Peloton is best known for the Bike, Bike+, and the incredibly popular Peloton app. They are one of the most recognizable names in home fitness, and they are continuing to expand their offerings with products like the Tread and the new Guide. The Tread features an elegant design, a top-notch touchscreen interface, and excellent integration with the Peloton app. It is quite expensive, but it offers top-of-the-line exercise quality and the Peloton experience that so many people love. After weeks of testing, we came away very impressed by the Tread, but it is not without its quirks.
The Tread is a high-end treadmill with the exercise quality to match. It features a relatively large running surface, a top speed of 12.5 mph, and incline adjustment of up to 12.5%. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with the Peloton app through its excellent touchscreen. It probably wouldn't be my first choice for truly hardcore runners, but it more than holds its own and works very well for the Peloton app's studio-style workouts.
Considering the smaller-than-average footprint of the Tread, it features a nicely sized tread surface measuring 59 inches long and 20 inches wide. It's just a touch shorter and narrower than the largest models we tested, but likely adequate for most users. While I generally prefer the largest running surface I can find, I felt comfortable running at sprint speeds and was never constrained by the size of the Tread's running deck. A red line down the center of the belt is a nice touch that I found helps to keep you centered and less likely to wander toward the side rails. At a claimed weight of 290 lbs, this is a hefty and sturdy machine. It has a recommended user weight range of 105-300 pounds, and it feels solid and stable underfoot with supple deck cushioning that helps to absorb impact while you walk or run.
The Tread has a top speed of 12.5 mph, which is more than adequate for most users. Whether you're following along to a power walking class or one of the higher-intensity sprint workouts, it's all the range most people should ever need. After performing our speed accuracy test several times, we calculated a margin of error of less than 0.5%, which is quite impressive. The Tread has an adjustable incline that increases in increments of 0.5% up to a maximum of 12.5% but does not decline. This adjustment range is smaller than that of some other models, but it is sufficient for moderate incline and hill training.
While the real reason to get any Peloton equipment, like the Tread, is to use it with the Peloton app, you can also do manually controlled workouts. Through the screen, you can choose the just run option, and do any type of workout your heart desires. There are also severalscenic run videos to watch and distract you while you tick off the miles. Realistically, without the Peloton app, the Tread is just another treadmill, and a very expensive one at that.
Peloton's popular app is the star of the show, and the company has spent years making it one of the best in the business. While it may be similar to many other apps, Peloton has done an outstanding job differentiating itself from the competition with the experience it provides. The Tread uses WiFi to connect to the app through its touchscreen, and it is compatible with Bluetooth and ANT+ accessories like headphones, earbuds, and heart rate monitors. Once connected, the Tread integrates seamlessly with the app, and you've got a world of live and on-demand studio-style workouts at your fingertips.
The ongoing cost of any training app membership is a major consideration with any connected exercise equipment like the Tread, and Peloton All-Access doesn't come cheap. While it is less expensive than most gym memberships, $44 a month on top of the already high price of the treadmill itself is nothing to scoff at. That membership gets you multiple user profiles and works across all Peloton equipment, like the Bike or Bike+, so it makes more financial sense if there are multiple members of your household using it, or you already have a membership for your Peloton bike. While it may be expensive, it gives you total access to Peloton's complete library of Tread, Bike, and total body workouts. Peloton also has a low-priced ($12.99/mo) app, but it doesn't work with their equipment.
There are several imitators, but no one has been able to replicate the experience that Peloton provides. With live classes daily and thousands of on-demand classes to choose from, there's a seemingly limitless supply of options. Peloton's production quality is also top-notch, featuring the best instructors in the business who motivate you to push yourself and keep you engaged, encouraging you to come back for more. There are thousands of Tread- specific workouts from casual walks to high-intensity interval runs, and everything in between. Filters help you narrow down the countless options by workout type, duration, music genre, and instructor, to find the class that best suits your needs. Your in-workout metrics, such as speed, incline, distance, and heart rate, are displayed on the screen, and an optional leaderboard allows you to see how you stack up against other users. Peloton keeps track of your progress with a workout history, milestones, and streaks. Additionally, you can sync with Strava and Fitbit to track and analyze your data.
Peloton's app and instructors have created a huge user community and an almost cult-like following. For many people, the community aspect may also be a big draw. You can compete with other runners on the leaderboard or maybe even make new friends or followers, give high-fives, and even video chat with friends (when you're in the same class at the same time). When you're not in the mood for a run, the app has a variety of off-Tread workouts to choose from, with everything from strength training and pilates to yoga and meditation, so you can work on total body fitness and recovery. Of course, these studio-style workouts may not be for everyone, but if they are, the Peloton app is about as good as it gets.
The Tread couldn't be easier to use, and it features the best touchscreen interface we've used, along with unique controls to adjust speed and incline. The screen is one of the highlights of the Tread, and it makes it impressively easy to navigate the Peloton app, choose a workout, and follow along.
Since the tread deck on the Tread does not fold when not in use, it is pretty much always ready to go. To get started, simply turn on the power. The main power switch is located down by the power cord at the front of the tread, and there is a power button on the back of the screen that also powers the Tread on or off. Once turned on, you need to enter the Tread Lock passcode (which you must do every time you turn it on or if it remains idle for more than 45 seconds). Then, you can navigate the Peloton app. Choosing what class to follow is often the hardest part, given the sheer number and variety of options, but the 23.8-inch HD touchscreen makes it fairly easy. The screen has excellent touch sensitivity, and scrolling through the various classes is intuitive. Once you choose a class, it prompts you to connect Bluetooth accessories like headphones or heart rate monitors. It features front-facing speakers and rear-facing woofers, offering relatively good sound quality, along with large volume control buttons located on the right side of the screen. I was a little disappointed that the screen didn't rotate like on the Bike+, which would make it easier to view the off-tread workouts.
