I did it. I bit the bullet, gifted my Sunny Spin Bike (kitted out with Wahoo speed and cadence sensors) to a dear friend and bought a brand new Keiser M3i. It was a big purchase for me and I didn’t do it without a lot of research. I spent weeks deliberating between the Keiser and Peloton. They have very similar price points but in the end I chose the Keiser. Read on to find out why!
After 550 rides with my first love – this Sunny Exercise Bike – I’ve finally taken the plunge and treated myself to a Keiser M3i. It is a beauty! My Sunny was still in great shape and in fact, I gave it to a good friend. I just wanted something new and shiny now that I proved to myself that I am in this for the long hall. According to my calculations, I think spent about $0.75 per ride with over 500 rides.
Sunny Riders! If you are new here, here is a link to my blog post about converting Peloton resistance levels to a Sunny bike while using the Peloton App. I’ve included a BUNCH of Sunny/Peloton resistance conversion charts to this post, too. Happy spinning!
My readers are always on the lookout for a quality Peloton resistance conversion chart. A copy of a resistance chart to complete the “Peloton Hack” is probably THE number one request I receive. As I noted in my earlier “How to Measure Resistance with the Peloton App” post, the questions usually sound like this:
- How do I convert Peloton resistance to my Sunny or Keiser M3i?
- Is it worth it to buy these fancy power pedals (pretty cool, check them out!)?
- Is there anything similar to this Wahoo cadence sensor that will measure resistance?
- How do I measure resistance on my Sunny?
- How do I convert Peloton resistance when using my own bike with the Peloton App?
- Should I just give up on life and buy one of these? (Just kidding…)
Read on to learn more about resistance and see various Peloton conversion resistance charts for Sunny, Keiser, Echelon and NordicTrack spin bikes!
I did it! 500 rides with my trusty Sunny Bike and the Peloton App (with the help of a global pandemic…). There were no shoutouts from the Peloton instructors, no balloons or fanfare but just a GIANT sense of accomplishment! I am SO happy to have hit this milestone. I am in the best shape of my life and have found a new community of friends along the way.
Now that I have hit the 500 ride milestone I have decided to upgrade my bike. My Sunny still works great but I have decided to buy something a bit fancier now that I have proven to myself that I am in this for the long haul. Believe me, the Sunny was well worth my initial investment – per my math, it came out to about $0.75 per ride! Not too shabby. Using your own bike with the Peloton App has a lot of advantages, price being one of them.
After a lot of debate between a Peloton and a Keiser M3i, please read on to see why I decided to buy the Keiser….
I was just re-watched my ABC News interview and thought I would re-post. It was so fun to do and was all about using the Peloton App with my own bike, Wahoo sensors and phone holder.
Here is the interview in case you missed it!
Since publishing my original post about using the Peloton App without the Peloton bike, I frequently get asked where to place the Wahoo Speed Sensor on my Sunny spin bike. And how to set the proper circumference.
This is how to do it…
I get a lot of emails asking me to respond with a simple list of all the bits and bobs needed to use the Peloton App with your own spin bike (meaning, without the actual Peloton bike). Well, in addition to replying to those emails, I thought that I would post my advice here, too.
Of course, my detailed review of the Peloton App with all the lovely pictures and videos can be found in my super popular Peloton Alternative post!
Here is my list
Well, its been 6 months since I started my Peloton journey with my inexpensive Sunny bike and I could not be happier. I cannot say enough good things about the Peloton App.
I have lost weight, I am sleeping better than ever and I am much more energetic. The classes are interactive and communal but at the same time very intimate. Also, the instructors rock – they are very motivational, although I like some better than others.
I get a lot of email asking about how all the components of my “Peloton App Setup” are holding up so I thought I would post a review about some of the items that I recommended in my original post “My Peloton Bike Alternative; A Great Money Saving Hack.”
Here is what has worked well and what you can skip: