Peloton Bike Plus Review: What We Think After 5 Months
The Peloton is an epic bike, and so many people are part of their ever growing community. When Peloton Original came out, it really made spin bike brands step their game up to compete, which the majority just couldn’t. It revolutionized what indoor cycling at home could be, and the first thing you think of now when people say spinning at home is Peloton. Peloton held the market for years, but other brands did start to bring out better products. It was Pelotons turn to raise the bar. Then the Peloton Bike+ was released. Would it put them back on top? In this article, we will find out if they have done it. Welcome to the Peloton Bike Plus review.
Drivetrain, Flywheel, and Resistance
The Drive-system of the Peloton Bike+ has stayed the same. It’s still a poly V Belt drive linked up to a flywheel of about 30lbs. It’s an efficient system and is very quiet while under use. They have added a stealthy stormy cover and streamlined the look.
The Peloton works on a magnetic resistance system, as do many spinning bikes now. It’s an incredible technology. Basically, the bike uses magnets to push the flywheel in the other direction that you are driving it to create resistance. This is a super effective way of creating resistance that requires no friction at all. No brake pads were harmed in the making of this bike. This system adds to the bike’s quietness and means very little maintenance is required.
The Peloton Bike+ has 100 levels of resistance. If you are worried about it not challenging you, don’t, this thing could stop the Tour De France. It even has a power meter as well, which is only really seen on high end bikes. The power meter is not strain gauge technology, and it is only an estimation, but when used with a set of power meter pedals, it sits incredibly close. What’s new to the Peloton Bike+ is auto resistance, so the bike or instructor in the class can now change your resistance automatically.
Screen and the Application
The bike’s screen has been updated since the last model in so many ways. The screen is bigger, anti-glare, the speakers are better, and it’s much faster. It’s 23.8” and has anti-glare technology. It has more speakers which go much louder and provide much clearer sounds. Apple Watch integration has also been updated to track those workouts on all your Apple devices.
If you don’t know about Peloton classes, they are probably some of the best spinning classes in the world. The instructors are incredible. A personal favorite is Cody. They get you involved and fighting for those personal bests. You can do recorded or even live classes on the Peloton. Live classes give you a leaderboard which is fun to see where you rank with other spinners.
The bike will give you plenty of data, RPM, Speed, Calories, Heart Rate, Power, Duration, basically everything you need to know. A commonly asked question is will the Peloton Bike+ work with other applications such as Zwift or Netflix? I have heard it can be done, but Peloton doesn’t make it easy and lock the screen to just their application which is understandable. If you’re looking for a bike for Zwift, the Peloton is not for you.
Peloton is more than just cycling though. They offer a wide variety of other classes such as Bootcamp, Yoga, Strength Workouts, HIIT Workouts, and much more. They have introduced a swivel screen on the new Bike+, so no longer is it hard to do the off the bike workouts as you can point the screen at you while on the side of the bike.
One thing I have to mention about the Peloton is the community is fantastic. Online there are many groups of Peloton users, and it’s a great place to chat and make new friends, share experiences and even ride classes together.
Pedals, Crank, and Q Factor.
The Peloton Bike+ has Delta Pedals on it. These are clip in Pedals and very standard in the industry. You will see these everywhere. They do recommend their Peloton bike women clothing and shoes, which yes they are good but don’t feel they are your only option. There are many aftermarket Peloton bike shoes on the market which might fit your feet better.
The crank arms on spinning bikes usually are very small. On the Peloton Bike+, they have made them 170mm, the same size as many road and mountain bike crank arms. I love that they have done this as it gives the bike a proper natural cycling feel.
The next thing is the Q Factor. This is the size of the bottom bracket shell to which the crank arms attach. You often get these very oversized on spin bikes. You will see them around 200mm+, making the bike feel very wide. The Peloton Bike+ is 170mm, which is about the same as a standard mountain bike.
User limits and adjustments
This isn’t a giant bike and knowing it has a 24” screen on the end makes it pretty small compared to some of its competitors like Bowflex Velocore models. The Peloton bike is 59” in length and 22” in width. It weighs about 64kg but is easy to move around as it has wheels. If you plan to take it upstairs, you might want some help.
The bike will work for people who weigh up to 305lbs, and this is a great weight limit for a spinning bike. It will also cater for anyone who is 4ft 11” all the way up to 6ft 4”. It’s a good range, and I’m sure it even has a bit of room to play with if needed.
The bike is easy to adjust. It has handles on the seat post to adjust the height and how far forward or back you want the saddle. The handlebars adjust up and down. One thing many people mention is the fact the Peloton bikes can’t move their handlebars back and forth. This is correct but doesn’t affect many people because of the design. Plus, you can always purchase a Peloton fore-aft handlebar adjuster and install it on your bike.
