Peloton Bike Alternative

All about the Peloton bike alternative we decided to buy for our home!

Confession: when we first decided to get our bike, I had NO idea that you guys would be so interested in it. I figured an Instagram about why we got it, a few stories about it, and a link in @liketoknow.it would probably be enough… JK LOL! Never have I received so many DMs with full paragraphs of questions ?

Needless to say, it quickly became clear that I should write a whole blog post about why we chose this one, what the pros and cons are, and how we have been using it so far. So to start, I’ll give you a little bit more backstory.

Why we decided to get a bike…

At beginning of 2020, I was contacted about a potential collaboration that included a stationary bike. Even though that didn’t pan out, it made Adam and I realize that we would actually really love to have an indoor cycling bike. The only problem was that everyone was saying Peloton is the best one… but was it really a good idea to spend $2500 on a piece of workout equipment at the beginning of a pandemic? For us, the answer was no.

So we started researching more affordable alternatives! We really just wanted a bike that would be quiet so Luna wouldn’t be bothered by it, with an adjustable seat and handles that work for both Adam and I. I found a bunch of options (you can read about them below), but ended up getting a bike by Joroto. We ordered it directly from Amazon for $399, but it looks like you can still order it through Amazon from Joroto for $439. Still less than $2494 though!

Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the money and want a Peloton, go for it! More power to you! It is DEFINITELY a better piece of equipment and everyone I know who has a Peloton LOVES it. Plus, even though it’s pricey, it’s still less than consistently going to a personal trainer!

But if you don’t have the funds to make that investment right now, please don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t get a good workout without it. I have always believed that a workout is what you make of it – whether you have the fanciest bike, our bike, or no bike at all! I mean, I just wrote a post all about the free virtual classes right now! It can be done! But for now, let’s chat about this purchase…

The Best Peloton Bike Alternative

Obviously I haven’t tried all of the Peloton alternatives, but we decided to get a Joroto Bike and we love it. It definitely doesn’t have everything that the fancier bikes have, but it has everything we need to get a good at-home workout!

Price

Between our wedding, honeymoon, and plans to buy a place, we thought it would be a good idea to be mindful of our budget. And then considering everything with the coronavirus is going on, I’m even MORE glad we decided to be practical! Sure, it would be nice to have the latest and greatest – but $400 vs. $2404 (that doesn’t include $125 for a 2nd set of bike shoes!) was 10000% the right choice for us right now.

Bike Design

The first thing that caught our attention with this one is the “near silent” magnetic resistance. The last thing we wanted was to invest in a bike that Luna barks at every time we use it. ? Luckily, this really is SUPER quiet. The only time I ever hear it is when the resistance is low and you’re going really fast – but even that is barely audible and definitely wouldn’t wake up any sleeping roommates or family members.

We also really needed a bike that would work for both Adam and I, since I am short and he is NOT! The seat can be adjusted for inseams of 27.5″ – 36.2″ – and you can adjust the handlebars based on your height, too. The toe caged pedals also have straps that you can adjust to make your feet feel more secure, too.

Bike Size

In order to make sure this bike promoted “me-time” for both of us, we wanted to put it in a separate room so you can shut the door when you’re riding. While we have plenty of room now, there wasn’t a ton of space in Adam’s office at the old apartment, but this bike is pretty compact anyway! I recommend getting a tape measurer out and measuring 42.9″ long, 19.6″ wide, and 42.5″ high to make sure it fits well in your space. We also added a little bit of extra room on either side to make sure we could bend our elbows without hitting the wall, too!

Features

If you care a lot about a fancy HD screen or advanced analytics, this bike might not be for you. That being said, it does have a small digital monitor that shows you your time, speed, distance, and calories burned.

