People make a lot of excuses to avoid the gym. “My gym is too crowded right now.” “It’s too cold out to go for a run.” “I don’t feel like putting my contacts in.”
If you’ve ever made any of those excuses, then Peloton Cycle wants to help.
Peloton Cycle is a smart indoor exercise bike. It has a Wi-Fi connection and an HD touchscreen display. Cyclists can stream live spin classes on the HD screen or access those classes on demand.
Peloton was founded in 2013 and has grown a steady following of fans around the world.
Today, in our Peloton Cycle review, I’m going to explain how Peloton works and whether or not it should be your next exercise bike.
History of Peloton Cycle
Peloton Cycle (pronounced “PELL-uh-tawn”) was launched in 2013 by John Foley, formerly of Barnes & Noble, Evite, and CitySearch. Within a few months of launch, Peloton Cycle had raised more than $300,000 on Kickstarter, blasting past its goal of $250,000.
In May 2014, Peloton opened its flagship studio in New York City. This studio is where Peloton films all its classes. A team of A/V professionals broadcast footage to Peloton bikes across America while some of New York City’s best spin trainers work their magic in front of four HD cameras and a classroom of participants.
Today, Peloton Cycle is shipping Peloton bikes across the United States and has reportedly sold thousands of units (precise sales data is unavailable). In the future, the company hopes to expand to Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world.
The term “Peloton”, by the way, refers to “the main pack of riders in a road race.” Cyclists will ride in the peloton to save energy before sprinting out of the peloton to get to the finish. The name is meant to evoke a sort of group spirit or energy – just like what you feel when you go to a spin class.
How Does the Peloton Bike Work?
The Peloton bike claims to have three features which make it the best bike ever made:
1) 21.5” 1080p Multi-touch, Sweat-resistant Tablet
2) Live And On-demand Cycling Classes From The Top Instructors In New York City
3) Interactivity With Your Friends And A Leaderboard With Thousands Of Members
Here’s How It Works: you hop on the bike whenever you need a workout. On the screen, you can choose to join a live spin class or select a class from a catalog of “on demand” spin classes which were previously filmed.
The spin classes are broadcast live from New York City, where Peloton maintains a flagship studio. That studio is staffed with some of the top spin class trainers in New York City. If you live in New York, you can actually visit the Peloton studio and join spin classes while trying out the bike for yourself.
The Peloton flagship studio is surprisingly high-tech: the studio itself is equipped with three HD Sony PTZ cameras and one robotic Telemetrics HD track camera. Together, these cameras provide sweeping footage of the coaches and of the other individuals in the room.
The goal with this studio is to broadcast the energy in the room to the world. Music is pumping, the trainer is yelling motivational lines at you, and you can see average people struggling away in the dark corners of the room.
It’s a spin class delivered to a high-quality screen right in front of your face – and you don’t even need to leave your house or dress up to join.
Of course, if you dislike the spin class instructor, then you can simply pick a new one from the menu. You can’t do that with an ordinary spin class.
The Screen
The Peloton screen features all of the metrics you expect on an exercise bike, including Distance, Cadence, Output, Resistance, and Calories. You use the screen to select live classes or browse on-demand classes, and the video search interface works in a similar way to YouTube or any video browsing website.
By all reports, the sweat-resistant screen is very high-quality. One reviewer says “you can literally see the sweat coming off the instructor as she yells at you to turn up the resistance.”
The Bike
The bike has all the features you would expect on an exercise bike with a high standard of manufacturing. The bike has an adjustable seat. There’s a resistance knob within arm’s reach (the instructor will yell at you to crank it up at various points in your workout).
The pedals have cleat locks which keep your shoes connected to the bike at all times, which means you won’t fall off.
The Classes
Classes are offered in both English and Spanish. Peloton aims to bring on more instructors in various languages as they expand around the world. If you can’t join a class from your favorite instructor live, then you can set it to record. It will be saved in the cloud, and you can watch it later.
The instructors are good at what they do and keep classes interesting, telling bikers to crank up the resistance, dip arms to the side, or lift off the bike chair, all of which makes the workouts go by quickly. Most classes last for 45 minutes.
How Much Does Peloton Cycle Cost?
Bringing a Peloton Cycle bike home with you costs $1,995. It’s your bike to keep. You will, however, need to pay a $39 per month subscription fee to continue taking spin classes over the HD screen.
That $39 per month subscription fee includes unlimited streaming rides, both live and on-demand. It also includes unlimited accounts for your friends, family, and whoever else wants to take the bike for a spin.
At a price tag of $1,995 plus a $39 per month subscription fee, Peloton is not a low-cost alternative to a gym membership. However, since an exercise bike with an HD screen typically costs $1,500 to $5,000, Peloton isn’t too ridiculously expensive.
Peloton Accessories
Peloton Cycle also offers some accessories you can use with your bike, including:
Cycling Shoes ($125): Peloton calls this “the most comfortable indoor cycling shoe.” It features special clips which connect to the Peloton bike.
Heart Rate Monitor ($49): This monitor uses an ANT+ chest strap to comfortably track your heart rate throughout the workout.
Sports Mat ($49): 36” x 72” floor mat designed to fit under your Peloton bike and protect your floors from scratches and sweat.
Weights ($25): Available in sets of 1, 2, or 3 pounds, these dumbbells let you add an upper body workout to your ride.
Headphones ($24): Comfortable in-ear headphones which feature a 6’ cord.
Cycling Shoe Cleats ($12): You get a pair of cleats with every Peloton bike or shoe purchase. However, if you need an extra pair, you can order one from the website.
Basic Package ($149): A pair of Peloton shoes, a set of two small dumbbells, and headphones.
The Works Package ($229): Includes a pair of Peloton shoes, a set of two small dumbbells, headphones, a heart rate monitor, and a bike mat to be placed under your bike when you ride.
Why do you need a special pair of shoes? Well, you don’t. But the Peloton Cycle bike has special clips, and the Peloton shoes have special clip connectors, so some people will find these shoes help with stability during a ride.
Who Should Use Peloton Cycle?
Peloton comes with a premium price tag: $2000 plus $40 per month for classes. It’s targeted towards people who are willing to make a large investment in their personal health. That $2000 price tag may seem steep, but you own the bike for life. How many hours will you spend on the bike over the next 10 or 20 years of your life?
