I bought a BowFlex stationary bike during the pandemic ($600 vs. the $1200 that Peloton was selling for at that time) and used it with the Peloton digital subscription. I used it on average 4 times a week.
My daughter convinced me to break down and get the actual Peloton bike this spring. For me, there was a big difference between using another brand bike with the App and using the real Peloton with their online classes. With the off-brand bike, I was having to guess at cadence & resistance. Once I started with the Peloton, I realized that I was guessing poorly. I now feel like I am getting a bonafide cycling workout. I wish I had done it sooner.
I’m not a crazy cyclist - I have joint issues so I do a lot of low impact classes, and I don’t have a desire to die while on it, so no HIIT or Tabata for me. I use it to keep my heart pumping, lungs breathing and joints moving. I am not an exercise class person, nor do I want to drive to a gym so this works for me. I supplement this work out with kettlebells as well to get some weight-bearing exercise in.
There’s a lot you can do with Peloton in addition to cycling (walking, running, weight training, barre, stretching). They have tons of classes.