Cycling with a Peloton vs a Stationary Bike

My husband and I love cycling. We love the versatility of what a bike can provide in fitness. Between mountain and road biking we have spent much of our adulthood translating fitness experiences for ourselves on a bike.

Over the years, work commitments have increased, and our kids lives have only gotten busier. But we still love a great afternoon on a local mountain biking trail as a family or couple, even though those excursions are not as often as we would like.

To keep our love for cycling alive during the dry spells between days on the trail we made the choice a few years ago to buy a stationary bike. Then just recently we purchased a Peloton as a replacement. Our goal continues to be keeping exercise and fitness intentionally alive in our weekly routines.

So let’s talk about the pros, cons, and decisions to weigh if you are considering adding a bike to your at home fitness regimen. Stationary bikes and Pelotons each provide their own share of pros and cons. In today’s post I will set out to offer you a comparison of the two.

*This post is not sponsored by Peloton. Some of the other links included are affiliate links.

At Home Cycling

In general cycling is VERY joint friendly and can be as low impact as you need it to be. My husband and I both find comfort and solace in the ability to edge back into fitness on the bike after an injury, pregnancies (in my case) or going too long without exercise.

Typically a bike takes up little more than a corner of a room. So if you don’t have much space to dedicate to a home fitness area, a stationary bike of some kind may be an awesome option for you.

Before we dive into the differences between the Peloton and Stationary Bike specifically let’s talk about digital cycling programs. Peloton has a very comprehensive digital fitness platform. However, it is very easy to use other tools on the internet (ahem youtube), creating your own workout, or even subscribe to the Peloton digital app. In fact I used the Peloton digital app for nearly 100 hundred workouts before buying the bike. So as we chat today, the digital fitness element from Peloton is not a requirement for a wonderful cycling experience. We did just fine for years with a stationary bike.

Now, let’s get in to the pros and cons.

Stationary Bike

Pros of a Stationary Bike

• A stationary bike is very convenient. Having any at home fitness machine removes a lot of excuses for not being able to work out.
• It’s in-expensive. Our stationary bike was around $300.
• If basic is what you need, you got it! It’s perfect for newbie at home cycling.
• A stationary bike is good for beginners. It’s ideal as you are building fitness routines, and also determining if you like cycling at home in general.
• It’s a one time buy with a basic stationary bike, no additional monthly fees to ride the bike.
• A stationary bike can typically be modified with pedals, a seat, and even electronic metrics.
• Cycling from home is a very autonomous experience. If you like working out independently, having a bike at home might be an awesome choice for you.

Cons of a Stationary Bike

• Stationary bikes can be a little on the loud side, so choose carefully.
• Stationary bikes, like the one we bought, have no metrics unless you want to add them yourself.
• Riding indoors is not, nor will it ever be, a sufficient substitute for riding outside.
• I found our stationary bike to be very light and my own body weight would sometimes lift or rock the bike back and forth a little if I was riding with high resistance. It was just something that happened occasionally.
• Cycling from home is a very autonomous experience. So while it can be a pro it can also be a con if you are highly social and benefit from riding or working out with others.

Peloton Bike

Pros of a Peloton Bike

• A peloton is whisper quiet. You can literally ride in the same room as someone who is sleeping (if you work out quietly that is).
• A Peloton is very convenient. Having any at home fitness machine removes a lot of excuses for not being able to work out.
• The Peloton is very sleek in its design. The bike is designed with living rooms in mind.
• The bike is heavy in the sense that my bodyweight doesn’t rock it back and forth as I ride at high levels of resistance.
• Peloton has great customer service. I had to make a quick call the day our bike arrived and customer service was cheerful, helpful, welcoming, and very professional.
• When you purchase a Peloton you are are joining a worldwide fitness community. I have loved this aspect the most. The live classes, leaderboard, ability to follow others, and now the endless amount of social extensions on instagram and facebook (short of actually going to a gym) make it a very social experience. My leaderboard name is Edi_PineDaisy!
• The digital programming is comprehensive and just getting better! The membership with the bike also gives the user access to the app. So I have 10 different types of workouts, including some guided outdoor options to choose from as well. The monthly fee for the stand alone app is $13 or $40 with the bike.
• The just ride and scenic ride options provide awesome variety. My husband loves designing his own workouts. Also sometimes you just want to ride with your own music at your own pace. We both love the just ride and scenic ride options on the bike. All the metrics are still provided and the ride counts in your profile as a workout.

Cons of a Peloton Bike

• Peloton’s are expensive. It took my husband and I years to decide to buy one. This con alone is why I recommend buying a basic stationary bike first before considering a Peloton, especially if you are new to cycling. The price tag is just that hefty. Having said that though, Peloton offers a 30 day money back guarantee.
• The continued cost overtime is another element to consider when looking at a Peloton. The digital access fee each month allows the rider to use the touchscreen with all the integrated metrics. We’ve never had a gym membership, so the monthly digital access fee was hard for us to swallow initially. But if you are spending $100s a month on a gym membership the $40 a month is a lot of savings once you buy the bike. You can get more information here.
• There are several fitting adjustments on a Peloton making it a great fit for nearly everyone. However the handle bars only have a height adjustment not a depth adjustment. Depth can be adjusted at the saddle but having it also at the handlebars would help accommodate all body types even more.
• There aren’t as many live classes available for mountain and pacific timezones during peak workout times. Because Peloton as a company is east-coast based, I struggle to hop into a live class during my typical morning work out time. I am sure this will improve as the company continues to grow, it’s just something to consider.
• The resistance nob doesn’t have any tactile or haptic feedback. At six workouts in, I am learning what a quarter or half turn will give me in terms of resistance. Initially, this takes some getting used to.
• Riding indoors is not, nor will it ever be, a sufficient substitute for riding outside.

Our growing kids have now gained a love for cycling too. But gone are the days when I can just hop on my mountain bike after weeks of no riding and expect myself to keep up with my teenagers. Having an indoor bike for my fitness routine is wonderful and covenient. I’m grateful for the time we had the stationary bike to help me develop habits and a routine. Since my personal fitness goals have outgrown it’s capabilities, I’m excited to continue my journey with the Peloton. I hope today’s in-depth look at the differences between a basic stationary bike and a highly integrated Peloton can give help if you are considering the purchase of either.

If you have any questions feel free to ask away in the comments! And if you are interested in getting $100 in accessory credit on a Peloton purchase, you can use my referral link, QQAM2Y, enjoy!

With hope for you and your intentional home,