Peloton Review

By now you have seen their commercials, seen or heard about their product (unless you have been on a deserted island). Many moons ago, and what seems like a lifetime ago I used to be a spinning instructor (Johnny G spinning instructor, the original OG, not the others that came after it) so I was intrigued by their concept and I wanted to vary my workouts as I felt that the treadmill was getting stale and if I could convince Catia that is could be something she could use that she would be on board.

In September of 2022 we decided to stop at a Peloton store so she can check out the bike and talk to someone who worked there who could set up the bike for her (because she want going to listen to someone who did that before). Going to the store location is recommended so you can talk to a sales rep who will take the time to answer any questions you have and get properly fitted for shoes. She did a little workout to get a feel for it and gave the seal of approval and we made the purchase.

You have 2 options for bikes, the original it the plus. The major differences is that the plus’ monitor has an extended area and can be moved out and around so if you want to do yoga and use the screen you don’t have to be practically on the bike to view it, the sound is also a little better, but for the price tag we just went with the original.6 weeks later the bike came and I was excited that we would have something we could both use. The bike came and we were excited to use it. When you purchase the bike you have to get the app so you can use it anywhere and do more than just the bike.

Music

What I like about Peloton is the variety of music that is on there. When you get your bike you have the option to log in with Spotify of Apple Music (the two major players for streaming) so you could save the music and later play it when not on the bike. I wish you could play your own music while listening to a class, but they never did work that out. I know that you could just lower the volume and play your music on a Bluetooth speaker but I wouldn’t hear the instructor, and sometimes you want to hear what they have to say, I’ll get to that later, it’s a vicious circle. There are different themes ranging from classic rock to rap, country (I think, it’s not my scene), EDM, club music, pop, and more. There is also selected artists like Taylor Swift, 2Pac, ABBA, AC/DC, Billy Joel (one of my favorite artists), and more.

Instructors

Since Peloton has been around for a while, they have a big rider base from all over the world. Peloton instructors speak English, Spanish, and German. As I am in the US I have done classes with a variety of different instructors from the US and London studios, some I like, some I have come to like, and some I don’t; I’m not a hater but that’s why there are 31 flavors of ice cream. Most of the instructors teach different classes like some of the bike instructors also do yoga, some tread also do bike, so if you find an instructor you like you might use them for other type of exercise than just the bike.

I will mention a few that I like ( if instructors ever get a chance to see this and would like to invite me to the studios for a workout I would gladly say yes). When I first started out on Peloton I really got into Jess King as she plays a lot EDM, I did all of the Jess King Experience because I liked the concept of have DJ John Michael there alongside Jess as her DJ and partner in crime. The music kept me pumped us and made the time go by quick, she has the right amount of energy and sass. I remember receiving a video message from Jess when I made 50 rides. I thought that was a nice touch and made me feel good.

I like Dennis Morton as well but for the opposite side of the spectrum, I find he has a laid back style that works for me. Don’t get me wrong his style may be relaxed but his classes are definitely challenging. He kind of reminds me of a Buddhist stoner (and I mean that in the nicest way possible where he drops little nuggets of knowledge) and make me feel like I don’t have to always give it my all. He makes suggestions, I make decisions (his words, not mine). His style is good on the bike even better for Yoga.

Matt Wilpers is a beast on the treadmill, he is a good coach and a good instructor. His style is similar to a coach that helps you to improve but not beat yourself up. He believes in gradually increasing to get yourself better which is how ramping up your running should be. He has good vibe and tries to make his running classes bearable by keeping it light hearted and laughing a lot which is good.

One that I didn’t like in the beginning, but has really grown on me has been Matty Maggiacomo. I like his walking treadmill classes a lot especially his walk and talks which are on Wednesday where he talks about topics in the news and his opinions about it. He is a RI native, so representing the New England corridor is a good thing. Matty is openly gay, a diva, a showman, and a ham (Matty, I say that in the nicest way possible) and that’s what I like about him. He entertains you by dressing up as a ghoul on Halloween, dressing in drag, and probably more stuff that I haven’t seen while teaching a class.

I could keep going with a few more instructors and some of the London studios team, but maybe I will save that for another blog if enough people ask.

Classes

The benefits of Peloton is that they made it to work for a variety of people from beginners to advanced, care to spend 5 min or 90 minutes? You create your own journey. There is a lot of content ranging from treadmill workouts to yoga, rowing (they came out with that after we got the bike, not like we would have got the rower), strength, meditation, and cardio. So you will not have to worry about not enough content. At times the options can be overwhelming but it is better to have a lot than not enough. Some people get bored with just classes and are working towards specific goals, Peloton has classes to help you build to a full marathon, build up to a 5K, learn adaptive strength, learn yoga and more. Classes are always being added so you always change it up if you like.

Overall Impressions

Peloton was once highly sought after during the pandemic as people were not able to go to gyms but still wanted to workout. They were at the top of their game and for a while things were good. They had their share of bumps in the road from delays in bikes due to supply chain issues, recalls with the treadmills and bikes, and then the profits dwindling from the worthless opening up again and people heading back out to the gyms as the pandemic lessened.

 Some people like to work out at the gym and that works for them. I like to workout at home as I don’t have to go anywhere and lose time, plus I know who has been in my shower so I don’t have to worry about getting athletes foot or something else. Sometimes the bike gets a little dusty as there are times I don’t use it that much. Maybe I am doing more walking on the treadmill, or using that app for other things like strength, core or yoga. Peloton remains almost a daily usage for me as well as a lot of people due to the convenience. All of the instructors, whether I prefer to use them or not are thankful for their fans and encourage positivity, well being, and graciousness.

There are many options out there on the market, but I am glad I got my Peloton bike and would like to thank all of the instructors for what you do. There are days my PTSD is kicking up badly and I don’t want to do it, but I will get on the bike, or tread, and sometimes I get some moments of gold that helps me and reminds me it’s ok not to be ok, but this will pass.