Well, hello there. I wanted to give a long overdue update on my Peloton adventure. I’ve had my bike now for over six months and, honestly, it just keeps getting better. That’s not to say I didn’t fall off the wagon (bike?) leading up to the holidays, but January 1st hit and I am back and challenging myself daily.

When I say it keeps getting better, I mean the Peloton experience literally keeps improving, which is not something I anticipated back when I pulled the trigger on my bike. Not only are there constant software updates and new classes added to the on-demand schedule every day, but the Peloton brand keeps expanding and now includes running, yoga, strength, bootcamps, meditation, stretching, and more. So not only do I find myself spinning frequently, but I’ve also been able to add in all sorts of classes into my workout regimen that I initially didn’t plan on. I feel like I can get a well-rounded workout tailored to the part of my body I want to focus on. And remember, this is all from the comfort from my own home, but also with the motivation found in actual in-person classes. Not only can you follow and ride with your friends, but you can “high-five”, compete on the leaderboard, and track all the fun details of your progress.

Before I purchased my Peloton, I had never even been to a spin class or ridden a bike for more than five miles. I had only tried my husband’s indoor trainer (he’s an avid cyclist) which seemed like a great workout, but was incredibly boring. So it truly was a risk spending that much on a piece of equipment, but more than six months later – I haven’t regretted it for a second. From that perspective, here are a few recommendations that I have for people considering Peloton or maybe some new riders that have already joined the family:

My Current Top Peloton Recommendations:

– Buy the bike! Once you invest in the bike, you pay around $40 a month. That is not only cheaper than what I was paying for my previous workout regimen, but I also utilize it way more often. As a mom that works full time, my time is limited and my schedule is not at all flexible, so this is THE most efficient way for me to make time for my health. I also travel quite often, so I with the digital app I can take Peloton with me.

– Absolutely use a heart rate monitor. When you are riding with a heart rate monitor you see which of the five heart rate zones you are riding in. This helps me know how hard I’m working so I can gauge if I need to push harder or maybe give myself a little rest. It also gives a more accurate count of how many calories you’ve burned (I use the Peloton monitor that’s on a chest strap).

– Two words: PADDED. SHORTS. Don’t worry about buying fancy ones – no one can see you! Start off by trying a pair of cheap padded shorts off Amazon. I wear a pair of my husband’s that he no longer uses. Your butt will hurt at first (maybe even a dreaded saddle sore), but it will go away. And don’t try to buy a more cushy seat – it’s all about the padded booty and getting your body used to the workout.

– Invest in a good pair of wireless headphones. I bought a pair of PowerBeats on sale at Target and they work perfectly. The speakers on the bike are probably my only true complaint about the Peloton. To really feel like you’re in a class, you need a pair of headphones that drown out any outside noise and that doesn’t have a cord that will get in your way.

– Try stacking shorter workouts. I recently discovered the magic of combining two shorter rides. Depending on the type of class, I realized that if I do two 20 minute rides back-to-back, I usually get more of a workout than doing one 45 minute ride. With the shorter classes, there’s less of a build-up and instructors tend to get straight to the point. From there, I usually add one or two 10 minute strength classes and BOOM! I just worked out extremely efficiently for a full hour.

– Get social. Join the Official Peloton Member Page on Facebook. If I ever have a question, this is where I go and search previous posts for what I’m looking for. With over 140,000 members and growing, chances are someone has already had the same question. Also be sure to follow other riders! You can find me on the leader board as ‘sarahfortune‘.

If this has been helpful at all and you decide to pull the trigger like I did, I highly recommend using a referral code so that you get $100 in free accessories. Fee free to use this one if you’d like: REDACTED

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Edit 1/14/2021:
I would love to be able to share my code with you guys, but unfortunately Peloton has said this violates their policy and has suspended my referral code. I have been sharing my first-hand experience with Peloton for several years now, here on my own personal blog and as well as on Instagram. One of my posts was even featured on their official Instagram page. While I don’t share my code on any social media platforms (just here on my personal blog), I have shared my love of the bike, tips and recommendations, and even taking classes in the studio. I can’t even begin to tell you how many folks have reached out with questions and to let me know that thanks to the sharing of my experience, they have pulled the trigger and purchased a bike. While I am disheartened that Peloton has intentionally chosen to disqualify my referral code, I recognize that they do reserve that right.