Learn me about stationary bikes

[DD*]

The back surgeon says ixnay on the high-impact-ay exercises, but has given approval to use a stationary bike. I know nothing about them, at all. Can any part of the hivemind give me a quick overview of brands, features, quality, etc? Our local rec center has a bunch and I'll likely use that for my workouts, but the thought of having the home option does sound appealing...

Danke!

[Isgrimnur]

I'm using this recumbent one set up in front of my tv. It has 20 resistance settings, a fan, and an aux input to play through console speakers. (Manual)

I figure if it doesn't hold up long-term, and I'm still using it, I can upgrade at that point.

[stessier]

How serious are you and how much money do you have?

Check out Peloton for one of the more extreme examples.

[Hamlet3145]

I got one of these a while back: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0075 ... UTF8&psc=1

Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I appreciate the ease of moving it around. I usually plant it in front of the TV then put it back when I'm done.

[DD*]

How serious are you and how much money do you have?

Check out Peloton for one of the more extreme examples.

Not very and none. Looking for something reasonable that I could use while watching Jeopardy. Not training for the Olympics...

[Isgrimnur]

Mine is at Wally World for $280.

[Pyperkub]

For back issues, you should check with your doc as to whether you should get a recumbent bike. Regular vertical bikes can help strengthen your core, but can also make your back sore if the posture isn't right. Recumbents are easier on the back and less likely to cause problems but don't provide the same core strengthening potential.

Fans are really nice if you run warm while riding.

Bitte!

[hitbyambulance]

and is regular-outside-going-places-biking an option?

[Isgrimnur]

and is regular-outside-going-places-biking an option?

It's full of run-you-over-and-mess-up-your-back kind of things.

[hepcat]

I tried to use one a few years back for the winter months and quickly discovered that my balance has gone to pot as I've gotten older. I started out fine, but then slowly started tilting one way...until I fell over. It was quite disheartening.

[stessier]

I tried to use one a few years back for the winter months and quickly discovered that my balance has gone to pot as I've gotten older. I started out fine, but then slowly started tilting one way...until I fell over. It was quite disheartening.

[mindtrick] This is not the spare tire you are looking for. [/mindtrick]

[hepcat]

I'm using this recumbent one set up in front of my tv. It has 20 resistance settings, a fan, and an aux input to play through console speakers. (Manual)

I figure if it doesn't hold up long-term, and I'm still using it, I can upgrade at that point.

I always think of Danny from The Shining whenever I see one of those things.

[Sepiche]

My wife got this off Amazon recently:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V ... UTF8&psc=1

It's nothing fancy, but it fits under her computer desk, is easy to move, was cheap (compared to a full bike), and lets us get some exercise. I kind of like it because I can sit on the couch watching TV and still use it.

[Scuzz]

I use a recumbent bike at the gym as they are easier on the butt and easier on the back. I would imagine a good solid one that would last a while would run $300-$400.

Something like this.....my gym uses LifeFitness bikes.

[DD*]

and is regular-outside-going-places-biking an option?

It's full of run-you-over-and-mess-up-your-back kind of things.

<---- lives in Michigan. We have seasons. Including "can't do shit outside" seasons.

[Daehawk]

Good luck. When I was young...12-18 ...I would ride my bikes all over town and back..like 20+ miles a day when out. But my step mom had a stationary bike and I hated it. i tried a few times but something about working so hard and getting nowhere just rubbed me wrong lol. The only fun I had with it was getting it up past 40 mph on its speedo lol.

[hitbyambulance]

and is regular-outside-going-places-biking an option?

It's full of run-you-over-and-mess-up-your-back kind of things.

<---- lives in Michigan. We have seasons. Including "can't do shit outside" seasons.

erm... i'm from Minnesota.



but seriously, i get it - it's too dangerous with the condition your back is in.

[Jeff V]

and is regular-outside-going-places-biking an option?

It's full of run-you-over-and-mess-up-your-back kind of things.

<---- lives in Michigan. We have seasons. Including "can't do shit outside" seasons.

One of my most memorable bike rides was a sunny, windless, 5 degree day when I rode 50 miles. You just have to dress for it.

[rshetts2]

"Stationary bikes make great coat racks" said pretty much 90% of the people who have bought one.

