Even before the big debacle in the pilot episode of Sex and the City’s spin-off And Just Like That, Peloton was all the hype, and I ran quickly away from it. I’ve never been great at following the crowd, and its cult-like following? Intimidating.
Fast forward a few years: the craze had cooled, I had a slightly bigger space, and I got an irresistible offer. A friend was willing to give me his bike — barely used — for a third of the original price… if I could pick it up and haul it across London on a freezing February morning. Challenge accepted.
Here’s my story: from falling in love with Peloton, to struggling with the monotony, surviving a price hike, and eventually canceling my subscription. Think of this as interval training: after the high-intensity bits of my painful memories, you’ll get a lighter, easy-breathe moment with the takeaways you can actually apply to your subscription app.
Interval 1: jumping into my personalized plan
My first hiccup came during account setup. Reading the fine print has never been my strong suit, and sure enough, I couldn’t use the bike to its full potential without the All-Access subscription at £39 a month.
Whoops. But I was determined to give it a go. Plus, the subscription meant my partner could also use the bike, which seemed to excite him. Escaping the rain outside, I doubled down on bike rides.
The real highlight? Peloton’s personalized plan feature:
Peloton email around personalising your plan
I’ve long struggled to fit into the box of a set plan that most apps offer. They usually focus on one type of exercise, while I thrive on variety. I’m the kind of person who never makes a recipe more than twice — yes, seriously.
With Peloton, I quickly customized a routine that mixed biking, running, and strength training, and I was off.
Here’s what their onboarding flow looks like:
Peloton quiz
The onboarding is easy to navigate and never makes you feel stupid:
- If you’re unfamiliar with a workout type, like HIIT Cardio, they explain it clearly
- Visuals show exactly how to use the equipment
- Goals are asked about in simple, straightforward language
Clear explanations of exercises
I loved the variety of instructors and music, which perfectly complemented the high-energy workouts. My weekly streak grew quickly — just one workout a week was enough to keep it going — so no matter where I was in the world, I always did at least one session.
Takeaway 1: help users get the most out of your app, fast
Finding content with Peloton was effortless. A few simple questions helped the app understand me and offer workouts I actually enjoyed. ‘Fast’ doesn’t necessarily mean a short onboarding, but even if your onboarding is lon