So, you’re thinking about buying a Peloton? Let me be of help! I jumped in head-first at Christmas and bought a Peloton bike. I’d never even seen one in real life at that point, much less used one. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but everyone has to start somewhere, right? It seemed very intimidating and overwhelming at first, but I promise you, if I can do it, you can do it.
Let me answer some common questions you may have about making this big purchase:
Is it worth the price?
This is a hard question to answer! There are varying price points to the bike and treadmill, but no matter how you look at it, they aren’t cheap! On top of what you pay initially for the equipment, you also pay $40 a month for the “live” service. The price was my biggest hesitation when making this purchase. Once I got past the price tag for the bike, I considered the monthly fee the same as I would a gym membership fee. It seemed ridiculous to me that they charge you every month after you’ve spent so much on the bike, but you do have access to literally thousands of live and on-demand classes right at your fingertips. Live instructors push you through your workouts to leave out any guess work on your part. It’s just like taking a live spin class at a gym, but it’s in the comfort of your own home. I do so much better with someone telling me what to do, so that’s helped me tremendously. In short, while the price and worth are subjective to the individual, after having mine and using it almost every day, it definitely seems worth it to me.
Do you need to be in good shape to use it?
Before the pandemic started, I worked out regularly at the YMCA. Fast-forward two years and I found myself with no regular exercise routine. I was very much not in shape the day my bike arrived. I was very weary at first because of this, but there are hundreds of beginner classes to start with. You will feel tired and sweaty by the end of them, but not defeated! You can start at whatever level you need to, whatever class length you need, and you can stay there as long as you want. Don’t let this scare you…it’s very manageable for out of shape moms like me.
How is it different from any other stationary bike?
I know not all bikes are created equal, but I have an old Schwinn in my basement that felt like I was riding through drying concrete every time I used it. In comparison to that, the Peloton is smooth as butter. It’s also EXTREMELY sturdy. I hate using equipment that feels rickety and like it may fall apart at any second. With my Peloton bike, I can stand up, sit down, dance around, and move freely without feeling like the bike is going to tip over or start losing screws. That was very important to me. It also has a huge interactive screen where you choose your classes, use your wifi, keep up with your stats, search for the class type/instructor/music you want for the day, and more. You clip into the pedals with bike shoes (which is quite the learning curve, by the way), so your legs aren’t flying out of control as you ride. It keeps up with your calories, miles, and output for every ride. It also has a very user-friendly app and website that makes it easy to find classes.
How do the classes work? Is there enough variety?
When buying a bike, you may feel tied to just cycling class. That’s not the case with the Peloton! Classes are a bit different if you get the treadmill, but there are classes in the following categories: strength, yoga, meditation, cardio, stretching, cycling, outdoor, boxing, core strength, pilates, running, walking, tread bootcamp, and bike bootcamp. You can do cycling classes that include arm workouts, stretching, dancing, and more! You can either take these classes on the huge screen on your bike (it moves and rotates around) or you can stream them on your TV if you don’t want to use your bike. As I mentioned above, there are live and on-demand classes to meet your needs. They have a live schedule every day where you can take classes with an instructor in real-time (along with everyone else who is there as well) or you can search the vast library for on-demand classes to meet your needs. I tend to do a mix of both depending on what my day looks like. If you have a favorite instructor, you can also search for their classes exclusively. The same can be said for the amount of time you want as well. You can find class lengths from 5 minutes up to an hour.
I like working out with other people.
If you’re a very social person when it comes to exercise, this may not be a good fit for you. While there aren’t live classes happening inside your home with other people, you can be a part of live classes online. I took a live Encanto ride with 9,000 other people in real time. There’s a leaderboard you can view at all times to see where you rank and where everyone else ranks. You can give people high-fives as you ride, the instructors give shoutouts, you can celebrate milestones with other riders, and more. Even if you aren’t taking a live class, there’s an option to see who else is currently taking the same on-demand class that you’re in. Despite the fact that there are thousands of on-demand classes, every class I’ve taken has had other people taking it at the same time. You can set up a “session” of an on-demand class where you invite others to join (if they have a Peloton), and you can hop in and join any live session that’s taking place around the world. Even though you aren’t in a gym with other people, this is about as close as you can get for working out at home.
Will I use it?
This is a question I can’t answer for you, but I’ll give you my take on it. I was so afraid I’d pay all this money for a bike that I would never use (like the Schwinn in my basement). Here’s my advice: put the bike in a room/location where you SEE IT EVERY DAY. I had originally planned on putting it in my basement, but I knew myself well enough to know that I wouldn’t go down to my basement every day to workout. I also didn’t put it upstairs in our playroom because I don’t go up there every day. I ended up putting it in the corner of our formal dining room. It’s right off of my kitchen, I see it from the front door, so no matter what I do each day, I’m guaranteed to see it. This has helped SO much. When I work out, I have a direct line of sight to my children, so I’m not worried about what they’re doing during a 30-minute ride like I would be if the bike were in my basement. The bike takes up a relatively small amount of space for its size, so I didn’t have to move out any furniture. I also use it almost every day because of the accomplishment I feel once I’m done. That may sound silly, but it keeps up with all of your milestones and personal records…there’s nothing like beating your PR or hitting a ride milestone. That $40 monthly fee also motivates me to move.
I know I can’t make the decision for you whether a Peloton is the right purchase for you, but as mom in her mid-thirties who has a husband with his own business, three kids, two dogs, a teaching job, and is currently enrolled in graduate school, it’s been the PERFECT fit for me and for finding a daily exercise routine!
