Should I get a Peloton?

[Anonymous]

I totally endorse the peloton classes and have been doing them for years. I stated with a sunny bike plus iPad/app and have never bothered to upgrade to the peloton bike because it works so well already and I get a great workout. I mostly train based on my heart rate (via my watch) so I don’t miss the other interactive features and this setup is enough for me.

I also got a $1200 sole treadmill and do peloton power walk and uphill hike classes which are a great workout too.

I may get the bike some day if the sunny bike quits but their business is in a time of flux right now so I’d rather wait and see where their business model ends up since I already have a good setup.

[Anonymous]

It’s a fad…

[Anonymous]

OP, if you're mostly interested in powerzone, then get the regular bike, not the bike +. The auto-resistance function on the bike + (which is the main reason to get one of those) is not compatible with powerzone since they don't call out resistance numbers in those classes. If you want to have a screen that moves so that you can do strength/yoga/etc. just get a pivot to attach to the screen. Then you're looking at a $1000 investment b/c you can apply the $300 discount to the regular bike. I've had my peloton since January 2020 (just before the world shut down) and I love it. I alternate between powerzone challenges and then just doing fun rides. I don't think the company is going anywhere, and I think the bikes are well made. Delivery issues seem to be very related to where you are in the country, due to warehouses closing. The DC area doesn't seem to be having many issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bought my bike almost four years ago, so maybe the quality has declined? But mine is a tank. I’ve been spinning for 25 years, and this is the best quality bike I’ve ever ridden on. It’s fantastic, and it’s as good now as it was when I bought it.

It’s likely Peloton gets acquired—but the reason it’s an attractive acquisition target is because of the content and installed customer base. Things might change, but the bike won’t become a brick.

But you should only buy it if you’ll use it. I love spinning and have for ages, so I knew I’d get my money’s worth; I’ve been taking classes 3x/week since I got it, which is more frequent than when I went to a gym. But if you aren’t sure you’ll use it at least 2x/week, I don’t think it’s worth it.

That's so interesting! The bike I tried that was rickety was in a showroom. I was out of the saddle, not really working too hard, and chatting with the sales person. The screen was going wild and shaking all over the place! Maybe it wasn't leveled properly? I'd be aiming for 3-5x/week. I love Ben and Matt's non-bike classes, so I'd ideally be doing PZ with them and Olivia.

Also, everyone, thanks for your input! I decided to try the FTP test and a PowerZone class in a showroom and go from there.

This is what I would assume. Once in a blue moon I’ll have to adjust my bike level slightly, which just means turning turning one of the little feet a couple of times to the right or left.

[Anonymous]

Sunny bike + peloton app and/or soul cycle on demand app were more than enough for me, a fellowvformer lover of soul cycle. If you are driven by the numbers, this won't work, but if you loved soul cycle, they don't use metrics, and so this combo should satisfy you fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bought my bike almost four years ago, so maybe the quality has declined? But mine is a tank. I’ve been spinning for 25 years, and this is the best quality bike I’ve ever ridden on. It’s fantastic, and it’s as good now as it was when I bought it.

It’s likely Peloton gets acquired—but the reason it’s an attractive acquisition target is because of the content and installed customer base. Things might change, but the bike won’t become a brick.

But you should only buy it if you’ll use it. I love spinning and have for ages, so I knew I’d get my money’s worth; I’ve been taking classes 3x/week since I got it, which is more frequent than when I went to a gym. But if you aren’t sure you’ll use it at least 2x/week, I don’t think it’s worth it.

That's so interesting! The bike I tried that was rickety was in a showroom. I was out of the saddle, not really working too hard, and chatting with the sales person. The screen was going wild and shaking all over the place! Maybe it wasn't leveled properly? I'd be aiming for 3-5x/week. I love Ben and Matt's non-bike classes, so I'd ideally be doing PZ with them and Olivia.

Also, everyone, thanks for your input! I decided to try the FTP test and a PowerZone class in a showroom and go from there.

That was because they didn't balance it. Mine is sturdy as a tank, but I have to make sure it's balanced and is on the right mat.

[Anonymous]

I love mine. I actually have 2, one at home and one at our lake house. Honestly, best thing I've ever bought.