[Jeff V]

Another option is a resistance trainer that can be used on a real bike during bad weather. They range in price from under $100 to well over $1000.

[Xmann]

Another option is a resistance trainer that can be used on a real bike during bad weather. They range in price from under $100 to well over $1000.

this is what I would recommend.

I trained for numerous triathlons in horrible weather because I had one of these.

spend your money on a nice bike you can take outside in nice weather and then get you a resistance trainer to use when the weather is bad.

Double win!

[em2nought]

My wife got this off Amazon recently:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V ... UTF8&psc=1

It's nothing fancy, but it fits under her computer desk, is easy to move, was cheap (compared to a full bike), and lets us get some exercise. I kind of like it because I can sit on the couch watching TV and still use it.

That looks pretty well built for something so small and portable, I might try one. Thanks!

[Montag]

Have you considered an elliptical instead? You can work more muscle groups with them.

[Jaymon]

The resistance trainer thing is nice because its cheap, and uses a bike you already have. They normally fold up small when not being used, and most of them can fit lots of different bikes with no problem.


But they do have a couple of downsides.

One is noise. Even the "quiet" ones are pretty noisy, if you want to watch tv while riding, going to have to crank it way up.

Another is the spinning wheel. If you just grab your bike from the garage, set up in the living room and start pedaling, all that dirt from your bike tire is going to wind up in a long streak on your floor, and continuation up the wall behind you. The other part, many models of stationary, the spinning wheel portion is somehow enclosed. If you get a trainer thing, then the bike tire is fully exposed, and that can cause issues if you have children or pets. The one I got, I have trouble with the bike tire hitting the carpet and leaving a rubber mark there, I have to prop up it just a little. This can depend on how deep the pile of your carpet is, obviously.

Third is balance. The trainer may or may not come with a holder of sorts for the front wheel, and the clamps to keep the rear wheel secure vary in clampiness. If you are not used to keeping a bike upright, you may find it difficult to keep this thing upright, especially when getting on or off.

[Jeff V]

There's a wheel block you can get to fix the front wheel. As for noise, headphones FTW.

[Smutly]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

[miltonite]

Just go with rollers. There is no set up needed like with the resistance trainers.

Here is a nice How To.

[Xmann]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

[A nonny mouse]

Just go with rollers. There is no set up needed like with the resistance trainers.

Here is a nice How To.

I don't know if Miltonite was showing that seriously or in jest, but if you have back issues, DO NOT use rollers. Yes you just pop your bike on there, but if you do not have excellent handling skills, it is like riding on ice. It is very easy to slip to the side (even in a door frame) and crash. Very much for the serious cyclist (ones wanting a CAT level) or people wanting to work on handling and balance (proper form, etc.).

Not in every case, but it does take some skill and focus.

I would go with a stationary bike if you just want exercise, or the trainer is you have a bike already. I bike a bit and have a resistance trainer and love it. I can spin and feel my bike setup. I have an older trainer but I can't recall offhand what brand. Might be cyleops, I have had it for about 15 years now and it still works great.

I wish I could afford a peloton, but I also don't want to have to pay a monthly charge to use it. Plus I love companies who use advertising like "CARBON STEEL CONSTRUCTION." Well, yeah. That is what steel is. I think they are trying to make it seem like it is a new-fangled carbon fiber/steel combo.

But like Xmann, I would like to hear how you like it, Smutly.

[Smutly]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

It will be delivered on Saturday. I've been a runner and an elliptical user and so this will be my first foray with a stationary bike. I'm actually more into the idea of live classes and a motivational group than I am the bike itself (which is supposed to be very nice, although I'm sure you can find better).

[Smutly]

Just go with rollers. There is no set up needed like with the resistance trainers.

Here is a nice How To.

I don't know if Miltonite was showing that seriously or in jest, but if you have back issues, DO NOT use rollers. Yes you just pop your bike on there, but if you do not have excellent handling skills, it is like riding on ice. It is very easy to slip to the side (even in a door frame) and crash. Very much for the serious cyclist (ones wanting a CAT level) or people wanting to work on handling and balance (proper form, etc.).

Not in every case, but it does take some skill and focus.

