4 ms·

To use an example from the parent post, local, cyclist spin trainers are losing, since people are simply using the Pelaton trainers at home, rather than going t

To use an example from the parent post, local, cyclist spin trainers are losing, since people are simply using the Pelaton trainers at home, rather than going to an "in person" spin class. The local, small time trainer can't compete with a celebrity/model trainer. Similar to how TV and movies hurt local theatres. In the end, it is more efficient, but there are "losers".

ghaff 5y ago
I'm not convinced a lot of these trends stick post-COVID. A lot of people like the in-person part of the spin class and probably would prefer it to the highly-paid video pro. That said, behaviors will have changed for a lot of things over the course of a couple of years. People have developed new habits. Not all of that--including going into an office five days a week in many cases--are going to just reset.
- umeshunni 5y ago
  The same principles that apply to remote work apply here. Why would I want to drive 10-15 minutes, park, change and all that for a 30 or 60 minute spin class when I can take that same class in my garage or living room.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    Because you want to get out of the house and socialize with people as well as get some exercise. Now some of the same logic does apply to people wanting to get back into office. But I doubt it's true to the same degree and most people have more than a 10-15 minute commute. While I have no personal interest in gyms or exercise classes, they are social for many people.
  - edgyquant 5y ago
    There's a difference between social interaction because you want it and working. I work from home and use the gym and martial as (non-drinking) social time during the week.
  - asdff 5y ago
    because then you wouldn't need a spin bike in your garage or living room
  - mym1990 5y ago
    Because some people like to have separation of concerns in their life. I don't necessarily want to have my home be where I workout and where I work. Especially given that I live in a small studio. I do classes 1x a week still, and being in a room, 15 minutes down the street, surrounded by people in the same mindset helps me focus on that task. This doesn't fit into everyone's wants and needs...but just because you can't fathom why YOU would want to do something doesn't mean there isn't a completely valid reason for those around you.
  - teclordphrack2 5y ago
    There are urban areas where the housing choices, the lack of space, means you are going to be doing your hobbies outside of the home.
  - ArtDev 5y ago
    I don't know about you but many of us were remote for many many years before Covid. I don't see this mentioned enough but the fact remains: when you work from home you also live at work. It's a two-edged sword. Its hard to unplug when you sleep next to your desk. Sometimes I go to the store, just to leave work/home. A gym sounds nice too, just to go somewhere else.
- francisofascii 5y ago
  Post-Covid, I tend to agree. If people continue to work from home, rather than in an office, then the in-person spin class and other in-person activities could actually surge in popularity, since people will want more in-person interaction.
- closeparen 5y ago
  What reason do we have to believe that there will be a point in the future with less COVID risk than there is today? By what mechanism will that arise?
  - mym1990 5y ago
    Vaccination numbers still have a lot of room to grow, the virus may mutate into something that has a lower kill rate, the vaccine efficacy will likely improve, etc...
    - ghaff 5y ago
      Well, and at some point, even relatively cautious rational people go: "I'm not permanently curtailing my activities." I live in a deep blue state and, while you see masks, life has returned to normal in a lot of respects.
    - chipotle_coyote 5y ago
      My (limited!) understanding is that mutations that make pathogens more contagious but less fatal are evolutionarily advantageous, so to the degree we can talk about Covid-19 having “self-interest,” becoming ever closer to Bad Case of Flu is within it.
      - roflc0ptic 5y ago
        In the long term this evolutionary pressure is present, however, it's not an iron law - as I understand, in addition to becoming more transmissible, COVID variants have become a bit more fatal over time.
        mym1990 5y ago
        I've seen this as well. I feel like maybe worst case scenario is a virus that is silent, contagious, and eventually deadly, and can stick around long enough to infect others.
  - roflc0ptic 5y ago
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  Just want to note that pre-COVID, not many people would even have considered not-in-person equivalents to things that they thought they preferred in-person. When I say "not even considered", in many cases I mean "were not even aware they existed". It might be that their pre-COVID apparent preferences remain their actual preference post-COVID, but I would not take that for granted.
- datavirtue 5y ago
  Pelaton trainers, on average, are far superior to in-person instructors. The experience is better in-home and less time is in used travelling and changing. My equipment. My home. Die hard educated professional leading the class. The only in-person that comes close runs about $300-500 a month.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    It's not all about impersonal efficiency for many people.
Damogran6 5y ago
There's also the people using spin class trainers in Apple+ that wouldn't ordinarily use one...it's not a zero sum game. (I have it playing the the background as I ride my roadbike, it provides enthusiasm even if the effort doesn't line up with the road.)

