11 speed road bike I already owned with a direct drive smart turbo trainer (Elite suito model costs about £600) and use an app called Zwift (£12.99 per month). I was pleasantly surprised with how quiet it is. Smart turbo trainers synch with the app via Bluetooth and increase resistance when you are going up hill. i use my husband's ipad to run the app but you can use a laptop instead I believe. Direct drive trainers means you take the rear wheel off the bike and mount directly onto the sprockets on the turbo. Zwift is very immersive and has virtual and replica world's to cycle around. Parts of it are actually quite beautiful such as a sequoia forest with dinosaurs and a bear that does forward rolls! Or you can cycle around central London traffic free or central park in New York. There are group rides, races and training programmes to use. Plus there are achievement badges to incentivise and data to analyse so you can see how you are improving. I use it most days and it has kept me sane and I've got a lot fitter and lost weight during lockdown.

I'm fortunate that I work in the cycle trade so can get stuff cheaper but even if not I think turbo and bike is a better, more cost effective set up and Peloton is vastly overpriced imo. Road bikes from about £500 new (spend more if you can to get one with Shimano tiagra or 105 gearing but make sure the bike fits you properly) smart turbo from about £300 or direct drive turbo from about £500/600 and £12.99 Zwift subscription. Buy a large floor fan also and keep a towel on hand also - you will need it as you will sweat buckets.

The Peloton is worth it imo. It is well built and virtually silent when being used. I'm not involved in FB groups and hide the leaderboard. I was never going to be a road cyclist but it is something I can do that doesn't aggravate my bad back. I use the app for different classes.

Thank you for all the replies, will look into both and see what suits me more. Thanks for all the help with turbo trainers, seems less beyond me now if that makes sense!!

The Peloton app is worth the monthly price of £12.99 per month, you can have a free trial to see if you like the style of classes and buy a cheaper spinning bike. Much cheaper and you cannot fully join the cult! Also on the app there are all sorts of classes not involving the bike.

Also there are delays of up to 10 weeks when ordering the Peloton bike depending on area.

I love mine! 😍😍😍😍

I thought about it but downloaded Zwift app on my iPad instead. Already had a bike and a turbo trainer. It’s a virtual world so looks like a computer game, so different concept to spin classes. But you can either ride a route yourself and poodle about or race people, go on group rides. All the other avatars are real people. The faster you pedal then the faster you go. It’s kept me really motivated. I love exploring the different routes, they have a virtual Alpe d’huez.

Just another option?

Oh and my turbo trainer is just an old dumb one I got from decathlon years ago for £90. Doesn’t have to be a fancy one. I had been planning on getting an elite Suito but am happy that this set up is ok.

I've had a Peloton bike since 2018, I use it for x-training. I'm primarily a runner. I really enjoy the classes, I'm not cult like about it (many people are), I just see it as another fitness tool.

My husband who was not into fitness at does six classes a week. Which is fantastic.

I all like the classes, from bike through to meditation but not all of the instructors. With two of using it I don't see it as expensive...but my gym membership was £120 a month before I set up a home gym.

I'd say download the app and have a look at the classes. I only like a couple of the bike instructors, some of them talk way too much and I'm not into the whole 'Peloton Family' motivational cack they spout. The content is very good though and there is something for everyone.

Does it work with poor broadband (download speed averages 4mb)

I've been using the app (free trial for 4 months with my health insurance during lockdown). We've got a secondhand spinning bike, plus I've used some of the running and strength workouts (interesting about the yoga above though, I might give it a try). I like it, and can see that owning the bike could be fun, but I just could never justify the price. I know a few people who've got the bike and love it, but DH and I mix up our exercise quite a lot - I'm not a big cyclist, he prefers to cycle outdoors, plus we both do other forms of exercise - so it didn't make sense for us. Hoping my health insurance extends the benefit beyond the 4 months...

Look into Zwift. Much better value.

I absolute love mine and yes I am cult like about it with no shame whatsoever.
I even want a peleton top and it’s not like anyone will ever see me in it!
When I was at the gym I loved spin - it’s the only exercise I’ve ever enjoyed . Peleton is in a different league - so many different instructors each with their own outlook and motivational push. They have 30 days free trial too. Also your whole family can set up Their own profile too!

Anyone on here able to give a referral code?

@FuckyNel

@PoopySalata

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