# My Peloton bike experience 2 weeks in - ONE Year update



## gzoom (31 May 2021)

We ended up buying a Peloton bike recently mainly for my wife to use. The bike is in the main corridor so it really was the only choice as far as my wife was concerned.

I've never really used any home indoor bikes before but have used Wattbikes at the gym. I really wasn't sure how much I would use the Peloton, but 2 week in and am really susprised how addictive the bike/classes are. I've done a work out pretty much everyday and my wife has as well. I've pretty much found a way to build a 30 minute ride into eveyday be it at 6 am or 10pm and anytime in between.

The 'live' sessions are actually quite good fun as you quickly settle into the pack and jostle for position amounts half a dozen of you.....am normally about 300th position out of 1000ish.

I've put together my own 'program' for the next few weeks based on Strava suggestions for 'training', I have never done any training before!







My perception of Peloton before trying it was that it wasn't a serious fitness tool, and more a gimmick. Yes some of the instructors shout and smile too much, but the sessions are properly structured to HR and Powerzones if you follow the guidance.

This is a Zone 5+ ride.










I don't know what Peloton has nailed, but they have got something right between accessibility, the spin experience, and general appeal. I was already return it after 30 days (free returns), but instead finding my self now looking forwards to 45 min Powerzones sessions on a stationary bike!!






The ultimate 'proof' on if the Peloton is really a useful fitness tool would be how fit it gets me on the real bike. A combination of weather, and work means I've spent far less time on my real bike this year than last. Without the Peloton I would have hardly done any cycling in the last 2 weeks.

There is a local killer hill near me where last year I got so close to beating a PB I set on it back in 2013. Went out yesterday and set the best time this year so far and within touching distance of my PB.

Can the Peloton bike get my legs back to the state they were in 8 years ago?? If it can, than the £39/month on going subscription cost really would be worth every penny!!


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## IanSmithCSE (31 May 2021)

Good morning,

I can see the attraction but one thing I wouldn't like is the idea of a "sweaty gym" as part of the house. 

I tried Life Fitness bikes at a local gym, they have videos of routes and after an hour without a fan the bike could almost have floated away on the sweat. 

Bye

Ian


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## flake99please (31 May 2021)

Let us know whether you and your wife continue to use it as frequently as you have been since you bought the unit in 6 months time. I’d be interested to see if the usage continues or whether it starts to gather dust in the corner of the room


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## cyberknight (31 May 2021)

flake99please said:


> Let us know whether you and your wife continue to use it as frequently as you have been since you bought the unit in 6 months time. I’d be interested to see if the usage continues or whether it starts to gather dust in the corner of the room


indeed i hope they keep it up, i just forked out for a cross trainer for mrs ck and 2 weeks in its already sat in the corner more of a toy for the kids


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## gzoom (31 May 2021)

cyberknight said:


> indeed i hope they keep it up, i just forked out for a cross trainer for mrs ck and 2 weeks in its already sat in the corner more of a toy for the kids



We've had similar with cross trainers and rowing machines, other stationery bike.

The main thing with Peloton appears to be a combination of hardware (it feels nicer to 'climb' out of the saddle than my hybrid real bike!), and software bits + knowing the £39/month subscription costs.

We currently have a 1 week half term holiday away, so no access to the bike, but am actually quite thankful as am certainly at a point of overtraining, having done 30 mintue+ daily HIT type sessions on it for 2 weeks solid.


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## gzoom (31 May 2021)

flake99please said:


> Let us know whether you and your wife continue to use it as frequently as you have been since you bought the unit in 6 months time. I’d be interested to see if the usage continues or whether it starts to gather dust in the corner of the room



Me too!!


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## cyberknight (31 May 2021)

gzoom said:


> We've had similar with cross trainers and rowing machines, other stationery bike.
> 
> The main thing with Peloton appears to be a combination of hardware (it feels nicer to 'climb' out of the saddle than my hybrid real bike!), and software bits + knowing the £39/month subscription costs.
> 
> We currently have a 1 week half term holiday away, so no access to the bike, but am actually quite thankful as am certainly at a point of overtraining, having done 30 mintue+ daily HIT type sessions on it for 2 weeks solid.


done the whole gym subs etc for mrs ck unfortunatly shes the "OMFG i need to loose weight " , wants diet pills. gym subs etc then sits eating cake


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## fair weather cyclist (31 May 2021)

cyberknight said:


> done the whole gym subs etc for mrs ck unfortunatly shes the "OMFG i need to loose weight " , wants diet pills. gym subs etc then sits eating cake



Sounds familiar.

