This is such a weird thing, paying to see scenery when riding your stationary bike and then post on the social network, when you can just go out with friends and bike for real in the nature.
In an alternate reality where the opposite happened, a poster much like you just posted incredulously how you saw someone take the stairs to the gym, then hop right on a much superior stairmaster instead of just using the stairmaster the whole time.
> when you can just go out with friends and bike for real in the nature
"just"
What if you live in the city? What if you have a 10-minute window until your next meeting? What if it's raining? What if it's snowing? What if it's dark? What if you live in Arizona and it's the summer? Etc.
We all have different needs so I wouldn't write off people that want an exercise bike for their house.
If you have friends near you, and if weather permits. I would go to the gym in winter to cycle and run precisely because it allows me to exercise out of reach of the cold and rainy weather.
I've personally never taken a ride where I saw scenery-- and I don't think most people think of that when they justify their subscription to themselves. I take ones with a coach. I'm aware there's free coaching videos aplenty online I could download and rig up to some other stationary bike, but chose the Peloton anyways so it would all come integrated and at the level of quality I saw in the demo store.
In Northern Europe and the US, riding your bike outside is not a pleasant or optimal experience for about half of the year. It’s also just a lot easier to wake up, make a cup of coffee, and hop on the stationary bike than to drag my bike outside.
I agree that real is better, but "fake" scenery lets you explore and ride virtually in all kinds of natural and urban surroundings, which might be interesting to some people.