I would go with a stationary bike if you just want exercise, or the trainer is you have a bike already. I bike a bit and have a resistance trainer and love it. I can spin and feel my bike setup. I have an older trainer but I can't recall offhand what brand. Might be cyleops, I have had it for about 15 years now and it still works great.

I wish I could afford a peloton, but I also don't want to have to pay a monthly charge to use it. Plus I love companies who use advertising like "CARBON STEEL CONSTRUCTION." Well, yeah. That is what steel is. I think they are trying to make it seem like it is a new-fangled carbon fiber/steel combo.

But like Xmann, I would like to hear how you like it, Smutly.

I also don't want to pay a monthly fee, but I'm hoping I get what I pay for. My work does subsidize some of the cost so it's not as expensive for me as it is for others. I have heard of people getting enough referrals to really offset a lot of that. I found someone else's referral code and already got 2 months for free. I figure if I start a "watch fat me become skinny me" promo then maybe I'll get more. Not sure if I want to bother with that.

[disarm]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

It will be delivered on Saturday. I've been a runner and an elliptical user and so this will be my first foray with a stationary bike. I'm actually more into the idea of live classes and a motivational group than I am the bike itself (which is supposed to be very nice, although I'm sure you can find better).

I wish that I had seen this sooner. I bought my wife a Peloton for Christmas and we've had it for a about three weeks now. While it's not cheap, the whole system is pretty fantastic and has worked flawlessly. My wife has done around a dozen live classes so far, and I've done a few on-demand. The instructors are all very good in regard to both the classes they lead, and the personalities they bring to the table. With the huge variety of instructors and constantly-expanding archive of classes, there really is a style and difficulty for anyone. I didn't really enjoy the few times I went to a cycling studio because I couldn't get into the atmosphere or music, but the time flies by when I'm doing a class set to the rock music that I love instead of dance/club tracks. Steven Little's 'Rocknation' classes are great... very challenging and a great soundtrack.

The bike itself is pretty high-end and you won't find many better options on the market. The Kaiser M3 is pretty much the king of the market, and it's what my wife rode for countless classes at a local studio. We considered buying a Kaiser for the same price as the Peloton, but decided against it because the difference in performance is slight and the convenience of Peloton classes at a touch of the screen can't be understated. I haven't ridden either bike enough to really make a comparison, but my wife doesn't regret the choice at all. The Peloton is super smooth, virtually silent, and incredibly easy to use. Yes, you do pay a fairly high monthly fee in addition to buying the bike, but you save money over studio classes in the long run, and it's much easier to just hop on the bike in your own home when it's convenient than it is to travel to a studio to do a ride on their schedule. Add in a very friendly, supportive online community, and you have a great way to stay motivated about fitness. While we're still pretty new to the Peloton community, we couldn't be happier with the purchase.

[A nonny mouse]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

It will be delivered on Saturday. I've been a runner and an elliptical user and so this will be my first foray with a stationary bike. I'm actually more into the idea of live classes and a motivational group than I am the bike itself (which is supposed to be very nice, although I'm sure you can find better).

I wish that I had seen this sooner. I bought my wife a Peloton for Christmas and we've had it for a about three weeks now. While it's not cheap, the whole system is pretty fantastic and has worked flawlessly. My wife has done around a dozen live classes so far, and I've done a few on-demand. The instructors are all very good in regard to both the classes they lead, and the personalities they bring to the table. With the huge variety of instructors and constantly-expanding archive of classes, there really is a style and difficulty for anyone. I didn't really enjoy the few times I went to a cycling studio because I couldn't get into the atmosphere or music, but the time flies by when I'm doing a class set to the rock music that I love instead of dance/club tracks. Steven Little's 'Rocknation' classes are great... very challenging and a great soundtrack.

The bike itself is pretty high-end and you won't find many better options on the market. The Kaiser M3 is pretty much the king of the market, and it's what my wife rode for countless classes at a local studio. We considered buying a Kaiser for the same price as the Peloton, but decided against it because the difference in performance is slight and the convenience of Peloton classes at a touch of the screen can't be understated. I haven't ridden either bike enough to really make a comparison, but my wife doesn't regret the choice at all. The Peloton is super smooth, virtually silent, and incredibly easy to use. Yes, you do pay a fairly high monthly fee in addition to buying the bike, but you save money over studio classes in the long run, and it's much easier to just hop on the bike in your own home when it's convenient than it is to travel to a studio to do a ride on their schedule. Add in a very friendly, supportive online community, and you have a great way to stay motivated about fitness. While we're still pretty new to the Peloton community, we couldn't be happier with the purchase.

