Is the One Peloton Bike Worth It? An Honest Review
Here are my pros and cons of using the mega-popular stationary bike for a year.
After roughly one year and over 400 rides with my Peloton bike, I can give you my honest assessment of this bad boy.
I want to stipulate that I own the original bike and not the newly released Bike+. Additionally, this will not be a comprehensive review of the bike’s specs or other technical aspects; it’s rather about my personal experience using it daily.
For a bit of context, I’m not an athlete. The peak of my athletic prowess was I played basketball in high school (I was a 5'9" center). I also played golf in college at a small Division III university, and you don’t need to be a world-class athlete to hit a little white ball around.
My relationship with exercise throughout my life could best be described as lukewarm.
I believe exercise is necessary for mental clarity and to feel good physically, but I’m certainly not a junkie who enjoys running ten plus miles per day or going to the gym to get jacked for hours on end. I essentially exercise not to feel like a potato.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get into the review, shall we?
Pro: Shipping and Setup
I bought the bike right as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and it took a little over a month to arrive. Compared to the current shipping estimates, I’m lucky to have purchased the bike when I did.
Peloton is spending millions of dollars to remedying its logistical issues, but the multi-month wait times are crappy considering you’ve shelled out thousands of dollars for the bike.
Despite the long wait time, the delivery and setup experience couldn’t have gone any smoother for my bike. Two kind gentlemen brought the bike directly to my door and assembled it in less than 30 minutes. All I had to do was sign a few papers, plug the bike in, sign in to my Peloton account, and I was ready for my first ride.
Con: Price
Newsflash: the Peloton bike is expensive.
Here’s the breakdown of my costs.
- $2,245.00 for the standard package, which includes a 1-year warranty and bike.
- $275.00 for shipping (I live in Hawaii).
- $113.41 for taxes for a total of $2,633.41.
On top of that, Peloton also tacks on a $40/month membership for unlimited content.
I decided to pay for the bike using Affirm who Peloton has partnered with for financing. I went with the 24-month loan program for a recurring monthly payment of $109.73.
I’ve had a good experience with Affirm thus far, and a huge benefit of going through Affirm is that they require $0 down with a total interest of 0%. The loan program was a no-brainer because I didn’t have to tie a single dollar up or pay extra toward interest.
The price of the Peloton bike was my biggest hurdle to go ahead with the purchase. It’s pricey, but I use the bike on average at least five days a week, so I believe that the steep price point can be justified.
You’re going to have to determine for yourself:
- Can you afford it?
- Can you justify paying that much?
If you think you’re going to use the bike only once in a while, I’d say skip it.
Pro: Build Quality
Before purchasing the Peloton bike, I bought one of those cheap rinky-dink stationary bikes off of Amazon, along with a cadence sensor and a $12.99 Peloton digital subscription on my iPad.
I thought, “Why would I spend a shit ton of money on a Peloton bike when I can MacGyver my own for a fraction of the cost?”
Well, that was a mistake. After a month of consistent use, I had to get the bike’s resistance knob replaced, and the thing wobbled like crazy as if I was riding on a boat. After having the replacement resistance knob crap out on me, I said, “Screw it,” and stopped using the bike altogether. It essentially became a glorified clothing rack.
I eventually got rid of the cheap Amazon bike, bit the bullet, and purchased a Peloton. When I first hopped on the Peloton bike, it was a night and day difference from my previous bike. The Peloton was like a brand new Tesla, and the other bike was a beaten-down Toyota Corolla.
Everything from the framing to the seat, to the handlebars, to the 21.5” touch screen — all of it feels well made and should handle years of use.
(small) Con: It’s Really Heavy
For solid build quality, you do sacrifice weight. With the frame and touch screen, the total weight of the bike is roughly 135 pounds.
The bike does have wheels for easy transport, but it’s still difficult for me to maneuver the bike by myself, and I’d like to think I’m capable of moving heavy objects. If you wanted to move the bike up or downstairs, forget about it. There’s no way one person could do it on their own unless you’re Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson or some other strong person.
