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Are you considering getting your significant other a Peloton exercise bike for Valentine’s Day?  What a great idea!  While prices are down for first-generation Pelotons, there are still other options to consider.

And if you are reading my blog, you are probably looking for a cheaper alternative to the Peloton. I get it – you may not be able to afford to buy a Peloton bike and/or want to pay its $39 monthly fee.  I didn’t want to, that is for sure.  That is where the genius of their Peloton App comes into play.   For only $24 per month (the new 2024 price for unlimited classes), you can access all of the same live and on-demand classes on your own bike.  Brilliant.  There are a bunch of other bikes out there that can be paired with the Peloton App.  I tried a bunch before I bought my Sunny and here is what I found.

UPDATE Summer 2023: Peloton still has NOW made its rowing content available on the Peloton App.  Yay! But the app price doubled  Boo!!!

UPDATE 2022:  It finally happened!  Peloton has finally launched its rowing machine!  After the delays caused by the pandemic, they’ve finally done it.  Hooray!! But it costs more than a treadmill. Booo!!!  I’ve reviewed some cheaper options below.

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Take a look at this beauty!

The Specs:  Like the Bike and the Tread, the Peloton Rower has  the same type of  touchscreen and will offer classes taught by instructors both in the studio and on the water.  Unlike when the Peloton bike first came on the scene, this time Peloton will face some competition with other connected rowing machines already on the market.

Specifications

  • Compact 8′ x 2′ footprint
  • Electronically controlled resistance for quiet, perfectly smooth stroke feel
  • 23.8″ HD swiveling touchscreen for seamless transitions on and off the mat
  • Folding arm for compact upright storage
  • Studio-quality sound with front-and rear-facing speakers

 

Features

  • Form Assist highlights ways you can improve your form, so you get better in real time
  • Use Form Rating and Insights to track your progress and view your performance
  • Access to thousands of classes beyond rowing like strength, yoga, meditation, and more
  • See in-class metrics like stroke rate, pace, output, and distance
  • Work out alongside other Members and friends on the Leaderboard

The release of the Peloton Rower is not a shock because as I reported just before the pandemic Peloton acquired Tonic Fitness Technology, a company that has been manufacturing Peloton’s high-tech spin bikes for a bunch of years.  And Tonic had filed a patent application for a high-tech indoor rowing machine with the U.S. Patent Office.

Piecing that all together…

The holidays are right around the corner you might be considering a Peloton for Christmas. I would have predicted that the Peloton spin bike would be this year’s No. 1 gift for home exercise enthusiasts; however, with reported shipping delays of up to 3 months, it may be time to find another (and possibly more affordable) spin bike.

Peloton is undoubtedly the leader in the spin-at-home movement and they only grew in popularity during the pandemic. But as we know, not everyone can afford to buy a Peloton bike and then pay its $39 monthly fee.  (I can’t, that is for sure – its just not in the budget.)  As I’ve explained over the past couple of years, that is where the genius of their Peloton App comes into play.   For only $12.99 per month, you can access all of the same live and on-demand classes on their own less expensive bike.  If you follow my blog posts, I’ve been preaching about how great the Peloton App is for a while now.  It’s truly wonderful.

If you are thinking of giving someone an exercise bike this Christmas but can’t go all in with the Peloton or don’t want to deal with shipping delays, there are many other types of bikes out there at various price points that can be paired with the Peloton App.  I tried a bunch before I bought my Sunny and here is what I found.

The most frequent questions I get about using the Peloton App with my Sunny Bike are about how to measure resistance. The questions generally go something like this:
  • Is there anything similar to the Wahoo cadence sensor that will measure resistance?
  • Should I buy these power pedals? (tip, these pedals are expensive but if you put them in your Amazon cart you will receive a notification when they run their flash sales where you can sometimes save up to 75%)
  • How do I convert Peloton resistance when using my own bike with the Peloton App (conversion charts below).
  • Is knowing your resistance worth the extra money to buy the Peloton bike?
  • How do I measure resistance on my Sunny?
  • How do I  convert Peloton resistance to my Sunny, Keiser M3i, Echelon or NordicTrack?
  • Why didn’t you just buy a Peloton?

My answer is always the same. Let go of not knowing. Work hard. Get sweaty.  Let your fitness do the talking (and BUY THIS disco ball to bring some excitement to your workouts!). I chalk it up to FOMO (fear of missing out). But if you absolutely, positively need to know your Peloton resistance, I have some advice with several resistance charts at the bottom:

What works for me?

Hi everyone,

I get a lot of email asking about the Wahoo cadence and speed sensors that I mentioned in my earlier “Peloton on a Budget” blog post so I thought I would write a post dedicated to all things Wahoo.

When taking a Peloton class, knowing your cadence number is a must.  While riding, Peloton instructors shout out how fast you should be pedaling – this is what is known as your “cadence.”    The actual Peloton bike and other bikes like the Keiser M3i  display  your cadence.  For everyone out there using the Peloton App with a budget friendly bike (like me), you need to get a cadence sensor.  But with so many on the market, its difficult to know what to buy.

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.

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