I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

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Sam
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I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

My wife and I joined a gym as I turned 60. I had read that as you age it’s more important to do a little bit of weight work and strengthening your core is good for balance issues. Not only that but I could stand to lose 15 pounds. I was doing pretty good and working out with some weights primarily using back exercises, and I was using an elliptical machine. I just found out a lot more beneficial than running on a treadmill or running outside. However after I was hospitalized for Covid in January, my lung capacity is somewhat diminished. I can get winded bend it over picking up weeds are tying my shoes.

I’ve visited my daughter this past weekend in Atlanta and they love their peloton bike. My daughter is a type a like me and she thrives on the leaderboard. Instead of wandering around aimlessly in a gym, she likes having an instructor telling her what to do. My son-in-law is an experienced bike racer, and while he puts on a class, he will stand up in petal hard and increase resistance before they say to do so in the class.

So I was wondering if anybody had any peloton experiences, positive or negative, and any suggestions for accessories, shoes, or any other advice
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Rufus »

My son and daughter-in-law have been using a Peloton bike for several years. They absolutely love it and approach it with almost religious zeal. I haven’t used one myself.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Kyle76 »

Prloton has lots of competition now. You might check other options as well. I know there is a rower with video link, and they are more full-body workouts than stationary bikes. Just a thought, Sam.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Gene »

Sam - long post, sorry ....

Wife and I dropped our gym membership back in January. We decided to get a Peloton - we both liked spinning classes in the past.

Peloton models: Bike and Bike+. The Bike is now on Generation 3, which has a better tablet than Gen 1 or 2. Bike+ has a tablet on a swivel, so it can be rotated, allowing you to do floor work (yoga, etc.) beside the machine. I am unsure if Bike+ is a better bike than Bike 3.

To order a new bike from Peloton is an 8 week delivery lead time. There might be a Peloton dealer in your town (there is one here in the Austin area) but they DON'T have bikes you can buy and take with you (kind of like Tesla).

We decided to buy a used one. There is a Facebook group - Peloton Buy/Sell/Trade. I joined that and started stalking it until a newer Bike Gen 3 came on the market near to us. There are issues about non-transferrable warranty and such - but we reasoned that if we got a really new, low ride Gen 3model we should be OK.

We found one and went out to try it - you want to get on the bike and make sure it rides well -- smoothly, and the tensioner works as expected. BTW - the Red tension knob is also a brake if you push it straight down. You also want to see the tablet in action - make sure it goes online, looks good, etc. Ask the owner to NOT reset the tablet so you can look at the menus and such - but then reset before you leave for their peace of mind. Take a friend to help - they are HEAVY. Take the tablet off the machine before you try to take it home - don't put it at risk. 2 electrical connections and 4 small screws in back.

Peloton pedals use their proprietary clip system. That's fine if you want to buy and use their shoes. We have our own bike shoes with Shimano clips - so off to Amazon for replacement pedals - easy.

When we got it home I set it back up, turned it on and tied it into our wireless network. I think their is an ethernet input, too, but I forget. Once it was up and running I added our names as users, did some other settings adjustments and we were ready to call Peloton. You don't have to sign up with Peloton, but if you want their recorded classes, live classes, all the cool things they offer you need an account. I called them and they were super easy to work with - just ID'd the bike serial number, my contact info, credit card and such and off I went.

I have only done the recorded classes so far - no live ones. There are a lot of workouts - from 5 minute beginner classes to HIIT and tabata and "boot camp" classes lasting an hour and more. Ride at your pace - try different instructors. For me - I am doing the 30 minute or the 45 minute low impact classes. I like two instructors best - Sam Yo and Ben Aldiss (both London based), but that's just me. I am on ride 53 right now - I usually ride early Monday morning to Friday morning and take the weekend off. At 100 rides you join their "Century" club - and get a free shirt.

The tablet has a headphone jack, but will also pair with your Bluetooth headset. Here's a tip: the volume controls (up/down) are on the back right of the tablet (as you look at the screen while it's on). While you are using your headset you can toggle the volume up or down and you will get a pop-up on the screen - the default is music at one volume and speech at a volume - the toggle allows you to make music louder than speech, both the same, or speech louder than music. I like speech louder than music (YMMV).

I hope this helps - PM if you have any other questions.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

Thanks Gene. I also joined the Facebook group you did, and Peleton delivery group. We bought Bike and it says June 19th. About two weeks. I expect that was optimistic and if we get it in late July I am fine. Did get two pair of shoes and a mat, and my daughter gave me a $100 discount code for the shoes.

I thought I read that the new Bikes are Generation 4. Used prices near me are $1700 to $1800 for the bike. Sure no taxes but Bike was $1895 and then $180 for taxes. So $2100 for new and warranty and they bring it versus $1700 for used, no warranty, but could have it now. For $400 we felt new was the way to go. We will use the classes on the Bike, the $39 a month version. Ill use the App to set it up and find some beginner classes. I will probably do a few scenic rides - read that they eliminated all but 4 of them. I suspect they may bring them back and re-do how they do them?

