This is an installment of Pandemic Purchases, a special series of personal essays about the items bought in the last year that brought the most value and joy to our lives and work while living in lockdown.
Given we haven’t been able to go many places in the last year, it seems oddly symbolic that I’ve spent almost every day pedaling on a bike inside my apartment that literally goes nowhere.
Yes, I am one of the many people who have purchased a Peloton bike last year. At a little more than $2,000, it’s a pricey set of wheels, but for me, it was the best splurge I made during the pandemic, and one I’m happy to have as we come out the other side.
The fitness company, which was founded in 2012, has been one of the godsends of the last year, and for that, it has been rewarded handsomely. Peloton’s stock price has more than quadrupled during the pandemic as people canceled gym memberships and looked for fitness alternatives to help them through lockdown.
I held out on buying a bike until I couldn’t any longer. When my New York City gym closed last March to help stop the spread of COVID-19, I kept up my workout regimen with masked runs outside and YouTube workout videos in my apartment. By the time summer came and it was clear we were in this for the long haul, I decided I desperately needed something else.
I dropped my expensive gym membership, which was on hold when it was closed, and bought a Peloton. No offense to Peloton CEO and cofounder John Foley, but those are words I never thought I would type.
Peloton has been on my radar long before it became a household name.
As a technology reporter, I’m always trying new gadgets and equipment. I stopped by Peloton’s booth at the Consumer Electronics Show over the years in Las Vegas, and while I appreciated the idea of pairing quality at-home equipment with streaming content from instructors, it was something I never saw fitting into my life. I loved my routine of going to the gym and signing up for group fitness classes. Clearly a global pandemic changed that.
After a two-month wait, my Peloton bike arrived last August.
(The increased demand prompted Peloton to iron out its supply issues to reduce the time on its wait-list. During that time, I received a free subscription to Peloton’s live and on-demand streaming content, which included cardio, strength, stretching, yoga, barre, Pilates, and coached outdoor runs, all things I missed from my time going to the gym. After my free trial ended, I now pay an additional $39 per month for streaming, which includes cycling classes.)
While I loved getting back into spinning, I also found myself building loyalties to certain instructors with “can’t-miss” classes, the same way I would when I attended group fitness in person.
When I take Cody Rigsby’s classes, I feel like I am getting a workout and catching up with a friend. He’s been my go-to from the start, and I’ve even found myself referencing him in conversation with friends and family, almost as though I knew him. While that may have sounded strange before the pandemic, the level of community Peloton instructors have fostered throughout this unprecedented time has been a lifeline for so many. Having a set date on the bike with Cody when I couldn’t see some of my friends in person helped me immensely.
Ben Alldis, a London-based instructor who used to work in finance, pretty much says every song on his playlist is his absolute favorite, and I almost always agree. Sam Yo always makes me smile and seems to get me in a positive headspace. Tunde Oyeneyin helps me be a better athlete. Jess King and Leanne Hainsby always know how to throw the best pick-me-up dance parties on the bike. You can’t go wrong with the other instructors too.
While it wasn’t in my budget at the start of 2020, the Peloton bike was the best purchase I made all year. I like to think of it as a fixed asset. Instead of throwing money at a gym, I bought a piece of equipment that will be a part of my life for years to come.
Above all, it reminded me that while we may be stuck in one place for now, we can still keep moving.