Peloton Bike+ Review

When it comes to home fitness, Peloton is probably the most recognizable name in the industry, especially for exercise bikes. We thought it only made sense to include the Bike+ in our test of the best exercise bikes. Sure, the bike is sturdy and sleek, but the Peloton app truly sets it apart from the competition. After weeks of side-by-side testing against a fleet of similar models, we're not surprised that Peloton and the trainers who lead its live and on-demand studio classes have such a devoted following. Yes, the Bike+ and the app subscription cost a lot, but we feel it easily beats other studio-focused options on the market.

Ride Experience & Programming

Peloton has quickly become a leader in the exercise bike market, largely because of the experience it provides. Sure, the Bike+ is a nice piece of equipment, but realistically, it isn't significantly different in terms of physical design from the competition. That said, it is a refined, streamlined, comfortable bike that is plenty sturdy, with 100 levels of super-quiet, smooth magnetic resistance. However, the Peloton app is undoubtedly what makes the experience better. For at-home studio cycling, it is second to none in production quality, instructors, and the sheer number of live and on-demand classes.

The Bike+ looks nearly identical to the Bike, with just a few subtle changes that differentiate it from the original. While nothing is particularly groundbreaking about the bike itself, it is a very nice-looking, high-quality piece of equipment. It features 100 virtually silent magnetic resistance levels and offers a range that exceeds the needs of users of all fitness levels. With so many levels, the resistance changes are subtle, and I often had to turn the knob a lot to make bigger changes. The bike is structurally very sturdy; I found it stable when riding out of the saddle, no matter how hard I mashed on the pedals. The huge range of fit adjustments also makes it easy to adjust the bike perfectly to your body for comfort and performance.

One can't talk about the exercise quality of the Bike+ without mentioning the Peloton app. It turns out there's a reason everyone loves Peloton so much: live classes, thousands of on-demand videos, excellent instructors, high production quality, a robust user community, and seamless integration between the bike and app. As far as at-home studio cycling is concerned, I don't think there is a better app workout. You can find any type of workout you're looking for, and the motivating, engaging instructors will push you and keep you coming back for more. The tilting and rotating screen also lets you position it in front of the bike to take full advantage of the myriad off-the-bike workouts.

Companion App/Connectivity

The Bike+ uses WiFi to connect to the Peloton app. You can choose your WiFi network through the screen, and we never experienced any issues with it dropping the connection during workouts. It also uses Bluetooth to pair with heart rate monitors or wireless headphones, so you can exercise without disturbing anyone else in the house. I found it easy to connect to Bluetooth accessories and never had any issues with dropped connections once paired.

Peloton has made quite a name for itself over the past few years, and that is due to its excellent app. To access the app through the Bike+, you need to get the Peloton All-Access membership, which costs $44 a month. This includes unlimited profiles for every household member, and it can be used with the Bike, Bike+, and the Peloton Tread. The basic Peloton app is also available for $12.99 for an individual, but it doesn't provide access to the classes through the Bike or Tread. The basic app membership can be used on your phone or tablet, so you can use it with other exercise bikes that support that connectivity. Either way, the membership cost is something to consider when purchasing a Peloton product. Most people willing to spend on the Bike+ are already aware of the app's costs.

Using the Peloton app through the touchscreen on the Bike+ is straightforward and intuitive, but often, finding the workout you're looking for can be a daunting task due to the sheer number of live and on-demand classes at your fingertips. Thankfully, you can use filters to sort classes by time, type, difficulty, music genre, or your favorite instructor to narrow down the options. Peloton is constantly adding new content with numerous live classes daily that are uploaded to the ever-growing library of on-demand videos. The vast majority of content is studio-style workouts, and the instructors are truly top-notch, providing motivation, energy, and tips while you ride. Classes range from 10-90 minutes, with most falling in the 20-45 minute range, and they always include a short warm-up and cool-down that sandwich the main workout. They include all the typical ride types, with HIIT, endurance, rhythm, speed, bike boot camp, Tabata, hills, and many more. There are also a number of scenic rides that give you something to look at while you pedal, and some are guided by instructors, making them more like studio workouts with a beautiful backdrop. No matter the workout you choose, the production quality is high, and the screen resolution is the best of all the models we tested.