Thanks for the great review Disarm! I think the peloton looks to be a great stationary bike, and well constructed. I wasn't knocking it, just I get a kick out of how companies twist things (without falsifying) to make it appeal. That is what advertising is /shrug.

Do you have to have someone set it up in your house, or do they give you the option of doing it yourself? can you swap the Look pedals out for others? Maybe not through them, but the pedals themselves should screw off like normal bike pedals, correct?

I'm sure Smutly will be as pleased. The "jump on anytime" is the thing that appeals to me. I don't like spin classes (too loud!) and I don't belong to a gym as they don't fit my schedule. Heck, I took up running because I could fit it in in the morning before I jumped in the shower. It also helps that my wife was still home with the kid (he is usually still sleeping at 5:30am). I like exercising at night, but usually get wired and have trouble falling asleep if too late.

Cost is my major holdback, as is the monthly fee - although the "pyramid-like" scheme of getting free months by getting others in is interesting
That is good marketing right there.

I hesitate investing in something like this unless I KNOW I will be using the shit out of it. I don't have that much disposable income to play with otherwise.

So for now, I'm happily living vicariously through you two - and if Xmann gets one, him too.

[Xmann]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

It will be delivered on Saturday. I've been a runner and an elliptical user and so this will be my first foray with a stationary bike. I'm actually more into the idea of live classes and a motivational group than I am the bike itself (which is supposed to be very nice, although I'm sure you can find better).

I wish that I had seen this sooner. I bought my wife a Peloton for Christmas and we've had it for a about three weeks now. While it's not cheap, the whole system is pretty fantastic and has worked flawlessly. My wife has done around a dozen live classes so far, and I've done a few on-demand. The instructors are all very good in regard to both the classes they lead, and the personalities they bring to the table. With the huge variety of instructors and constantly-expanding archive of classes, there really is a style and difficulty for anyone. I didn't really enjoy the few times I went to a cycling studio because I couldn't get into the atmosphere or music, but the time flies by when I'm doing a class set to the rock music that I love instead of dance/club tracks. Steven Little's 'Rocknation' classes are great... very challenging and a great soundtrack.

The bike itself is pretty high-end and you won't find many better options on the market. The Kaiser M3 is pretty much the king of the market, and it's what my wife rode for countless classes at a local studio. We considered buying a Kaiser for the same price as the Peloton, but decided against it because the difference in performance is slight and the convenience of Peloton classes at a touch of the screen can't be understated. I haven't ridden either bike enough to really make a comparison, but my wife doesn't regret the choice at all. The Peloton is super smooth, virtually silent, and incredibly easy to use. Yes, you do pay a fairly high monthly fee in addition to buying the bike, but you save money over studio classes in the long run, and it's much easier to just hop on the bike in your own home when it's convenient than it is to travel to a studio to do a ride on their schedule. Add in a very friendly, supportive online community, and you have a great way to stay motivated about fitness. While we're still pretty new to the Peloton community, we couldn't be happier with the purchase.

Thanks for the great review Disarm! I think the peloton looks to be a great stationary bike, and well constructed. I wasn't knocking it, just I get a kick out of how companies twist things (without falsifying) to make it appeal. That is what advertising is /shrug.

Do you have to have someone set it up in your house, or do they give you the option of doing it yourself? can you swap the Look pedals out for others? Maybe not through them, but the pedals themselves should screw off like normal bike pedals, correct?

I'm sure Smutly will be as pleased. The "jump on anytime" is the thing that appeals to me. I don't like spin classes (too loud!) and I don't belong to a gym as they don't fit my schedule. Heck, I took up running because I could fit it in in the morning before I jumped in the shower. It also helps that my wife was still home with the kid (he is usually still sleeping at 5:30am). I like exercising at night, but usually get wired and have trouble falling asleep if too late.

Cost is my major holdback, as is the monthly fee - although the "pyramid-like" scheme of getting free months by getting others in is interesting
That is good marketing right there.

I hesitate investing in something like this unless I KNOW I will be using the shit out of it. I don't have that much disposable income to play with otherwise.

So for now, I'm happily living vicariously through you two - and if Xmann gets one, him too.

Probably around summertime for me

[disarm]

Thanks for the great review Disarm!

Do you have to have someone set it up in your house, or do they give you the option of doing it yourself? can you swap the Look pedals out for others? Maybe not through them, but the pedals themselves should screw off like normal bike pedals, correct?

Cost is my major holdback, as is the monthly fee - although the "pyramid-like" scheme of getting free months by getting others in is interesting
That is good marketing right there.

Peloton requires you to pay for delivery and setup...one of the annoying things about the purchase because it's an additional $250 charge that they don't tell you about until you start the checkout process if you're buying online. They contract with a company in your area that will assemble and deliver the bike. In our case, that meant that the company (XPO Logistics) assembled the bike, loaded it onto a truck, came to our house, carried it to the basement, mounted the screen, and plugged it in...spent a total of about 15 minutes at my house. I get that Peloton wants to ensure that the bike is assembled correctly, but $250 is a lot of extra money when you're already paying $2k for the bike. In our case, scheduling the delivery was also a little annoying because they would only make the two hour drive from Boston to our town on a Friday, and they showed up late for their 3-hour window.

The pedals are standard Look bicycle pedals. You can easily remove them and swap them out for any other pedal style that you prefer. We purchased our bike around Black Friday and my wife got a free pair of Peloton shoes with Look cleats as part of their sale. The shoes are actually pretty good quality, so we stuck with the Look pedals and I bought Peloton shoes of my own so that I could have a dedicated pair instead of changing cleats on my road bike shoes.

The entry cost of a Peloton is high, but we saw it as something that would save money over time compared to the local studio, and the convenience factor can't be overstated. As for the referral program, each person that reports you as a referral earns two free months for both you and themselves. We paid for a full year up front (earns a free month) and listed a referral, so we wound up with 15 months for the price of twelve.

If anyone else wants a Peloton, I'd appreciate the referral

[Smutly]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

Probably around summertime for me

They have zero interest financing available (assuming credit is okay) for 12 months. This was one of the factors that made it easy for me to pull the trigger. I'm also the heaviest I've ever been in my life and my work / kid schedule has been an absolute killer for me doing any regular exercise. I'm hoping this is going to be a kickstarter for me to regain my health.

[Smutly]

So if anyone decides to purchase a Peloton, you can use my referral code and we both get free months added to the subscriptions. Good luck with any New Years' resolutions...!

I'm seriously considering this come spring time.

How you like yours? Heard really good stuff about them.

It will be delivered on Saturday. I've been a runner and an elliptical user and so this will be my first foray with a stationary bike. I'm actually more into the idea of live classes and a motivational group than I am the bike itself (which is supposed to be very nice, although I'm sure you can find better).

I wish that I had seen this sooner. I bought my wife a Peloton for Christmas and we've had it for a about three weeks now. While it's not cheap, the whole system is pretty fantastic and has worked flawlessly. My wife has done around a dozen live classes so far, and I've done a few on-demand. The instructors are all very good in regard to both the classes they lead, and the personalities they bring to the table. With the huge variety of instructors and constantly-expanding archive of classes, there really is a style and difficulty for anyone. I didn't really enjoy the few times I went to a cycling studio because I couldn't get into the atmosphere or music, but the time flies by when I'm doing a class set to the rock music that I love instead of dance/club tracks. Steven Little's 'Rocknation' classes are great... very challenging and a great soundtrack.

The bike itself is pretty high-end and you won't find many better options on the market. The Kaiser M3 is pretty much the king of the market, and it's what my wife rode for countless classes at a local studio. We considered buying a Kaiser for the same price as the Peloton, but decided against it because the difference in performance is slight and the convenience of Peloton classes at a touch of the screen can't be understated. I haven't ridden either bike enough to really make a comparison, but my wife doesn't regret the choice at all. The Peloton is super smooth, virtually silent, and incredibly easy to use. Yes, you do pay a fairly high monthly fee in addition to buying the bike, but you save money over studio classes in the long run, and it's much easier to just hop on the bike in your own home when it's convenient than it is to travel to a studio to do a ride on their schedule. Add in a very friendly, supportive online community, and you have a great way to stay motivated about fitness. While we're still pretty new to the Peloton community, we couldn't be happier with the purchase.

