Peloton Bike Plus vs. NordicTrack S22i Bike: Which is Better For You?
The main difference between the Peloton Plus and the NordicTrack S22i is that the NordicTrack S22i has an incline and decline feature to simulate uphill and downhill climbing while the Peloton bike plus uses only resistance to replicate uphill climbing. The other major difference is that Nordictrack S22i connects with iFit app while Peloton Plus connects with Peloton app.
The Peloton bike plus and the NordicTrack S22i are both popular high-end bikes with impressive features and technology. In this article, we will make a detailed comparison of the two powerful bikes and highlight the features that set them apart – so you can choose the bike that works best for you!
If you’re in a rush and can’t read the full guide, take a look at the summary table below.
Which one has the Best Hardware?
In this category, the Peloton bike plus and the NordicTrack S22i are neck and neck! While NordicTrack has been part of the biking community longer than the Peloton bike plus, the latter displays as much construction expertise as the former.
Both bikes include integrated speakers, rotating HD touchscreens and employ electronic magnetic resistance instead of contact or manual resistance. They also sport a similar sturdy build with a durable framework. Ultimately, this is a tie as there is no winner here.
Nordictrack does however have one thing that Peloton doesn’t have, and that’s the cooling fan. The cooling fan is a big advantage for people who live in warm climates or who tend to get sweaty during their workouts.
Read About Peloton Bike vs Bowflex VeloCore
Which one offers the Best Workout?
The NordicTrack S22i prioritizes outdoor-like activities with its immersive iFit fitness app. Aside from live indoor cycling classes, iFit explores scenic and breathtaking locations to motivate and engage the rider. You can ride through the streets of Manhattan while following the cues of a seasoned and energetic instructor.
Conversely, the Peloton app offers a limited number of outdoor riding workouts that are not as engaging as the iFit workouts. However, Peloton is the king of studio sessions, offering fun-filled online live and on-demand classes with animated trainers to match. Again, in this category there is no winner as they are both pretty awesome and getting better by day.
Which one has the Best Resistance Settings?
A major difference between Peloton’s bike plus and the NordicTrack’s S22i is resistance control. Atlougth they both have “smart electronic magnetic resistance”, NordicTrack S22i is the only one that uses digital resistance controls on the handlebars.
I like the resistance controls built on the handlebars of Nordictrack S22i because they let me change the resistance without letting go off the handlebars and reach to screen. So, it’s more convenient and allows me to focus on the ride better.
The Peloton bike+, on the other hand, doesn’t have buttons/resistance controls on the handlebars. So, in order to change resistance, you would need to let go off the handlebars and touch the screen.
I wouldn’t say it’s to difficult to change the resistance on Peloton Bike+ but it’s defiantly less convenient than Nordictrack S22i.
With that out of the way, there is literally no other difference between the NordicTrack and Peloton Bike+ resistance system. They are both electronic, which means the resistance can be changed via screen.
And they are both smart, which means when the instructor instructs to change resistance, both of these bike have the ability to automatically change the resistance without you have to do it manually.
Just to clarify something here, I am not talking about Peloton Bike, I am talking about Peloton Bike+. The Original Peloton Bike doesn’t use electronic resistance, it used manual magnetic resistance and it doesn’t change automatically.
Which one has the Best Incline and Decline?
As earlier stated, the NordicTrack has an incline and decline feature that simulates uphill and downhill climbing. It has an automatic incline adjustment of up to 20% and a decline of up to 10%. Thus, it provides a more natural movement than using resistance to simulate hill climbing.
When you do incline, the back of the bike goes down and if you do incline, the front of the bike goes down. It’s not just automatic, it’s also smart. It means the incline and decline have the ability to follow iFit instructor’s commands and adjust your setting accordingly without you touching anything.
Per contra, Peloton uses only resistance to replicate hill climbing. In other words, the Peloton Bike+ doesn’t have incline and decline settings. The bike is welded fixed on the frame so nor the front neither the back of the bike goes up or down.
The lack of this feature forced Peloton to use resistance/intensity to replicate uphills and downhills. So, while the bike is flat straight, you put more or less effort to simulate descending and ascending.
