What is Peloton and how much is the Bike and Bike+?

With New Year’s (and all the resolutions associated with it) under our belts, it’s now time to start putting them into practice. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is getting more fit or just starting to exercise regularly. One of the easiest ways to start getting in shape is getting yourself an exercise machine. When you have a gym – or a part of it at least – at home, you don’t really have an excuse not to work out.

So, getting an exercise machine is a great way to motivate yourself to get in shape. However, each machine is different, and it’s difficult to choose a good bike or a treadmill, and often the cheapest option is not the best – it’s limited, featureless and makes exercising feel like a chore, instead of something fun and healthy to get into.

That’s why options such as Peloton are so convincing. Peloton is probably best known for its original Peloton Bike, an at-home exercise bike that features a large screen on the front and rear speakers, allowing you to work out to one of the thousands of classes available through the Peloton All-Access membership.

The company doesn’t just offer one bike now though. There are multiple at-home gym equipment options, as well as a separate app you can use on your mobile or tablet. Those of you who want to know more about Peloton should look no further. We’ve done the leg work for you (pun intended). Here is everything you need to know about Peloton.

Peloton Bike

The original Peloton Bike is now much cheaper than when it first launched, offering a fantastic platform with access to thousands of classes. There’s a lovely big 21.5-inch display, it’s comfortable in use and it is an excellent bit of kit, especially at it’s new lower price.

What is Peloton and what products does it offer?

• Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, Row equipment
• Peloton Guide
• All-Access Membership
• Peloton Digital app
• Peloton accessories

Peloton makes at-home gym equipment, has an exercise app, and produces workout videos that customers can live-stream through Peloton products.

There are two exercise bikes available – Bike and Bike+ – and there were also two treadmill options – Peloton Tread and Peloton Tread+ – though the latter has been discontinued following some safety issues. There is also the Peloton Guide, which is a TV-connected camera that focuses on strength workouts and there is the Peloton Row too, though this is currently US only and not available in the UK or other regions.

Peloton also offers bike accessories, which include Peloton shoes, weights, headphones, a heart rate monitor and a bike mat. There are also resistance bands and Peloton apparel if you’re really keen. We have a couple of bits of apparel (yes we know, we are those people) and it’s actually remarkably comfortable.

Alongside the at-home gym equipment and accessories, Peloton also offers a mobile app that you can sign up for even if you don’t have the Peloton gym equipment. You can read more about the app a little further down.

What can the Peloton Bike and Bike+ do?

• 21.5 or 23.8-inch HD touchscreen
• Live and on-demand workouts
• All-Access Membership required

Peloton’s indoor exercise bikes are a stationary piece of at-home gym equipment with a large touchscreen attached. There are thousands of video sessions available through the Peloton All-Access Membership – more on that below – including short workouts for people with more limited schedules.

There are multiple fitness instructors to choose from for classes, recorded classes and music. It’s packed with plenty of other social features too, like the ability to virtually ride with friends, high five other members, as well as leaderboards with achievement badges.

The bikes require cleats, which are sold separately. And their handlebars only move up and down, not fore and aft – though the saddle moves forward and back. The screen on the original Bike is fixed in front of the handlebars, and it can’t be used for other purposes, such as watching YouTube videos or Netflix. The screen on the Bike+ rotates, but it is still only for the Peloton interface and not third party apps. For everything the Peloton Bike and Bike+ can do, we have a Bike tips and tricks feature.

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What’s the difference between the Peloton Bike and Bike+?

• Bike+ has bigger rotating screen
• Bike+ has more speakers
• Bike+ has automatic resistance changing

As we’ve mentioned, Peloton has two exercise bikes in its range: the Peloton Bike and the Bike+. Both bikes have the same 1200 x 600mm footprint, both come with Peloton app access and both have individual profiles for household access (up to six profiles can be added). They also both have delivery and assembly included in their prices and they both have access to thousands of Peloton classes.

The two bikes also have adjustable seats, handlebars and screens and they both have the same user requirements. The main difference is the original Peloton Bike has a height adjustable 21.5-inch HD touchscreen, while the Bike+ has a rotating 23.8-inch HD touchscreen with 360-degrees of movement. The rotating screen means you can turn the display for when you are doing strength workouts or yoga or pilates for example, rather than bike workouts.