I have never done a formal spin class but hey, my wife was the one who got real excited seeing it at my daughters and this is a role reversal. I did do a 6 minute ride using my son-in-laws cleats. I hit it hard, not an easy ride, used the cadence and resistance that the instructor said and it was not a beginner class. I will push myself and yes, probably ride three days, take a day off, then 3 more. If I get busy on a day I am to ride, I will then make up for it. I will have 100 classes done within 100 days. I can see me doing two a day at times.
Last edited by Sam on Fri Jun 04, 2021 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

Kyle76 wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 8:04 am Prloton has lots of competition now. You might check other options as well. I know there is a rower with video link, and they are more full-body workouts than stationary bikes. Just a thought, Sam.
Tried the rower at the gym. Nice, new model with a monitor. Still could not get into it, so that is why I drifted over to the elliptical.
If wife had decided that is what she wanted to do, sure, I could probably get into it. But she liked the bike. I ran periodically. Started, ran three months then something happened and I stopped. She would go for a walk. I got a new Raleigh bike, 21 speed, and rode it for an hour at times. Woujld load up our bikes (got the rack and riding shorts and helmets) and go on to a greenway but it was always a hassle and never in the rain. Even have the lights for safety on the bike and a led for the front to illuminate the road at night. Wont give up on maybe getting in a club to ride or even a road race. I have done 3 %K's running.

But I think the riding classes will work and then with Wife riding, yes, I can see me cranking out 30 minute rides when nothing good is on tv or she is running to Target or taking a bath
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Gene »

If you can get it that fast then agreed - things must have changed since January. Good for you. I like ours - that's for sure.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by drmoss_ca »

A relatively cheap way of getting a good stationary bike if you already have a Raleigh 21 speed is to get a stand for the bike. I had one for my bike that involved taking off the front wheel, and mounting the front forks to the front of the stand. The rear wheel sat on some rollers and the whole thing was quite stable. I used it enough that I wore out a couple of rear tires on it. Good flywheel effect unlike cheap friction-based exercise bikes. I see Amazon sells a lot of them, but all seem to be two-piece with the front wheel just resting on the second part. A fraction of the price of a Peloton, but without the cool-kid cachet (for which I don't give one tiny little turd).
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

I tried that Chris. Just never got into it. Put it near a tv. More leisure. But now I know that you can cast the peloton app onto a TV, but alas I sold the stand.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by ichabod »

Gene covered a lot of great information, so I'll just add a couple of observations.

We got one during lockdown, it was about a six week wait because we didn't go with the newest model (my perception was that the main difference from my point of view was that the resistance can be controlled remotely by the class, which didn't seem worth the extra money to me).

Two people showed up and installed the bike, and they were excellent.

We too swapped out the pedals for Shimano, but it apparently voids the warranty so be sure to reinstall the OEM ones before a maintenance visit.

Four of us use it, my son was back from college for the year (he saw no point in Marine Biology by Zoom) and is 20 years old and his approach is to have a bucket next to him and go so hard he may throw up. My wife hates the classes but likes the "touring" option. I bought a heart rate monitor that connects to the bike (I got a Scosche) and use that to rein in my competitive urges (used to race MTB pretty competitively in the last century, don't see any benefit to pegging my heart rate at the red line in the basement - although I do still take great pleasure in disproving the 220 - your age +/- 11 formula). My daughter likes the mellow approach too.

Once you have a Peloton account you can cast the Peloton app on your smart TV and do the yoga classes etc., without needing to swivel the monitor.

Back in the day I used to use both a stationary trainer and rollers (ride with no hands on the rollers to maximize pointless flexing with huge potential for disaster), and watch race videos on TV (VHS, for the teenagers). Now there are entire setups like Zwift that use your own 7Kg carbon fiber bike on a stand and enable you to race others for pride points. Peloton and its equivalents are much more versatile.

Between the Peloton and other exercise equipment we bought during lockdown, the entire family's reaction to the email that the rec center is opening again was a big shrug.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

ichabod wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:12 am Gene covered a lot of great information, so I'll just add a couple of observations.

We got one during lockdown, it was about a six week wait because we didn't go with the newest model (my perception was that the main difference from my point of view was that the resistance can be controlled remotely by the class, which didn't seem worth the extra money to me).


(I got a Scosche) and use that to rein in my competitive urges (used to race MTB pretty competitively in the last century, don't see any benefit to pegging my heart rate at the red line in the basement - although I do still take great pleasure in disproving the 220 - your age +/- 11 formula). My daughter likes the mellow approach too.