Peloton caters towards people who want to exercise and enjoy the energy of spin classes, but don’t like taking the time, energy, and effort to actually get to the gym.
If that sounds like you, then Peloton Cycle could be an excellent health investment.
This bike is a blast. I take the library classes because id rather just start than join a live class. the bike is great quality and much better than most studio bikes. Its expensive but worth it if i can sneak in a workout from my house pretty easily and it pushes me to max effort. I would get all the accessories from amazon as its a bit cheaper.
I am a new mom and can’t find time to get to the gym anymore, but needed a way to get back in shape. Peloton has been an amazing investment. I can get in a quick workout when my baby is sleeping without having to find childcare, travel to the gym, and get there early to make sure I get a spot in class. I used to love SoulCycle and Flywheel and this gives you the same high quality experience right at home. I darken the room and put on headphones and it feels like I am really in the class. If you went to one of these boutique classes only 2X per week at $35 per class, that’s $3,500 in just 1 year. With Peloton, although it’s a large upfront investment, it actually can save you money over time, especially since you can have unlimited riders in your household (my husband and I both cancelled our gym memberships). The iOS app is included with your subscription, so when I travel for work I can still do a class in my hotel gym. They also now have Beyond the Ride workouts like Yoga which you can cast to your TV if you want a break from spinning one day.
If you pay for 2 year subscription up front, you get 3 months free, and if you use a referral link you get another 2 months free on top of that.
I couldn’t justify the overall cost (bike + subscription fees) and really didn’t want exercise equipment with an integrated tablet that couldn’t be used for anything else (can’t surf the internet, stream netflix, stream your music, etc)–and is just one more thing to break. I prefer the bike and tablet are not integrated so either can be switched out based on preferences, upgrades, breakdowns, and portability. I bought a Sunny Fitness bike on Amazon for about $270–very easy to set up. This is, of course, a very simple bike that does not need to be plugged into a wall and doesn’t have any computer–if you just want a small investment that will give you a good workout, this will do. I use my iPad to watch On Demand Peloton videos, which is great (streaming in my rural location is a no-go). I can bring Peloton on the road when I travel for business and workout at hotels (since it also has weight training and yoga programs). I have a heart rate chest strap and smartphone that i use to gauge my effort during the workout since I don’t have the Peloton readout screen. I think I may also buy a Wacom device to measure cadence (about $30-40) on my Sunny bike. I’m happy with this solution. The Peloton workouts are somewhat addicting!
Which model of Sunny bike did you get? How has it held up so far?
Peloton has done a very good job of putting together and marketing a packaged product and creating a niche for itself. It is not the the be all and end all of what’s out there, however. If what you are looking for is the ability to stream live classes into your home, Peloton is unique. If what you are looking for is the ability to have structured training in your home, there’s lots of options out there that will get you to the same place, often at a lower cost. Let’s break it down a bit.
First there’s the bike. At $2000, it is towards the upper end of high quality indoor cycling bikes. And it has some features that are less than stellar. As reported by others, the fore and aft position of the handle bars is not adjustable. This is a critical omission. To get proper fit, you need to be able to adjust the seat up and down and fore and after and also make the same adjustments to the handle bars. If the reach is not fully adjustable, you could be miserably uncomfortable on the bike and in a biomechanically unsound position leading to injuries. High end indoor bikes are fully adjustable to get a perfect fit based on your leg length, torso length, arm length and flexibility. The pedal system uses plastic Look cleats. Plastic cleats wear quickly and need to be replaced. They also sit extended from the surface of the shoe and are difficult to walk on, being susceptible to slipping and scuffing floors. The former means that you better learn how to replace and correctly position cleats; you will be doing it frequently depending on your usage. The latter is no big deal if you keep your shoes by the bike and never try to walk around the house with them on. Most high end indoor cycles use a Shimano style pedal with recessed metal cleats on the shoes. Much more durable and because the cleat is recessed, you can walk in the shoe. Then there’s the question of the bottom bracket – the piece that contains the bearings that the crank arms for the pedals are attached to and spin on. Peloton’s is proprietary. Many other bikes have industry standard bottom brackets that can be purchased at at bicycle shop. Peloton also doesn’t disclose how it determines the power output of a rider – a metric that’s a big part of indoor cycling. Is it a calculated number based on the position of the magnet basket that creates the resistance and cadence, or is it an actual measured number using a strain gauge built into the bike or some other measuring device. The best high end indoor cycles at this price point actually measure power output rather than calculate it based on some assumed algorithm.
What you are really paying for is the electronicas on the bike and the access to the media content. But there are much cheaper ways to get much of the same thing (but not the live classes). Companies like Wahoo and Cycleops make a series of smart trainers that interface with your laptop or smartphone/tablet. Companies like Trainer Road, Zwift and Kino Map provide web subscriptions for $10/month that will give you access to training programs, videos, and recorded group rides that interface with the smart trainers through connected laptops, smart pnphones and tablets. Just as an example, for $1199 retail, you can get a Wahoo Kickr smart trainer. Attach your own bike to it, pair it to your laptop and get a $10/month subscription to Zwift. You can do video training rides, group rides linked to other Zwift users etc. the program controls the resistance on the trainer to match the topography and conditions of the route you are riding or the training ride you are doing. Or link to Kino Map to do group video rides on world renowned courses and again the trainer resistance is regulated by a signal in the video. Or sign up for Trainer Road and get individually customized training rides based on your fitness level. Or just get a solid $800 indoor cycle with some DVDs like Spinetgynor Sufferfest and do your own thing for a hell of a lot less money. Point is, with today’s technology, there’s a lot of options out there before you plunk down $2000 for Ann average bike with fancy electronics and get hooked into $40/month to even be able to use the electronic features.
That was an awesome opinion piece. Thank you.
Great article. I am an avid mountain bike rider I couldn’t agree more pound for pound the wahoo kickr is amazing .
