It’s officially been a 2 years since we added a peloton bike to our home gym. And with my ever changing workout habits, I thought now would be the perfect time for a review. If you’re looking at investing in one over the next few months or maybe have had your eye on it for a while, I’m diving into all things Peloton today: what I love, using the app vs the bike and the big thing holding me back from investing in the Peloton tread.
As always, I love hearing from you and I know there are things that I might not have considered. So for the sake of the community, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. But for now, pour one out my friends, and let’s dive into today’s Peloton bike review.
Did I Cycle Before I Got The Bike?
Before I dive into a review, I wanted to give a little background on what my expectations were for the bike. I was fortunate enough to have free extended access to Soul Cycle classes few years back. Chris Pipkin, who is also currently offering digital classes with C word happening, is an amazing instructor. And his style of teaching, along with the fact that I was able to take classes as a job perk, gave me a wonderful introduction to cycling classes.
Since then, I’ve dabbled in classes here and there. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I don’t adore group classes by any means. There’s been many a time where I’ve done something within a class setting and then again with a private instructor that has changed my perspective. However, I’ve found that my favorite part of cycling classes is the group atmosphere. It’s the friend who tells you on the bike you can do one more rep or knowing you’re going to be dying to a song your other friend picked because they love it. It’s the community.
How Does Peloton compare to Soul Cycle or Other Cycling Classes?
I LOVED Soul Cycle for the few months I was taking classes. Partly because of Chris but also because it feels like SO much fun. You’re moving and dancing while things are happening. There’s no boredom because you’re constantly switching and tweaking to challenge your muscles.
And TBH, I think that’s definitely something a lot of others in the Peloton community miss. It’s a bit more form focused. You’ll go up and down in the saddle. Occasionally, you’ll get a tap back scenario. But if you like the mini push ups and other dancing bits, you’ll be making it up for yourself as you go.
Bike wise, I think the Peloton bike is quite similar to the Soul Cycle bike. You have the option to clip in or get the slide in pedals. I prefer to clip in because it’s just easier for me. Plus, I find I can focus on form a bit better. However, if you’ve previously taken classes in a gym using a bike with a limited resistance range, you’re going to LOVE the upgrade. I’ve gone back and forth over the years and I feel like it’s a much harder gauge when you can’t be as precise. You either feel too slow or like you’re pedaling through mud.
Pros
There’s SO much flexibility that comes with having the bike at your finger tips. There’s a great selection of class types and lengths which means you can easily find something that suits your schedule. There’s ton of instructors so you can easily find the person that suits your teaching style, even if that teacher doesn’t live in the same country as you.
The instructors are athletes and it shows in how they teach. While the bike is amazing and the Facebook community is STRONG, the instructors frequently share how to incorporate certain workouts into a larger routine if you’re looking to supplement your current training with cycling.
They are quick to adapt and are constantly taking feedback from the facebook group. So you’ll find new artist rides constantly being added, the Lizzo & JLo ride are staples in our house. But they’ve also continued to expand the offering of classes with their app.
You get a full spectrum of coaching, minus the diet side. So if you’re looking to train for a marathon or need a dedicated warm up/cool down, those are also available. If you’ve been training in a gym for a while or even paying for membership classes at a studio, the cost of the subscription on the bike is definitely cheaper.
I think the biggest pro for the Peloton bike would be that there is something for everyone. I’ve seen everyone from advanced athletes to celebrities to beginners to those recovering from injury talking about their bike. It’s absolutely an investment, both financially and because it takes a hot second to make it to your home. But it’s one that you aren’t likely to out grow for a very long time.
You can take classes with friends. I’ve yet to do this so I can’t exactly say how it works but you can ride with a friend and video chat at the same time.
CONS
I don’t have many but I would be remiss if I said that everything was perfect when it came to the Peloton bike. If you’re someone who wants to use the large screen on the bike to do other classes, the screen doesn’t move other than to tilt up and down. So you’re going to be limited on how you make that work.
It costs more to pay for a subscription to stream the classes on the bike. While the app currently costs around $13, it’s about $40 for the bike, however you also have the app access.
You’re required to pay a membership per item. As of now, there isn’t a discount for a family or if you own both the peloton bike & tread.
