Anyone have a Peloton or other stationary bike?

[RhondaHonda]

My wife and I both would like one for the home gym and the Peloton bike is on sale today via Amazon Prime. I’m not sure I need the subscription features but am not ruling them out. I like the adjustability but if something in the $4-500 range is comparable and can save me $700 I’m all ears. Anyone have any insight?

 

[snowshew]

Love my Bowflex C6. Something like $800 when on sale. Use your own tablet to provide whatever video/apps you want wile you ride. Or, if you are like me just watch the big screen in the room. I didn't want to buy a tablet that I could not detach from the bike (the Peloton concept). For the cost difference you could buy a stake if ipads.

 

[georgemiller]

My wife got some knockoff Pit Bull bike but then upgraded to Peloton. She loves it and has the subscription.

 

[atikovi]

Have a 30+ year old Tunturi my parents bought that hasn't been used on over 20 years.

 

[RhondaHonda]

We are going to give it a shot. I need to lose 25 lbs and I much rather bike than walk on a treadmill.

 

[fsdork]

My wife had previously used a standard spin bike with the Peloton app on her phone. She had been sticking with it, so I surprised her with the Peloton Bike+. I have never found spin bikes to be engaging, but thought I'd give the Peloton a shot since it's here. I really enjoy it because of the programming. From my point of view, the "+" version has a huge advantage over the standard Bike because the resistance automatically tracks with the instructor's direction. I find I often miss their call-outs to change resistance, but with the auto-follow I don't have to worry about it. Auto-follow can be deactivated if it's not for you. Another pro of the "+" is that the screen is larger and articulates. This is beneficial when it comes to taking any of the stretching, resistance, yoga, etc. classes which are included with the subscription and are taken while dismounted.

 

[atikovi]

We are going to give it a shot. I need to lose 25 lbs and I much rather bike than walk on a treadmill.

How about eat less, or better? Craigslist and FBMP is full of both of these from people that bought them and after a week or two quit using them.

 

[Leo99]

We've had the Peloton bike for about 3 years now. My wife rides it every morning. She's about to hit 2000 rides this weekend. We've had zero problems with it. Some folks are not so lucky and have to replace the bearings but I guess that's a wear part. It's a good bike but it's really the programming that makes it. You'll need bike shoes with Delta clips or you can change the pedals to match the clips on shoes you might already own.

 

[georgemiller]

We are going to give it a shot. I need to lose 25 lbs and I much rather bike than walk on a treadmill.

Get the Peloton bike that the screen swivels. My wife initially got the screen that didn't swivel but turned it in for other one. The reason is Pelotan also has many strength classes and you can turn screen to use it for that. Peloton also has a treadmill that people love because it let's you hike/ or run to many different places.

I don't ride it as I'm an outdoor biker but I have to say the instructors are very good and motivating.


Wife went with Bike + because screen turns and she uses for other classes that come with subscription.


COMPARE BIKESWhich one is right for you?

QUICK LOOK​	QUICK LOOK​
PELOTON BIKE​	PELOTON BIKE+​
Motivating cardio. Loved by millions.	A full body workout with immersive technology.
Starting at $1,445	Starting at $2,495
Pay monthly. Finance starting at 0% APR¹.	Pay monthly. Finance starting at 0% APR¹.
SHOP BIKE	SHOP BIKE+
All-Access Membership ($44/mo) required to access full content on Peloton equipment Learn more	All-Access Membership ($44/mo) required to access full content on Peloton equipment Learn more
HAVE A QUESTION? BOOK A VIRTUAL APPOINTMENT	HAVE A QUESTION? BOOK A VIRTUAL APPOINTMENT
Screen tilts to accommodate different heights	Rotating screen with 360º of movement to seamlessly shift from cycling to strength, yoga and more
21.5” HD touchscreen	2

 

[MRC01]

OK I'll be the contrarian. As we returned to the office, over the past 2 years while we were out, the gym replaced their prior exercise bikes with Pelotons. So I've ridden the Peloton a few times. Comparing the prior bikes to the Pelotons:

• Adjustment: the Peloton doesn't have the adjustment range that the prior bikes did. Particularly, the seat is too high / bars too low for me - more than my custom-fitted road/race bike at home. No amount of adjustment can make the Peloton comfortable for me.
• Experience: the Peloton's friction/resistance control is entirely manual. The prior bikes automatically changed based on the ride route on the screen - uphill got harder, downhill easier, etc. Also the prior bikes had shifters that affected the resistance just like shifting on a real bike; the Peloton does not.
• Social: this is what Peloton is all about. If you are into the social experience - riding virtually with others, classes, sharing goals, etc. then the Peloton has a lot of features here. Personally, I couldn't care less and don't participate.

IMO, Peloton is overpriced for what you get as an exercise bike -- unless you want to join their ecosystem for the social experience. It's worth mentioning that the Peloton company took a big hit as COVID ended and people started returning to work and to gyms. They nearly went out of business. They need customers & sales badly and you can probably get good deals.

PS: the gym's prior bikes, which I preferred to the Pelotons, were these: https://expresso.com/

 

[Pablo]

I was the QA Manager at Precor from 1992-1999. Peloton is overpriced for a stationary bike with tech we back then.

