The whole family is really enjoying our new Peloton bike! Getting the bike has been a long time coming; I started using the digital-only app back in April 2019 primarily for cycling classes on the stationary bikes at my gym and some strength workouts here and there. In early April, when it became apparent that we wouldn’t be back in the gym for quite a while (note: the gym announced that it will close indefinitely until the surge is under control), we placed an order for the Peloton bike. Good thing that we didn’t wait, because it took over seven weeks for the bike to arrive after placing the order.
I wanted to share my initial impressions of using the bike and what we bought to prepare for optimal use once it got here. It’s been two weeks, and I’ve got some thoughts!
Where I started
When the gym closed down in early March, I immediately amped up my usage of the Peloton digital app. I was doing outdoor runs almost every day, with some weights and stretching thrown in for good measure. I went from ~5 miles a week of running to 25+ miles. My ankle was having none of it! By late March, I had a bad case of peroneal tendonitis and my running needed to come to a complete stop.
I thrive on cardio- I am a child of the 80s and I’ve worn my share of leg warmers, after all- but running was out of the question. What to do? Well, actually it might have been a blessing in disguise. I had to switch it up, and I think I’ve gotten a lot stronger and balanced in the process.
I added in a lot more strength work- all on the Peloton app- in toning, strength, and bootcamp classes. My ankle seemed to handle that just fine. And I tried some different approaches to cardio, including the Family Fit (basically kids) aerobics classes, outdoor power walks and even cardio dance classes. Thank goodness no one could see me “dancing” in the garage!
I even convinced my Dear Husband and child to do a yoga class once a week.
Long story short, I felt great after two months of my new, varied and more balanced routine. And although I want to continue enjoying our new Peloton bike, I’m not going to fall into the habit of doing too much cardio and neglecting other parts of fitness.
As a consequence, I’ve been careful to front-load my exercise sessions with warm-ups, strength classes and walks before I hop on the bike. I might not be logging 45-60 min of biking every day as I used to. But I think I will be stronger as a result of this new approach.
What we’ve bought for enjoying our new Peloton bike
We didn’t need much to start enjoying our new Peloton bike-the bare minimum seems to be a mat (wood floors and sweat don’t mix) and shoes, of course.
- Cycling shoes with LOOK Delta cleats: I opted for the Peloton brand but apparently that’s a rookie move. Nevertheless, they seem fine to me- I’m a 9.5M in regular shoes and the size 41 shoes work perfectly.
- Spintowel: I am a sweaty gal and I’m not afraid to say it! I don’t want to ruin this lovely bike with the gallons of sweat I will be generating. This does a good job of protecting the handlebars.
- Velotowel: It’s essentially a towel that covers the frame from dripping sweat. Yes, I sweat a lot!
- Toe cages with adapter: Dear Husband isn’t sold on wearing proper bike shoes. That’s fine, but it means he needs cages for his running shoes in order to use the bike. These seem to work fine, but I’m placing bets that he will convert to bike shoes at some point
There are plenty of other things you can buy, but which I have not…
- Spin tray for the bike: Hmmm, no. I’m on the bike to exercise, not to drink a cup of coffee (LOL!) or use my laptop. If I can do either of those things, I’m not working out hard enough
- Leaderboard decals: I love the Peloton community (#yougettocrew) but I’m not that into it that I need to cover the bike with my username. But you know, I am impressed with American creativity- I never would have thought of this
- Heart rate monitor: I’m a Power Zone gal, so I haven’t seen the need for it yet. I’ve heard the Scosche one is the best
- …and I’m sure that some folks are in the process for designing and selling a whole bunch of other stuff for you to spend your money on!
Things we had and didn’t need to buy:
- Fan: I dug an old one out of storage in the garage but the consensus seems to be that Vornados are the best (with a remote control- fancy!)
- Bluetooth earphones: I don’t know about you but I am super picky about these. You probably have ones that work for you already, but I use these. They are ~$25 and are comfortable.
- Workout clothes: Tights, tanks, sports bras and wool socks. You may have all of these items already. If not, my favorite sources are Athleta, Lululemon, and Smartwool socks.
- Something to clean the bike: The Peloton delivery gals said no bleach, no abrasive cleaners and only use water on the seat and handlebars. I’ve been using Mrs. Meyer’s multi-surface cleaner on the plastic parts of the bike and it seems to be fine.
- Water bottles: Check your cabinets. I know you have a couple somewhere. If not, these fit the bike bottle holders perfectly
So far, the Peloton has been a great purchase, and I’ve enjoyed seeing and tracking my actual metrics rather than estimating them on the bikes at my gym. I will continue to make a conscious effort to keep balanced in my approach to fitness so I can lock in the upside of this outside-of-the-gym time.
And although it’s good to get a few accessories to make your cycling experience more comfortable, don’t go overboard. There’s always something new on the horizon- save your pennies!
And if you are interested in how Kate is managing her exercise routine during this stay-at-home time, check it out here.
This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author.
