Finally! My review of my Peloton bike is here!
I received the bike on September 5, 2018 and initially intended to write a One Month Review of My Peloton Bike and kept delaying, and delaying — mostly so I could use the time to hop on the bike and ride instead of sit and write a blog post. And you know what? I’m glad I waited. They say “procrastination is a form of intuition” and in this case, I believe that to be true. Because it’s much more worthwhile to share how I’ve been loving the bike for an entire year and have successfully incorporated it in to my lifestyle, rather than having spent thousands of dollars on a fad that sits in the corner of our living room. As of September 2019, I’ve gone on 140 rides! That’s some proof my friends. I encourage you to read on and see what other unexpected benefits I’ve found from riding this bike that ‘goes nowhere’ over the last year.
First, I should add a disclaimer: I used to say I hated spinning. I even write in my book, Self-Care in the City, how as a runner, I much prefer standing up and doing interval work on a treadmill where you’re upright and not crunched over a spinning bike. But alas, people can change, including myself!
When I tore the ligament on the bottom of my right foot in late June 2018, my doctor told me that biking and swimming were the only exercise could do for the next few months. I couldn’t even walk, and definitely couldn’t run. And while I love swimming laps, it’s difficult to find a lap pool in NYC, so I instead relegated myself to checking out my local spin studio. It was pretty good — and after 10 classes I felt myself getting better and enjoying the good sweat, but the money started adding up. It’s wayyy more expensive to go to a boutique spin class than run outside, which is free! So when a few of my Peloton obsessed health coaching clients were visiting town in August, they convinced me to join them in the NYC Peloton Studio and go for my first ride.
I was hooked! Then I posted on Instagram in early September 2018 about our new bike and a few weeks later told you I was officially addicted. Read on for how this runner bought herself a bike after only test ride and found herself loving spinning.
10 REASONS I Love Riding My Peloton Bike
1. That Endorphin High
Not all workouts give you that sweaty endorphin high — you know how good it feels! As a runner, in my opinion, there’s nothing like it. The number one reason I love my Peloton bike is that it most closely mimics the feeling I get from going on a run, and maybe even surpasses it because of the instructor’s phenomenal music choice or well timed interval sequence.
2. Sweating
Sweating is an important way for our body to detox and if we’re not making a concerted effort to get in a good workout a few days a week, we can start to feel blah. When I was injured in the summer of 2018 and benched from most exercise for a month, I even noticed my face looked different because I wasn’t sweating and detoxing like I normally do. Getting in a good sweat is the best form of medicine and is always worth it once you’re finished. A smart investment in your long term health, right?! I find that hopping on the bike for even a 10 or 20 minute ride will get my heart pumping to break a light sweat and step off feeling great.
3. I GET tO STAY HOME
Living in NYC is hard sometimes, and jumping on the subway to get to a workout class is not my favorite thing. It’s exhausting! I love that I save time not commuting when I use my Peloton bike. Since I work from home, I can simply get off a client call, change in to casual workout clothes and hop on the bike in minutes. I’m not a mom yet, but I know so many moms and parents benefit from this quick and easy access to their home workout. Time is precious and those minutes saved by simply walking to your bike in your own home allows you to actually fit in a sweat session during a busy and demanding day. My husband Alex often hops on the bike before he commutes in the mornings and still has time to shower and eat breakfast.
4. I’m Working Out on Days I Usually Wouldn’T
There’s really no excuses when you bike is in your living room of your NYC one-bedroom apartment and in sight of the couch and the TV. There have been many days where I’ve felt “eh” and would have typically skipped a trip to the gym or a workout class, but can convince myself to do an easy 30 minute “90’s themed ride” and feel amazing afterwards. There are also mornings when I wake up and plan on showering anyways, so I hop on the bike for a quick sweat before washing my hair. Since the bike saves time (you don’t have to drive to the gym), I also can sneak in a quick ride before an evening event or work call.