And just in case you’re about to ask – I do not have a list of exact Joroto terms vs. Peloton terms. Instead, I just match the speed by matching my pace with the instructor’s legs. A lot of classes sync up with the beat of the music which helps, too. As for resistance, I usually make a small turn when they tell the class to add 1-3 points, a bigger turn if they say 5 points, and a few full turns if they say 10 or higher. Ultimately, I just listen to my body. Am I pushing myself? Is this tough? Am I sweating? Okay great. Why do I need to know more than that?

But if you want/need more than that and really want exact terms, I’m sure they are out there on the internet somewhere. Feel free to research away!  There might even be some conversions that match with a Fitbit or a heart rate monitor, too.

Classes

Speaking of classes, did you know you can use the Peloton app to stream classes even if you don’t own the Peloton bike?! For just $12.99 a month, you get access to all of their live cycling classes, on demand cycling classes, AND their other formats, too! We’re talking strength training, yoga meditation, bootcamp, and more. I’m such a class girl, that access to these resources is really what takes our bike from fine to GREAT. You can stream this on your computer/tablet or use a Fire Stick to stream it on your TV like we do!

Additional Purchases

Since this bike has toe cages instead of clip in pedals, we only had to buy a mat for underneath it and that’s it. I already had 5lb weights, but if you don’t, I’d recommend getting 3lb weights if you want to take their Intervals & Arms classes!

Easy Assembly

This was very easy for Adam and I to put together. That being said, it’s heavy – so if you live alone, it might be a little tough without an extra set of hands. I believe you can pay extra for expert assembly though!

Warranty/Support

Joroto’s customer service is pretty legit. They offer 1 year free replacements for all parts and their customer support team will answer any of your questions within 24 hours. Hopefully we don’t have any issues, but it’s nice to know that they will be helpful if we do!

Peloton vs. Joroto

All in all, this spin bike is not as nice as the Peloton. Duh. That being said, if you are on a budget, I think it’s a great option. The biggest things you have to decide are how much you want to spend, and what your non negotiables are. Maybe you really want to be able to get more analytics about your ride. Maybe you hate the idea of toe caged pedals and really want to clip in! It just depends what you prefer to prioritize.

A Few More Peloton Bike Alternative Options 

Peloton and Joroto are definitely not the only 2 bikes on the market right now. Here are a few other brands that I researched when making this decision!

Sunny Health

Sunny Health popped up a few times on my search for an affordable bike – and this one looks very similar to the one we got! We decided against this one because the reviews were slightly better on ours. Plus, their minimum inseam is 29 inches vs. 27.5″, which made nervous that I’d be to short for it. If you’re a little taller than me, this option for $399 could be great for you! (They also have one for $571 on Amazon, too!)

Schwinn 

Since first publishing this, a BUNCH of you have bought Schwinn bikes and RAVE about them. If you have a slightly higher budget, I’ve heard that this bike is really awesome – but they also have this similar one for almost half that price, too! Either one would definitely be a safe bet.

Echelon

I always though Echelon bikes were super expensive, but the EX3 Connect Bike at Target is only $999! Their website has more expensive options (ranging $1039 – $1639) that have more features like clip in pedals, built in screen, and more. They also have their own classes – both live and on demand!

Nordictrack

If you are looking for a step above these, Nordictrack is another reputable option. Their Grand Tour Pro Bike is usually $1999, but you can get it for $1499 right now. This bike has a 10 inch smart HD touchscreen for spin classes and/or scenic rides for your indoor cycle. You can also incline or decline the bike (so cool!), along with digital resistance controls. Oh, and it includes a membership to their classes for one year!

And if your budget allows you to go a little bit further than that, you can get their Commercial S15i Studio Cycle for $1599 (originally $2499) or the Commercial S22i Studio Cycle for $1999 (originally $2999).

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Do you have Peloton Bike Alternative?

Which one did you get? Or did you go for the real thing? Let us know in the comments!!

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PS. You might also like a list of FREE At Home Workout During Coronavirus Quarantine, The Best At Home Workouts, and The Best Themed Peloton Rides!