We see tons of fitness equipment go on sale during the month of January. People are feeling sluggish after the holidays and motivated to start amping up their fitness routines for the new year. There are sales on everything from yoga mats to water bottles. But what about the rarely discounted items? Like deals on Peloton? How do you save money on expensive fitness equipment? Our deal experts share their top money-saving tips!
We know anyone can go out and find a cheap weight set during January fitness sales. But for those of us wanting to buy quality fitness equipment that will last and be used more than just one month, finding deals can be a little trickier.
Our deal editors share some of their tips for getting the best deals on fitness equipment. See six money-saving tips below and let us know if you have any tips to share.
Research Loyalty and Referral Programs
If you’re purchasing a larger piece of fitness equipment that rarely goes on sale, check to see if they offer any referral programs. If your friends or family are interested in the same brand of equipment, some brands will give them a discount and you a promotional credit for the purchase.
Peloton is a great example. They rarely offer discounts, but they do offer $100 off for your friends and family plus a $100 purchase credit to you for referring them. Echelon, another at-home exercise bike, offers the same referral promotion.
Check for Credit Card Offers
Some credit cards have partnerships with fitness brands and you can get discounts or account credits for purchases with those brands using your credit card.
Peloton is yet again a good example. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can get 10x the points on the purchase of a Peloton Bike or Peloton Tread and up to $120 back on your Peloton All-Access Membership or Peloton App Membership. Sapphire Preferred holders get 5x points and up to $60 back.
American Express Platinum cardholders had a similar offer to receive a $300 statement credit with the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike. While that offer seems to have expired, they are offering up to $300 back each year on Equinox and Equinox+ memberships.
Buy Digital Subscriptions for Your Own Equipment
This is something a lot of our deal editors do. You can purchase Peloton’s digital content and use it with your own stationary bike or treadmill. Or, purchase the Equinox subscription without the SoulCycle at-home bike. You get the picture.
The key here would be to buy a quality cadence sensor that would allow you to track similar training and fitness metrics that Peloton users love. Some trusted brands for sensors are Wahoo and Magene. You can find quality options for both of these brands for $40-$70.
Our deal editor Mike is an avid cyclist. He notes that if you are going to use your own bike with the Peloton digital content, you may want to invest in a smart trainer. Which, though pricey, is still a fraction of the cost of a Peloton bike.
His pick for the best smart trainer to use with Peloton is the Wahoo Kickr Snap: “It’s compatible with almost any bike. Even kids’ bikes. And it’s a smart trainer so it can simulate hills and you can pair it with almost any fitness app or fitness tracker. It’s $500, but regularly drops to $400-450.” This is still about $2,000 less than the Peloton bike itself.
Shop Outside the US
Sometimes broadening your retailer search can help you save hundreds. Mike purchased an Elite Direto XR trainer which is normally $800. By purchasing it from a UK seller, ProBikeKit, he was able to get it for $683 with free international shipping during a New Year promotion. He purchased it from the UK because cycling is more popular there and competitive pricing drives the retail price down.
Don’t be afraid to research sellers you haven’t heard of when purchasing fitness equipment. But the key here is research. Check their social media pages. Test their customer service contact numbers and emails. Scrutinize review sites and Google them until you feel confident that they’re safe. If you’re ever hesitant, reach out to us on Facebook and we’ll help you research.
Advertiser’s disclosure: If you purchase something through a Brad’s Deals link, the site may earn a commission. Pricing and product availability are accurate as of time of published article. Learn more about how Brad’s Deals works.