5. WEATHER ISN’T AN ISSUE
Now that it’s been a year, I’ve rode through blizzards, Nor'easters, rain storms and swelteringly humid 90 degree NYC summer days. There are no excuses! By looking through my past year’s exercise log (Peloton app does that for you), I find I do rely on the bike slightly more during the hottest summer months and also in the bitter cold months of winter. I tend to get outside a bit more to run or walk in the beautiful days of fall and spring, which I think is a nice balance! We also placed our bike near the door to our balcony, so I either crack open the door to let in cool air, or pump up our AC unit during the summer.
6. THE MUSIC
I’ll admit, I’m not a pro at music selection. In college, I’d certainly spend the time buying 99 cent songs off of iTunes and downloading them to my running playlists to go for runs with my iPod, but now, I just rely on someone else’s playlists on Spotify, which can be hit or miss for me. That’s why I love the Peloton instructors and their STELLAR taste in music. What a relief to have someone else pick uplifting, heart pumping and exciting music for you!? I always leave my ride hearing a song I haven’t thought of in years, or singing along to one of my old favorites. My husband does tease me for singing along while I ride sometimes . . .but hey, that’s not stopping me!
7. I’ve LOST WEIGHT
While losing weight was not my primary focus for buying and riding the Peloton bike, I certainly thought of it when I hopped on for my first ride. I’d gained a few pounds during my injury and I’m happy to report that those pounds fell right off after riding for a month. Peloton’s private Facebook group has so many inspiring weight-loss stories and I absolutely love reading about people who have empowered themselves with the bike to amp up their nutrition, fitness and entire lifestyle. Many of my health coaching clients swear by the Peloton for losing or managing weight (and most importantly, feeling good). Also! After a few months of riding and adjusting to the seating position of spinning, I felt my abs engaged more and more and was excited to feel my baby abs flexing even while off the bike! Oh and one final thing, since we did get engaged and married in 2019, riding the Peloton was part of my strategy for getting “bride fit” for our big day.
8. I’m SAVING MONEY
I mentioned earlier how those $20 spinning classes at the local studio were adding up quick. So let’s break down the financial investment of the Peloton as a comparison. I opted for their payment plan rather than paying in full, so no thousands of dollar cash outlays for me! Instead, I pay $61 a month for the bike itself and will be paying that off for 2.5 or 3 years, and then $39 a month of a continual fee for the streaming service for classes (which I’ve heard a rumor that $39 price may go down, but I’m not sure). So all in all — I’m laying out $100 a month for everyone in my family to have access to this form of exercise. That’s certainly cheaper than joining a gym in New York City! Considering Alex uses the bike occasionally and I conservatively use it 10 times a month, breaking it down to $7 or $8 a class is a good deal.
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9. ALWAYS UP FOR A CHALLENGE
I love a good challenge. I’ve run marathons, hiked mountains and competed in triathlons. So I love how Peloton keeps me on my toes. The interval rides are HARD, the hill climbs are HARD, and you’re always striving to beat your personal best. Sure, there is a leaderboard and competition with other riders, but mostly I just pay attention to how I feel and what I personally need or want out of the workout. Some days I have a ton of energy and I go for it, but other days I just need an emotional ride or recovery ride and I chose my class level and length accordingly. Either way, I can pick my challenge and always feel really accomplished when I’m done.
10. I’m HAPPY
I asked a lot of friends and clients who had Pelotons about their experience before I jumped in and bought the bike. The line that sold me was from my friend Brooke of B.B. Wellness who shared, “this bike makes me HAPPIER.” Okay, I’m sold!
I truly think fitness can be more mental that physical and listening to great music, sweating it out, reducing stress in your system and sleeping like a rock are all super important to me. When I consistently ride my bike, I feel HAPPY, and that my friends might just be my favorite thing of all.
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Oh and friends, I have to add, I actually LOVE spinning now. Find me on the bike at username MichelleBaker12.
I also feel like this low impact aerobic exercise will continue to evolve with me through the next stages of life: when I get pregnant, when I become a Mom, when we move … the bike is coming with me!
From my happy feet to yours. Enjoy the ride!