Hi There – I love spinning but it was getting harder and harder to sync my busy schedule with classes. No worries peloton to the rescue. I purchased my peloton as a christmas present and 50th birthday present all rolled into one. I’m a fitness nut. I’m female 5’3″ and weigh 140. My peloton bike came – super fast in 3 days. I loved it. The classes are cool and the styling of this super cool bike is amazing. L-O-V-E-D this BIKE. I went through all the set up instructions for cleats (never used) and seat/handlebar height and seat forward/aft adjustments. Loved the burn and the intensity of the peloton instructors. Unfortunately I started to have left knee pain and right shoulder pains. I went to a cycling shop and upgraded my cycling shoes (as the ones from peloton weren’t wide enough) – and purchased more supportive inner soles. Thought this might deal with my problem. No. I ended up spending $350 for a professional bike fitting – and after 2 hours and lots of biomechanic stuff – we determined that the fixed peloton handlebar placement does not allow adjustment forward/back – as a result the ergonomics of this back with the fixed handle bars is less than idea and may be exacerbating my shoulder issues. I AM BUMMED! My bike fitter even called support to ask if there was a fix. No dice. We’ll see how it goes in the AM to return my bike within the 30 day return period. If this bike had the forward/back handlebar adjustment I would DEFINITELY keep this bike – I LOVE IT and am sad if there is no fix.
hi there just read your review and the fix would be to get the schwinn performance plus. you will need to clip your iPad and sign up to continue to use live classes. I have done extensive research and although I’m going with peloton, i believe the schwinn is best. due to handle bar movement. beware, it to comes with a hefty price tag. look into it i think you will be pleased.
Does anyone know a comparable bike? I would love to buy these for a small boutique cycle studio but Peloton won’t sell commercially.
What is another recommended bike? do all seats hurt?
thank you!
Susan
Schwinn performance pro is the peloton competitor, and you can lease.
I am IN LOVE with my bike. It was kinda rocky getting it to my house (i took off work twice to wait for the set arrival date and time and the delivery truck was a no-show). After a conversation with a supervisor (and a free month of the live class subscription) my bike arrived. I have a newborn so Im unable to get to the gym but I can sneak a ride or two a day while the baby sleeps. The instructors are great and they have high energy! Im dripping after every ride and I love it. Ive seen a few experienced riders complain that the classes aren’t hard enough but I think the class can be as difficult as you make it. Invest the 2k… its well worth it!!
Been looking at these for awhile. I’m an avid rider would like to have something to use in off season and bad weather. I was wonder if the bike has any preloaded rides on the bike itself?
You have to have wifi to access the rides but they are all loaded onto the bike (classes and scenic rides). after a live class takes place, it is then placed in the “On-demand” archive.
I didn’t read the whole post but I just wanted to say that i finally decided to buy my peloton bike in November and i am in love with it. The live classes is amazing and is so motivational. This wont work for everybody but im a stay at home mom and this is perfect. I love it!!!!
I do not have a Peloton. The main thing that doesn’t work for me, and others in my situation, is living in the country, far from a gym, I’m dependent on expensive and limited bandwidth solutions for the internet. Streaming video is one of the largest bandwidth hogs, and extra bandwidth is very expensive. I get it that the Peloton model is akin to the model for ink jet printers – the profit is made on the ink, and not the device – but unless Peloton had workouts that could be accessed as a package and downloaded for all future use, it would simply be cost prohibitive for me.
It is expensive and I was reluctant to buy this at first. However, after missing the gym due to sick kids, I started looking at this more. Overall, I am happy with this purchase. We belong to a gym, but classes are limited. With kids and work, we often miss the gym. This is really paying for option to have a spinning class available at home. I found that the company is breaking even on the bike and making money on the subscriptions and accessories. So, buy accessories from amazon, you can buy toe clips for $19 if you don’t have biking shoes to clip in. You pay $39 per month for the subscription, but you can add as many riders as you like.
Did you just purchase indoor cycle shoes with clips? If so, what kind of clips work with the Peloton bike?
You’ll need Look Clips.
Anything but Hangbiker, please … ahahha…. I just somedays take the long road to home , my agm x1 ( great rugged phone), some music and enjoy the afternoon :) i love being able to do it.
The $40. and month, shipping charge and special shoes are more than I can deal with….think I’ll keep on shopping
My husband surprised me and bought this bike for me a little over a month ago and I absolutely love it. I’ve already taken over 40 classes on-demand and live in this very short time. I use to go to my local gym and spin but due to my schedule, and having to get to the gym to reserve a bike made it very difficult to make it to the classes. The Peloton instructors are amazing. They bring their own style and energy to each and every ride. When you take a live class the instructors cheer the at home riders on and give shout outs and motivate them to go harder. You can also do live video chatting during a ride with other at home riders. If you’re interested in purchasing a Peloton…Check out my YouTube channel at EricaMGetFIt to see videos of me riding on the bike. There’s also a promo code you can use to get 2 months subscription free.
I think spinning is great and after researching and buying and returning some cycles I realized that a good bike is an investment. With that being said you can get a heavy duty spin bike with all the bells and whistles for approx 800.00 (several time a year during seasonal sales) as for heart rate if your bike doesn’t have it your phone does. The videos are all over and free. I have done the classes and they are ok some better than others. As for myself I like a class when I want to do one. The 800 was enough. Would not want to be paying additions for the rest.
I’m interested in buying the bike myself, but I live in a small condo. I know the dimensions of the bike, but what’s the real footprint? And is it easy to move around?
Just got the bike and it is great. Could you go with a cheaper bike and the App on an iPad? For sure. But then you don’t get all your metrics on the screen. I happen to like that, so I spend the extra cash. It keep track of everything – your total output, calories burned, rank in the class . . . It also keep track of your best performance for a given class length. So, if I’m taking a 45 minute class and I am 27 minutes into the class, I see what my best output was at the 27-min mark of my best 45-min class performance and if I am ahead of that or behind that (and by how much). That way you keep pushing yourself to get better.
$40 per month is not a big deal (I cancelled my $150 Orange Theory Membership when I got this).
So, if you’ve got the cash, go for it. You won’t be disappointed. If the big price tag will constantly give you anxiety and tracking your daily performance is not a big deal for you, then skip it.
I dunno, maybe I’m just not cheap when it comes to me, but I love the bike and $10/week is a whole lot less than most New Yorker’s spend on 4 cups of coffee. I *detest* going to the gym. I don’t want to wait, I don’t want to touch things other people sweat all over and I don’t want to have to get dressed, go out, come in, get undressed. I’ve got the Peloton bike and a True treadmill in my apt. I do one or the other every morning before my shower. I’ve dropped 35 lbs since mid-April and I look better than I have in since forever. If you have the room, enjoy spinning and can afford it, I say this bike/system is terrific. and no, they didn’t pay me to say any of this.