In terms of comfort, I found the saddle pretty good but as we all know there is no bike seat that fits all. So, if you get saddle sore after a couple of minutes on the Peloton, I recommend you to opt for one of these Peloton replacement seats.
Warranty, price, and support
Just like the original Peloton, you’re looking at 12 months warranty on the drive-system and the parts such as the screen. The bike frame you have is five years. This is ok, and it’s basic as far as warranties go. Other brands offer more than this.
The bike itself is about $2700. It’s not cheap. They offer it in packages, so you can have the basic package, which is just the bike, or you can upgrade the package to have Peloton accessories such as the shoes and the heart rate monitor. This does soon start adding to the cost though. Another thing to mention is there is a monthly subscription to pay for having the Peloton application unlocked, and it is $39 a month for the Peloton bike plus application fee. This isn’t cheap, but the experience you get from the bike is worth it.
Peloton has a good support network and aims to resolve problems as quickly as possible after checking out their trust pilot rating of 4.6 out of 5. You can see they are doing something right.
Peloton Plus Assembly
They offer free delivery on the bike to most places around the world. If they deliver with XPO, they will sometimes build your bike for you. If you don’t get this service, do not stress as it’s a simple 15 minute job and is very simple. Make sure everything is tight before you start and the pedals are nipped up correctly, as it can ruin the pedal arms if they are not.
Peloton+ Accessories
There are many accessories that you can buy for your Peloton Plus but non of them are including with the bike. If you want, you can buy them separately. Some of the Peloton Bike accessories that you might consider are; Peloton dumbbells, Peloton seat cushion, Peloton utility tray, and a Peloton phone holder.
Difference Between the Peloton and the Peloton Bike+
When the Bike+ was released, they didn’t talk about all the features enough. Peloton did make a massive upgrade when it came to the Bike+. Here are all the new features
- Bigger Screen with Anti Glare
- Better Speakers
- Automatic resistance
- Swivel Screen
- Apple Watch integration
- Stealthy Drivechain Cover
Although it is a lot more in price, I feel you get a lot more for your money. I think it comes down to the user’s budget before anything else.
Standard Specifications
- Q-Factor: 170mm
- Pedals: Metal Toe Cage
- Flywheel: 30lbs
- Resistance: Magnetic
- Transmission: Belt
- Weight capacity: 305 Pounds
- Height capacity: 4ft 11” – 6ft
- Price: $2400
- Bike weight: 140lbs
- Bike dimension: 22″W x 59″L
- Monitor: 23.8” HD
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Applications: Peloton
- RPM tracking: Yes
- Speed tracking: Yes
- Watt tracking: Yes Estimated
Alternatives to the Peloton Bikes
The market for high end spinning bikes is vast and you will find a lot of competitors of the Peloton. Plus, you can always purchase a less expensive bike and DIT the Peloton Setup. In this next section I want to speak about other bikes that I believe are worth considering.
NordicTrack S22i
The Nordictrack S22i is amazing. It not only has all the features of the Peloton, it has the ability to literally make the bike feel like it is climbing. The instructor in classes can control the incline on your bike and the resistance to give you one of the best interactive workouts possible. For more information check out the link above.
Bowflex C7
The Bowflex Fitness C7 bike I feel is one of the most underrated spinning bikes on the market. It is a semi-commercial grade spin bike brimming with amazing technology such as a 7-inch touchscreen monitor. If you are looking for a tool to really challenge you this is it, for an affordable price. Plus, you don’t have to stick with one application because C7 can synch with all major cycling apps.
Bowflex Velocore 22
The Bowflex Velocore 22 or the Peloton Plus? In our opinion, it depends on what you’re looking for in a bike. If you want an intense cardio workout that also provides a great strength training session, plus allows to lean right and left to mimic turns and corners, then the Bowflex Velocore 22 is probably your best bet. However, if you’re mainly interested in indoor cycling for its calorie-burning potential and don’t need the additional features swaying offered by the Bowflex Velocore 22, then go with the Peloton Bike Plus. Whichever bike you choose, we hope you have as much fun riding it as we did!
Conclusion:
Peloton Bike+ is a great way to get in shape and have fun while doing it. The bike comes with an extensive library of high-quality video workouts that are led by elite instructors. You can also join live classes or compete against other riders from around the world. If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line stationary bike and an amazing fitness experience, the Peloton Bike + is definitely worth considering. It’s one of the best indoor bikes with HD screen that’s built to do more than a just boring cycling session. We hope this review has helped make your decision easier! Have you tried out this amazing piece of exercise equipment? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
