Build Your Own Peloton Style Exercise Bike and Save Money
While outdoor cycling is at the bottom of the coronavirus risk spectrum , buying an indoor exercise bike has definitely become a more compelling prospect in the past few months. In the video above, I decided to build my own exercise bike rather than spending over $ 2,000 on a Peloton.
Exercise bike rushes to the rescue
I borrowed a bike from a friend and already had a smartphone, so all I needed was an exercise bike. I chose this $ 116 option from ProRide because it had decent reviews, came with a phone holder, and was Lifehacker green.
It only took 10 minutes to set up the exercise bike, and with my phone attached to the handlebars and running the Peloton app, I headed out to the races.
Compared to Peloton
Could my homemade exercise bike give me the $ 2,000 Peloton experience? No, of course not. But for a small price, it worked better than I expected.
The trainer kept the bike stable and I only noticed some wobbling when pedaling as fast as I could. The resistance knob had options from 1 to 6, but did not notice a huge difference between the highest and lowest settings. I have a feeling that the problem could be solved by tightening the screw on the machine, controlling how much it is pressed against the rear wheel.
There were other minor inconveniences in my setup, such as the lack of a water bottle holder, but in the end I didn’t expect the heights of luxury from my $ 120 solution.
If you already own a good bike and have a cycling app that you like, an inexpensive exercise bike can be the cost-effective solution you need to exercise in the comfort of your home. I cannot promise that you will recreate the atmosphere of the gym, but I guarantee you will sweat.