Great review and absolutely agree. Touching equipment that has been used hour after hour and one less pitstop to make on a daily basis for those that are committed to an active lifestyle. Can’t wait for mine!
Bunch of dopey broads easily impressed by an overpriced bike…that goes NOWHERE. It’s great …best investment…jeezus.
Ouch! Some people like spinning! Some people like riding a bike outside. Some people like running on a treadmill. Others like running outside. Some people like lifting weights.
It’s whatever works for each person.
BigTex,
Exactly, well said.
Jason,
Some are men who like to stay in shape and this bike is a great way of doing so. Instead of being jealous and or too lazy to do it yourself, why not try it out or maybe shut up about something you clearly know nothing about.
Well said Erik, I did get a sense of jealously when I read his comments.
“Jason Steele” probably weighs 400 lbs and plays video games all day while criticizing others’ fitness goals. LOSER!
Thank you for your post Jason Steele sounds like a real winner oy!
I had ankle surgery about 2 months ago and will not be able to run ever again. This was my cardio. I love to exercise and go hard core. I only did spin once and just remember the seat was killing me. Would you recommend the Peloton to me? I need to lose a lot of weight at a reasonable rate. I will eat right as well.
Bonnie,
The same happened to me. The Peloton is the best alternative!
Check out the Peloton riders page on facebook. It’s a great little Pelo-Fam.
Just got my bike. Seat hurt a little. I found some padded bike shorts on Amazon and I’m good to go.
You get used to the seat. Added bike shorts will help too!
What if you don’t buy subscription are there any generic rides, etc you can do? I think 39 is ridiculous! I am considering this bike but I feel like that is way too pricey!
Think about it……..a typical spin class costs $26 (each class!); SoulCycle costs over $30. Yes, you can buy packages generally to lower the price but even then you are paying anywhere from $18-24 EACH class. I used to spin at a studio in CT, where a yearly membership was $2,000 for unlimited classes (then they limited them to 7/week). New owners came in so now it cost $240/ monthly for “unlimited”/7 classes a week. In 10 months, my Peloton is paid for at those prices and unlimited means unlimited. I take about 30 classes on my Peloton in a month and remember for the monthly price ANYONE in your house and even your friends can take as many classes as they want. Frankly it’s a bargain!
To answer your question though, yes, there are scenic rides you can do without paying the monthly cost.
The bike, classes and instructors are awesome! It is worth every penny.
Have you ever had a gym membership? Try finding one even CLOSE to $39 per month for unlimited classes. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
I have been going to LA Fitness for 6 years – to their unlimited spin classes. $29 a month. Your wait is over.
Barb or Sharlene, have you ordered this bike? I also live in Maui, Hi., worried about delivery reading all the comments!
i use my Gold x1 (agm) as a GPS on my cycling to the beach, i like going far parts since is less crowded- — just me my phone and the gear. BTW: the x1 doesnt need a waterproof case to resist falls and water. .. and still have battery left over; you know: rugged phone! The coolest thing about it is price: really cheap for those specs. Well, great note ! Thank you for sharing
I love, love, love this bike! I don’t like gyms as I am extremely self conscious about how I look & I’m also kind of a klutz. I took a pin class many years ago & loved it but I hated going to the gym, trying to find a bike & then adjusting everything so it fit me. By the time I’d have it all figured out the class would be 5 minutes in. :) I ordered it & it was delivered in about a week. Great set up, and they called me well in advance to set up a delivery appointment. I’m pretty much a beginner because I just can’t do the 45 minute classes yet, but I have enjoyed the scenic rides which are about 30 minutes. There are also stretch classes post ride if you’re interested in them. The instructors have some great playlists which will also keep you motivated and you can preview each class before you decide to take it. I like that I can choose my classes by ride length also so I don’t accidentally fall into a 45 minute class. I will say that the seat isn’t terribly comfortable & I wasn’t able to get out of the saddle & then sit back down on a few rides cuz my butt was so sore so I just stayed seated! I have purchased a gel seat cover which has helped a lot. Peleton does have one they recommend so get that one – it’s a Schwinn. For the first time in my life I can finally commit to exercising regularly because I love this bike so much & the classes are really great! Sure, I might not be strong enough to crank up the resistance as high as they may have it, but I’ll at least try it until my legs give out & it gets better with each class I take. I just can’t say enough great things about this bike.
anyone live on the west coast? I live in rural Oregon I am wondering about delivery and service.
I’m in the mid west & the delivery was handled fantastically. I work in logistics so I can tell you that as long as you have white glove type logistics companies near you, delivery won’t be an issue. A quick google search yields several locations of these in Oregon. I think you’ll be OK.
I live in California and delivery/set up was a breeze. I placed the order over the weekend and the bike was in my house ready to go by the end of the week!
UPS & FedX
This is obviously a biased review; it written as a promotional piece, not a objective review. Every single ‘negative’ is spun into a ‘positive’, just like a sales pitch… I wouldn’t be surprised if they were paid to review this product.
The reality? Never trust a company that ‘nickel and dimes’ you to death… The $2,000 price tag is fine, given a quality product. The monthly $40 ‘forced’ subscription fee is NOT. It’s more expensive than a monthly gym fee, which offers far more equipment & programs. Don’t get me wrong, having an ‘optional’ subscription to access their network of videos is fine… But you should be able to simply plug your phone into it, and stream your own videos with no subscription if you preferred. The lack of this option, after spending $2,000 dollars makes this a non purchasable product.
But more to the ‘nickel and diming’, spending $2,000 should include shipping, or at least all components necessary to USE the product. The fact that you need to buy special shoes (something no gym requires on their professional spin machines/bikes) is unfathomable.
This company will undoubtedly fail with the ‘forced’ subscription, and separate fees for the shoes… They either adapt to a more palatable product (no required subscription product) or sink lieje a bag of bricks… And YOU? Well, you will be left with an expensive bike, with a nice screen that plays nothing. Hold out, or roll a very dicy game.
Well put, my thought’s exactly. The $40/mo. subscription is the deal-killer.
I was about to buy the Bike, but the subscription nixed the deal. I could get all the work out classes I want free on Youtube, provided the screen is wifi and nor proprietary.
