I remember a thread on here a while back where some folks were sharing their peloton-alike setups and sadly I've lost the bookmark for it.
Isn't it possible to hook a road bike up to some kind of 'bike treadmill' or such and go on virtual rides (maybe with an iPad or a tv or something infront of it?).
With the kinds of money Peloton are charging, it did seem like a much better deal, and you get a road bike included...
A trainer like that can be used with all kinds of software. Personally I like the social aspects of Zwift. Group rides, competitions, just biking along the map with other people around. For structured workouts Trainerroad is great, but it's also possible to do in Zwift. Other apps like Rouvy exist, probably apps for more traditional spinning sessions as well, or you can just make your own workout in any of the apps matching a YouTube video and put the video on.
There are plenty of other setups with various levels of connectedness. Cyclists I know love Zwift, though they also sell a bike type thing and their kickers are not exactly cheap.
I'd argue that Peloton is likely still the best at home spin studio replacement if that's what people are looking for.
One last point is that I think Peloton gets unfairly targeted for non-use. Gyms, all fitness equipment, even things like boats and motorcycles are frequently bought and never used. Just how consumerism works.
What's different with a Peloton vs others is that there's a ongoing subscription cost, so it sitting around unused with a subscription is a real monthly cost. A better comparison would be a gym membership. Also the Peloton takes a lot of floor place in your home and can't really be stored away.
If you want classes, etc that is separate. I already get that via Apple Health.
If you want real-time competition, you could use Zwift, but then you're increasing the cost (albiet, you are using a best of breed system and composing from parts.)
Including your road bike?
Obviously there are cyclists who also use a Peloton, but I've found that's not who it's targeted at. It's the spin studio crowd who the Peloton is aimed at. I'm guessing many of those haven't ridden an actual bike in long time.
Does "capitalism" now just mean that businesses can do whatever they want?
Consumer rights are awful in the United States, but that isn't because our economy is capitalistic. It's because our government is inept.
It just serves to poison conversations on the subject.
I personally don’t think there’s a good discussion to be had around the subject of this post btw.
There’s literally no good reason for that fee. None.
Well, look at the precise manner in which our government is inept. Capitalism is basically a religious ideology here. Any time anyone suggests anything pro-worker or pro-consumer, there are no shortage of people who will call it "communism", and demand completely unregulated corporate power as the solution, claiming that to be the path to free market capitalism.
We have decided that making money = success, and do absolutely nothing when companies charge $95 just to allow you the opportunity to subscribe to a paid service, as a punishment for buying your equipment used.
So yes, Capitalism as an economic practice can exist in tandem with strong worker and consumer rights and protections, but Capitalism as an ethos is the reason why we are lacking so many worker and consumer rights and protections.
There's a weird juxtaposition where a lot of libertarians are really into right to repair. And look I'm all for right to repair but I am not a libertarian. Frankly, I'm not convinced capitalism is the best method to organize society at all.
But it's fascinating now when private companies do terrible things, they still manage to blame the government even though they are against a large government regulations.
Definitely a strange dynamic rossmann community.
Because
In an ideal spherical free market in a vacuum, nobody would buy even slightly enshittified things, because a rational educated consumer understands how it erodes the whole market and thus harms them personally.
In reality, of course, consumers frequently barely know anything about what they’re buying, and en masse will happily trade away any rights for a meager discount (or nothing at all), without even really knowing it. The worst part is that there is no effort to fix this - only some crutches and legal duct tape to protect consumers from most blatant abuse.
I suspect that with information gaps and lack of full transparency, no matter if it’s some perfect free market capitalism, textbook utopian communism, or anything realistic in between - things are still going to be broken (just with different flavors).
In other words, capitalism is a distraction, and lack of even just a strive to have true well-informed competition (which is fundamental to any socioeconomic model, not just capitalism) is the reason we can’t have nice things.
It sounds like a dumb idea to me but some people have one and love it.
there are plenty of normal alternatives for people who just want exercise, bad example of broken capitalism to me
It's a lux brand at a premium price, an item many people buy to be in a social group rather than focusing as fitness tool, and there are cheaper and arguably better solutions available out there.
Do you debate any of those statements?