There are lots of exercise bicycles for you to choose from, and some are more expensive than others. Peloton exercise bikes sit at the top of the line and come with a hefty price tag, but what are these bicycles like? Are they a scam, or are you really getting your money’s worth when you buy one?
What is Peloton?
In 2012, the company Peloton Interactive, Inc. was established. Its headquarters are located in New York City, and its main focus is to manufacture high-end luxury bicycle machines. The company gets its name from a bicycle term that refers to the main “ball” of the riders in a race.
The cycling machines made by the business carry the company’s name, thus creating the Peloton bike range. The company has also branched out into other areas such as treadmills and sneakers.
While Peloton’s customers have been satisfied with its products, the company has not been without its issues. In 2021, Peloton issued a safety notice after a child died while using a Peloton treadmill.
What are the features of Peloton bike?
Peloton Bikes is known as a luxury brand for a good reason. A Peloton goes beyond being just an exercise bike, making them an attractive model for cycling enthusiasts.
To start, Peloton bikes have built-in screens and speakers. These features allow you to virtually mimic the experience of cycling through different environments. Each lesson has an instructor who guides you through the session and helps you cycle a virtual mile in the comfort of your own home.
If you own a large-screen television, Peloton lets you make the most of it by supporting casting services like Chromecast. This means you can view your lessons on the big screen for a more enjoyable cycling experience.
If you want to connect with other people during your ride, Peloton has a microphone that lets you chat with other members. And if you’re a competitive person, there are leader boards where you can show off your cycling prowess to your friends and family.
If you prefer to check post-exercise metrics to see your progress, Peloton has those in spades. It’ll check your heart rate as you pedal and show you a chart at the end, so you can see how hard you pushed your body. It will also show you the distance you cycled and the calories you burned.
You’ll also find that Peloton as a company is also big into exercising with bikes. The Peloton app comes with cardio and yoga workouts that you can use to complement your cycling routine.
Peloton machines can connect to the internet, which means they can get new features over time. For example, a software update gave Peloton owners a pause button for their videos. Another update added a news feed link to the What’s New page, where users can see posts from members they follow.
What is the Peloton range of Exercise Bikes?
At the time of writing, there are two machines in the Peloton range: the Bike and the Bike+. The bike costs $1,495, while the bike+ costs $2,495. The Bike+ isn’t much different from the Bike, but it does have some nice features that power users will want.
For example, the Bike+ has a large screen that rotates, so you can use it for cycling as well as doing yoga.
Whichever model you choose, you can then choose from one of four Peloton packages. At the base price, you just get the bike, and each package includes more and more accessories to suit different people. At the top of the range – the Bike Ultimate package – you also get a few accessories, including a bike mat, workout mat, heart rate monitor and cycling shoes.
Why should you buy Peloton Exercise Bike?
As you can see, the Peloton range is very much a luxury buy for the enthusiast biker. As such, when asking yourself whether a Peloton bike is right for you, you need to assess your current status as a cyclist and what you want out of your new machine.
The first sticking point is price. Yes, you can get other exercise bikes for much cheaper than the Peloton. Even if you can afford a Peloton bike, you may find that less expensive models will do everything you want for less. Thus, it’s worth exploring Peloton alternatives for stationary cyclists to see what else your money can get you.
You should also consider your current status as a cyclist. If you’re just starting out with cycling exercise and want a machine to start with, a peloton may be overkill.
Peloton offers free trials of its machines, so you can test out the Peloton at home and return it if you decide it’s not for you. However, if you’re concerned that you’ll lose interest in cycling and be stuck with the world’s most expensive paperweight, it’s better to start with a cheaper model.