Actually, if you’re into spin the price is pretty good. Most spin studios charge up to $20 for a drop in class and Soul Cycle charges $32 for a single class or $320 for 10 classes. If you’re an avid spinner you probably like to do at least 1 class a day if not 2. So, the price will probably balance itself out pretty quickly.
Yes gyms offer spin classes but I’ve been to about 5-6 gyms in several different cities and finding a spin instructor that is as energetic as the ones at the spin studios is a hard task which makes getting your butt to the gym even harder. This bike allows you to sort through classes by instructor so taking a class with your favorite will always be handy.
Also, you would most likely already own the shoes if your’re a spinner. You don’t have to buy the shoes they sell with the bike. Your regular clip in bike shoes will work.
If you don’t love spin, don’t get the bike. This bike will probably just collect dust in the corner. But if you’re really into spin, it’s actually worth considering.
Jasmin – You’re leaving out the $2,000 price you have to pay to buy the bike. When you go to a class, the class buys the bikes. That is the majority of expense, the equipment and facility. Here, they are providing no equipment and no facility for you to use.
That’s a pretty big price tag up front, to then have to pay them another $40 a month = roughly $500 a year forever. So with all the talk about using this bike for years, you’re talking about $1,000s more after you’ve shelled out $2,000 for a bike.
Andrew- You are not considering time and travel to a class.. For a someone that is seriously considering getting one would most likely use it for years.. I haven’t bought one yet and I look at the convenience saving time gas etc.. My wife will use this also.. This will add into my consideration..
But not everyone is a hipster spin nerd, so the $40 per month makes it a bad deal because thats nearly $500 a year. I could lease a 2017 smart car for $49 per month…. mount a bike rack on that haha. Way more fun way to spend a few thousand dollars…..
I agree with you 100% !!!!!
Exactly!!! Without the $40/month fee, the bike is over-priced and the company will go bankrupt. They are counting on the subscription to make a profit, but it’s not realistic. After 3-4months, the videos are old and you get bored. Until the company UNLOCKS the screen for internet or plugins, I think the product is a brick.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. They sell the bike at cost. They are making money off the subscriptions. They are known for their in-person studios and the bike is just another facet of their business. Even if it stopped today, they’d just do what they have always done. Run their studio.
The product is the bike, which is outstanding and the live and on-demand classes. The live classes are exactly what they are doing in the studios. The on-demand one’s are every class they have ever done since starting the streaming. 100’s of classes. You’d never get bored. It’s a great product but yes it’s expensive. If you can afford it and don’t like to go to a gym, this is ideal.
Ruck,
It’s bad business sense to produce a bike that is $2000 at cost and to ONLY charge the public $2000. Get real! You mean to tell me that a company would be ok with waiting until their 50th customer purchased a riding subscription to cover ONE bike? No sir, NOONE is ignorant enough to believe that a company doesn’t profit off of a $2000 bike!
This is a solid business practice. Look at the model the razor companies use. All of their profits are in the blades not the razor, same principle here.
This bike is worth every damn penny! And that’s coming from a person who has absolutely no disclosures to make! I got mine in February and it has been the best piece of equipment I have ever spent money on. I absolutely LOVE everything about it! And I have finally found an exercise activity that I look forward to doing again! #wortheverypenny!
That’s the problem. Love is all emotional. We all know about emotional decision
OMG! Did I write this? You’ve beautifully expressed everything I was thinking as I read this ‘promo’ …my mouth was wide open at this ripoff being made to seem like a good thing.
Thankyou for your post. You answered all my questions and con concerns r/t additional options die screen use if opting out of live classes. I agree.
Additionally, additional fees ($2000 alot of money for stationary bike) seem unnecessary. They definitely have some good marketing going though : ))
I own the cycle and happen to love it. You don’t need to buy their “special” shoes. The bike comes with a pair of cleats, you can use your own cycling shoes as long as they are compatible with the cleats. If not you can go on Amazon and buy a pair of cycling shoes for much cheaper. My husband loves the bike but didn’t want to buy cycling shoes so he just uses his own tennis shoes.
Hey Captain,
Seriously I think you should go by a boat after you graduate from your people skills class. I am sure you will need a few glasses of water after your exercise workout because it seems you glass of water is only half full.
Personally I’d love to know where “The Captain” has his gym membership if he claims that $39 per month is too high to pay! Unless it’s the discount plan at the local YMCA, I can’t think of any other gym that would provide unlimited spin classes for $39 per month.
Sweet spot would be $19.99/mo. $39/mo is sooo offensive.
Every one of the educators are extraordinary, my most loved is Jessica King. It’s one of the best exercise bike yet after I attempted every one of them. It’s much more effective for everyone.
Sounds very interesting and certainly sounds fun especially with the streaming online classes. But you have to ask yourself, what do you know about the quality and warranty of this Peloton cycle. Who manufacturers it? What’s the warranty? What is the weight and configuration of the flywheel? What type of resistance & braking ( magnetic, pads) system is used? Is it chain or belt drive? How about the pedals , can the cycle accommodate SPD pedals? What is the maintenance history of this cycle? Are the handlebars and seats comfortable and adjustable to your height? Is it quality or junk? The computer is the least of your worries here.
Thank you. I don’t care about the screen all that much and can turn in the tv if needed. Just want to make sure the bike will Lat.
As with all relatively new businesses, especially fitness related ones, what happens if Peloton goes out of business? You then become stuck with a very expensive exercise bike that does nothing more than another much less expensive bike. I am curious as Peloton has been in business since 2013 from what I’ve read.
I know that no one can predict the future. I am just hesitant to invest that much for a bike from such a new company. I am very interested, but I guess I will just have to wait a while to see how the company and its sales progress.
I read every one of the surveys and chose to take my risk and request this bicycle. The bicycle came much snappier than I expected (inside of a week to Denver, Colorado) and was conveyed by an exceptionally proficient conveyance individual that even took an ideal opportunity to clarify a couple of things about the bicycle. I am awed by the continuous spilling of the classes and also the assortment of classes accessible. The bicycle is smooth and agreeable to ride. I am to a great degree fulfilled by the buy and my entire family has now gotten included with riding day by day. Incredible buy and I would exceedingly suggest!
No one speaks this way. This must be fake.
I live in Denver, Colorado and the main thing keeping me from getting this bike is that the company has no local presence. Would appreciate any further comments regarding the bike, delivery in Denver or any issues since purchase–thanks!
