When I see a guy on the same exact machine as me, showing bad form like a slightly curved back or whatever with the heels, and then correcting to the proper form, referencing the same bike, on a giant Android tablet in front of me, that is very helpful.

And this whole thing is sitting right there in my room as a ready to go thing whenever -- taking mini-obstacles out of the way like going to the gym, studying proper form without someone having to ape it for me, etc. are admittedly pretty trivial things -- for a lazy sack like me, having all these done and together has made a difference.

"It just works."

(Edited for grammar.)

I can’t even remember what the competitors were, because none of that matters if it’s not effortless to use.

Here, too, I thought -- it's an Android tablet bolted to an exercise bike.

Not saying that either the Peloton or the iPhone were epoch-shattering brilliances. Just noting that, as you suggest, sometimes putting together things that used to be separate is, well, a good and useful thing.

In my 20s I had injured myself several times, from lifting and running around Ann Arbor. After one extreme and almost paralyzing injury I went to a neurosurgeon.

The neurosurgeon gave me the choice of surgery or strengthening my core and perfecting my form in exercises going forward.

Fancy exercise stuff is cheaper than surgery.

Strictly speaking the best exercises are all completely free.

There are a lot of comments here smirking about bikes that go nowhere, etc. If you think a stationary bike is "unnatural," pounding pavement does not seem all that different.

The point is good form. There are many rivers to that ocean.

An actual road bike. You can, like, go outside and stuff.

Done.

$19.49/mo gets you all the content. It's double that ($39) to make use of the bike's live metrics/dashboard/leaderboard, plus the bike itself is $2245.

This is really interesting to me, as I've heard quite a few people say that the content is what they really like.

I'm doing Startup School this summer with the project - Slipstream https://slpstream.com/

The mission is to make it easier for people to get a workout done with a motivational content assist. Most of the content is free access, some is from Netflix/Amazon Prime Video and others. I don't produce content, just recommend the best I can find.

In some ways it could be seen as an alternative to Peloton for people who don't want to add another subscription. Or those who would rather use their own equipment.

Initial features are a filter so you can narrow your search by media type (podcasts, documentaries, guided workouts) featured sport, access type (free/Netflix/Amazon Prime etc.) duration, etc. Also a playlist/bookmarking feature where you can cue up a series of videos to roll through during your workout or bookmark podcasts or other content for later.

Roadmap/wishlist is to build a community where users can recommend content to the main site and to each other. Also to monetize via ad sales for promoted posts and featured sponsor/athlete pages where they could feature their content and product recommendations.

I'd love any feedback from readers of this thread who have used Peloton or spent time thinking about it or using alternatives.

p.s. I have a ton more content on my to-add list. If you have any suggestions you can submit content on the site https://slpstream.com/contact/

Thanks!

https://www.sippingandshopping.org/my-peloton-bike-alternati...

Presumably that post has affiliate links. It’s not my page.

I guess they’ve raised the subscription price. I think I’m grandfathered in at $13/mo paid via iTunes which I preload with discounted iTunes cards to knock another 15-20% off the price paid.

I do wish I had the metrics and integrated solution. Maybe I’ll upgrade someday.

The only metric that matters is how many workouts did you do today, or this week. Unless perhaps you're planning on entering some sort of competitive spinning event all those numbers don't add up to anything.

I get that I'm not Peloton's market (they don't care about nerds who build their own kit, and that's probably the right choice) but I 100% understand why this stuff matters.

Not if you're actually serious about going faster on a bike. Power data (as provided by basically any non-Peloton smart trainer) is incredibly useful in maximising the effectiveness of workouts and measuring your fitness. A high-end smart trainer like the Wattbike will also give you data on power delivery through the pedal stroke and left/right power balance, which has real implications for performance.

Kind of like when my dad bought an elliptical machine and my mom called it the world’s only $2,500 clothes rack.

If you are handy doing your own repairs it's also very cost effective since not too many tools are required and compatible parts are cheap, easy to find and easy to install.

My road bike cost $300 AUD, I have maybe spent another $250 on parts and tools. I have been riding to and from uni and now work pretty much every day for three years and I love it to bits.

[1] https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/tacx-vortex-smart-...

[2] https://www.99bikes.com.au/accessories/indoor-trainers/smart...

[3] https://www.pushys.com.au/accessories/stationary-stands/smar...

Peloton has a mechanical knob that controls the resistance.

It's clear that a lot of people love the Peloton experience, but it's a pretty lousy training tool for any kind of real cycling.

You can also get a roller with resistance, that is probably the best investment I ever made.

For people in the US I recommend http://www.insideride.com/ and in Europe the equivalent is this: https://www.elite-it.com/en/products/home-trainers/rollers/q...