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Pelotons Aren’t Going Anywhere
From making hearts stop in the Sex and the City reboot to conquering Instagram feeds to being the most coveted piece of technology to take up space in your home, the bike with the big screen has us asking:
Is it exercise…or a way of life?!
People who ride Pelotons have been likened as fanatical or even “cultish.” (More than a few proudly display tattoos of the brand!) While we of course prefer to be in the gym sweating alongside our friends, the convenience of taking a top-notch cycling class on a high-tech bike at home anytime you want might be the next best thing. Combining that with motivational instructors and a competitive yet supportive community means people are getting fitter and faster, even amid a pandemic!
The company says “you never ride alone.” For people on the Peloton train, a gap was closed in their fitness pursuits and we think that has propelled their popularity. It’s a consistent dose of motivation, access to the best instructors in North America, and near endless variety in classes to maintain interest. Competitive cycling, yoga, strength training—it’s all delivered wherever you live, whenever you want, for an immersive experience no matter how busy your schedule is.
Peloton perks don’t come cheap, with an investment of $2-3,500 for the exercise bike plus the $39-per-month subscription to stream the company’s live and on-demand classes. Despite the price tag, 881,239 people follow Peloton’s official Facebook page, while their Instagram boasts over 1.7M followers! Famous faces among the Peloton community are many, including actor Hugh Jackman, Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt and even comedian who pokes fun of Peloton, Jimmy Fallon (we found a fairly comprehensive list if you want to try to race against someone famous! https://connectthewatts.com/2021/10/20/ride-with-famous-people-on-peloton/)
At Optimize, we love our bikes. Cycling has always been an interest of ours, and if it’s the Peloton that keeps people spinning wheels, we’re for it! Combined, our team has completed 445 rides under their strappy shoes—plus more:
- Aaron Norris – 195 workouts (108 cycling, 78 strength, 6 stretching, 2 yoga, 1 running)
- Arri McWatt – 109 workouts (88 cycling, 20 strength, 1 tread bootcamp)
- Marissa Poon – 201 workouts (201 cycling, 4 strength, 2 stretching, 1 meditation)
- Casey Macleod – 179 Workouts (61 meditation, 61 strength, 48 cycling, 3 running, 3 stretching, 2 walking, 1 yoga)
Since it’s clearly still a hot topic of conversation in our clinic, we’ve rounded up a few tips from our team in case you’re thinking about making the Peloton investment.
- Set it up right. Take time to ensure the bike fits you! Everyone will have a specific seat height, saddle position, and handlebar height to achieve perfect riding posture. Follow the instructional videos in the settings to get the bike properly set for you.
- Butt hurt! In our experience, it takes about a week before your backside gets used to the seat. Stick with it, it will be ok!
- Get the right gear. Have a water bottle and a towel handy—you’ll need it! Otherwise, ensure your shoes have the appropriate clips to fit the Peloton pedals. We like Look Delta cleats.
- Start slow. Like anything in the beginning of the year, ease into it. You don’t need to acknowledge the leaderboard right away, or at all!
- Rest still reigns. It can be tempting to propel yourself at lightning speed with newfound motivation, but know that appropriate rest will be key to long-term success.
As the community continues to grow, Peloton shows us you can overcome major hurdles when you get back on the bike, again and again. From a bumpy start as a company to that infamous Peloton ad featuring a woman gifted a bike by her husband that fuelled outrage and countless internet memes…Peloton doesn’t back down. At Optimize, especially as we embark on 2022, we like to think we don’t either!