Racing roadkill
Guru
It’s basically slick marketing, of a product that no sane thinking individual would consider a necessity, and I really can’t see it being around for very long.
Peleton indoor riding advert
- Thread starter clid61
- Start date
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But a lot of fad following sheep will have signed up by then and be stuck with all the kit 🤭
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Losing 200 million a year even during their peak sales. Invest now!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I did a bit of reading about them and was surprised to find that they are pretty large in the US: 1.4m subscribers, 400k machines sold. They only decided to expand into Europe last year. I assumed that it was just being started up. But its been going a while with some degree of success.
Not that that has any real significance. Just means I'm not very well informed about the luxury fitness industry in the USA.
Anyway ... it's not a substitute for going out and riding a bike on the road - it's a substitute for going out and pedalling a stationary exercise machine in the gym. In the US their primary competitor seems to be a company called SoulCycle who provide gym based services.
Not that that has any real significance. Just means I'm not very well informed about the luxury fitness industry in the USA.
Anyway ... it's not a substitute for going out and riding a bike on the road - it's a substitute for going out and pedalling a stationary exercise machine in the gym. In the US their primary competitor seems to be a company called SoulCycle who provide gym based services.
winjim
Smash the cistern
I can think of lots of reasons. Have a brainstorm, see how many you can come up with.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Yep, they’ll be stuck with a 2 Grand exercise bike, which doesn’t do anything more than a 20 quid Argos special.
- Location
- London
Ah yes, the rental business model - the ambition of many businesses.
Manufactured stuff has long been relatively cheap and getting cheaper. At rrp. And can very often be picked up at deep discounts.
The other variant on this is ever more fernickity expensive bike bits offering not a lot more, if anything, in a real sense, and having shorter service lives.
Only a shade away from renting you your rear cassette etec.
Manufactured stuff has long been relatively cheap and getting cheaper. At rrp. And can very often be picked up at deep discounts.
The other variant on this is ever more fernickity expensive bike bits offering not a lot more, if anything, in a real sense, and having shorter service lives.
Only a shade away from renting you your rear cassette etec.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I could be wrong but I don't think that shifting hardware is central to what they're trying to do. It's a part of it - but the $30(?) monthly subscription is where it's at.
Wouldn't surprise me if they don't provide a software-only subscription that ties in with smart trainers - and does away with their own hardware (a la Zwift) at some time in the future. If they don't go bust first.
It's the paying subscribers (and their personal data) that they really want. Shifting one-off machines in order to gain those subscribers is a means to an end. (albeit one that brings in a profit).
The power of advertising never ceases to amaze me though. Not impress me, just amaze me! Those people could really sell sand to the Arabs (no racism was meant there before the pc police jump on me ) and, if they can get the latest pop star or sports star to appear in their commercial even better.. Take a look around you when you're next out and see how many people are wearing the exact same shoes/trainers/clothes etc.. The worrying thing is the way in which they have made it appear to be 'cool' (if anybody stills uses that term 
) to gamble, or that you should be proud of yourself for having a good credit score! Personally, I have always felt more proud of myself for having the patience to save for whatever I 'need' but, in today's crazy society that actually makes me a worse person 
) to gamble, or that you should be proud of yourself for having a good credit score! Personally, I have always felt more proud of myself for having the patience to save for whatever I 'need' but, in today's crazy society that actually makes me a worse person
- Location
- London
Exactly - that was my point.
And once the folk have shelled out for the hardware they will, I assume, be more reluctant to abandon the sub/rental/tax.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
I just find the whole thing hilarious, and I worked in advertising, as my Uni degree involved a good bit of it. That was some time ago, but I can see how the adverts have a tendency to pander to the aspiring, and those who are too time crunched or too phobic to go out and exercise with others. You know, spin classes got a start with a guy who called himself "Johnny G", who worked out of his garage in California. Schwinn actually got together with him and produced a credible exercycle for spin classes. There has been litle or no real development since then, as far as I can see, except for the digital aspect and virtual group stuff. So you can be competitive, without being social. Something essentially wrong about that.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Right-Mousetrap!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I can see how this sort of thing appeals to 'certain types'. A girl in our office was having a personal trainer, spending a bomb, but to mention she might go out for a run or ride a bike... nope. Our office is full of people that wouldn't go near two wheels - and they are half my age.
Such a massive outlay for this Peleton though, and I guess the trainer is stuck with the software, not like a Watt bike ?
Such a massive outlay for this Peleton though, and I guess the trainer is stuck with the software, not like a Watt bike ?
Racing roadkill
Guru
Quite right. It’s the way of the world unfortunately. Spoon whittlers don’t make the ‘great white chiefs’ any money, so the marketeers target the ‘consumers’ of the world, and try to imply that the spoon whittlers are the devil. I’m somewhere in between a spoon whittler and a consumer. I will buy a prThe power of advertising never ceases to amaze me though. Not impress me, just amaze me! Those people could really sell sand to the Arabs (no racism was meant there before the pc police jump on me ) and, if they can get the latest pop star or sports star to appear in their commercial even better.. Take a look around you when you're next out and see how many people are wearing the exact same shoes/trainers/clothes etc.. The worrying thing is the way in which they have made it appear to be 'cool' (if anybody stills uses that term
Racing roadkill
Guru
2 grand for the kit, 40 quid a month on subs. It’s not cheap. I guess that it’s a sign of the times that people would even entertain paying that much, for something they could get at a gym, for a fraction of the price.
