Is Peloton Worth It? – Find Out What’s So Special About Peloton

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Is Peloton worth it? Whether or not you’re a Peloton fan yourself, there’s no denying that their popularity is getting increasingly harder to overlook.

In case you don’t already know, Peloton is an American gym equipment company, founded in 2012, and creator of one of the most popular at-home fitness products on the market –  an indoor exercise bike.

The Peloton ‘movement’ has grown exponentially since it first reached the market, leaving many scratching their heads in confusion.

There are plenty of exercise bikes out there – so what makes this one stand out so much?

Read on to find out and discover more about Peloton.

Table of Contents

• Why Is Peloton So Popular Right Now?
• Is Peloton a Good Workout?
• Why Is Peloton So Expensive?
• Does Peloton Require Special Shoes?
• Is Peloton A Fitness Cult?
• Are there Cheaper Alternatives to Peloton Bikes?

Why Is Peloton So Popular Right Now?

As mentioned above, you may be wondering how exactly did a simple at-home exercise bike get so popular, and gain such a following?

The answer to that question is that Peloton isn’t just your typical bike.

One of the main reasons why Peloton is different is that they feature a large wifi-enabled touchscreen that can be used to either watch and cycle along with pre-recorded, on-demand workouts – or to participate in live sessions with real and professional trainers you can actually interact with through the screen.

You can think of it as a virtual, at-home version of SoulCycle (who Peloton has supposedly taken over in customers)

With well over a million members of the Peloton community who will gladly attest to how much they enjoy the bike and program – the majority when asked will answer that its popularity comes from the interactive classes and friendly instructors.

Users are able to choose an instructor that they like, join the Peloton community, connect with other members, feel motivated, and have lots of fun – all from the comfort of their own homes.

There’s also a fitness tracker so that users can record their progress, and a live leaderboard to push and motivate people to continue and to do their best.

Is Peloton a Good Workout?

To answer the question of ‘is Peloton a good workout my answer is yes, I think that they do.

The classes are very intense and there are a lot of different types of classes to choose from.

The instructors are all very friendly and motivating, so you will get a great workout if you like to do group classes, but if you don’t want the do anything too intense you can of course select something less advanced.

The bikes themselves are also of high quality and will last long, so if used regularly in the right way they will give you a very good workout.

The question of ‘is Peloton a good workout’ also depends on what kind of intensity you select.

When you begin, it’s always better to choose a lower-level class that will enable you to start slow.

Gradually as the days go by and you get more accustomed to it, you will be able to up the levels.

Why Is Peloton So Expensive?

There’s no questioning that Peloton is an expensive product. The real question is, why?

At $1,895 for the bike along with an additional $39 a month for the all-inclusive subscription fee, you may be wondering what could possibly make it so expensive or why so many people are willing to pay the price when there are far cheaper alternatives.

In fact, you can even buy a high-quality real bike for that price!

There are a few reasons that Peloton uses to justify its price point. The most surprising of these is a simple marketing tactic.

A few years ago, Peloton increased the price of their product without making any changes. People lapped it up, assumed that the high price point meant that the product was of excellent quality and deserved the price tag, and sales increased.

Peloton is also so expensive because they have a target consumer in mind – a consumer that won’t have a problem with the cost. With that in mind, they have a relatively justifiable product that is still raking in sales.

As previously mentioned, Peloton provides users with a unique service that is usually only accessible via a gym – and have been very successful at it. The majority of its users consider the bike well worth the price and their repeat subscription rate is extremely high.

Peloton bikes are not ones that are usually left to gather dust in the corner like other at-home exercise bikes – users consider the platform as a way to bring the gym right to their homes and join a fun community, one that they’re willing to pay a hefty fee for.

Does Peloton Require Special Shoes?

Despite the already expensive price tag, Peloton does indeed suggest that you use a specific set of shoes when you ride their bike – though this isn’t absolutely necessary.

The bike uses Delta-compatible cleats which can be screwed into the branded Peloton shoes, or any other spin cycling shoes that have a three screw hole setup. You can buy these along with the bike for an additional $125, or there are two other options to consider.

If you’d rather wear your own sneakers with the bike, you can do so by attaching toe cages to the pedals for ease of use, or you can even unscrew and attach your own bike pedals to the Peloton bike if you’d prefer – though Peloton recommends using their own for an optimal and enhanced experience. 

Is Peloton A Fitness Cult?

At first glance, this isn’t too much of a stretch.

Online publications quite frequently refer to ‘The Cult of Peloton’ – and it’s not hard to see why.

If you take a glance at a group of Peloton users and how they religiously rave about their bikes, their incessant customer loyalty, and unrivaled enthusiasm for the product – it’s pretty easy to start wondering if you’re about to be dragged into a cult meeting.

In actuality, it really depends on how you look at it.

Though Peloton was launched in 2012, it was around 2015 that groups of users started gathering in person with others they had met on the virtual leaderboard to form real-life group exercise classes. It was called the ‘Home Rider Invasion’.

Nowadays, this has become increasingly popular – with some users even stating that the only reason they even ride each day is to engage and interact with other members of their online biking community.

With Facebook groups containing hundreds of thousands of members who interact on the daily – it can be viewed as slightly cult-ish. However, many users feel that they’re part of a large, friendly, and supportive community – if not a little obsessive.

Peloton’s devoted following come together to celebrate each other’s milestones, such as the 100th or 500th ride, support each other online, and even give each other virtual high fives.

So, a cult or a tight-knit community – that answer is up to you.

Are there Cheaper Alternatives to Peloton Bikes?

As you’ve probably heard several times at this point, Peloton bikes and memberships are extremely costly. While they may be one of the most popular options on the market, they’re not the only option out there to consider.

There are plenty of similar, lower-cost alternatives that you may enjoy. Check out the three suggestions below!

The MYX Fitness Bike

The MYX bike is a fair bit cheaper than Peloton and has many similar properties. There’s a large tablet touchscreen, a fitness program of their own (also cheaper at just $29 a month), and on-demand fitness classes to view whenever you want – the bike is just as easy to use and as effective.

The one thing it does lack is live classes, but this is made up for with the price reduction.

The Bowflex C6

The Bowflex C6 is a great low-cost alternative to Peloton. It does not come inclusive of a tablet, but does have a place to slot your own – and features a sleek design. It matches many of the great features of similar exercise bikes and can be paired with BlueTooth to track your progress, or to use different exercise apps – such as Peloton itself.

It even has its own ‘Explore The World’ app that allows you to virtually ride around different locations all over the globe!