When we first considered getting a Peloton, I had done doves of research to figure out if this was the right investment for me. It’s no surprise that after I shared that we had gotten one, you guys had a million questions too. See, same wavelength.
I made a commitment that I wouldn’t share my thoughts on the Peloton until I had given it a full 3 months of use. So many people write reviews too soon and aren’t able to give honest opinions because the experience is too new.
I wanted to share how the Peloton fits into our daily lives, the good, the bad, and all of the questions in between.
What is the Peloton?
The Peloton spin bike is a stationary exercise bike that allows you to take spin style classes in the comfort of your own home. The company Peloton also has a treadmill, in addition to the two different stationary bikes that they offer.
How much does the Peloton cost?
The Peloton bike costs $1895 and the Peloton Bike+ costs $2495. The Peloton bike also needs a monthly subscription so that you can access the classes. The monthly subscription is $39 per month and un unlimited amount of people in the same household (ie one bike) same account.
What’s the difference between the Peloton Bike+ vs. the regular Peloton Bike?
Sahir and I bought the Bike+. A big reason was the Apple Watch integration. I like that I can see my heart rate as I ride.
I usually go by this (trying to stay in the orange zone) instead of my points. My goal is to spend as many minutes in the orange area as possible.
The Bike+ also has a large screen that swivels away from the bike for other workouts like yoga, strength training, and pilates.
Another great feature is that the bike+ has resistance tracking, so if you’re taking an on-demand class the bike will automatically adjust the resistance for you. This is super helpful, especially for interval rides, when your resistance is changing often.
I would say that the Bike+ is a nice to have have, not a necessity. If you have the ability to place a TV or monitor in your workout space and just cast from the Peloton app, the swivel screen is rendered unnecessary. The other features you can do without too, so if you’re price conscience, I don’t think you need the Bike+
Is the Peloton it worth it?
Short answer, yes.
In theory, we all understand the concept of convenience when it comes to having an exercise bike in your home. Obviously, it’s convenient. I have weights, a yoga mat, and resistance bands too – but it doesn’t make me use them more.
But guys, this is so convenient. It’s literally in your home. We redid our basement to accommodate my office and the peloton / mini gym and now it’s a space that we use every single day.
You truly can’t beat the convenience of having this bike in your home with on demand classes. When you go looking for an excuse not to work out, it leaves you without one.
How often do you use the bike?
I wish I had a better answer for this, but usually 3-5 times a week. I’d like it to be more often. When I first got the bike I used it closer to 5x a week, but stopped doing any other workouts. I’ve recently tried to start running more and doing a HIIT class 3x a week (think Orange Theory, Barry’s, etc) so it’s taking away from some of my Peloton time.
Seems like I haven’t quite found the balance of doing both together.
My goal is to do both cardio and HIIT 3-5x a week (each), so hoping that I get there soon.
Do you lose weight having a Peloton?
I googled this question myself when we were considering buying the bike. Is this going to help me lose weight? Here’s the ugly truth.
Weight loss is about caloric deficit. The Peloton will help you add more cardio into your routine if you chose to use it, but if you are eating a large calorie diet and not moving throughout the day – it can’t do magic.
My struggle was that once I started doing the Peloton, I was only doing the Peloton. I’m still working on a routine to make sure that the bike complements my other workouts instead of replacing them.
Why not get a regular exercise bike?
Sahir and I didn’t really consider any other bikes although we have friends who got the Echelon bike and use an iPad to stream Peloton classes.
I’d say whatever bike you get, make sure that you can “clip into” the bike. The little shoe cage is not going to give you the same experience.
Speaking of shoes…
Do I need the Peloton shoes?
Yes, you need the shoes – but they don’t have to be Peloton brand. Sahir and I both ended up getting the branded shoes. We used a friends and family code for $100 off so I got my shoes for free.
If you’re looking to get a bike, you can use my friends and family code for $100 off too. It’s: “MZNCDX”
Did you buy the Peloton mat?
This one we went off brand for and used an Amazon branded mat. You can find the exact one that we used here.
Favorite Rides?