ghaff 5y ago

I'm not convinced a lot of these trends stick post-COVID. A lot of people like the in-person part of the spin class and probably would prefer it to the highly-paid video pro. That said, behaviors will have changed for a lot of things over the course of a couple of years. People have developed new habits. Not all of that--including going into an office five days a week in many cases--are going to just reset.

umeshunni 5y ago
The same principles that apply to remote work apply here. Why would I want to drive 10-15 minutes, park, change and all that for a 30 or 60 minute spin class when I can take that same class in my garage or living room.
- ghaff 5y ago
  Because you want to get out of the house and socialize with people as well as get some exercise. Now some of the same logic does apply to people wanting to get back into office. But I doubt it's true to the same degree and most people have more than a 10-15 minute commute. While I have no personal interest in gyms or exercise classes, they are social for many people.
- edgyquant 5y ago
  There's a difference between social interaction because you want it and working. I work from home and use the gym and martial as (non-drinking) social time during the week.
- asdff 5y ago
  because then you wouldn't need a spin bike in your garage or living room
- mym1990 5y ago
  Because some people like to have separation of concerns in their life. I don't necessarily want to have my home be where I workout and where I work. Especially given that I live in a small studio. I do classes 1x a week still, and being in a room, 15 minutes down the street, surrounded by people in the same mindset helps me focus on that task. This doesn't fit into everyone's wants and needs...but just because you can't fathom why YOU would want to do something doesn't mean there isn't a completely valid reason for those around you.
- teclordphrack2 5y ago
  There are urban areas where the housing choices, the lack of space, means you are going to be doing your hobbies outside of the home.
- ArtDev 5y ago
  I don't know about you but many of us were remote for many many years before Covid. I don't see this mentioned enough but the fact remains: when you work from home you also live at work. It's a two-edged sword. Its hard to unplug when you sleep next to your desk. Sometimes I go to the store, just to leave work/home. A gym sounds nice too, just to go somewhere else.
francisofascii 5y ago
Post-Covid, I tend to agree. If people continue to work from home, rather than in an office, then the in-person spin class and other in-person activities could actually surge in popularity, since people will want more in-person interaction.
closeparen 5y ago
What reason do we have to believe that there will be a point in the future with less COVID risk than there is today? By what mechanism will that arise?
- mym1990 5y ago
  Vaccination numbers still have a lot of room to grow, the virus may mutate into something that has a lower kill rate, the vaccine efficacy will likely improve, etc...
  - ghaff 5y ago
    Well, and at some point, even relatively cautious rational people go: "I'm not permanently curtailing my activities." I live in a deep blue state and, while you see masks, life has returned to normal in a lot of respects.
  - chipotle_coyote 5y ago
    My (limited!) understanding is that mutations that make pathogens more contagious but less fatal are evolutionarily advantageous, so to the degree we can talk about Covid-19 having “self-interest,” becoming ever closer to Bad Case of Flu is within it.
    - roflc0ptic 5y ago
      In the long term this evolutionary pressure is present, however, it's not an iron law - as I understand, in addition to becoming more transmissible, COVID variants have become a bit more fatal over time.
      - mym1990 5y ago
        I've seen this as well. I feel like maybe worst case scenario is a virus that is silent, contagious, and eventually deadly, and can stick around long enough to infect others.
- roflc0ptic 5y ago
PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
Just want to note that pre-COVID, not many people would even have considered not-in-person equivalents to things that they thought they preferred in-person. When I say "not even considered", in many cases I mean "were not even aware they existed". It might be that their pre-COVID apparent preferences remain their actual preference post-COVID, but I would not take that for granted.
datavirtue 5y ago
Pelaton trainers, on average, are far superior to in-person instructors. The experience is better in-home and less time is in used travelling and changing. My equipment. My home. Die hard educated professional leading the class. The only in-person that comes close runs about $300-500 a month.
- ghaff 5y ago
  It's not all about impersonal efficiency for many people.

Damogran6 5y ago

There's also the people using spin class trainers in Apple+ that wouldn't ordinarily use one...it's not a zero sum game. (I have it playing the the background as I ride my roadbike, it provides enthusiasm even if the effort doesn't line up with the road.)