We think Peloton is onto something with its unique speed and incline adjustment knobs. This is similar to the resistance adjustment knob on the Bike and Bike+, and a logical carryover from that design that will be familiar to Peloton users. These knobs are located on the handrails in an easy-to-reach position, and adjusting speed or incline is simple by rolling the knobs forward or backward. I'd argue that the knob design is far easier to use while running than pressing small buttons. Each click of the speed knob increases/decreases the speed by 0.1 mph, and larger changes to the speed can easily be made by rolling it further or pressing the button in the center of the knob for a jump of 1 mph. Similarly, the incline increases/decreases by 0.5% with every click, while pressing the center button increases it by 1%.
One of the most obvious features of the Tread is its 23.8-inch HD touchscreen. The 1080p HD screen has impressive picture quality, is the primary user interface, and integrates with the Peloton app. It uses WiFi to connect to the app, plus it is Bluetooth 5.0 and ANT + enabled to connect to accessories like headphones and heart rate monitors. The screen is also home to front-facing stereo speakers and rear-facing woofers that have good sound quality, a USB-C port for charging your devices, as well as an 8-megapixel camera and microphone for video chatting with friends who are taking the same class you are. Below the screen between the handrails are two bottle holders with a small shelf in between for holding smaller items like a phone. Underneath the Tread, there are wheels at the front for rolling it across firm surfaces, and levelers at the back to keep it steady on uneven surfaces.
Treadmills are inherently dangerous, and accidents and injuries can certainly happen, but Peloton went out of its way to add safety features to the Tread. It has a 4-digit Tread Lock passcode that is required when it is turned on or after it has been idle for more than 45 seconds. It also features a built-in sensor that detects activity on the tread, and it will stop and lock after 10 seconds of inactivity. A magnetic safety key with a string and clip can be attached to your clothes and will shut the treadmill down if it gets pulled from the handrail. Removing this safety key also renders the Tread inoperable, so you could hide it from your kids, for example, to keep it from being turned on. All classes include reminders to keep kids and pets away when in use, double-knot your shoes, and remove the key when you're finished.
When I purchased the Tread, delivery and assembly were included in the price. That was a nice luxury, but given the option, I might assemble it myself for the several hundred dollars cost. Price aside, considering that assembly is done by Peloton's team, it tops the charts in this metric. All you need to do is clear a space for the delivery crew to assemble it, and the rest is taken care of for you.
When you order the Tread, Peloton provides you with the earliest delivery dates. In my case, it was about a month from the day I ordered it, but this may vary depending on the number of orders they have and your proximity to one of their distribution hubs. Before your delivery, they will contact you to confirm the date and time. The delivery team arrives at your house, moves the Tread to the desired location (which is great because it's heavy), then assembles it for you and ensures it's working properly before leaving. It doesn't get any easier than that.
The Tread suffers a bit from a storability standpoint because the tread deck does not fold when not in use. What you see is what you get, and there is no way to reduce its size. That said, Peloton did a good job designing it so that it is relatively compact given the size of its running surface.
The Tread is 68 inches long by 33 inches wide, with a height of 62 inches at the top of the touchscreen. While it's a fairly large piece of equipment, it's impressively compact for its length of running surface. Peloton achieved this by placing the motor underneath the tread, as opposed to in front of it, like other models. That said, the tread deck does not fold, so you can't make it any smaller when not in use. It has transport wheels, so it isn't too difficult to move around on firm surfaces, but at a whopping 290 pounds, it is absolutely not easy to carry anywhere.
Slightly above average is the best way to describe the noise level of the Tread. About a 2-5 decibels difference here, which isn't all that significant, but notable nonetheless. I wouldn't call it particularly loud, but like any treadmill, it isn't exactly whisper-quiet either. The 3.0 HP motor emits a reasonable amount of noise at varying speeds. At 1, 4, and 7.5 mph, we measured 45, 58, and 66.5 decibels, respectively. The noise level increases slightly with the user's footfalls on the tread belt/deck up to 52, 65, and 69 decibels at the same speeds listed above. The seam of the tread belt also makes a distinct and audible noise every time it passes over the rollers, which is also quite common, although this was a little more noticeable on the Tread than some other models. While it isn't the quietest model I tested, I wouldn't consider its noise level to be excessive or a deal-breaker by any means.
If you're a fan of the experience that Peloton provides, then the Tread is probably high on your list of treadmill options. It is indeed a very impressive piece of equipment with a sleek design and seamless integration with the app and its classes through its best-in-test touchscreen and awesome controls. It is well suited to any fitness level and exercise intensity, and the app's classes and instructors will help keep you motivated and coming back for more. All this comes at a high price and the ongoing cost of the app membership needs to be considered as well. That said, if you can justify the expense, we doubt you'll be disappointed.
If you're after a connected treadmill experience, but the Peloton app's studio-style classes aren't for you, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is a great option. It integrates with the iFit app with AutoAdjust changes to speed and incline based on the workout you're following for a more immersive simulated outdoor workout. It has a slightly wider running surface, incline between -3% and +15%, and it costs several hundred dollars less (an iFit membership is roughly the same price as Peloton). If you're operating on a tighter budget, then the XTerra Fitness TRX3500 is a compelling option. It ditches the fancy screen, but it is compatible with a variety of third-party training apps like Zwift, Kinomap, and Wahoo SYSTM through its Bluetooth FTMS connection.
