Full Peloton Bike Review (Is it worth it?)

The answer is yes x 293840281.

You guys.

This is by far the best purchase I’ve made… in a very, very long time.

I feel like I’ve told this story a lot already, but some may have missed it: they packed up my spin bike in Valdosta to put into storage for a while. (Aka the stuff in storage… well, I have no clue when/if I’m going to see it again.) At the time, I was like, “Maybe it won’t be a big deal” but after being here for a few weeks, especially with the girls home from school for the summer, I realized how much I depended on using my spin bike for at-home cardio. It’s been way too hot to run outside, and sometimes making it to the gym isn’t going to happen since it doesn’t offer childcare.

After using the Peloton app on my phone for over a year (I propped my phone or the iPad on my old bike and streamed classes through the app), I bit the bullet and bought a bike. (<— This post isn’t sponsored in any way. I have zero affiliation with Peloton, even though in my dream world, I teach for them.)

Now that I’ve been able to use it a handful of times, I thought I’d post my review and pros/cons. So many people have asked if it’s worth buying the bike, so here’s my full review:

Set-up and installation:

– The set-up and installation were a breeze because I didn’t have to do any of it! When you purchase the bike, it includes set-up and installation. The guys were insanely fast; you can tell they’ve had experience putting these bikes together.

I decided to put a mat under the bike so it doesn’t damage the floor. For the spin shoes, I took them to a local cycling shop and they installed the clips for me. 

– You turn the bike on, log into internet, and boom. You’re ready to ride! They also have helpful videos online for how to set-up the bike for your preferences and height.

Peloton bundle package:

– I ended up getting the bundle package for free (military), so it came with shoes, headphones, and weights. (I rolled with the 2lb. since I have a 3-lb. pair already.) You absolutely need the shoes for the bike, so I think it’s worth getting the bundle package. 

How to clean the bike:

– This is something I obsessed over for the first day – I wanted to take good care of it! – and after tons of research, I bought these natural gym equipment wipes and these touch screen wipes. They’re both amazing and I highly recommend them. I use the lavender wipes after every ride and clean the touch screen every 2-3 classes. 

Subscription:

When I had the app on my phone, it was $12 a month. When you purchase a bike, the price jumps ($39/month) but you can still use the app on your phone for the extra treadmill, bootcamp, yoga, and stretch classes. I feel like it’s a little bit of a bummer that the subscription is more expensive if you own a bike (like hey buddy, I already gave you a decent amount of money) but after taking live classes, I feel like it’s worth it. They add so many new classes each day that the variety is unlike anything I’d be able to get at a local studio, especially for $39/month.

The classes:

The classes are the same ones I fell in love with over a year ago. I have zero negative feedback for Peloton and think the classes are safe, fun, functional, and the instructors are amazing. The only bonus now is that I can see what the instructors’ faces look like, since they’re not squished onto my tiny phone screen. (Aaaand I get better viewing of DJ John Michael’s killer dance moves.) 

Using the Peloton bike vs. another spin bike + the app:

The huge question here is whether I think it’s worth getting a less expensive spin bike and using the app (on your phone or tablet), or if I think it’s worth biting the bullet to buy the actual Peloton bike. Before I owned one, I thought it would be a tough call, but after using the bike for the past couple of weeks, the Peloton wins by a landslide. That’s largely attributed to 3 features: the live classes, instant feedback, and the leaderboard. 

– You can jump into live classes, which really gives you the feel of being in the studio. It’s pretty incredible to ride with a powerhouse instructor and Peloton fans in the NYC studio and all over the world. 

– Instant feedback and stats. This is what really takes the bike to the next level. On the screen, you can see your cadence, resistance, and output. The screen was broken off my last spin bike during the move. I was going by RPE, and found out that I wasn’t working nearly as hard as I thought I was. The real-time stats were an interesting reality check for me, and also encouraged me to really push myself on speed and resistance. Your position on the leaderboard is determined by output (in kilojoules and is a combination of resistance and speed). 

– The leaderboard. Through the leaderboard, you can compete against those who have already taken the class or those who are taking it right then with you. You can also hide the leaderboard if you’re not feeling like competing that day. They track your PR for each type of ride, so you’re also competing against your personal best each time. I’ve found that the leaderboard makes me work extremely hard. I always want to pass people that are ahead of me and stay on top of my PR. I LOVE the competitive edge of it and found that it was something I needed to take my workouts to the next level. (Hack: when they’re doing weights, I use that as an opportunity to crank up the resistance and speed and pass a bunch of people. Muahaha.)

– The only con I can think of is the fact that the bike takes up a decent amount of space. You definitely need to have room in a guest room or office. It does roll, so you could also hide it in a larger closest if you ever had guests or needed to move it.

So I think that covers everything! Please let me know if you have any questions about it!

Do you have a home gym? What do you think has been your most important investment for your health? 

xo

Gina

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