Conclusion here? Of course the Nordictrack S22i is the winner because it actually has an incline and decline system that’s closer to outdoor cycling.
Which one has the Best Membership and Subscription?
The NordicTrack’s iFit app and the Peloton app both require a monthly subscription that increases ownership costs. However, NordicTrack has a more flexible and affordable plan.
iFit offers two membership packages with full access, an “Individual Package” ($180 per year) and a “Family Package” ($396 per year).
Peloton also offer two membership packages for its bikes; “App Membership” ($160 per year) and “All Access Membership” ($468 per year).
As you can see, the iFit Family Package membership is cheaper than the Peloton All Access membership while they both have similar content.
But the big difference between iFit and Peloton comes down to Individual Package vs App-Access. Although iFit Individual Package is $20 more expensive, it gives 1-user full access to the content on the application. It means you can watching cycling classes, track and see your workout, watching Yoga, Treadmill and all the other content on the app, no matter the type of membership.
Peloton, on the other hand, is $20 cheaper for App-Access compared to iFit Individual Package. However, it doesn’t give you the access to all content. You only have access to cycling content. So, you can’t watch treadmill, Yoga, and other content on Peloton with App-Access membership.
But even worse, Peloton’s App-Access doesn’t display all your cycling date on the app. You can only see and track your calories on the Peloton app if you are subscribed to App-Access. So, basically Peloton blocks you from tracking your RPM, Watt, Speed, and Resistance on App-Access membership.
So, Peloton Bike+ will ultimately charge you more for the same content. And the Peloton app does not offer a great bargain for its customers. So if you are looking to save some cost, the NordicTrack S22i bike is your best bet as iFit is cheaper and offers a lot.
That said, neither of these bikes transmit the cycling stats (RPM, watt, speed, etc) to TrainerRaod or Zwift. There is a way to open Zwift app on the screen of the Peloton Bike but that’s it. If you want to transmit your Peloton bike workouts to Zwift, you would need power meters. For Zwift, you are better of with a bike like Tacx Neo that fully functions with the app.
Which one is more expensive?
Both the NordicTrack S22i and the Peloton bike plus aren’t cheap bikes by any definition. They are considered high-end bikes that come with steep price tags. However, the NordicTrack S22i bike is slightly more affordable than the Peloton bike plus.
The NordicTrack S22i costs about $1,999 or $52 per month if you are paying on an installment basis. The Peloton bike+ is a bit more expensive at $2,495 or $39 per month.
Additionally, the S22i comes with two 3-pound dumbbells, while the Peloton plus does not. On top of that, Nordictrack S22i is often on offer and if you are lucky, you can grab one for as little as $1500 and get a 1-month free iFit membership as well.
Which has the best Weight Limit?
Weight limit is one of the critical factors to consider when buying any fitness equipment. It determines if an exercise bike will be a good fit for you or not. So which has the best weight limit between our two focus exercise bikes?
It appears that the NordicTrack has a slight advantage here with its 350-pound weight capacity, while the Peloton plus support a 300-pound weight limit. The higher the weight limit of a bike, the more people it can accommodate (from tall to short big-boned and the like).
Which has the Best Pedals?
The NordicTrack’s S22i comes with standard bike pedals and clips that support just about any sports shoe but not specific clip-in cycling shoes.
The Peloton bike plus, on the other hand, features Look Delta clips that demand compatible bike shoes for use. The Peloton is the winner here as it comes with safer and more expensive pedals than those simple toe-caged pedals on Nordictrack S22i.
However, if you prefer to ride your indoor bike with regular athletic shoes, Nordictrack is a better choice because it ships with toe-cages included with the pedals.
On Peloton, you would need to buy pedal cages or pedal adapters separately if you want to ride the bike with regular athletic shoes.
Which is Easier to Set up and Transport?
Peloton ships its bike fully assembled, so all you have to do is to roll the bike to its designated location. In contrast, the Nordic Track bike arrives partly assembled and requires about two or more people to assemble its somewhat heavy parts. Alternatively, you can pay the company a fee to assemble the machine upon delivery.
