Peloton

[stevoflurane]

Was wondering how many of you guys had one. Got mine a little over a month ago, and to say I'm hooked would be an understatement. There's a cohort of us at work that have one and everyone loves it.

If you have one, what are your favorite rides and instructors? What is anyone's screen name so I can look for you on the leaderboard (mine is stevoflurane)?

If you don't have one and have questions, post them here.

[fuse]

Will be eyeing this thread with great interest.

Seems like a great concept, if a bit pricey.

[devil84]

I have a couple of friends on Facebook who are Peloton users. They seem to adore it. Can those of you with Pelotons describe them? I'm a real fan of cycling classes at my gym, as they really push me and are fun to be with other people in real life. What do you like/dislike about Peloton?

I'm a Zwift user, which is geared towards virtual road rides and race training. It's a software program that connects your bike on a trainer to the computer via the cadence/speed sensor or the electronics in a smart trainer. It's a really fun way to take the drudgery out of indoor training and a safe way to ride in inclement weather. Zwift isn't good for a casual person who wants spin class substitute. It's audience is seasoned road riders and those training for races (in fact, you'll see professional riders online, though many use pseudonyms). Unfortunately, due to an injury that just won't heal, I haven't been able to ride for the last year or so. If you're a roadie with ANT+ or Bluetooth electronics on your bike and have a trainer, it's worth looking into Zwift.

I'm a serious road rider but won't ever be confused for a hammerhead. I'm in no danger of making the podium for most races, either (though I did come in second in my age group on the last triathlon I did!). I also like spin classes for the social nature and the different things to do on the bike (that really don't translate to usable skills on the road, which is why uber-serious cyclists tend to avoid them).

[stevoflurane]

The thing I personally think separates the Peloton bike for me is the leaderboard. At my gym they have regular spin classes and virtual spin classes during off times. Even when I was in a live class I would find myself coasting at times. With the Peloton there is a leaderboard that has the output of everyone that is doing or has ever done a specific ride. So even if you are doing an on-demand class, you are able to see what others have done when they were doing it. So you are up against up around 4000 people any time you get on a bike. I'm a guy in my 30's, and no offense to any 50 year women, but I am trying my best not to get beat by them. And I just found out that you can filter the leaderboard to any demographic you choose, so you can compete against people your age if you'd like. This aspect really keeps me motivated to get a great workout every ride. And it keeps up with your own personal bests so you are racing against yourself every ride as well.

The instructors are also great, and cover a wide variety of interests. Some will cuss you out, some are very positive with their motivation, some are very numbers/metrics based. They all have different music tastes too, so there's something for everyone.

Hope this answers some questions.

[fisheyes]

I have had my Peleton since July and love it.
The equipment is very good and the support from the company is excellent. I hooked up an old Bose Bluetooth speaker system to the bike so I really feel like I am in the live class.
I am not a gym guy and I love the fact that I can pop down to the basement and use it at will.
I have used the live classes, the classes on demand, and the scenic rides and love them all. Interestingly I have found that I really push myself on some of the scenic rides and have had some personal bests on those rides. I love seeing parts of the country that I will likely not get to anytime soon.
I agree with others that having the leaderboard to push myself is a big advantage. Occasionally I will see someone with a Syracuse related user name and I am determined to beat them!
It is a bit pricey but I do believe that it is worth it if you use it frequently. If you refer someone who buys the system you both get some free months.
The instructors are really good. They have a ton of energy and really do motivate you.
I have had other home bikes (Tour de France) and I prefer the Peleton by a mile.
PS My screen name is RobFCT (and you'll see the Duke bike shirt in the photo!)
Hope this helps!

