Is the Peloton Worth It?
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I enjoy being active. I’m a big fan of OrangeTheory Fitness, I typically went to three and four classes a week before the pandemic started.
My local studio opened back up during the summer but I wasn’t comfortable with going back, so I started to look into alternatives. I went back and forth with purchasing a Peloton for months. It was a super hard decision for me because I was almost done with paying off my consumer debt. I ended up pulling the trigger in October with the bike arriving on December 26. Here’s a few thoughts on purchase for those that were considering it.
The cost breakdown:
Prior to COVID-19, I spent a pretty penny on gym memberships. Between OrangeTheory Fitness and LA Fitness, I was spending $252 a month towards my health. I have no regrets because I actually really enjoy working out, as well as the physical and mental health benefits.
Prior Gym Memberships Cost: $252 monthly membership (Yearly amount: $3024)
Peloton: Bike+ model: $2495 and $39 monthly membership (Yearly amount: $2963 and then once the bike is paid off $468)
Why did I choose the Bike+?
Peloton offers two options of bikes, the standard bike and the Bike+ as well as two types of treadmills. I have two friends who love their bike so I don’t think you could go wrong either way. I went with the Bike+ because...
Peloton screen before starting a class.
The newer screen: I like having the option of turning the screen to easily do floor or strength exercises. Some use a Pivot tool to do this on the base model so that sounds like a great alternative.
Pairing with Apple Watch: I like the ability to just use my watch as a heart rate monitor since I used to forget to charge mine for OTF often. Along with the turning screen, It just makes it pretty seamless to workout. I have a designated space and tools to workout so I literally have no excuses to not get my workout in. I will say that the pairing isn’t perfect, I often bring my cellphone with me to workout in case I need to re-adjust the settings of my Apple Watch to get it to work.
Auto-follow feature: This is probably my favorite feature of the Bike+. I’m new to spinning, I actually only took one class prior to purchasing it (when I jump in to something, I jump in, lol). Not having to manage the resistance while riding, is great for a newbie. I’ve noticed when I take a live class, which doesn’t use the feature, I think more and rationalize if I can really do the resistance the instructor is asking. With auto-follow, there’s no thinking, just doing.
After two months with Peloton, I love it and wish I would have ordered mine earlier. Between the app and the actual bike, I’ve used them pretty much every day. I currently have a 14 week streak going, woot woot! Below are my pros and cons of Peloton. I’ll start with the cons, because I don’t honestly have many.
The Cons:
Delivery: It’s a long wait for the bike, I knew it was going to be when I ordered it but my bike was actually delayed three times. It was supposed to arrive before Thanksgiving and actually ended up getting it after Christmas. Not the best way to start things with a company, but I’ll talk more about their customer service later on.
Product Junkie: Sometimes it feels like getting so excited about the Peloton makes you want to buy other things. Oh, I need heavier weights, I need the Hidrate water bottle, I need a new outfit for my St. Patrick’s Day ride! I have to remind myself to be mindful of my spending because there are SO many temptations.
The Pros:
Class variety: Listen, Peloton has much content, you can fully enjoy the app without or while waiting for the bike. There’s strength, yoga and cardio for those who like floor exercises. And then there’s running and walking content for those who have a treadmill or want to workout outside. The only area that I feel like Peloton is missing is an instructor that specializes in cardio dance. There’s a few dance classes under the cardio section but I think if they had someone that specializes in hip hop or Zumba it would really add a fantastic option.
Instructors: I can’t say enough positive things about the Peloton Instructors. I have yet to take a class with a bad instructor. Now, I can understand if a particular instructor’s personality might not vibe with yours but skills-wise everyone is great. Cody is an absolute joy, Alex stays motivating me even as he’s fussing at me, Kendall stays pushing me with those hip-hop playlists, and Tunde is just Tunde, sis is fabulous.
The Leaderboard: Now for some, the Leaderboard won’t be a pro but for someone like me who’s super competitive, it’s awesome. As you are working out, you can see yourself pass (or fall behind) other Peloton users. You can even high-five them which is nice after a hard climb or if you see that they are celebrating a milestone. If the leaderboard isn’t your thing, you can always tap the screen and it will disappear. Related to the leaderboard, is Peloton keeps records of you stats from the workouts. Again, for the competitive folks it’s super motivating cause you can see how you progress and set new personal records.
Online community: Outside of the instructors, I’m super motivated by the communities on Facebook and Instagram. Between the #BGM group and one for my sorority, there’s plenty of swarm events to participate in and a wealth of fitness knowledge. Also, I love seeing so many Black women dedicated to their health, It inspires me to continue on with my fitness journey. Scrolling through social media, it’s not hard to stay encouraged to pursue the blue dot!
Customer service: I mentioned earlier that my bike was delayed three times. I appreciate that Peloton took steps to try and make up for that . I received a small gift, water bottle and sweat towel (I love that thing), a refund of $200 dollars, plus 2 months free on my membership, all without me reaching out and saying that there was a problem and I was disappointed. I know it’s not perfect but I appreciate the effort.
Additional thoughts:
Paying with Affirm: I haven’t had any issues paying for the bike using Affirm. I have a monthly amount of $76 due but I am always throwing more at it so I can pay it off quickly. I can see easily how my extra payments are adjusting my due date and it’s always clear on what my balance is.
Cycling while plus-sized: I saw this question pop up on social media, so I thought I would answer it here. I don’t have any problems riding while being plus size. I started my Peloton journey while I was at 306 lbs. My suggestion would be to ride heavy. If I’m going to ride out of the saddle, I’m always towards the high end of the suggested resistance. I typically go out of the saddle for nothing less than 45 or 50 resistance.
For anyone considering purchasing the bike, I hope this helps! I’ll also say, do what you think is best for your health and your financial situation. For many people, they have ordered an less expensive bike and just used the app so there are options. During this pandemic, my Peloton has been such a blessing to me so I wanted to share my thoughts about it. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them.