Have you tried actual cycling products when you say it blows everything out of the water? Like Zwift, Trainerroad, Sufferfest, Rouvy etc? For instance Trainerroad is miles ahead when it comes to structured training with progress.
I would consider myself a pretty avid cyclist (annual century ride and 1000+ miles per year). Have done two years on Zwift (Kickr Core) - which I thoroughly enjoy. However my wife just got a peleton a month ago, and partly due to the novelty, partly due to the sheer ease of use I haven't been back on my Zwift set up yet.
I am not giving Peleton the win I am just saying that it is pretty slick interface for getting a work out and making you sweat without the small headaches of integration on Zwift etc. That said - if all I want is to improve my cycling, Peleton doesn't help me in the same way. However if I am trying to stay fit with small workouts and lots of variation in the off season - its perfect.
6 months from now I'll figure out which one gets the W.
Do you have a twitter or a blog where one could follow your progress - I'm the opposite, used to be super into fitness and stopped dead on tracks due to injury, COVID, depression all of which have caused an Insulin resistance. I've gotten my jabs, but would still prefer to return to fitness via a home gym.
Curious to learn more about maximizing the use of a very expensive hardware (for me).
Unfortunately I don't really have any socials outside hackernews. If I was to choose between on of the two of them I would - if I was a heavy cyclist and already had a good road bike Zwift would be the natural route. If I didn't have a road bike and not a heavy cyclists but really enjoy spin classes - I would go for Peleton. If you have more space at home to do a home gym - Peleton has a lot of other classes that you can do as well. Our space is limited so only can do the spin classes.
Yes though your point is taken - this is definitely expensive hardware in both circumstances. Both have addictive (in a good way) qualities to tie you back into coming for more. Normally I would say that as a negative thing but in this instance it is a good thing.
Peloton owner. Long time Zwift user. Have spent a little time each with TR and Sufferfest. Peloton is the most polished experience by an incredibly wide margin. Most people aren't so much looking to be incredible cyclists as they are just wanting to be in shape, and the combination of premium hardware, dead simple interface, and the ever-expanding library of classes across a variety of disciplines is far beyond what most people would ever want/need. I do wish that there were better structured training options within Peloton beyond the intro to power zones program, but I think they could add that fairly easily if there was demand.
When I was training for races I would want to be primarily on my bike, but for just offsetting my Oreo addiction the Peloton is perfect.
Zwift, Trainerroad, etc. are good for people looking to train to become better cyclists. You do largely need to bring your own setup, which can often be complicated (although you can then get a setup that mirrors your outdoor work).
I am referring to fitness training, not training to become a better road cyclist, and I suspect most people that use a Peloton or go to Soul Cycle have no intention of training to become better at road cycling. They are doing so to become fitter, and Peloton's training is specifically aimed at improving various areas of fitness. So when I refer to training, I am referring to training to improve specific fitness goals and not training to become a better cyclist.
I have no interest in becoming a good cyclist, but I am looking to improve my fitness across a variety of metrics. I also weight train and do other stuff, but I have found the Peloton approach to indoor cycling well suited to helping meet specific fitness goals.
I love road cycling but also weight lifting and other stuff. You can perfectly use Zwift just as an indoor fitness trainer. Yes you need a trainer and a used bike that is comfortable for you but a peloton isn’t cheap either and I can stow away my Zwift setup except for the bike of course.
My Peloton is one of the best fitness purchases I've made in years. And thats after a couple of years on a Wahoo Kickr Snap and a year on a Wahoo Kickr Core, mostly using Zwift with a bit of TrainerRoad mixed in. The classes on Peloton are just so much fun, motivating and uplifting.
Nothing about your comment per-se, but damn, these company/product names are getting more and more wacky. *Wahoo Kickr Snap* and *Zwift* is something I would only imagine in a cartoon about an imaginary product.
I'd agree with the general tone of a few others here. IMO Peloton and Zwift cater to two different groups although there is some overlap between them.
Peloton caters more to general fitness types with a "spin class" approach using "instructors" and their slick hardware and ecosystem. It's probably a better choice for people who aren't cyclists.
Zwift caters more to dedicated cyclists who typically use Zwift to augment their outdoor training routines with indoor time (avoiding weather and timing/safety issues etc). Cyclists use their own bikes since they're fit for the rider, with their own (more accurate) power meters, etc. Zwift also considers weight, bike aerodynamics, etc. in sort of a "gamified" virtual representation of cycling.
TLDR; Peloton is a group of people riding Peloton machines in "virtual spin class" while Zwift is a group of people riding their own bikes indoors, most who also ride outdoors on Strava.
