Peloton Is Offering a Free 90-Day Trial for Online Fitness Classes Right Now
By now, you’ve probably heard about the at-home Peloton bike, which brings everything you love about boutique cycling classes right into your home.
Peloton’s high-tech system beams live or on-demand classes right into your home, complete with super-motivating instructors, real-time stats, and heart-pumping music. When the Good Housekeeping Institute engineers first tested it, we found it ingenious but simple to use. 90% of testers said they got a good workout and 86% felt that the classes were engaging and personal.
Peloton does an impressive job of emulating a high energy spin class from the comfort of home. It's the first exercise bike to feature a large 21.5” touch screen monitor that streams live classes from the Peloton studio in Chelsea, NYC. The instructor can see you participating and call out your name with words of encouragement. You can also track your progress over time with data that is stored in the bike and app. If you are competitive, you can try for the top spot on the leaderboard, ride with friends via video chat, and share your results over social media.
The Peloton bike itself features what you would expect from a high-end exercise bike; it has high variable magnetic resistance, a modern look, and a quiet belt drive that makes for a very smooth ride. One of our testers called it "virtually silent so could take a class while baby is sleeping." Of course, there's a catch: Just to get your hands on a bike will run you over $2,000 — and that's without any extras like a monthly class subscription. How do you know if Peloton worth the splurge?
How much does a Peloton bike cost?
When buying a Peloton, there's an upfront cost for the bike and then a monthly subscription for the live workout classes. Peloton offers multiple packages at different prices, each coming with more included goodies. All of the following packages include at home delivery (Peloton now offers contactless delivery options too) and a one-year limited warranty:
Basics Package ($2,245): Peloton bike
Essentials Package ($2,404): Peloton bike, one pair of shoes, one pair of weights, one pair of headphones
Works Package ($2,494): Peloton bike, one pair of shoes, one pair of weights, one pair of headphones, one heart rate monitor, and one bike mat
Family Package ($2,694): Peloton bike, two pairs of shoes, one pair of weights, two pairs of headphones, two heart rate monitors, one bike mat, and two water bottles
If the up-front fees seem high, Peloton offers monthly financing so you can pay off the cost of the bike in increments. To know if you qualify for these payment plans, look at the Peloton financing page. You can also purchase the extra items individually too.
Is there a monthly fee for the Peloton bike?
Yes. After you purchase the bike itself, you'll need a subscription to the Peloton app to access their extensive library of classes. It’s $39 per month. But, you don’t only gain access to cycling classes: Peloton Digital allows you to join more than 20 live workouts a day in the app, which offers options from cycling to boot camp to yoga. GH consumer testers were wowed by the feeling that they were right in the studio — some teachers even spoke to them by name during live classes.
Peloton is currently offering a 90-day free trial subscription to its online classes (which don't require purchasing the bike). You can gain access to their extensive library of yoga, strength, running, walking, meditation, and cardio classes.
Is the Peloton bike worth it?
If you currently go to three cycling classes a week, you'll break even on the bike in about seven months. Another serious perk? Multiple people can use it! If you live with a partner or roommates who also enjoy spinning, it can be a purchase for the whole crew, which helps to mitigate the cost too. One tester especially loved "the flexibility of being able to work out when I want, how I want, with who I want."
Pros:
Immersive live spin class experience from the comfort of home
High-end quality, compact (4' x 2' feet) bike
Sleek, modern design
Very quiet
Wide resistance range
Live and on-demand classes
Quality instructors
Cheaper than Soul Cycle and Flywheel
Cons:
No advice from instructors on form while riding or setting up bike
Not as immersive as an actual spin class
Expensive
Monthly subscription fee
Overall, if you love spin classes and are motivated to exercise at home, this Peloton bike is worth it. Its sticker price is high, but it winds up being cheaper than regular spin classes in-studio, and the experience is currently unparalleled for home gyms. If you can't stomach the cost, though, we also love these affordable at-home spin bikes — just note that they don't offer quite the same level of interaction and community as Peloton!
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