I never really saw myself as the kind of person to invest in fancy home gym equipment, but that was also when I never really saw a global pandemic coming. During COVID-19, my husband David and I quit going to the gym before they were even forced to close. Let’s be real, gyms are germy places even during the best of times, and we didn’t want to head back during such uncertainty.

I’m not much of a runner (it might be more accurate to say that I can’t tell you how much I hate to run), and David had ankle surgery in December. It’s late May as I’m writing this, and his doctor told him today that he probably won’t be back to normal for another six months. Suffice it to say, he’s likely not going to try any runs anytime soon either.

But we still needed to get in some cardio, and we have limited space to dedicate to equipment. Enter: exercise bike.

I’d seen several friends who have been crushing the home workouts on their bikes, and it seemed like a great low-impact, space-saving option. So my research began. I’m breaking down what I learned and why I chose the path that I did.

My Choice: Peloton

Top Contenders: Echelon and Peloton

What People Said: I did what the best researchers do and asked my Facebook friends to share their opinions. Here’s what I gathered:

• One person was using an Echelon to support local business and to save on overall cost.
• One person was using a Bowflex bike with the Peloton app.
• One person was using a Sunny bike with the Peloton app on her phone.
• Everyone else had Peloton (and they were all OBSESSED). 
• My takeaway: Everyone who had the Peloton loved it; most others who had alternative bikes were still using the Peloton app.

Why I Didn’t Choose Echelon

As much as I wanted to be sold on Echelon (after all, I would have been supporting a business local to my community AND saving money — I really really wanted to be sold on Echelon), I wasn’t. Here are the primary reasons:

1. Only one person in my network (who responded anyway) was using an Echelon system.
2. I wanted to enjoy the community aspect Peloton provides. It’s truly why I was drawn to the system in the first place. I have a couple of close friends on Peloton, and I wanted the community of riding/competing with them to motivate me and make cardio a little more fun. (Did I mention I hate cardio? Oh, no I just said I hate running. Well, I hate cardio.)
3. During the pandemic, Echelon is not delivering assembled bikes. (I assume it would be more intensive than I’d want to do by myself, and David and I do NOT cooperate well when it comes to these types of things. I’ve learned it’s best to let someone else assemble things when I can.)

Why I Did Choose Peloton

If you’ve made it this far, you probably already know the answer here, but I want to recap for anyone who may have skipped straight to this section.

1. Everyone I talked to who had a non-Peloton or Echelon bike was using the Peloton app and said that overall, Peloton has better classes. 
2. From what I learned from folks using alternative systems (Nordic Track and Sunny), while you can sign up for the Peloton app and take their classes, you can’t ride with friends. This was a huge draw for me for motivation.
3. Peloton, using safe delivery practices, is still bringing assembled bikes into homes. 

…And Now We Wait

I should note that while I did pull the trigger and order a Peloton bike on May 12, it hasn’t arrived yet. And unfortunately, due to huge demand, my ETA isn’t until June 29. HOWEVER. A friend of ours ordered his about a week and a half before me and got his bike just about two weeks after he placed his order. Here’s hoping I have a similar experience.