- Favorite Theme Ride:
- Cody’s Britney Spears Ride – 7/15/20 at 7:20 PM
- Favorite Latin Ride:
- Tunde’s 20 Minute Latin Ride – 08/03/20 at 5:00 PM
- Favorite Hip Hop Ride:
- Kendall’s 20 Min Hip Hop Ride – 07/29/20 at 5:00 PM
- Favorite Pop Ride:
- Cody’s 20 Min Pop Ride – 11/29/20 at 1:00 PM
- Favorite Beginner Ride:
- Alex’s 30 Min Beginner Ride – 02/06/20 at 12:30 PM
- Favorite Quick Ride
- Ally Love’s 15 Min Boss Ride – 10/29/20 at 6:45 AM
- Favorite 20 Minute Ride:
- Kendall’s 20 MinPop Ride – 10/21/20 at 8:05 PM
- Favorite 30 Minute Ride:
- Alex’s 30 Min 2000s Ride – 08/22/20 at 1:00 PM
- Favorite Music Ride:
- Cody’s 20 Min Pop Ride – 07/09/20 at 8:45 AM
- Favorite Intervals Ride:
- Kendall’s 30 Min Intervals & Arms – 10/08/20 at 7:30 AM
- Favorite Two for One Ride:
- Alex & Tunde’s Beyonce Ride – 11/09/20 at 7:30 PM
Does it hurt to ride?
When you start using any stationary bike, you’ll inevitably feel a soreness in your butt. It’s because of the seat and the placement of your muscles. This goes away with time.
Here are two things that I recommend to combat Peloton Bike Soreness
- Start by taking classes that have you “out of the saddle” more than “in the saddle”. This is a fancy way of saying standing up and sitting down. A lot of beginner’s classes shy away from having you stand up or go “out of the saddle” but standing will help you ease into that soreness.
- Use a padded bike seat cushion. I got this one from Amazon for me and Sahir and 3 months later, it’s still on our bike. I like the way it feels and it doesn’t restrict me at all. I plan on keeping it on there for the foreseeable future.
Do you need padded shorts?
I skipped the padded bike shorts and went for the gel bike seat cushion. That way I can wear whatever I want to wear when I ride.
If I’m petite is the Peloton bike too tall for me?
I’m 5’0 and Sahir is 6’1. I keep the bike seat height on 11 and he keeps it on 21. I think there’s plenty of room to go up and down vertically.
Another seat adjustment is how close your seat is to the handlebars. For this, I pull it all the way forward, Sahir pulls it all the back. I think if you’re around 5’0ish (plus or minus a few inches) you should be fine.
Will the Peloton motivate me to workout?
The Peloton community is really great and it can get addicting. The best part about Peloton is that you can have whatever experience you want to have.
I prefer on-demand classes vs. the live classes. You can also pay attention to the leaderboard or you can dismiss it away. You can find virtually any music genre to ride to, so the experience is really personal.
How does the Peloton compare to traditional spin classes?
It’s different, but similar. I’ve taken Flywheel, SoulCycle, CYC, and so many other spin classes and love the feeling. The Peloton instructors are amazing and they keep you motivated throughout the ride.
If you duplicate a dark ambiance and colored lights, go for it. I find that turning the music up helps me feel like I’m in a real spin class.
Do you have to workout with an instructor or can you workout on your own?
There is an option to ride to your own music or even use a blackout screen and just ride. I hope to be able to start doing some working rides, where I get a laptop stand and just peddle on a black screen.
I haven’t tried this yet, but sounds good in theory.
Hidden Secret Features of the Peloton
One of my favorite little surprises when we got the Peloton was that after I took a certain ride (i.e. a 30 minute or 20 minute ride) the bike would start to show my PR or “Personal Record” as I was riding.
This means it would tell me that at this point in my last 20 minute ride, I had 4 points or 6 points. This keeps you in competition with your best ride so you can pick it up if you want to beat your score.
Final Thoughts on the Peloton 90 Day Review
I’m glad that we bought the Peloton and I hope that I start to get even more use out of it. Because Sahir and I both ride 3-5x a week, we are certainly getting our money’s use out of the purchase and I feel good about that.