[devil84]

Ah yes, leaderboards. :) Yes, they are extremely motivating. That's what I like about Zwift, is that on certain segments of a lap, like a climb and a sprint, as well as laps, there are leader boards. Like the major road races, it'll change the jersey on your character if you earn the climbing King of the Mountain polka dot jersey, or the green sprint jersey (and it disappears quickly when someone else takes it). It also keeps track of your personal bests on those segments, too, which is fun. (FWIW, GPS tracking products do the same thing in real life -- I love my Garmin). There are enough stats that I will always do well in something, even if I'm an epic fail on most everything else. These stats keep me motivated. It's a great approximation of road riding.

I wish there was a way to hook into Peloton with my own bike. The Peloton hardware is pricey enough that I'd rather have my own bike that can I can ride and race outside. I'm not a focused athlete that enjoys workouts focused solely on numbers -- keeping heart rates in narrow ranges, keeping power at a specific range, specific cadences, and such over a two to five hour workout (more power to my son; it's probably why he can place in the top three overall in many races). I like the cardio workout, music, fun intervals not based on metrics that hurt, and the fact that it ends in less than 90 minutes! (And that would be why I'm in no danger of standing on the podium.) Metrics can be fun and motivating, but when they get too serious, it ceases to be motivating.

Glad to know that Peloton has not just classes but scenic rides, too. Thanks for the info!

[PackMan97]

Truth is stranger than fiction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteen_Million_Merits

[left_hook_lacey]

Truth is stranger than fiction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteen_Million_Merits

Took the plunge and got my Peleton this week. Rode it in free ride mode last night just to play around with it. I must say, as I toiled away on it and the sweat started to flow, I couldn't help but think of ways to use all those watts the interface said I was transferring. :cool:

[duke74]

Yesterday's WSJ. From the investor perspective. (Not sure if behind paywall-accessed through my LinkedIn feed )

https://www.wsj.com/articles/investors-bet-on-unicorn-for-spinning-classes-1495625403

[cspan37421]

For the budget-minded or those afflicted with terminal case of Yankee thrift, alloy bike rollers are also a great cycling workout, and they enable you to use your own bicycle on them. Cost is about 10-25% of Peloton but there's no video or computer interaction. I ride with podcasts for audio and the Weather Channel on mute. My entry-level rollers, with which I've been quite happy, are the Travel Trac Alloy Pro from Performance Bike. As with all entry-level equipment, I was aware that I might eventually wish to upgrade, but I never felt the need.

One must monitor oncoming fatigue on them; unplanned dismounts can be interesting.

[fisheyes]

Resurrecting this thread...

So I've been a Peleton junkie for a while now and love the bike.

Today my Peleton Row was delivered and OMG I love it!

I don't know how many folks made the splurge purchase but for me it was worth it!
There's a software program to monitor your form which is very helpful.
After 4 workouts today I can say that I didn't know I had those muscles!
Full disclosure...I'm 65 and I'm not sure that I've met certain muscles in years!

Interested to hear if others have tried the Peleton Row out.

We will need to add this to the Duke-uNCcheat Peleton challenges.

[cato]

After 4 workouts today I can say that I didn't know I had those muscles!


I’m sore just from reading that. Good for you!

My favorite exercise is a pair of sneakers and an open road, but this sounds cool. Particularly the feedback on form.

[snowdenscold]

We've had the bike for a couple years, and my wife uses it most days - I've used it about 5 times total. (but I prefer a podcast or watching educational youtube stuff on either phone or laptop, so I don't take advantage of the courses they have and instead usually just do the elliptical)

Her rower just arrived two days ago and she says she loves it. I sure hope both stay fully utilized, they're not cheap!!

[Tooold]

I am a die-hard peloton fan. I use my bike every day and love it, and I also use the peloton outdoor classes for runs. I thought about the rower—I have done erg workouts on a rower in the past, but always limited them to short distances, since my back is very fickle and will “go out” if I work hard for a longer distance on a rower. I know this can be form-related as the harder and longer I row, the more likely I am to put the work on my lower back. So the form feedback might be a good thing. I will say that I always felt that rowing was a good cross-training option.