Today’s blog post is an update to my first Peloton review asking the frequently asked question, “Are Peloton bikes worth it?” He wrote his first review after owning the bike for only two months, when it was shiny, new and exciting. Of course my review would be great!
But I’ve owned a Peloton for 7 months now. Do I still love it? Do you still use them? And are Peloton bikes worth it?
If you want a Peloton £100 referral code, it’s here.
Get £100 off accessories when you buy a Peloton Bike or Tread when you buy from the link above. I love Peloton’s strength classes and highly recommend spending your £100 to buy weights.
I purchased a Peloton bike in June 2021 after spending a ridiculous amount of time and moaning about whether or not I should buy one. It’s so expensive that I thought buying another expensive training gadget was just a distraction. Instead of actually working out, I was watching YouTube videos about people working out on the Peloton. I didn’t need any more gadgets. I just needed some motivation to work out. But no matter how much money you spend on a gadget, it won’t magically make you feel more motivated.
So what do I think now and do I think the Peloton bike is worth it?
If you haven’t read it yet, you can find my original Peloton review here.
Do I still love it?
Definitely 100% still love it. In fact, I think I like it a lot more now than I did seven months ago. I feel healthier and stronger than ever, and that’s thanks to the Peloton bike. I’m enjoying exercise for the first time in my life!
If I go far away and don’t have a Peloton bike, I’ll be a little disappointed!
I went on a cruise in March and used the Peloton bike on the cruise ship as well. I love it that much. In fact, I was cycling in front of the ship, looking out over the Mediterranean Sea!
How often do I use it?
I aim to use the Peloton bike 4 times a week. I want to use it every day, but I’m a normal person with a busy life and sometimes it gets in the way.
I have three young children (who don’t always sleep through the night!), a busy job, and I’m away from home most weekends. So you don’t beat yourself up when you don’t use it.
The guilt of not exercising…?
One of the things I really love about owning a Peloton bike is that I don’t feel guilty about not working out.
When I had a gym membership in the past, I felt really guilty for not using my membership as much as possible. He was paying £50 a month and needed to get back his money’s worth!
But with Peloton, you don’t feel that way. Of course it’s all psychological, but our thoughts have a huge impact on our actions!
I think it’s because we know the bikes are here to stay. I don’t understand the feeling of “He paid me £50 for 30 days, so hurry up and use as much as you can for the next 30 days!!’
Peloton has been here forever. He’s not going anywhere, so if you don’t want to train today, no problem. I will use it tomorrow or the day after. And this relaxing feeling makes you want to use it more.
Do I still think the Peloton bike is worth the money?
The original Peloton bike currently costs £1,350 and app class membership costs £39 per month per household.
This is a difficult question. Because while it may not be a huge expense for some, it can be an unthinkable amount for others.
For me, it was a lot of money for an exercise bike, but it was worth every penny.
Sam and I were previously paying over £110 a month for a family gym membership, which we each used once or twice a week (though I always thought I’d use it more and take the kids swimming). (but it rarely materialized!). The only cost is a one-year gym membership and an app membership fee.
The app costs £39 a month, but since we both use it we think it’s really good value for money.
After a year, the bike pays for itself (or that’s how I justify it), and £39 a month is a price I’m happy to pay for great classes.
Is the Peloton app worth it?
yes! Very good!
I know there are millions of free online workouts, but Peloton’s classes are great. You can take part in challenges so you can set a workout each week. This means you don’t have to scroll to find your preferred class.
There are also no ads or instructors who stop in the middle of your workout to try and sell you a nutrition plan or something for 20 minutes!
I also like the predictability of classes. They are all the same but differ in similar equipment required. You just know where you stand with them all!
It’s great that you can use the app not only on your bike and tread, but also on your phone, tablet, and smart TV. Two people can also use the same account on different devices. Sam and I have our own profiles, but it’s part of the same account, so I wasn’t sure if it would work for both of us to use it at the same time, but it did!
Another great feature of this app is the ability to create “stacks”. For example, if you want to do a 20-minute ride followed by a 10-minute arm class, then a 10-minute strength class, then a 10-minute stretch, and then a 10-minute meditation, you can create a stack and move from one class to the next. You can seamlessly move between classes. Skip scrolling or searching.
Does the Peloton bike motivate me to exercise?
It definitely takes some self-motivation, but I feel that cycling gives me more motivation than other online classes.
It’s really helpful because it’s an easy first step to getting on the bike and starting training.
Compared to running, for example, a Peloton ride is much more comfortable (especially during the winter!)
Going for a run requires you to dress warmly, step outside into the cold, dark, and wet, outside the comfort of your home, battle the elements, and jump right into a difficult workout while still breathing.
But Peloton’s bikes don’t have these.
Peloton is in the comfort of your home. Most rides start off so peacefully, with great music and chatty instructors that you almost forget you’re getting a workout.
