How My Peloton Bike Saved My Sanity

Yep, I bought a Peloton bike. I know what you are thinking. “Is it worth it?” “That’s a lot of money for an exercise bike!” Well, let me tell you why I bought mine and how it saved my sanity.

When Governor Edwards issued the COVID-19 Stay at Home Order on March 22rd, I knew that it would be yet another difficult time for me. I was already grieving the loss of my husband and would now be social distancing at home…ALONE. At a time when I needed to be around people the most, I couldn’t. Sure, I could binge watch Tiger King on Netflix and read all of the books that I never finished, but I needed something else. I needed something to motivate me. I needed a community.

I remembered the Peloton commercials, especially the holiday commercial that sparked the social media uproar for “body shaming.” Well, I decided that the bike was what I needed. I needed the physical activity, especially since I’m at home eating up all of the snacks. I am not coming out of this 20 pounds heavier! I also remembered that I didn’t get a Christmas present or an Anniversary present, so thanks, hubby!

On March 23rd, I ordered my Peloton! I ordered Essentials Package which included the bike, weights, cycling shoes and earbuds. The total price…$2,631.18 which included home delivery and set up. I’ll talk about how I calculate the value of a purchase a little bit later. Once the order was submitted, I received a delivery date and I was super excited!

I downloaded the app and picked my leaderboard name “tenfourmoe” as a tribute to my husband. Once I looked at the app, I realized that there was so much more to offer besides Cycling. The app also features strength training, yoga, meditation, stretching, walking and running. If you aren’t into the classes, there’s the option to take a scenic ride. Guess what? You don’t even have to own a Peloton Bike to use the app! That’s something I did not know!

On April 4th, my bike was delivered. To ensure everyone’s safety, the bike was fully assembled outside of the house and carried through the front door. The bike has two front wheels, so I was able to roll it into my bedroom. Yep, I chose my bedroom so that when I wake up in the morning, I have to look at it!

It was here. I immediately adjusted my seat and powered it up. I was ready for my first ride! It was everything that I thought it would be! Great music, great instructor and it felt so real. For those 30 minutes, I felt like I was inside the studio in NYC. For 30 minutes I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t anxious. I wasn’t alone. There were about 1500 people on that ride with me that day. They were from all over the country. We were all at home on our bikes during this COVID-19 epidemic. We high-fived each other. This was my community.

Since that first ride, I have hopped on that bike every single day. Some days more than once. It’s my release. It’s my outlet. It’s my motivation. I have Alex Toussaint telling me to “Do You, But Stay True” and Tunde Oyeneyin reminding me that “it’s always a great day to have a day.” Then there’s Ally with the Love Rides! This purchase is/was WORTH it!

So, here’s how I calculated the value of this purchase. I look at the total price and divide that by 12 months. That comes up to $217/month. I can’t go to the gym. I’m not spending money on hair, nails, etc. That’s what I would consider in terms of monetary value. However, the true value for me is my mental and physical health, which is PRICELESS. I am having fewer anxiety attacks, less crying spells and I’m strengthening my heart. I’ve completed 9 workouts since April 4th! When this is over, I should have a new body! LOL

Do you own a Peloton bike? Is it worth it? What’s your Leaderboard name? Let’s ride together!

I did look into alternative bikes such as the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-B1002, Schwinn IC2, NordicTrack Grand Pro Tour and Diamondback Fitness 510lc. You can use the Peloton App with any bike.

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