Fake. Company’s PR
To address the delivery questions I ordered our bike on March 1st and got it today, I am in Maryland. The delivery company was courteous, they called about two days after I ordered the bike. The guy who set up the delivery was very nice. They even called and said they could come early and arrived when they said they would. Not sure how this would have ended up if I couldn’t get away from work. They put the bike together pretty efficiently. When they were done I put the wifi password in, they asked if I had any questions, cleaned up all the boxes (and took them with them) and they were done. Excellent overall experience.
Wow that is nice.what is the name of the company
How does this bike measure up against the ProFormTour De France?
My husband and I bought the ProFormTdF bike several years ago……..it’s in storage!! Sadly, the exercise bike never worked properly after just a few months. We thought it was the monitor, our Wifi location, user error, etc. Ultimately, it turned out to be the internal electronics. If we wanted to spend an additional $600.00 (we were out of warranty) we could replace the electronic chip. My husband thinks it’s worth replacing, but I think the Peloton bike looks so much more interactive and is more likely to keep us road/mountain cyclists engaged. I’m leaning towards the Peloton.
Where are you located? would you consider selling the bike?
I have a TDF ProForm bike for sale. Happy to offer you a great deal. Hardly used so it is pretty much as new.
Until the internal electronic fail you
I jam returning my TDF 5.0. I think the bike works pretty well (although I did notice some clicking when it was shifting into a pretty deep descent) but the touch screen didn’t work well and honestly, I just felt like iFit didn’t integrate very well with the bike. I would ride and the picture on the screen wouldn’t change or I’d be clearly going uphill on screen and it had me at a -5% decline. Their customer service was great (they gave me free shipping and also free returns/no restocking if returned within 30 days). I’m waiting to get my return label now. I ordered Peloton last night. The one thing I dislike with them is the $40/month fee…very steep compared to iFit at $00/year. Granted, it seems to work better so maybe it’s worth it. Let me know if you have any questions!
Disappointed and Adriana, did you receive your bike’s? How did it go and how long did it take? Do you live near a showroom, or like me and only saw commercials and online info?
I’m seriously considering as cycle/spinning classes were the only times I ever truly committed to an ongoing workout. Now, don’t laugh, but I live in Hawaii so weathers not an issue, but mind set for working out, is. My issue is they want to charge $750 for my delivery and set up…I’m still debating whether or not to buy.
Hi Barb,
Curious if you ended up buying the bike. I live in Maui and spin is the only workout I’m consistent with as well.
Sharlene
Hi I live in UpCountry Maui, interested in purchasing a peloton bike, did either one of you purchase bike??
Unfortunately, if you are willing to pay another grand on shipping, you can probably get it. I looked all over the island (of Oahu) and with Sports Authority now closed, I could only find ONE spin bike at Sears. Even though stores sell them online, I could not find a store that would order one and have it shipped to Oahu. Sears would only sell me what they had in stock.
I have been looking at the bike for quite some time. I finally drove down to Boston to the store to see it in-person. Bit the bullet and bought one as a Christmas/Birthday treat for myself. I have look pedals on my road bike, so just use my regular shoes and I already had a mat. The salesperson was actually very fair in pointing out that I’d be fine with my existing equipment and did not pressure the upsell. I am in love, love, love with this bike. Winters in Maine can be tough and I typically lose a lot of ground/fitness over the winter. This bike is great. Super quiet, great quality, easy to use. The classes and instructors are FUN and motivational – love the music. And the rides are hard (I guess it depends what you put into it, but these rides challenge me! They kick my butt and I am noticing fast results in my legs and glutes and even my abs… positive results). The classes have actually helped me improve the power and form of my pedaling-which is a plus. I am feeling so much stronger for Spring riding. Cody is my favorite instructor-but they are all great, honestly. As a plus, this links to my strava-so I get a more holistic view of my annual riding. Delivery was faster-than-expected, very professional and they guys were super helpful and even gave me some useful advice about the bike. I would recommend this bike all day long!
This is a great investment. It is my favorite piece of workout equip, and I love that while it snowed and was crappy this January, I simply can go use my bike and take a class at home without getting out. To answer some of the previous posts, yes it uses blue tooth and I synced my wireless headset no problem, no you cannot get internet on the screen meaning that without the subscription you cannot do your own thing with the monitor(ie: no movies, email, etc). (I contacted peloton prior to purchasing and their response to this was to prevent viruses and malicious software from messing it up). That is most negative thing about this machine, however what you do get on the screen are not only live classes but recorded ones and also some really nice landscape views biking through scenic places. You can create unlimited accounts that will track your progress and both my kids (teens)have enjoyed this. You can use any cycling shoe as long it has the look delta cleats (3 holes on bottom in a triangle). My daughter and son use their own brands and when I compared theirs to my peloton brand, I think mine is nicer. On average you can get look delta cycling shoes on amazon around $90 plus $15 for cleats. They are $130 from peloton and include the cleats, so I think their shoes are worth it and pretty true to size. The bike doesn’t come with paper instructions and although you can view 101 stuff on the screen I highly advise to go to their website and review their instructions online first especially if you’ve never clicked into pedals with cleats before. I have this on a mat and if you have hard wood, highly recommend buying the mat. They have a kit that includes the mat, hand weights and shoes and cleats come with both the shoes and also with the bike itself so you will have an extra set of cleats for another’s shoes.
Now for the negative: Nothing really with the bike except I really wish I could do other stuff on the computer monitor.
Firstly the delivery went smoothly but don’t expect any instructions from these guys, they set up and leave. (I had read on the peloton website that delivery guys answered questions, NOT the case)
Second if you choose to use their zero interest financing with a newer company called Affirm you should know they don’t have all the kinks worked out. I purchased this last month and recently when my husband went to pay the bill we realized I had set up the account with my cell number. I thought no prob, I logged in to change info for him and there is no way to do so online. Ok so I call them and I’m told because my husband tried to log in with his phone number thinking he could add it that way; now his number had its own account and cannot be used for my bike payment. ?? Right, so I asked for a supervisor. So sorry we cant help you, our business is new and computer dudes are working it out and I should just tell my husband to call in and pay each month. Why is this a big deal you say. Well every time you want to view or pay your bill with affirm there is no account number you cell phone is your account and then when you enter it they send you a pin to your phone to enter online (each time). This would not work for us so I just paid it off today. I had wanted to use their zero percent/12mth offer because it seemed nice but just isn’t going to work. I guess if I had known in the first place that was how it worked I could have used my husbands info and there would be no problem, so this is just FYI if your considering them.
