I cannot believe that it has been a month since I received my Bowflex C6 Indoor Cycling bike and since I signed up for the Peloton subscription! I will be quick on this next statement: I am loving it. This bike in conjunction with the Peloton Mobile app have been fantastic and been very motivational in my goal of better health and more physical activity.
My work schedule and commute make having time to get a workout in tough, but this bike allows me to be able to get the workout done in a short period of time and avoid the other time constraints that going to a gym for a class involves. The math on the time adds up quick, and time is a limited resource for me. Packing a bag (5-10 min), driving the 10-20 minutes to the gym, getting the class in (20-60 min), changing (5-10 min), driving home (10-20 min). It all adds up. Best case in there is an hour round trip for a 20 minute class, and that doesn’t even factor in a shower. worst case in that scenario is 2 hours. With the bike, get home do the 20-60 minute ride, get showered, get on with things.
One other big issue I had had with attempting to get more active and healthy using a gym was the anxiety that going to a gym and embarrassing myself comes with, or having someone film me while there and not being perfect, and finally the time commitment that is necessary. All of these things are impediments to making a change and I wanted to take those excuses away and just do better. While this bike is a financial commitment, it allows me to do everything in the privacy of my own home, and to not have that time commitment or the same social anxiety.
Time on the bike:
In contrasts to all the negatives I was feeling about getting over the hurdles and starting this journey, I am genuinely enjoying the rides. Right now, I am still floating around On-Demand Beginners rides, and recently started on 30 minute Advanced-Beginner rides. In those 20 to 30 minute rides I have been burning nearly 50-75% of my daily goal in calories depending on on the duration of the rides that I have done! It has felt fantastic, and feels very rewarding. While I am not seeing the numbers on the scale change yet, I can feel the change happening in my body, from my breathing, to a change in my day to day cardio, to a motivation to make more changes in nutrition. It is still very early, but I am definitely feeling different, but better.
The bike has been great to for having the necessary back support I need while riding. With my back issues, I need assistance with the impact my body is taking. I have severe pain when walking on the sidewalk, or doing other physical acts. Running is definitely out of the question. It is absolutely incredible how a short bout of activity can negatively impact my back for an extended period. One mess up can put me out of commission for days, if not weeks. Due to this, I try to limit the impact that my back takes when doing physical activity. I try to stay loose, and want to strengthen it, but I have to pick my times and limit the stress my back endures. Having a seat to assist in this has made this a feasible means to improve my situation and continue to recover.
Peloton Classes:
So far, I have taken classes with Jennifer Jacobs, Jess King, Hannah Marie Corbin, Ally Love, and Denis Morton. All of the classes were good, but so far I have enjoyed the classes with Denis the most. I enjoy the combination of Intervals and Builds, and also align well with the choice of music during the rides – classic rock, 90’s, etc.
The app for Peloton is great. My wife and I both love working towards the goals and achievements within the Apple Activity app and Peloton has their own take on the concept and we love it. In addition to having Achievements, there are also Monthly and Annual Challenges that push you to keep working out. The cynical will argue this is a money grab to keep you subscribed – so be it, this is motivation for me to keep working.
I am a data nerd, and being able to see a breakdown of what zones I am hitting and how much time I am staying in them is great, and I love being able to see minute by minute charting of my heart rate during a ride. The integration with the Apple Health app is great, however, one issue I have is that the Peloton classes do not get recorded as Workouts with the Apple Achievements. I have not found a workaround for this, but it is not a game-breaker to me. I do hope that something is updated on whomever’s side is responsible as this would be a nice fix.
The only other negative on the app is navigation can be a tad frustrating and confusing. Once you learn where things can be accessed, it is overall a great experience.
Conclusion:
I love the bike. I love the app. I look forward to it each time I am up for another day of riding. Now that I have a seat that accommodates me I am not having any issues with discomfort. One concern I had with installing a larger seat was the potential of it being in the way when riding ended up not being and issue as I am not experiencing any problems with it being in the way.
One note before finishing up this one month follow up: The Peloton app includes a TON more than just cycling workouts. There are indoor/outdoor runs, strength training, yoga, walking, and much more. I personally have not used them, but my wife has enjoyed the yoga classes she has participated in.
I definitely recommend this setup as an alternative to those who are turned away by the steep cost of entry on the Peloton. If you are considering this as an option, and are willing to take the leap, go for it! I personally am thrilled with the setup and will be keeping things moving!
Kevin Douglas's Blog 
I just got my bow-flex bike and need to replace the seat. Can you give me the seat you purchased and did it fit easily on theBowflex or did you have to manipulate it?
Hello Alicia,
This is the seat that I used: https://amzn.to/32zAn0Z
It only required some basic tools, that I believe it came with, and was a direct replacement.
There is a little knob that the Bowflex seat is attached to, just like a regular bike, and this seat will go on there normally and just needs to be tightened.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kevin
Hi Kevin! Thanks so much for your detailed review on the C6. Question, can this bike be used without having to plug it in? Is the AC adapter for the console? I like the flexibility of not having to worry about placing the bike near an outlet. Thank you for your time!