The Bike+ also comes with four-channel audio with two 3-watt tweeters and two 10-watt woofers, while the Bike offers just two 10-watt speakers. Additionally, the Bike+ has Apple GymKit integration – which is excellent in our experience – and a Resistance Knob with Auto Follow, which means the bike automatically adjusts the resistance to the instructors recommendation, while the original Bike requires you to do this manually.

In terms of specs, the Bike+ has a slightly faster processor than the Bike, double the RAM and a slightly higher resolution front camera. It also has Bluetooth 5.0 instead of Bluetooth 4.0 and it has a USB-C port for charging devices rather than a USB microport.

What can the Peloton Tread and Tread+ do?

• 23.8-inch or 32-inch HD screen
• 0-20mph speed
• All-Access Membership required

The Peloton Tread features a traditional running belt with 1500mm of running space, while the Peloton Tread+ has a shock-absorbing slat belt and a running space of 1700mm, though as we mentioned, the Tread+ has been discontinued.

The Tread has a 23.8-inch HD touchscreen, like the Bike+, while the Tread+ had a larger 32-inch HD touchscreen, and delivery and assembly are both included in the price. The Peloton Tread offers speeds between 0 and 20mph, with 0.1mph increments, which the Tread+ also offered.

There are adjustable knob controls, a jump button to increase the speed and incline by 1mph and 1 per cent, individual profiles for household access and Peloton app access, like the Bike and Bike+. You’ll also find speakers, port for charging devices, a front-facing camera, 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth.

The classes – which are part of the All Access membership – include speed, fun runs, HIIT and bootcamp, among others. There are live and on-demand classes, and there is a variety of locations and scenery to choose from to keep things different. There’s also a live Leaderboard to keep you motivated, along with metrics including distance, speed, elevation and calories.

For everything the Peloton Tread can do, we have a Tread tips and tricks feature.

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What’s the difference between the Peloton Tread and Tread+?

There are a few differences between the Peloton Tread and the Tread+. The Tread is the cheaper of the two options, and available in the UK and US, while the Tread+ was only available in the US, though as we’ve said, it is no longer available following some safety concerns.

Both have the same processor, RAM and internal storage and they both offer the same features, including access to the live classes and on-demand classes, in-workout metrics, individual profiles for household access, training programs and challenges and workout history.

The Tread is newer than the Tread+, has a USB-C port for charging devices, Bluetooth 5.0, an 8-megapixel front facing camera, built-in four digital microphone array and front facing stereo speakers with rear-facing woofers. It has a smaller screen compared to the Tread+ and it doesn’t have a Free Mode for pushing the slat belt on its own. As mentioned above, it also has a different belt to the Tread+ and it’s slightly smaller.

The Tread+ had a larger screen, Free Mode and a larger running space, as well as a shock-absorbing belt, but it offered a standard USB port for charging devices, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It also had a soundbar instead of front and rear speakers.

Other differences between the Tread and Tread+ are the Tread has a 3 HP DC motor and a screen adjustment between 0 and 50-degrees, while the Tread+ had a 2 HP DC motor and screen adjustment between 0 and 30-degrees. The Tread also has incline of 0 to 12.5 per cent, while the Tread+ offered 0 to 15 per cent.

The Tread is smaller and lighter, measuring 1727 x 838 x 1575mm and weighing 131.5kg. It has a step up height of 203mm. The Tread+ meanwhile, measured 1842 x 927 x 1829mm and weighed 206kg. It had a step up height of 292mm.

Peloton

What is Peloton Row?

• 23.8-inch HD rotating screen
• Form Assist and Form Rating features
• All-Access Membership required

The Peloton Row is the company’s first rowing machine and it follows a similar design to the Bike, Bike+ and Tread offerings. There’s a 23.8-inch swiveling touchscreen like the Bike+ and it offers front and rear-facing speakers so you can hear the instructor and music loud and clear.

The Peloton Row has a footprint of 2440mm (8-foot) by 610mm (2-foot) so it’s relatively compact and it also has a folding arm for compact and upright storage.

Like other Peloton products, it requires a Peloton All-Access Membership which will deliver access to thousands of classes. The Peloton Row also has features like Form Assist to highlight ways to improve your form and Form Rating and Insights to track your progress and view your performance.

What about the Peloton Guide?

• $295/£275 one-off cost
• $24/£24 a month for All-Access Guide-only membership

We’ve got a separate feature on the Peloton Guide, but in a nutshell, the Guide is a TV-connected camera that can track your movements, rewarding you when you complete your reps. It is designed for strength training and there are numerous classes available with an interface similar to the other Peloton products.