One small third thing, is their peloton boutique. Comment for the ladies: I love wearing cute exercise clothes and have fabletics and others but the cute stuff in peloton’s boutique (however on pricey side) is always sold out. I actually finally got a tank ordered that I liked only to find out it was actually sold out. They did send a cute note at valentines day with candy and apologized and included some free bracelets but unless you view their boutique online daily the clothes sell out in minutes.
So definitely pull the trigger on this if your hesitating, you have to obviously use the bike to benefit but if your like me and let weather keep you in you will have no excuses to not cycle! They are a newer business that started on kickstarter a couple years ago, but they really seem to answer any questions pretty quickly and value their customers. I saw a complaint about the screen going out and not being covered after warranty so I since I am still under warranty that kind of concerns me for the future. Honestly though I have a washing machine that died first year and a GE stove that needed new electronic face plate in the first year also; so in general electronics are hit or miss. I would love to see how the longevity of this bike will hold up but really it seems too new to tell yet. When looking at peloton’s own reviews on their website I noticed they REVIEW the reviews first so not sure if you really would ever see problems there. That is why I posted here.
This review was very informative. Can you give a follow up of your experiences after 1 year? How is the app brernal electronic holding up.
Just bought my bike and I love it! The first year commitment is pricey but in the long term I think it will be worth it. I purchased shoes (3 hole style) and weights separately from amazon and they are fine.
Purchased my bike a week ago.
Shipping service is not great. It’s just ok. You definitely would expect more for a $2,500 purchase.
However, the most frustrating part is that the bike has arrived and is installed but the accessories (and shoes!) have yet to arrive. No idea when they are coming, no emails from Peloton regarding the timing and customer service just informed me that they’re back-ordered. Really unpleasant first experience with the company. The bike looks great, but the service so far has been very disappointing. No replies to my Facebook posts, no replies to my attempts at a live chat.
How Long did it take for Bike to appear??
Best thing I ever did…. Love love love
Whole family loves and getting coworkers to come over and use!
On concrete floor w Pelaton mat–no issues at all.
Fellow Owners Beware!! There are NO repair services from Peloton after the warranty runs out. FYI, New Console Cost is $750!! So if your console is faulty you will need to pay $750 on top of the $2k for the bike.
Upfront cost of $2k + 1-year required subscription (another $500)?
Am I reading this right?
Yep, plus did anyone mention there is a set up fee as well. $160 I think. I am using a very solid spin bike (Under $300) along with the 2 week peloton free app trial. So far I don’t really miss anything offered on the hd screen.Plus I apple tv to my 70″ for an immersive AV experience. I don’t need the tablet.
Rich, I am so down with this set up. What video do you watch on Youtube with your set up
My husband went to the Peloton store to buy me a bike for my birthday. He knew it would cost about $2000. Then they told him he needed to buy special shoes, pay $250 for the shipping, $100 for someone to set it up and then of course the monthly fee or upfront fee for classes. He asked if we could pick it up and set it up ourselves but they wouldn’t go for that. I was really looking forward to that bike but am now looking for an alternative. Glad to know I’m not the only one…thanks for your post!
I am really thinking about buying my own bike. I have a question. Can I use my Bluetooth headphone? I have small children and I don’t want to wake them up early in the morning. I am up by 5am.
Lannie,
A quick search of their FAQ page shows that you can pair a set of headphones via bluetooth.
Here is the response:
Log into your bike and click on the settings wheel at the top right of your home page. Find the Bluetooth heading beneath the Wireless Networks heading. Toggle the Bluetooth setting to "on" to have your bike search for and connect to your Bluetooth device. The Peloton bike is compatible with most but not all Bluetooth headsets so if you are having trouble, please reach out to our Customer Experience team at 866-679-9129 to have them double check on your headset's compatibility with the Peloton bike.Hope that helps
— Supplement Police
I read all the reviews and decided to take my chance and order this bike. The bike came much quicker than I expected (within a week to Denver, Colorado) and was delivered by a very professional delivery person that even took the time to explain a few things about the bike. I am impressed by the uninterrupted streaming of the classes as well as the variety of classes available. The bike is smooth and comfortable to ride. I am extremely satisfied with the purchase and my whole family has now gotten involved with riding almost daily. Great purchase and I would highly recommend!
Do you have yours on hardwood or concrete floors? I really want one but would need to put it on carpeted flooring with a mat on top. Do you think that would work?
I’d like to hear this answer too. I am debating get one, but would need to put on a carpet surface.
I’ve had my bike for a couple of days and have my bike set up on a mat on the carpet in my basement and it works fine. The bike is stable while riding and the mat stops the sweat from ruining my carpet.
Couldn’t agree more on Delivery Problems. They need to look at Amazon Prime business model. Spend $2,500.00 and you don’t even get a confirmed shipping dated!!! Crazy
Will regular clip in bike shoes with these peddles?
Will a regular heart monitor sync with their software?
Can you use your Apple earbuds?
Yes, the bike uses Delta clips. You can use any heart rate monitor and earbuds you want.
Is the bike Blue-tooth capable? If not that sucks for 2 grand! And there are much better heart rate monitors out there though probably more expensive.
They force you to accept delivery from XTO so the set up is taken care of by professional movers. The classes are superb and the convenience is well worth the price tag. There are work around a … For instance – Apple has the peloton App for 15 a month. So it’s the choice between a Cadillac and a Chevy. The product is cutting edge and I guarantee within 5 years there will be competitors which bring the cost down and spread the market. I’m a middle aged retired navy dude who likes to maintain fitness. Not working for the company…
I just bought this and love it for a plethora of reasons. I wouldn’t choose between peloton and buying milk for my family. But if given the choice between This and An off brand-hands down. They did it right.