On a regular basis I also get the "I hate how you can eat whatever you want without gaining any weight". Yes, hen, I can because between cycling and running I do at least 5 hours of exercise a week


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## cyberknight (31 May 2021)

fair weather cyclist said:


> Sounds familiar.
> 
> On a regular basis I also get the "I hate how you can eat whatever you want without gaining any weight". Yes, hen, I can because between cycling and running I do at least 5 hours of exercise a week


similar , commute gives me about 6 hours a week, weekend club ride, lift a couple of ton a day at work


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## Blue Hills (31 May 2021)

nice weather out.


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## johnblack (3 Jun 2021)

Spin / static bikes are absolutely ace for bike fitness, haters will always hate but when I have a window of an hour at lunchtime a structured training session is far better for what I want than just going out, even when the weather is nice. Then when I have more time I can get out on the bike and enjoy the fitness I've gained. I use mine (not peloton) at least three times a week.


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## Ridgeway (3 Jun 2021)

johnblack said:


> Spin / static bikes are absolutely ace for bike fitness, haters will always hate but when I have a window of an hour at lunchtime a structured training session is far better for what I want than just going out, even when the weather is nice. Then when I have more time I can get out on the bike and enjoy the fitness I've gained. I use mine (not peloton) at least three times a week.



That's pretty much me as well. Spin bike is super convenient to use, no special clothes etc and ready to go in a couple of minutes. I just do training sessions on mine and find them OK as i keep them short (max 1hr) If the weather, work or family keep me off the road then the spin bike is !


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## HarryTheDog (4 Jun 2021)

Just a observation, all your sessions and old rides were what I would call short. I am a old fart and it takes me 15 mins just to warm up. I have been coached proffessionally in the past and followed training plans ( sufferfest/Xert) non of these ever called for a 30 minute ride/session always 1hr plus. I accept if you are re-starting doing 30 min sessions will give you a improvement but do you plan doing 1 hr plus sessions and what is the longest ride Peleton offers?. My Current Xert plan with only a moderate improvement plan calls for 7-8hrs per week min. ( I have cycled for many years so improvement will be harder)


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## gzoom (5 Jun 2021)

Longest session on Peloton is 90 minutes I wouldn’t mind doing a session that long the killer for me is time- or lack of it.

My eBike is fixed apparently so will be commuting to work again, but I should still be able to fit in 30 minute sessions before/after work.

Getting 60 mintues of free time to my self is all but impossible these days.


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## Venod (5 Jun 2021)

I was not a fan of the Turbo before smart turbos came along now I don't mind the garage session when I can't get out on the road.

Its good to see you are enjoying the Peloton experience.

We bought a treadmill earlier this year and it has got me running again after a 5 year break, it links up with *ifit *and has loads of videos and training programs that control the speed and incline of the treadmill, there are trekking and walking videos also, the wife has done some of these, she enjoyed the commentaries whilst walking tours of London and the Pyramids, after a run I cool down with a walk in the Alps.

*ifit *is linked to Nordic Track equipment they also do a bike with programs, I think its similar to the Peloton.

Some of the more expensive treadmills have 45 degrees slope, there is a trek up Everest in the videos.

https://www.ifit.com/


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## gzoom (17 Jul 2021)

2 months in now, am using it nearly every day, sometimes twice a day. Currently am trying to force my self to take rest days as my legs are pretty fatigued. More amazingly my wife has used it just as much as me, maybe even more as she does the 'soft' stuff like Yoga and stretches etc. 







For me Peloton have hit the perfect balance of been entertaining but also make you want to do some proper exercise. Than there is marketing stuff, like doing a 'live' session with Usain Bolt....along with nearly 5000 others. 

It's all a bit of fun, which is great as you don't even realise how much actual exercise you have done. 

If I even half enjoyed running I would be getting a Tread as well, but I hate running so will be sticking to just the bike.


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## gzoom (27 May 2022)

Just over 12 months now since getting the Peloton bike, is been an very interesting experience. For first 6 months all I did was the bike programs, really enjoyed them, my resting HR dropped to 40, but what I didn't realise I was eatting like a pig and by Xmas had hit 77kg which the heaviest I've been for a while, so something had to change!






I did some reading around and shifted my focus on Peloton to strength classes, the bike was still used but strength classes are much less demanding and essentially meant I could do something almost every day vs only two/three times a week on the bike.






I also cut down on the junk food, the weight soon started to fall off, and right now at under 70kg am the lightest I've been ever as an adult. I had my 40th birthday this year, and below is what my physic is like right now at 40 vs when I was 37, just before the pandemic hit .

Am still aiming to loss another kg or so, and get my body fat % down a tad more, but Peloton has literally changed me (physically). It's the best £39/month we spend as a family!


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## HarryTheDog (27 May 2022)

Good work for sticking at it, great results. Did your missus support you through all this and is she continuing with it? .


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## cyberknight (27 May 2022)

well done 
my gym consists of 2 sets of dumbells and the kids swing for pull ups, i do have a folding total gym that i use when the weather too crap to go outside.Commute to work 10 miles each way .
In the last month i have lost 6lbs .


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