Peloton's studio cycling workouts are based on cadence and resistance, and those stats are displayed on the screen so you can easily follow along with the class and instructor's prompts. Resistance can be controlled manually by turning the knob, but the Bike+ also features Auto-Follow that changes the resistance based on the class you're following. This cool feature allows you to focus more on the ride and get even more immersed in the chosen workout. Additionally, the screen displays other data like power output, a timeline showing elapsed and remaining time, heart rate and heart rate zones (if using a connected monitor), and the music playing. There is also a leaderboard for those who like to see how they stack up against other riders, whether you're in a live or on-demand class, and it can be hidden if you're not the competitive type. Peloton has a huge community, and if you have friends using it, you can give them high-fives or even video chat with them during workouts using the camera integrated into the screen. Of course, Peloton tracks your rides and data, and you can also sync your rides to Strava or Fitbit; the Bike+ is also compatible with the Apple Watch (though the original Bike doesn't support it).

Peloton has also been adding to its library of off-the-bike workouts, and there's no shortage of non-cycling exercises to choose from. This is where the upgraded rotating screen comes into play, as you can turn and tilt it to face your workout space no matter where it is in relation to the bike. The off-bike workouts include everything from HIIT, Barre, Pilates, strength, boxing, running, walking, stretching, and even meditation. This increases the versatility of the Bike+, giving it more than just spin appeal.

Fit & Adjustability

The Bike+ is quite comfortable. With a 297 lbs weight limit and a wide range of comfort adjustments, it should suitmost users. Like most high-end spin bikes, it has a performance-oriented design that lends itself well to tackling the studio-style workouts that Peloton is known for. The bike's adjustability, however, allows the user to set it up however they like to match their comfort preferences.

Peloton claims a large recommended user height range of 4'11" to 6'4". This is achieved with 14 inches of seat height adjustment along with 4 inches of fore/aft adjustability. Changes to seat height and position are quick and easy, with numbered markings that make it easy to find and identify your perfect fit. This comes in handy when multiple people share one bike and frequent changes are made to the seat's position. The handlebar also offers 6-inch height adjustability, though it can't move fore/aft like some other models. You have plenty of range to find your ideal handlebar height, and you can adjust your distance from the handlebar with the seat's fore/aft adjustability. A low step-over height of just 18.5 inches makes it easy to get on and off the bike. We measured the Q-factor at 180mm. This is slightly wider than a traditional road bike but less wide than other models, which measure up to 233mm. This Q-factor hits a good middle ground and should feel pretty normal to most riders.

Peloton has pretty much dialed in the touchpoints for the Bike+. The seat resembles studio-style spin bikes, with a fairly slim, performance-oriented shape and an ergonomic pressure-relief channel. While it suits the type of workouts Peloton offers, it may feel a bit narrow for those used to a more supportive platform. The large coated bullhorn-style handlebar offers plenty of hand placement options, whether seated or jamming on the pedals out of the saddle. The Bike+ comes with Delta-compatible clip-in pedals that require cycling shoes with a three-bolt pattern. You can upgrade your Bike+ with various packages, including cycling shoes, or, according to the website, chat with their customer service team to arrange different pedal options.

Display & Controls

Among the touchscreen-equipped models, the Bike+ is the best. At 23.8 inches diagonal, the anti-reflective HD screen is large and gives you a view that almost makes you feel like you're in the studio with the instructors. This screen is a couple of inches larger than the one on the original Peloton Bike and all the other bikes we tested, and it now rotates a full 360 degrees. So, you can tilt it to get the ideal viewing angle while you ride, and you can also orient it in any direction to follow the variety of off-the-bike workouts on the Peloton app. The screen has minimal glare, excellent color, and great picture quality. Touch sensitivity is also fantastic, and navigating the app to find the ride or workout you like is straightforward and intuitive. A power button on the back of the screen lets you turn the bike off when you're not using it, and two large buttons on the side make it easy to control speaker volume, even while riding.

Like the original Peloton Bike, the Bike+ has a knob below the handlebar to manually adjust the 100 levels of resistance. Turning it clockwise increases the resistance and vice versa. The knob also acts as a brake; pressing it down stops the flywheel and pedals. Unlike the original Peloton Bike, the Bike+ also features an Auto-Follow option; when selected, the bike automatically adjusts resistance to follow the instructor's cues.