These guys at Peloton are wicked smart! They are selling virtual spin class mmberships where their variable costs for a $40/month subscription is a few cents of data storage. Once the production cost for a class is paid (instructor plus film crew) they can stream unlimited views to an unlimited audience, each of whom are paying their own access costs. Margins must be higher than text messaging, previously documented as the highest margin product sold in the world. Make no mistake, this is still a great product for many people who like spin classes, and that Peloton cycle is one well built, sexy toy,nut that’s just the sizzle on the steak. This is a club membership without the physical infrastructure costs, and vastly limited liability. And yes, I wish I had thought of it first!
I thought the same thing. Genius. Profit off the sale and residuals for a year minimum after the sale.
Yep…..LA Fitness charges only $29/mo and massive square foot building. So smart!!!
Don’t order this bike. I ordered it a month earlier under the condition that it be delivered on a certain day. The night before the delivery service called to say they couldn’t make the delivery. It was supposed to be a surprise gift. And all Peloton could say was “I feel you.” Total joke.
SAME THING JUST HAPPEND TO ME! I am so pissed right now. Took off work to be home and wait for this bike, rearranged the furniture and all. Then they call me at the end of the dau to say the truck broke down. Bullshit. Then they say I can only have it delivered within 8 days!!! I am considering cancelling the whole thing. It’s already headaches!!
That hardly speaks to the actual bike. It sound like you have a problem with their delivery service and maybe customer service.
Really, Stan? A bad delivery experience makes you recommend people “don’t order this bike”, because it is a “total joke”?
And Adriana is considering cancelling a $2500 purchase that she’ll presumably be using every day for a long time, because it’s going to be a week later?
What is wrong with people?
mike,
What’s wrong with People!! Really!! A customer spends $2,500.00 and can’t a delivery date confirmed.. You must have big buck. This is a significant investment for most people. Wake up mike.
Seriously Boston John, you think just because you dish out $2500, it gives you godly capabilities? Sh-t happens! Trucks break down, people get sick and call off work….sure it’s a let down but realistically, nothing works 100% regardless how much money you’ve dished out.
Are the classes dance-style or cycling or both? Like, are you doing choreography to music or are you pretending that you’re climbing hills and racing people?
This model is ALL WRONG. It’s like a car dealership focused on navigation. STOP. Let Google do the navigation and focus on the car. Why would anyone buy a bike with a good chunk of the cost being put into a flat screen tv that will be obsolete next year. There is only one option for anyone at this point. Build a damn good Trainer/Spinner. Allow it to input info to an App on your ipad or your very own Flat screen TV in your family room with WiFi that is connected to the Pelaton Cloud. From there you can manage your profile, rides, etc. just like Strava. Again, Peloton missed the boat here. I love the streaming concept and the bike, but you have to have it be a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). You can’t worry about TV’s going obsolete or what will happen to “my data”. I’m sure the Peloton shops will upgrade their monitors frequently as new ones come out, get thinner, get cheaper, have better resolution, etc. The rest of you will be left in the lurch.
You can do this. I use a $200 used Schwinn spin bike with my iPad mounted on the handle bars. Peloton has an app with a monthly subscription that is cheaper than the cost of the bike subscription. I can do live or recorded classes, I just can’t see the metrics their bike gives or see how I compare to others.
That said I may still buy the bike because that competition (when i work out in studio or at Flywheel) completely changes my workout.
I have the IPad app how do you determine what to set your resistance at on your bike when they say have your resistance at 35%. That is the problem I’m having, what are the ranges for percentage?
I completely agree, I would buy this bike if I could use my tablet, my laptop, my tv, my interface device to use it. I don’t want to pay for the HD screen when I already own a lot of screens. And for $2k, give me some routines to choose from standard and unattached to a subscription.
I’m disappointed.
I’ve been researching peloton for a long time and finally pulled the trigger on buying one. Little did I know that purchasing the $3,000 bike would be like planting that amount of money in a garden and growing my own unicorn.
I should add that I almost had the bike once, but when it came, the pieces didn’t fit together and instead of taking it back, they left the box in my basement. Assuming I could pretend that I was riding the bike? I’m really not sure.
What I can say is it’s probably a great bike for anyone that actually gets one. But for those of you living somewhere that isn’t New York, Chicago, or LA, expect massive delays. And learn from my mistake. Don’t stop your gym membership in hopes of saving money for illusive bike. In general, hold off on your purchase. This company is clearly still too new to provide decent and reasonable delivery.
But don’t worry guys, they gave me THREE MONTHS MEMBERSHIP FOR FREE! How convenient! The three months I won’t have the bike.
Having a similar problem. Have you finally got your bike?
Do the handle bars adjust to come closer or further away, not just up and down?
Alexa,
Thanks for leaving a comment. From what I can find, it seems that you can adjust the seat to scoot closer to the handles. You can adjust the tilt and height of the seat as well as the handles.
Quick search will show you this: Pelotoncycle.com/welcome
From there it should show you what adjustments can be made.
— Supplement Police
No, but the seat moves in towards the handlebars and up and down.
Moving the seat forward and backward is not equivalent to moving the handle bars forward and backward.
I love the social aspect of some apps like STRAVA to compete and share with others… i ll love there was something like it for cyclers too… somedays just like to put my headset on, take my agm x1 (a great outdoor phone that endurance falls, water, and pretty much aaaalll) some water … and I spend a few hours in the coast ♥ btw: the agm x1 has now a new gold edition with battery for days :O !
Ordered on July 21st and recieved my bike today. Love it
Rob,
Thanks for leaving a comment. That sounds like really fast shipping. Come back after a few weeks and let us know how its working out for you.
Thanks,
— Supplement Police
Ordered a bike on June 2. It’s still not here nor do we know when it might arrive although Peloton did charge our credit card the full amount when the order was placed. Seems like these must be built on order….signs of a company with cash flow issues?
Can you purchase the bike without being locked into $39 a month
Carolyn,
From what I have found out…
Hopefully that helps answer your questions.
— Supplement Police
What if the company goes out of business. What happens to the videos. Can u get them on demand? This is a concern. They have only been in business for a year or so…
@Maureen,
From what we have found, they do have video’s On-Demand.. But we don’t really know what would happen to the video’s on demand. Someone would have to pay for that video storage and feed.
— Supplement Police
Use your personal Ipad to video tape the video :) Then you will always have it no matter what happens to the company.
Can you use the tablet as a tablet and surf the internet too?
You will LOVE taking the online classes. All the instructors are great, my favorite is Jessica King but after I tried all of them. I really connect with her style overall but all of the are really great classes.