Peloton: A New Way of Exercising

Peloton, an American company founded in 2012, produces stationary exercise equipment which allows people to exercise from the comfort of their home. Peloton manufactures stationary bikes and treadmills that tend to be described as high end and modern. Though on the more expensive side, Peloton has been able to draw customers with their live sessions as users get to experience a spin class right from their living rooms. With increasing popularity the Peloton Bike has become a favorite for those who enjoy cycling or attending spin classes. The Peloton Bike is a stationary indoor exercise bike that comes with a large touchscreen and WiFi connectability. The dimensions of the bike are a length of 48”, a height of 60”, and a width of 24”. The bike comes in a carbon steel and aluminum finish which gives it a sleek design. The Peloton Bike features a flywheel in the front which determines the level of resistance a person is facing while riding. 

Other Features Include:

• A 22” HD Touchscreen Display
• Rear Speakers
• 2×10 Watt Sound System

The Peloton Bike starts at 1,895 dollars and has add-ons which can be purchased separately. Peloton also offers the Peloton Bike+ which is the higher end version of the already high end stationary exercise machine. The Peloton Bike+ starts at a price of 2,495 dollars and boasts some extra features compared to the cheaper version. Despite the different features and price points, both work exactly the same and have the same function.

 

How does it work?

A stationary bike uses magnets or friction mechanisms to increase resistance and in turn increase the difficulty and intensity of a workout. Exercise bikes such as the Peloton Bike use a weighted flywheel in the front of the bike which is turned by a belt or chain attached to a crankshaft and bearings. The Peloton Bike alone is nothing different to a regular stationary bike or a bike used at a spin class. For Peloton, users pay a $39 monthly subscription which lets them access live and on demand classes. 14 classes are streamed each day and there are about 5,000 classes on demand in case a person could not make it to a live session.

What is the Function?

The Peloton Bike allows users to join various workouts featuring various intensities without having to commute to a gym or a spin class. The Peloton Bike is a form of cardio which helps those who use it increase their endurance, strengthen their muscles, and even lose weight. Whether a person is looking for a high cadence workout session to increase their endurance or a lower cadence higher resistance workout to increase sprint ability the Peloton Bike offers both. Hundreds of people join live sessions everyday in which there is a leaderboard that helps people workout harder and is one of the reasons more and more people are looking into purchasing the bike. A sense of competition creates a connection which people have in group workouts yet now it’s from the comfort of one’s home.

Components:

Display: The Peloton Bike features a 22” touchscreen display which is mounted to the front of the bike. The touchscreen runs a custom android operating system that only lets you view live and on demand classes. The display streams in 1080p and presents a 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. It has a front facing camera, volume buttons which are located on the side, and speakers that are found on the back of the display. 

Pedals: The pedals on a Peloton Bike come with a special locking mechanism that works with only one type of shoe. The pedals are called Look Delta pedals and the shoes that have to be bought by users separately to the bike are called Look Delta Cleats.

Flywheel and Resistance: The Peloton Bike has a 38 pound flywheel which is considered to be the recommended flywheel weight for indoor bikes. The bike uses a belt to turn the flywheel and features magnetic resistance which provides a more consistent resistance. Magnetic resistance is ideal for high intensity workouts which Peloton is all about.

Figure 1: Displays the described components and dimensions of a Peloton Bike.

Conclusion:

Overall, the Peloton Bike presents itself as a new way to exercise while being in the comfort of your own home. Having the choice of joining a live session or following an on demand exercise allows for people to workout anytime that fits their schedule. While the bike itself presents many features that you would want in a stationary bike. Having magnetic resistance and a 38 pound flywheel makes the bike ideal for high-speed and high intensity workouts. A 22” touchscreen display that streams in 1080p comes standard on the bike and definitely makes the bike fit the high-end standard. With Peloton the main question that always comes up is, is it worth the money. The Peloton Bike starting at $1,895 and then a $39 monthly subscription to access the workouts is something people will have to consider. While there are cheaper options, none offer the same features that the Peloton Bike provides.