Build Quality & Accessories

The Bike+ comes with several useful features that help to enhance the user experience. At this price, though, we think it would be nice to have a few more extras. Instead, Peloton sells a number of Bike+ packages, Starter, Select, and Ultimate, that include more bells and whistles for an additional fee. On its own, the Bike+ isn't quite as feature-packed as some of its lower-priced competition, but that doesn't mean it's not among the best exercise bikes on the market.

One of the primary features that sets the Bike+ apart from the original Peloton Bike is the upgraded touchscreen. I have already covered the screen in more detail, but the real highlight is its ability to swivel 360 degrees and adjust the angle. This allows you to view the screen from whatever angle you like while you follow along to any of the off-the-bike workouts like strength training and yoga. It also adds Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, a USB-C port to keep your devices charged while you exercise, and Apple GymKit integration so you can sync with your Apple Watch to track workouts and training metrics. The Bike+ also has an Auto-Follow option, and it can automatically adjust resistance based on the program you're following. The screen/console also has upgraded speakers: two 2-channel front-facing speakers and two 2-channel rear-facing woofers that deliver impressive sound. Lastly, it has an 8-megapixel camera with a privacy cover for video chats with friends (a feature that only works if you're following each other and taking the same class at the same time).

Moving on from the screen, the bike features a huge range of fit adjustments to suit riders of varying sizes. It has independent levelers at all four corners to keep it steady and transport wheels integrated into the front stabilizer. Two bottle holders at the front of the bike below the handlebar keep fluids within arm's reach, and a plastic bracket behind the seat holds small dumbbells (weights are not included with the Basic package, but they do come with the upgrade packages). The Bike+ price includes delivery and assembly; the original Bikedoes not, so you can be sure it is done right. Last but not least, the bike integrates seamlessly with the Peloton app and everything else.

Size & Setup

While the Bike+ undoubtedly commands a high asking price, it does include professional delivery and assembly. When you purchase your bike through Peloton, you'll see available delivery dates and choose the one that best fits your schedule. In our case, this was several weeks after we placed the order, but that may vary depending on your location and proximity to one of their distribution hubs. Regardless, they will contact you before your delivery date to provide an estimated delivery time. Before the bike arrives, clear a spot where you'd like it assembled. The delivery team will transport the bike to that spot, which is great because it is quite heavy, and assemble it for you. While it isn't particularly difficult to put this type of bike together yourself, it's nice that Peloton does it for you, and you can be sure that it is done correctly and everything works properly from the get-go. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Because the Bike+ has a heavy flywheel and a steel frame, it weighs around 140 lbs. The mass makes it an impressively sturdy bike, but it also means it's a bear to move up or down a flight of stairs. Thankfully, the integrated transport wheels on the front stabilizer make it fairly easy to roll around on firm surfaces. Still, realistically, this is the type of bike you'll want to set up in your dedicated workout space and leave it there. It has a fairly small footprint at 22 inches wide x 48 inches long, although with the weight bracket and screen, the bike is 59 inches long and 59 inches tall. It takes up about the same amount of space as similar exercise bikes, and while it won't disappear in any room, its sleek design looks good and may even be a desirable addition to some people's homes. You can even scan a QR code on the Peloton website to virtually see the bike's size and appearance in your home.

Should You Buy the Peloton Bike+?

For anyone seeking the pinnacle of the at-home studio cycling experience, the Bike+ is hard to beat. Yes, it is quite expensive, but that price gets you an excellent and sleek-looking bike, an impressive swiveling touchscreen, free delivery and assembly, and top-notch integration with the outstanding Peloton app. In a market full of imitators, there is still only one Peloton, and while testing, we learned there's a reason for its popularity, and that's because it's really, really good.

What Other Exercise Bikes Should You Consider?

If you're sold on the Peloton experience but don't want to spend as much as the Bike+, the original Peloton Bike is another option that costs significantly less. Structurally, the bike is nearly identical, but it has a slightly smaller screen that flips but does not swivel. It does not have auto-resistance, but it works with the Peloton app, which is the cornerstone of the experience. The NordicTrac X24 is another interesting option that comes with a set of weights and a swivelling touch screen. If you can't imagine spending that much, the Schwinn IC4 ditches the screen, but it works with apps like Peloton through your device, and it costs a lot less.

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