So you didn't use your Peloton in 2018
I know many of you who are reading this now are probably new riders who are on the 2019 Resolution wave.
But I suspect some of you, are on the 2018 end-of-year reflections wave.
You maybe dropped $2,000 a bike 5-6 months ago and have riden it maybe 5-10 times? You don’t really have to do the math, but you know the financial math isn’t adding up, and perhaps, it’s time to sell it.
Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone.
Peloton boasts a member engagement rate of 86%. That is very very high in the industry, don’t get me wrong, but that also means there are some of you who just aren’t feeling it at all. There’s a reason why the Peloton Buy Sell Trade group even exists.
I think it’s common when you come on OPP (Official Peloton Page) to ask members for their experience, and of course everyone is throwing a referral code and “it has changed my life” at your face, and you assume, of course that will happen to me. But it doesn’t. And you’re left wondering what is wrong with you.
I have referred 8 bikes to friends (actual friends) in 2018. I care deeply about my friends having great experiences so I wrote out a pretty detailed newbie guide to make sure they get the most out of the bike and community. Despite my best efforts as a Peloton advocate/addict/ambassador, 2 out of 8 of my friends are barely riding.
Going from zero to a hundred
It usually starts with someone recognizing that they’re not as healthy as they would like. And therefore the Peloton will magically solve all your problems and make you want to exercise again. For the most part that is true, even for me, I even wrote about Peloton’s amazing sweet spot. At the time of purchasing our peloton, I already had good behaviors with fitness. I was running outdoors, dread-milling in the gym and had also gone to the occasional crossfit class. My problem is even though I went, I somewhat hated it. And I felt, there must be something that I can do that I could actually love. I also found myself bailing on workouts half the time, but I was still making the other half at least! A serendipitous ankle injury is what eventually lead me to Peloton where I would discover workouts so fun, I actually liked it. What I’m saying is I was going from 70-100. I’m not starting at zero.
What zero looks like
I’ve been pretty active on OPP/Reddit for awhile and I get intrigued whenever someone posts to sell a bike. I try to engage in a conversation to understand why they’re ditching the bikes. And I realized we could be starting from very different places. Many were not actually doing much physical activity at all, prior to bike purchase. Many have very busy lives and just couldn’t create the time for the workouts to happen. Some of them had corporate reimbursements for their bike purchases. Moms with babies are trying to squeeze a workout in pre-wakeup and post-bedtime and in most cases, that means no workout. There’s just a lot that is already in the way of getting to healthier habits.
How do you get to 100?
I’ll admit that I have staged many-a-pelo-interventions in the past 6 months but have had only two successes so far. It’s not an easy trick or hack unfortunately but I do have some insight.
A common new rider expectation
You’re not engaged and lacking true accountability. You’ve been on OPP many a times asking riders to add you as followers. Many do, yeah sure! You have a decent list of followers on your list but accountability ends there. Having followers will not keep you accountable. This is because this level of accountability is superficial. I ride 5/530am PT with an amazing tribe of west coast riders. We organize coordinated rides, challenges and get to know each other as people. You own your tribe experience. Join in on the conversations, post questions and maybe even push yourself to graduate to fb-messenger status like I did with #AmyGael and #babssilberwood (Thank you!!!). If not for them, my lazy ass would have talked myself out of half my rides. There’s a tribe for everyone, check out all the tribes here
You’re just not losing weight. You bought the bike because you’re trying to lose weight. You’ve been riding consistently but the scale isn’t actually moving. You’ve made some new friends but disappointed in your progress. Is it even worth it? Here’s where I drop a truth bomb - abs are made in the kitchen. It’s SOOO hard to burn 500 calories on your bike but SOOOO easy to eat an extra 500 calories accidentally when you walk past the break room on your way to the bathroom. Here’s a challenge to you if you’re in this group: Put your Peloton on sabbatical and get your nutrition dialed down. Track everything you eat and create a deficit. You can lose A TON of weight without even exercising. If you need help, join us over at strongerU.com. You can read about why Peloton + StrongerU has been a deadly combination for me.
You haven’t created the time for it. Whenever someone posts asking to be added, i ALWAYS respond asking “What time/timezone will you ride?”. The reason I do that is because I want people to know it takes discipline and commitment. You have to be intentional about when you want these rides to take place. Write it down now - What days/times will you ride? Prioritize it.
Life just feels insurmountable. Time slots? What time slots, you have none. You’re running on empty. You’re too tired after work. You feel guilty riding your bike while your kids are awake but yet can’t find the energy when they’re asleep. Sleeping in after a tough night of nursing sounds way more appealing than a morning ride. Chores need to get done, food needs to be on the table. This is probably the MOST common reason people ditch their bikes. It just doesn’t jive with their lifestyle. If you’re still serious about getting healthy, because you know it’s a lifelong investment in your future and longevity, there is hope. Having a bike doesn’t mean you will ride it every day. In fact, forget Peloton now and leave that guilt at the door. First, you have to hold the mirror up to yourself and figure out what’s getting in your way and then, systematically problem-solve your way there.
The book that changed the game
Sure, the Peloton has changed the game for many but not you. This book will help you figure out how it can do the same for you. Before you decide to throw in the towel, check it out.
I know it’s easy for people to tell you “Just Ride” or “Make time for it” or “You can do it!”.
But without knowing who you are and what your context is, it’s impossible for anyone to actually give you advice that will work for you. Look, you bought a Peloton because you already know that investing in your health is important. Now, all you have to do is to make sure you give it a fair shot. Don’t let yourself get in the way. If you’ve read this book, I would love to learn how it has helped you.
P.S. If you’ve truly come to the end of your pelo-journey, you’ll have best luck selling it at the “Peloton Buy Sell Trade (BST)” on Facebook.
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