I say the weight is a small con because I don’t foresee myself moving the bike from my bedroom anytime soon.
Pro: It’s Quiet
As I said, the bike currently sits in my bedroom, and having a quiet bike is a necessity for a happy wife. I’m an early riser compared to my wife, so if I want to jump on the bike while she’s still asleep, I can do that. However, there’s nothing I can do about my huffing and puffing when I’m in the middle of an intense ride.
Con: Price of the Accessories
One of my biggest gripes with the Peloton bike is the price of the accessories. It doesn’t sit well with me when I’ve already spent well over two grand for the bike, as well as the $40/month subscription, that they could at least include a bike mat or a towel, or even a measly water bottle would be nice.
Nope. You’re going to need to shell out another couple hundred dollars if you want those add-ons. Seriously, Peloton?!
I bought a bike mat, Gatorade towel and water bottle, and Shimano spinning shoes all off of Amazon for a fraction of the cost of the Peloton branded ones.
Pro: Classes, Instructors, and Leaderboard
Although I complain about the price, I love the variety of classes that the $40/month membership provides. From beginner to breathless rides, there’s a wide range of classes for every experience level.
When I’m in a crunch for time, I can throw on a 15–20 minute Tabata ride (one of the more difficult classes) and get a legitimate sweat in. Or, if I don’t have anything going on, I can groove to a longer 45-minute hip-hop ride. No matter how much or how little time you have, or how you’re feeling physically that day, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a class that isn’t tailormade for your needs.
I’ve used several different instructors, but my personal go-to instructors are Robin Arzón, Alex Toussaint, and Cody Rigsby. They bring the energy to every single class. And though at the start of a ride, I often feel sluggish and unmotivated, at the end of a Robin, Alex, or a Cody ride, I feel like I could run through a brick wall. My favorite ride so far is Robin’s Lizzo ride. I PR that class every damn time. Robin sleighs it!
And lastly, I want to discuss the leaderboard. The leaderboard tracks your output against other riders who have taken the class. A combination of cadence and resistance calculates output, and it simply measures your power during the ride. I thought the leaderboard would be a hoaky feature, but I honestly don’t do a class without it. I’m a fairly competitive person, and if I see a 70-year-old grandma ahead of me on the leaderboard, I get extremely motivated to rise above her while yelling, “Not today, grandma!”
(another small) Con: Internal Speakers Suck
The bike’s internal speakers are crap and sound like the typical laptop speakers. I’d suggest purchasing Bluetooth headphones or earbuds for a better experience. I like to use this Bose Bluetooth speaker (not an affiliate link) because you can attach it right onto the bike.
BIGGEST Pro: Convenience
The Peloton bike’s convenience factor alone makes it worth the high price tag. Gone are the days of me having to look at naked, sweaty old dudes at the gym. Gone are the days of having to worry about the weather outside for a run. Now I can literally wake up, jump on the bike, exercise, shower, and get on with my day. It doesn’t matter how little or how much time I have available; I can always squeeze in a solid sweat session on the bike.
Additionally, after living through a global pandemic for a year, where gyms were closed or shutdown, the Peloton proved invaluable as it eliminated the need to travel away from home for exercise. Even as gyms slowly open up across the nation, I’ll never go back to one because how can you compete with working out from the comfort of your own bedroom?
To Summarize
The Peloton bike is not for you if you…
- Can’t stomach the price.
- Are not going to use it often.
- Need more variety than just cycling (though the screen does detach, so you can use it for other Peloton workouts than just biking).
- Rather be outside for exercise.
Now, you’re going to love the Peloton bike if you…
- Can afford and justify the price.
- Use it often.
- Love the convenience of exercising from home.
- Don’t like to spend or have a ton of time for exercise.
I hope this review has helped determine whether the Peloton bike is right for you. I’m apart of the Peloton cult, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. If you decide to dive in and purchase a bike for yourself, I can guarantee you won’t regret it.
