Peleton Ad

[LDAHL]

The furor over the notorious exercise bike ad: justified or ridiculous?

An entitled Karen who doesn’t recognize privilege when it’s between her thighs?

A horrid husband seeking to polish his trophy wife?

Ludicrous vanity and body image anxiety?

Just another dumb TV ad for an overpriced product?

[Alan]

I'll take dumb TV ad with a touch of ridiculous for the win Alex

[bae]

I think the whole thing is silly.

I ride real bikes, outdoors, about 20 miles a day to the village and back, and to do my errands. It's a bit of effort, as there is nearly a 1200 foot elevation difference between the village and my house, and some 16% grades.

I have a Peloton for riding on bad, cold, dark winter days, or in the middle of the night when I can't take the real bike on the road safely. The coaching and classroom program for it are pretty decent. The cost, hyped up as "insane", needs to be seen in context - my not-at-all-high-end Trek hybrid road bike cost about the same as the Peloton trainer, and the Trek isn't anywhere near the mid or top of the road biking food chain. My electric pedal-assist bicycle was a bit more than twice the cost of the Peloton.

The monthly cost of the subscription is about what 1.5 lunches of cheeseburger/coffee would run me at our local low-end tavern.

I didn't get it for body image or vanity, just to help me stay functionally fit over the winter here, which is tricky for me.

I think the ad reveals more about the mindset of the people watching it than anything else.

[happystuff]

Just saw the ad and was ready to be totally offended, but... not really anything there that makes me upset. Woman seems to like the gift from her husband, so - Yay! he did good! Is a Peloton bike for me? Heck, no! Can't afford it and would rather go outside and ride a bike.

[bae]

Is a Peloton bike for me? Heck, no! Can't afford it and would rather go outside and ride a bike.

In general, I agree with you, I prefer most times to ride outside. I also a couple times a week participate in group rides, and find the social aspect of that quite motivating.

The interesting thing about the Peloton bike, compared to every other hang-the-laundry-on stationary exercise bike I've seen, is the online community, classes, and coaching. Interestingly, you can get most of that just with their iPhone/Android app for cheap. Peloton also has lots of classes/programs for non-biking fitness programs.

I was completely dubious at first, but have become convinced this thing serves a useful purpose.

As a random observation, some of the cycling-form-coaching classes have significantly improved my real-world road biking performance and comfort.

[happystuff]

So glad that it works for you. Enjoy.

[JaneV2.0]

I think LDAHL pretty much covered it--"another dumb ad for an overpriced product." Most of the advertising aimed at the moneyed crowd this time of year falls into that category. Like the Lincoln commercials where some woman apparently finds all of her relatives so annoying at holiday time that she seeks refuge in her car. Repeatedly. I would suggest she just stay home, but that wouldn't make much of a marketing impact.

[Yppej]

Now Aviation Gin is cashing in by using the Peloton actress.

[ToomuchStuff]

First I have heard of the ad, and haven't seen any controversy, is this thread.
So after going off to Youtube and the disbelief that it didn't start with "so you're saying I'm fat", I still don't know the price.
Is it more then one of those fluid trainer contraptions I would like to try?

"An entitled Karen who doesn’t recognize privilege when it’s between her thighs?"
Is that some Chris Rock reference?

[SteveinMN]

Now Aviation Gin is cashing in by using the Peloton actress. Very timely and clever reaction on their part, piggybacking on the Peloton ad. And good on Monica Ruiz (the actress) for making something more than gray hair out of the controversy.

[Rogar]

I'm about to drag in my bike trainer stand in for the winter and mount my touring bike to make a stationary trainer with a bike I'm used to. Functional without the bling and a couple thousand dollars less. Maybe I can find a video with a nice looking cycling model or scenery for inspiration.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm about to drag in my bike trainer stand in for the winter and mount my touring bike to make a stationary trainer with a bike I'm used to. Functional without the bling and a couple thousand dollars less. Maybe I can find a video with a nice looking cycling model or scenery for inspiration.

You'll need spendy "athleisure" wear, a couple of window walls to exercise in front of, a sound track, and a social media claque to get the full effect.

[Gardnr]

who cares.................

[happystuff]

I'm about to drag in my bike trainer stand in for the winter and mount my touring bike to make a stationary trainer with a bike I'm used to. Functional without the bling and a couple thousand dollars less. Maybe I can find a video with a nice looking cycling model or scenery for inspiration.

OMG! I totally forgot that I had one of those! Not sure if I still have it - when one of the kids got their fingers caught in the bike spokes, I decided I should not have the set-up in the house. BUT... that was a couple decades ago and the kids are grown or gone. I will be checking the shed. Thanks so much for this reminder! I think I have de-cluttered the family room enough for my old bike. LOL. Maybe after the holidays..... :)