[barnbuilder]

That iPad has enough content, gamification, and social aspects that it keeps you motivated to work out on a consistent basis. For many people that effect (especially if it leads to health benefits) is worth paying a lot of money for, and it's easier to just spend the money than to try (and likely fail) to be self-motivated enough to do the same thing on a conventional stationary bike without the tricks.

In other words, better to pay ~$1500 + ~$44/mo on something that gets you working out hard every day, than to pay $150 for a big ugly clothes hanger.

[l1tany11]

I think one of the big advantages to something like peloton is how brief you can make it and how private it is. For some, it’s a more comfortable, realistic way to be eased into exercise. The gamification etc as you mentioned adds a lot to that too.