 

[nthach]

IMO, Peloton is overpriced for what you get as an exercise bike -- unless you want to join their ecosystem for the social experience. It's worth mentioning that the Peloton company took a big hit as COVID ended and people started returning to work and to gyms. They nearly went out of business. They need customers & sales badly and you can probably get good deals.

PS: the gym's prior bikes, which I preferred to the Pelotons, were these: https://expresso.com/

Peloton also bought out Precor, which was a boneheaded move - many globogyms(CrossFit-speak for a chain gym like 24 Hour Fitness/Planet Fitness/Gold’s Gym) use Precor equipment.

Lululemon also wanted in on Peloton’s game, they’re regretting it - the Mirror got folded in as lululemon Studio. Personally, I’m leaning towards Zwift but that requires a smart bike trainer(with a Garmin ANT+ dongle on a PC or a Wahoo Kickr) and ideally Shimano Di2/SRAM eTap electronic shifting on my bike.

 

[Pablo]

Peloton also bought out Precor, which was a boneheaded move - many globogyms(CrossFit-speak for a chain gym like 24 Hour Fitness/Planet Fitness/Gold’s Gym) use Precor equipment.

Lululemon also wanted in on Peloton’s game, they’re regretting it - the Mirror got folded in as lululemon Studio. Personally, I’m leaning towards Zwift but that requires a smart bike trainer(with a Garmin ANT+ dongle on a PC or a Wahoo Kickr) and ideally Shimano Di2/SRAM eTap electronic shifting on my bike.

I say they did a lot of boneheaded stuff.

Precor has been through a LOT of ownership changes. One of the reasons I left. I didn't even look what Peloton paid for Precor. It used to be a very cool place to work until the ITW buyout. But because Precor makes such equipment (including a very innovative bike interface in ~1998) why do you say it was a bonehead? Curious.

 

[JHZR2]

We have a peloton. I got it for my wife as a Christmas gift the year that there was a big outrage over the husband buying the wife a peloton…. My wife (who is into fitness) particularly thought the outrage was stupid, and hinted that she might like one… so we did it.

And she loves it. She uses the fitness classes more than the bike actually. Stretching, yoga, etc. She likes that she can pick a trainer, some music theme, etc., and do different things. I’m sure there are other ways to get streaming fitness classes but she likes them. My 10yo also likes to do rides with scenery, at least for a few minutes.

No complaints. A bit $ for sure. I also have a recumbent pre or self powered unit in the basement, and a concept II rowing machine. The peloton gets the most use.

 

[nthach]

Precor has been through a LOT of ownership changes. One of the reasons I left. I didn't even look what Peloton paid for Precor. It used to be a very cool place to work until the ITW buyout. But because Precor makes such equipment (including a very innovative bike interface in ~1998) why do you say it was a bonehead? Curious.

Wait, that ITW that owns Permatex, Hobart and a major fueling systems supplier to Ford?

The reason why I said it was a boneheaded move for Peloton buying out Precor is they would then go head to head with the spin classes at a chain gym and the globogyms would take their business to Life Fitness, StarTrac and Woodward.

However, the more savvy of the globogyms(IMO, 24 Hour Fitness and LA Fitness) would find a way to tie into Peloton. The Mirror, IMO, was a big mistake for lululemon - despite them making money hand over fist. They should have offloaded Mirror to Amazon, where it will be a compliment for Alexa.

 

[Pablo]

Wait, that ITW that owns Permatex, Hobart and a major fueling systems supplier to Ford?

The reason why I said it was a boneheaded move for Peloton buying out Precor is they would then go head to head with the spin classes at a chain gym and the globogyms would take their business to Life Fitness, StarTrac and Woodward.

However, the more savvy of the globogyms(IMO, 24 Hour Fitness and LA Fitness) would find a way to tie into Peloton. The Mirror, IMO, was a big mistake for lululemon - despite them making money hand over fist. They should have offloaded Mirror to Amazon, where it will be a compliment for Alexa.

Yes. For a few years. And it sucked. ITW is awesome at what they do - cutting the core out of Precor was not something they did well. They sold off Precor in 2002 I think. I left.

I know nothing of Lululemon. Interesting.

 

[#18FAN]

Peloton also bought out Precor, which was a boneheaded move - many globogyms(CrossFit-speak for a chain gym like 24 Hour Fitness/Planet Fitness/Gold’s Gym) use Precor equipment.

Lululemon also wanted in on Peloton’s game, they’re regretting it - the Mirror got folded in as lululemon Studio. Personally, I’m leaning towards Zwift but that requires a smart bike trainer(with a Garmin ANT+ dongle on a PC or a Wahoo Kickr) and ideally Shimano Di2/SRAM eTap electronic shifting on my bike.

Zwift can be a blast I have been using it for about a year from training sessions to group rides. I use a Kickr core and an older road bike with Mechanical 105 group set electronic shift is absolutely not needed.
One of the best attributes to is i don’t have to make it home and some of the sessions if wanted to you can get as brutal as you want and no worry to get back.
Has it helped me for outdoor road riding absolutely is there a downfall people have been known to give up road ridding and stay on the indoor because of the safety and more and more people getting hit or to many close calls on the road.

 

[4WD]

My stationary bike got sold to a neighbor who rides it to the corner store …

 

[#18FAN]

My stationary bike got sold to a neighbor who rides it to the corner store …

Chuck Noris won a bike race on a stationary bike.