The delivery service is hit and miss. If you’re reading this when I’m actually posting it and thinking this would be a great Christmas item, buy it now. When we originally purchased ours, remember 2/3 of the WSS team is in a small town in Florida, it took a least a month to get to us. Thankfully, it came assembled by the team. I actually did a class the same night. BUT I’ve seen all kinds of stories about delivery issues and the delays especially with Covid.
WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN?
Yes. When I originally bought the bike, I wanted something I could use at home for bad weather days and as a supplement to my gym training at the time. I was doing 2-a-days and needed an alternative. But since I originally bought the bike, I’ve discovered the ways that it’s expanded my other training. I’m planning on doing a post later this year once I’ve completed my second half marathon. However, before I invested in the bike, I always got shin splints. Doing cross training with the Peloton bike helped me to strengthen my muscles so I could finally start running.
How Often Do I Use It after 2 Years?
These days I don’t ride my bike a ton. When I originally got it, the idea was that it would serve well as a 2nd workout or on the days when I couldn’t make it to the gym. But with my growing love of running, I don’t find that I’m on the bike too often right now unless I need it to fill a gap in my workout schedule, find myself short on time or there’s a themed ride that sounds like fun.
However, I think I’d be more likely to ride more if I had friends who also had the bike vs my current workout schedule. I.e. going to the gym, taking pilates classes or running with my current partner. It’s still 100% worth it for me to have because the bike is paid off, I love the classes across the app and use those to warm up/cool down/meditate/etc. However, I don’t find that what I need currently requires riding a ton.
THOUGHTS ON THE PELOTON TREAD?
I want it. When I did this review a year ago, I wasn’t sold. Then I slowly started adding more tread classes into my routine at the gym. And now I want one. However, I was hoping for the heftier version that was recalled. So I may end up caving and investing in the smaller bike. But I find that I really prefer the running classes over the bike classes. I find the classes are easier to navigate as far as knowing what kind of work I’m doing.
Personally, I hate high cadence classes on the bike. I’d much rather have resistance, climb hills or do low impact. When I do ride, it’s typically low impact simply because I like the idea of pacing myself. It translates better for me in other workouts. With running classes, it’s a bit easier to gauge what you need/control how you’re pushing yourself (imo). I 100% see myself investing in the tread in the future.
ANYTHING ELSE?
At the end of the day, I think it’s worth noting that the bike is like any other subscription: you can cancel it if you’re not loving it. The facebook community makes it seem like everyone is obsessed. And there are plenty of hardcore riders. But over the last year, I’ve gone from the initial honeymoon phase to the occasional use. You’d think that being trapped with the bike would make me want to use it more but instead I’ve been using the running classes instead.
I’ve been chatting back and forth with a friend who took a more budget friendly approach to investing (aka she started with the app & a bike she had access to) and she’s fallen in love with it. Overall, there’s SO many classes available. I think that access alone makes it worth it if you’re someone like me who is constantly flowing with their workout/mood. This morning I did a 10 minute warm up with Tunde (love her, she will kill you and you will still love her) and then tried part of a Billie Elish yoga class.
If you’re looking for something flexible but also provides a bit of stability, I think the Peloton bike is a great option. There’s so much amazing content in the app that you’re never bored. I used it when we were in Paris in the fall, last week when I had no motivation for a run and of course today, when I wasn’t quite sure what workout I wanted to do with the rainy weather.
In the year since we’ve had it, I’ve seen a difference in how I train solo vs when I have the instructors pushing me to go harder. It’s given me a great option for days when I need a low impact ride to balance out a longer run or when I just want to do something fun. Overall, I would highly recommend it.
If you’re thinking about investing in the Peloton bike or are already a part of the Peloton fam, let us know in the comments below. There’s a WSS hashtag for the community on there (#whatsavvysaid). And if enough of us are interested, I’m happy to organize some group classes. For now, I hope wherever you are in the world you’re safe, taking a deep breath to release some of tension and know that you are so very loved. Sending you all the love and positive vibes. Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
PS. Every Peloton owner has a referral code to share that gives you $100 towards accessories with your bike purchase. If you’re ready to invest, use code: WJ5YU6 to support me and the WSS team.
Get the Tread+ totally worth the investment. Your full access subscription allows a Bike and Tread on the same account. If you already have the bike it is an easy decision assuming you don’t mind the heavy price tag of $4300 for the Tread.
Good to know!