If you place your Peloton on a carpet, lay a sheet of plywood over the floor and cover it with a bike mat, so there’s a more stable surface for the bike to rest on. Get a mat big enough to leave some extra floor space around the bike for other Peloton workouts—like strength training and yoga.
There are 2 levers below the seat of the Peloton, controlling its height and depth. The lever that controls depth is directly underneath the seat, while the height lever is further down near the bike’s base. If your lever sticks out at an angle, just pull it out and let it drop naturally into the 6 o’clock position. It’ll then be out of your way!
Peloton recommends simply starting with the seat placed in the center position if you’re a beginner. Remember, you can always adjust the seat’s depth and height later to get a more comfortable fit!
Seat height is the vertical distance between the seat and the base of the bike, whereas seat depth is the seat’s horizontal distance from the bike handlebars. On your first time adjusting the handlebars, set them to their highest level and then continually reduce the height until your arms feel comfortable. Sit on the bike and place your hands at the bottom of the handlebars. When positioned right, you should be able to comfortably grip the bars with room for a slight bend in your arms.
You’ll need Peloton shoes and cleats to ride the bike. To attach the cleats, position them over the three holes on the bottom of your shoes and screw them into place with the 4-millimeter hex key (which comes with the bike). If you have any experience putting boots into skis or wearing high heels, you’ll find that the motion of clipping your feet into the Peloton feels very similar! Never try to clip out while the pedals are still spinning, or you could seriously injure yourself.
Seat height: If your knee is completely straight in the 6 o’clock position, lower your seat. If your knee is bent too far, raise up the seat. Seat depth: If your knee is behind the ball of your foot while in the 3 o’clock position, move your seat forward. If your knee is ahead of your foot, move the seat back. Pedaling: If your legs feel strained while pedaling or your hips start rocking, lower your seat. If your knees go out to the sides, raise your seat.
Whenever an instructor tells you to return to 1st position in a ride, gently return to this position.
While pedaling in this position, keep your head up, chest open, and shoulders back and down. You should not be standing straight up or leaning far forward. Your core muscles will naturally activate to support your body without your hands!
Maintain a slight bend in your knee and make sure your shoulders don’t creep up into your ears. If this position isn’t comfortable, slow your pace or return to the seat and try it again after you’re more used to the Peloton.
Entering subscription information is easy! Follow the onscreen prompts for information, such as your time zone and the email you used to pay for your subscription. Choose a screen name that tells a little bit about yourself and is relatively simple. For example, if you’re a mom, you could choose the name “FitMomEmma. " If you’re an early riser, you could use “ZeroDarkThirtyRider. "
You don’t have to watch all of the tutorials at once if you’re ready to get riding. You can always check them out later!
Knowing your specific zones will help you understand how hard you should push yourself to stay in the zone and get the most out of your rides. Focusing on Power Zone rides will also allow you to track your progress as you improve. Look for instructors Denis Morton and Matt Wilpers in the library to find FTP test rides you can use to find your zones.
To navigate your Schedule tab, tap on it at the bottom of the display and tap on the date you want to do a live class. Scroll down the available classes and select one to join. Live rides sometimes involve a shoutout from your instructor, and you’ll definitely get one on your first day of a live class!
Low-Impact means the bike’s resistance and cadence won’t go too high, and there are minimal (if any) standing sections. Groove workouts are more focused on riding to the beat of the music and sometimes involve extra movement on the bike. Live DJ means there’s a DJ at the studio, mixing songs for the class. HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training; this is periods of intense effort broken up by short rests. “Tabata” rides are a type of HIIT with a more specific pattern. Power Zone rides are based on your calculated Functional Threshold Power (FTP). They’re broken up into 7 different “zones,” ranging from super easy to maximum effort. Theme rides are workouts based on a specific genre of music. Some Peloton themes include the ’70s, ’80s, Y2K, classic rock, EDM, country, jazz, and Broadway music.
The other rider will be notified that you send them a high-five, and they may send one in return. If someone breaks their own record or if you both just survived a tough steep climb, a high-five is a great way to motivate each other!