[Anonymous]

i got the bike less than a year ago and i love it. i was so tentative b/c i never stick with a routine, but i've been consistent with peloton. i do the power zone training. i live in the DC area and had a great experience with delivery and customer service -- i think as long as you're dealing with peloton directly and not a third party, you'll be okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really enjoyed SoulCycle pre-pandemic but am not eager to go back after many of my favorite instructors left. I like Peloton's running and yoga offerings and would be interested in the Bike+, especially since Peloton has a $300 off promo right now for app users. But I'm concerned about pulling the trigger for a few reasons:

- lack of stability in the company, along with rumors of paying $100/month for a bike subscription. No way!
- not a fan of the bike itself; I really prefer the Stages bikes, as they're less rickety and built like tanks.
- terrible experience with Peloton support; they're rather unsupportive at best and dismissive/unresponsive at worst.
- many instances of people being sent defective, previously used, or rusty bikes, terrible delivery experiences (deliveries being canceled/pushed out, or bikes arriving damaged), and reading tons of reports of things going wrong/breaking and Peloton support being a PITA about repairs.
- paying $40/month for something I'm getting for less now seems silly and a quick cash grab from the company.

I really want to try PowerZone and don't want to fiddle with a DIY setting and multiple apps like Zwift to save a buck, but I also want to be sure that I'm buying a solid product that I can use right away. I'm not seeing that from Peloton right now, and I'd love to hear recent buyers' and Peloton haters experiences/input, good or bad.

It seems like you have a fairly negative view of the company so you will be kind of waiting for something to go wrong, which doesn't sound like a good experience. As for me, I bought a peloton about a year and a half ago and its basically changed my life (I've lost 50 pounds and more fit than I've ever been).

1) The company: I am not sure if peloton will exist in its current form forever, acquisition would not be at all shocking, but peloton also has an insane customer retention rate, like 95% of users re-up every month. There is no way that becomes a brick. It would literally be throwing money away to give up on a machine that beloved in that many people's homes. So from a purely capitalistic perspective, I think odds are extraordinarily low that it becomes a brick.

2) I have never ridden a stages bike (I don't think?) but my 2020 bike is probably the nicest spin bike I've ever been on. I used to go to studios a lot. It is not at all rickety.

3/4) Customer support has not really been an issue for me. I did have my delivery rescheduled once I think? Hard to remember. But they scheduled an appointment quickly when I had an issue, and actually I didn't end up needing them to come out. And they were nice enough for some chat support personnel. I also ordered a pair of peloton leggings that had a seem break in two wears and they sent me another pair for free. I feel like beyond delivery issues I haven't actually heard of any issues in peloton communities. And I have not heard a single story of getting a rusty or used bike. I mean I'm not saying it never happened, but I don't think that is actually happening that frequently. Although for sure they've had a lot of trouble with delivery issues.

5) I totally get deciding you don't want to pay a subscription that high, but I honestly disagree with people who say its a cash grab. That implies it has no value. The experience provided by owning a bike is in my opinion a product worth that cost. I get tons of high quality new content essentially on a daily basis, access to a detailed and intensive improvement program tied to hard metrics that the bike tracks, and personally, the leaderboard is very motivating outside of power zone classes. I was paying $20 a class to go to a spin studio. Now I pay $40 a month and take probably 12-20 bike classes a month and maybe 60-90 strength classes (obviously doing more shorter strength classes). I know you mock it above but I would happily pay $100 for the subscription and I am not like, a person for whom $100 a month is nothing.

All that said, I don't see the value proposition in the bike+ if you want to get deep into powerzone. Def go for the regular bike. Unless you really want it to do fancy stuff with an apple watch (also not an issue for me)

[Anonymous]

Between how often i use it and how much cheaper it is to have a Peloton versus a Orange Theory or whatever membership, the bike will pay for itself in under 18 months. I use it anywhere from 4-6 times a week. Notably I have the old version and not the Bike+. I know a few people who've had issues and all were with the Bike+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know anyone in this area who had trouble with delivery or repairs. I think that was linked to one contractor (XPO I think?) who I don’t believe does bike deliveries in the DMV

FWIW I love mine and wish I had gotten it earlier. No concerns about it becoming a brick anytime in the near future.

+1 My friend just ordered one and got it in a week as promised (we're in the DMV).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love mine. I actually have 2, one at home and one at our lake house. Honestly, best thing I've ever bought.

+1 I love mine, too. I did not exercise regularly before and have been doing the Peloton 3-5 days a week for the last 4 months. I've been enjoying the instructors and the new Lanebreak. I'm just starting to try out power zone. I think the bike is great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll sell you mine for $500

Ridden probably 12,000 miles on it in last 2+ years. Love it but time for something different

I’ll buy it if you’re in the DC Beltway! Please me at [e-mail]

I also just saw several for sale on Next Door

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Between how often i use it and how much cheaper it is to have a Peloton versus a Orange Theory or whatever membership, the bike will pay for itself in under 18 months. I use it anywhere from 4-6 times a week. Notably I have the old version and not the Bike+. I know a few people who've had issues and all were with the Bike+.

What issues were they having with them?

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I love mine. I got the Peloton Tread last year and am working out way more than before not only walking/running, but also the strength training & yoga classes.