Thanks for the review as well! This is exactly what I would hope to hear. I've read it many other places, but it's nice to hear it here as well. I'm actually clearing out a room to provide adequate space and plan on sending the tablet's video to my Roku TV which is tied into my computer sound system. So, I hope to have a good space to really get into the classes. Now I just have to give myself the time to use it. Looking forward to it...!

[Smutly]

Thanks for the great review Disarm!

Do you have to have someone set it up in your house, or do they give you the option of doing it yourself? can you swap the Look pedals out for others? Maybe not through them, but the pedals themselves should screw off like normal bike pedals, correct?

Cost is my major holdback, as is the monthly fee - although the "pyramid-like" scheme of getting free months by getting others in is interesting
That is good marketing right there.

Peloton requires you to pay for delivery and setup...one of the annoying things about the purchase because it's an additional $250 charge that they don't tell you about until you start the checkout process if you're buying online. They contract with a company in your area that will assemble and deliver the bike. In our case, that meant that the company (XPO Logistics) assembled the bike, loaded it onto a truck, came to our house, carried it to the basement, mounted the screen, and plugged it in...spent a total of about 15 minutes at my house. I get that Peloton wants to ensure that the bike is assembled correctly, but $250 is a lot of extra money when you're already paying $2k for the bike. In our case, scheduling the delivery was also a little annoying because they would only make the two hour drive from Boston to our town on a Friday, and they showed up late for their 3-hour window.

The pedals are standard Look bicycle pedals. You can easily remove them and swap them out for any other pedal style that you prefer. We purchased our bike around Black Friday and my wife got a free pair of Peloton shoes with Look cleats as part of their sale. The shoes are actually pretty good quality, so we stuck with the Look pedals and I bought Peloton shoes of my own so that I could have a dedicated pair instead of changing cleats on my road bike shoes.

The entry cost of a Peloton is high, but we saw it as something that would save money over time compared to the local studio, and the convenience factor can't be overstated. As for the referral program, each person that reports you as a referral earns two free months for both you and themselves. We paid for a full year up front (earns a free month) and listed a referral, so we wound up with 15 months for the price of twelve.

If anyone else wants a Peloton, I'd appreciate the referral

I knew about the setup fee ahead of time, and also think it is excessive. It doesn't look overly complicated to put together and if you're computer literate then you can probably navigate the Android tablet set-up. Maybe it's more difficult than I think. As a relatively new company, you would think they would be sensitive to adding barriers for people to make the purchase. If anyone wants to start an OO Peloton Support Group, let me know...!

BTW, I think XPO Logistics is also the company doing the delivery this weekend.

[disarm]

Thanks for the review as well!

I'm actually clearing out a room to provide adequate space and plan on sending the tablet's video to my Roku TV which is tied into my computer sound system.

FYI...the tablet uses Miracast, which should work well with your Roku. It's technically an 'unsupported' feature but is included because Miracast is built into Android. We were hoping to do something similar using a Chromecast, but there's no support for that in the Peloton software

[disarm]

I knew about the setup fee ahead of time, and also think it is excessive. It doesn't look overly complicated to put together and if you're computer literate then you can probably navigate the Android tablet set-up. Maybe it's more difficult than I think. As a relatively new company, you would think they would be sensitive to adding barriers for people to make the purchase. If anyone wants to start an OO Peloton Support Group, let me know...!

Assembling the bike yourself would be a piece of cake if they allowed it, and there isn't really any setup for the tablet...mount the tablet on the bike, plug it in, and it powers up to the Peloton interface. The Peloton software walks you through everything for setting up your account on the bike and adjusting the seat position. The only thing to set up outside the Peloton interface is using the Android settings menu to connect to wifi, Bluetooth for external speakers or headphones, or casting to another screen.

Pretty much everything happens within Peloton's app...unless you learn the simple trick to install other software on the tablet (like Netflix)...