The barrier to entry is very low, so you don’t need much motivation to get started on your first bike ride.
These weights were purchased from Decathlon
Motivation to give it my all
I’ll be honest, there are days when I get on my Peloton bike and think, “No, I don’t feel like it today. I’m just going to take it easy and enjoy the music.” But most days I really want to push myself.
What motivates me to improve myself is seeing myself improve. I’m getting a little better with almost every training session, so I keep coming back for more training. After each ride, you get an overall “output” score based on the length of the ride, the speed you were riding, and the amount of resistance you applied. You can improve little by little every time you ride!
Heart rate monitors are also very motivating. I try to keep my heart rate in zone 4, and when it drops to zone 3, I’m ready to increase the resistance and push myself a little harder!
Why is the Peloton better than the gym?
This is one of the main things that makes the Peloton bike worth it for me, as it is so much better than the gym!
This is different for everyone, but for me it is:
- cheaper in the long run
- You can train anytime
- Save time by not having to drive to the gym
- I don’t use any fuel to go to the gym
- You can train at home with your kids (no need to wait for Sam to get home from work)
- You can wear anything
- no one can see me
- my home is cozy, safe and warm
- You can place the fan directly above your face!
- You can roll right out of bed and ride your bike
- You can take a shower immediately after getting off your bike
- It’s great for my children to see me exercising
What should I do during my Peloton training?
The great thing about Peloton workouts is that you have a lot of options depending on your mood. But they’re really well organized so you don’t have to spend half an hour looking for the perfect one!
I used to spend a lot of time preparing my own training plans. I would have researched exercise and thought about it for years!
But I won’t do that now! I basically just hop on my bike as soon as I feel ready to exercise and find a class that fits my mood and the time I want to exercise. Being able to search by class length is really useful. Next, filter by teacher or type of music.
I want to:
- Ride for 30 minutes and then
- 10 minute strength
Sometimes I ride my bike, but I can’t really get mad, so I do a 20-minute pop ride with Cody Rigsby (because his rides are very gentle and he chooses fun pop music), perfect for the day) when you don’t feel like it!)
Other days, I do 45-minute endurance rides because I feel so energized on the bike (OK, this only happens a few times!)
Sometimes I’ll look at the rides my friends have done recently, see which classes they’re getting high scores in, and do that. Or try to beat your friend’s score!
But typically I do a 30-minute HIIT ride, followed by a 10-minute strength class, each time focusing on a different area of the body.
I’m currently doing the ‘Crush Your Core Challenge’ with Emma Lovewell, where we do 4 short core workouts each week for 4 weeks.
Finding friendly competition
Sam is also starting to use the Peloton bike properly and I think this friendly competition is really motivating. I always check his scores to see if I can beat him!
It’s not really a competition as we do different rides and prefer different instructors. Sam is also much fitter and stronger than me, so I could never compete with him, but when he used the bike, I immediately wanted to ride too!
Sometimes I don’t feel like it, but seeing Sam get those endorphins after a ride gives me even more motivation to ride too.
This Maximo Fitness Mat is extra thick, making it perfect for yoga classes on uneven slate kitchen floors.
Is Peloton apparel worth the money?
If you’re a total Peloton fan girl or fan guy (like me!), you can also purchase Peloton apparel. We have lots of great leggings, shorts, sports bras, tops, jumpers, jackets, and joggers.
When you get Peloton, you get a referral code that you can share with friends and family. If someone uses it to buy a bike or treads, he gets £100 off apparel and can use his £100 to buy accessories such as weights.
If you’re looking for a £100 Peloton referral code, it’s here.
For women, if you’re going to buy anything, I recommend buying leggings.
The quality is great, the material is buttery soft and really thin. It’s fun to ride and perfect for exercise or everyday wear.
Peloton referral link
If you’d like to use my Peloton referral link to get £100 off on Peloton accessories, click here.
Why did we move our bike inside?
If you read my review of my original Peloton bike, you’ll know that I used to keep it outside in my summerhouse. I moved it inside my office in November because it was too cold outside. There is a heater in the summerhouse, but it got too hot and it was difficult to keep the right balance.
I’ll probably move it back into the summerhouse in the summer, as it was so nice to open the door and let a nice breeze come in on a hot day.
It’s heavy and requires some human effort to move, but it’s easy to handle because it can be disassembled into three parts: seat, screen, and main body.
We both preferred to put the bikes outside on a hard wooden platform, as they wobble a bit on carpet. It’s not wobbly enough to fall over, but we both prefer to put it on something solid.
Is the Peloton bike worth it?
As I’ve said before, just because you buy a Peloton bike doesn’t mean you can train right away. You still need some motivation to use it.
But for me, the Peloton bike is worth it and is definitely the best thing I’ve ever bought for myself.