Hello KC, I believe the bike uses electromagnetic resistance on the flywheel in order to operate. With that, I believe the bike requires power for both the LCD, and resistance. I hope this helps!
Very helpful! 😊 Thanks Kevin! I wound up ordering the C6 today and after reading your review I’m certain I will love the bike. Have a great week!
How do you move sear forward
Loosen the handle underneath the seat slightly and that should allow the seat to slide on the track that it is installed on. If it does not slide any further than it currently is it has reached the end of the adjustment area.
Kevin, I bought the Bowflex C6 and I am using the Peloton App on my TV…love the workouts. One of the things I am having difficulty is with the resistance conversion from Peloton to Bowflex C6.
I found a conversion table for under 50 and says over 50 is one for one. Do you feel these Conversions are correct: (if so I guess the workouts are harder than I thoughtF!!!!)
Peloton Bowflex
25 5
30 9
35 17
40 25
45 33
50 49
I definitely found the workouts to be tougher on the Bowflex than what they are saying on the Peloton app. When on the Bowflex it is tougher to meet the resistance levels that are being suggested, so I do it at my pace. I cannot speak to the table, but I can confirm that the resistance is tougher on the Bowflex. I try to meet the RPM and set comparable values that are tough on the resistance. I don’t go easy on myself with it, I definitely try to keep it close, but not to the point where I will hurt myself in the process. Think about what the instructor is saying: “20 should be a flat road”, then if that is ~5-10 on the Bowflex, aim for that. If “Add a couple more” is 3-5 on Peloton, make it 1-2 more on the Bowflex. Make 50 something to strive for, but have it be 35-40. Do what suits you, and remember that they are giving recommendations. Have fun with it, but get a good workout out of it too.
Thanks for the outstanding review! I ordered my C6 bike last week and I can’t wait to get started! I chose this bike because I too cannot do very high impact exercises, but I want a total body workout. Have a great holiday season!
How do you get the power zones to show on the app? I know my FTP but can’t see the zones anywhere
Once I paired my Apple Watch with the app the power zones displayed on screen with the Heart Rate.
How do you pair the watch to the app? From what I read, apple and peloton don’t communicate since one works on Bluetooth and the other on ant+
Within the Peloton app on the iPhone there is an area to setup the Apple Watch within the “more” menu. I don’t remember the specifics but there is likely some settings to allow the app to pull health data from the watch.
Tried it and I don’t see anything in the bottom of my screen regarding power zones
I have a peloton at work and my main focus is output. I just purchased the C6 and the mobile app. I am finding that while connected the bike and app do not calculate and keep track of my output. Kind of the main point with the peloton leaderboard. Am I over looking something? Or does the c6 and app only keep track of cadence
Hi Kevin,
Great reviews, really appreciate an objective opinion. What caught my attention is that you’re also a tall guy. So a couple of questions if you don’t mind?
1) I’m 6’7” but with a 35” inseam. Do you think I’d fit? How do you fit for reference?
2) it’s many more months on, how are you finding it? Still motivated? I’m also looking at it for weight loss/general health.
3) Its also for my wife who is recovering from a knee injury, she’s 5’0” with a 28” inseam. Do you think she’d fit? Also what’s the minimum resistance on the bike like? She’ll need to ease back into it.
Final note; I was thinking of getting a traeger so I appreciate those reviews too.
Cheers.
Thanks for the review! We’re probably going to order this bike today. A side note, from a fellow back pain sufferer, a coworker suggested this book, and it is changing my life after more than two years of back pain. I tried everything: PT, chiro, stretches, and it just got worse. The Younger Next Year Back Book has got me getting better in just two weeks of doing the exercises daily:
Thanks for the feedback and the recommendation. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your bike as much as I have enjoyed mine!
Hi Kevin! Just got my bowflex C6 and I am very interested in using it with the peloton app. Would you be able to share the conversions for changing the resistance?
Hello Claire,
Thank you for your visit and comment!
Unfortunately there is not a real 1-1 method of doing this in my experience. Both my wife and I have different metrics that we use to get to the necessary goals of the rides.
We have both found that our flat road is different, and that our peak resistance is different.
I have found that my flat road is somewhere around 20 where as my wife has found that a tough number to attain.
I would suggest doing a few rides and seeing what you would find to be a light resistance and make that your “flat road,” and when you find a number that is very difficult make that your 50+ and then have a rough idea of what the goals are of the instructors.
If the instructor wants you out of the seat and working you will want that to be at your higher end as well.
I hope this helps!
Kevin Douglas
My wife recommends doing their power zone rides to get a feel for the your level of exertion at the different levels of resistance. This will tell you based on your heart rate and breathing and help you dial in where you need to be.
Look for the “Discover Your Power Zones” program, these helped me as well.
Good luck! I hope you find success!