Once you have a Peloton account you can cast the Peloton app on your smart TV and do the yoga classes etc., without needing to swivel the monitor.
Got the regular one. Should be here on the 19th - pretty fast.
Will get a Scosche I think, good reviews. I usually don't peg the HR monitor as much other than to make sure I am above 70% - 220 -61 , so I am for about 124 usually. My last two rides at the JCC were 7 and 10 minutes and I was hitting 145 or more. My daughter says I am competitive and have only the full-out mode. I will have to make sure I do warm down rides and also rest days

Casting to the TV, we have a smart tv and several yoga mats. May either get resisitance bands or a kettle bell to do some weight stuff
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by John Rose »

Sam wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 9:25 am We will use the classes on the Bike, the $39 a month version. Ill use the App to set it up and find some beginner classes. I will probably do a few scenic rides - read that they eliminated all but 4 of them. I suspect they may bring them back and re-do how they do them?
There it is.
Most high-tech devices these days are increasingly marketed merely as a platform for subscription services. (And special shoes, it would seem.) Very much like the "razor is free, buy the blades" model. You are at the mercy of companies staying in business and/or continuing to offer their services to make the hardware useful.

I get a laugh out of the Bell's digital TV service advertising movies that you can "own with Bell". You won't own them at all, not in the sense that you can own a DVD.

Anyway, I would hesitate to buy a product if I wasn't prepared to do without the services.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by dosco »

Shoot, wish I'd seen this earlier.

When the lockdown happened, the gyms closed. We cancelled our memberships, and I pulled out my road bike ... I'd spent the previous year riding a random stationary bike in the gym for 30 minutes at 80% max HR. When I got on the road bike I was stunned that I was reasonably fit. I'd always eschewed the 80% max HR approach ... I was wrong.

Anyhow, last year (at this time of year) we sold our house and move about 15 miles to Annapolis, MD. My spouse decided she wanted a stationary bike, and after a lot of comparison shopping she settled on the Schwinn. It's a great bike, she got it on sale for about $550, and apparently one can watch recorded Peloton vids online (I don't have the details, as I don't care for that stuff ... if you want to know, send me a PM and I'll get the scoop).

I rode the hell out of that bike over the winter. Like many of these bicycles, there's a toe clip on one side and an SPD clip on the other. I bought some SPD widgets for my cleats and I was off and running. I really enjoyed it.

So, if you're budget minded, there are some alternatives. I suppose the membership and "feeling like I belong" is probably a motivational factor for some folks, and it probably helps with compliance (working out regularly).

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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

I got the Peloton on June 19th. Already 49 rides under my belt, a couple of stretch workouts, one yoga, a cardio, two strength and one core class. Almost doubled what they call output. Not sure how getting a heart rate monitor will help me train better but I am open to that.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by dosco »

Sam:
The bike didn't come with one?

The iWatch can measure HR. Or you could goto the local CVS/Rite-Aid/Walgreens (and probably WalMart and some other places) and fetch a HRM and or pulse oximeter with HRM.

Then there's the Polar brand stuff, Whoop strap, etc.

As I mentioned, I was really surprised that 30 minutes of 80% max HR would be so effective. My main focus now is to ensure every ride, whether it be outdoors or indoors, achieves at least 80% max HR averaged over the entire ride. I think I hit it maybe 95% of the time ... some rides are just a bust.

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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

Been looking at a scosche armband
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by brothers »

I imagine all of the peloton devotees are all a'twitter to get in line to buy one of peloton treadmills now available. 😛

In my case, I haven't yet worn out my old NordicTrac WalkFit human-powered wooden treadmill after 20 years.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

Update: I have now taken Discovering your Power Zones and Building your Power Zones and I am doing the second Power Zone Pack xhallenge. I have done the FTP test 3 times. I am about 190 rides in and so far, I try to stay with 45 minute classes. I have done a couple of 90 minute classes. Anyway, I think I gravitate to the power zone training as their is a "science" behind it and I don't have to think, just get on and ride. The challenges are set up for increasing the progressive overload

I saw a post about how they 'hook' you in with the subscription. True, but I find myself getting more workouts in, and making the most efficient use of time, when I take a class this way. Unless I wear to hire a personal trainer, I dawdle in a gym and chat up friends, and may not work as hard or may cut short some reps. I find that some days, I will work out twice. I can get in a 30 minute ride while wife runs to Target or goes to bathe, and that is about the amount of time it would take to get in the car, drive to the gym and back
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by drmoss_ca »

Wait till they introduce 'auditing' and special course for you to buy....

It just has that ring about it.
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Re: I think I’m going to drink the peloton Kool-Aid

Post by Sam »

Still going strong with my Power Zone training. I had 253 rides in the year I have had the bike. So far, for 2022, I have ridden 1815 miles. My floor for a goal is 3600 miles or 300 miles a month. If I get to 4200, that is like riding the width of America from east coast to West coast, the shortest distance to do that.
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