It offers several features, such as Self Mode that allows you to see yourself on the screen alongside the Peloton instructor to check your form, while Body Activity shows the muscles you have worked and recommends other workouts to try to retain the balance. It’s worth mentioning that Body Activity is also available on the Peloton Bike, Bike+, Tread and Row equipment.

For everything the Peloton Guide can do, we have a Guide tips and tricks feature.

Peleton

What is the Peloton Digital app and what does it offer?

• $12.99/£12.99 a month
• Over 10 workout types
• Doesn’t require Peloton products

Peloton Digital is an app for mobile devices and some streaming media devices. It works with Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Android TV, Chromecast and Apple Airplay.

It doesn’t require Peloton products and you can try it out for a month before you have to pay a monthly subscription. After the 30-day trial period, the Peloton Digital app costs $12.99/month in the US or £12.99/month in the UK. If you have the Peloton Bike, Bike+, Tread or Row, the Peloton Digital app is included within the Peloton All-Access Membership, which is required for the Peloton products.

The Peloton Digital app has over 10 workout types, including strength, stretching, bootcamp, cycling, outdoor running, yoga and meditation. You can work out alongside others, track your progress with metrics and you can challenge yourself and earn achievements. There’s also Peloton Gym, which allows you to do curated strength programmes from anywhere.

The Peloton Digital app is available to download on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon App Store and Roku.

Can you get Peloton gear without buying it?

Peloton gear is extremely versatile and makes exercise not only more effective, but just plain fun. However, there is one downside to it compared to regular exercise bikes or treadmills. They are simply more expensive than the option with fewer features – you do get what you pay for, after all.

However, if you’re looking to get yourself Peloton products but are strapped for cash right now, there is a way to have a cake and eat it too. The company offers a renting service, which allows you to get a Peloton Bikes not for a one-time fee, but as a monthly payment. It’s a great, flexible option, as you don’t need to commit to getting a clunky exercise machine forever – you can just get it for a month and return it after checking it out. What’s more, a subscription is included in the rent price, so you get all the bells and whistles for one price. Unfortunately, for now, only Bikes are offered for rent, but this might change with time.

Here is a monthly rent for Peloton Bikes:

• Peloton Bike – $89/month
• Peloton Bike+ – $119/month

How much do Peloton products and the Peloton subscription cost?

There are several packages available for the Peloton products, some of which include accessories, such as shoes and weights for the Bike and Bike+. Keep in mind that you will need the Peloton All-Access Membership on top of the products themselves.

The Peloton All-Access Membership costs $39/month in the US and £39/month in the UK. It includes access to the Peloton Digital app too.

Peloton Bike costs

Peloton Bike

The original Peloton Bike is now much cheaper than when it first launched, offering a fantastic platform with access to thousands of classes. There’s a lovely big 21.5-inch display, it’s comfortable in use and it is an excellent bit of kit, especially at it’s new lower price.

Peloton Bike+ costs

Peloton Bike+

The Peloton Bike+ is a premium piece of kit with some great features. It takes the original Peloton Bike and adds to it with a rotating 23.8-inch touchscreen, Apple’s GymKit and an auto-resistance feature.

Peloton Tread costs

Peloton Tread

The Peloton Tread features a traditional running belt with 1500mm of running space, a 23.8-inch HD touchscreen and it offers speeds between 0 and 20mph, with 0.1mph increments. It’s a lovely bit of kit with adjustable knob controls and jump buttons to increase the speed and incline by 1mph and 1 per cent.

Peloton Row costs

Peloton Row

The Peloton Row is the company’s first rowing machine and it follows a similar design to the Bike, Bike+ and Tread offerings. There’s a 23.8-inch swiveling touchscreen, front and rear-facing speakers so you can hear the instructor and music loud and clear and it has a folding arm for compact and upright storage.

As we mentioned, the Peloton Row is exclusive to the US currently so there is no pricing for the UK as yet.

Peloton Guide costs

Peloton Guide

The Peloton Guide is a TV-connected camera that can track your movements, rewarding you when you complete your reps. It is designed for strength training and there are numerous classes available with an interface similar to the other Peloton products.

The Peloton All-Access Membership is required for the Guide, as with the Bike, Tread, and Row. The membership costs $24/£24 a month for Guide-only users. If you’re already an All-Access Member with another piece of Peloton equipment, there’s no additional charge for Guide access.