The NordicTrack S22i and the Peloton bike plus have transport wheels that allow seamless transportation and relocation. They each integrate two wheels at the rear, so users can easily move the bikes from one spot to another.
However, the Peloton bike, at 140-lbs is slightly lighter than the S22i at 170-lbs. Nonetheless, there isn’t much size difference between them.
Which one Promises a Better Warranty?
NordicTrack S22i offers a 10-year warranty on its frame, two years on its parts, and a year for labor. Per contra, the Peloton bike plus offers a 5-year warranty on frame, and a year each for labor and parts.
It is quite obvious that the NordicTrack S22i bike has more confidence in its longevity than the Peloton bike plus. A bike’s warranty is a measure of the company’s confidence in the bike’s longevity and ability to withstand prolonged use.
So judging by this, the NordicTrack S22i offers a better warranty than the Peloton bike plus. However, Peloton offers a more efficient customer service and has a more active and helpful community.
Final Verdict
The Peloton bike plus and the NordicTrack S22i are exceptional bikes with quality features that give users a good bang for their buck. They remain undefeated in the biking community and have proved their worth in gold.
As to which bike is better than the other, there is no clear-cut answer. It all boils down to personal preference. However, the main difference between both bikes is the incline and decline feature, the cost, and the warranty offered. Otherwise, one is just as good as the other!
As for which one is the winner for me, I have to admit, the Nordictrack S22i is my choice. The company brought some needed improvements to the bike in late 2021 and it’s often available for the half the price of Peloton Bike+. So, as Joe from Friends would say “what’s not to like”?
Frequently Asked Questions About Peloton, Nordictrack, and iFit:
Peloton App-Access vs Peloton All-Access?
App-Access costs $160 per year and it’s a neutered version of the Peloton experience. Your cycling metrics won’t appear in the app, because it’s not connected to the bike. With App-Access you can only access the Peloton cycling classes, not other classes. Peloton All-Access costs $460 per year and connects to the bike to display and save your cycling metrics. With All-Access, you can access all Peloton classes, not just spinning bike classes.
Does peloton have live classes all day?
Yes, Peloton offers up to 14 live classes each day. You can view the schedule of classes on their website or through the app. All classes are led by experienced instructors and are designed to give you a great workout.
How many spin classes does the peloton app have?
The Peloton app offers more than 5000 pre-recorded classes and 14 live classes every day. You can browse through the class library and find the perfect workout for your level, goals and schedule. The app is updated with new content all the time, so you’ll never get bored. Plus, you can use the app to track your progress and take part in monthly challenges to keep yourself motivated.
How do I watch live classes on peloton app?
The Peloton app offers live and on-demand classes. To watch a live class, open the Peloton app and tap the “LIVE” tab at the bottom of the screen. You can also tap the three dots in the top right corner of a class tile to see upcoming live classes.
If you want to watch a class on demand, open the Peloton app and tap the “ON DEMAND” tab at the bottom of the screen. You can browse by type of class (Cycling, Strength, Running, Treadmill), instructor, or music genre. You can also search for a specific class by name or keyword.
Does iFit have live cycling classes?
Yes, iFit offers live cycling classes that you can participate in from the comfort of your own home. These classes are led by certified personal trainers and last for 30 minutes. You can also choose to take part in instructor-led cycling classes that last for 45 or 60 minutes. Additionally, iFit offers a variety of cycling workouts that you can do on your own without having to attend a live class.
Does iFit have beginner cycling classes?
Yes, iFit does have beginner cycling classes. I suggest taking a look at the iFit workout library and checking out some of the beginner cycling workouts that are available. There are also a few advanced workouts available if you’re feeling up for a challenge. Just remember to always listen to your body and take breaks as needed. After all, safety is always the top priority. iFit cycling classes are between 30 minutes to 60 minutes long.
Can you use iFit with a peloton bike?
Yes, you can use iFit with a peloton bike but you can’t connect the Peloton bike to iFit application. You just need to open your iFit account on your peloton bike. Once you do that, you’ll be able to access all of your iFit workouts and programs on your peloton bike. You can also use iFit with other exercise equipment, like treadmills and ellipticals.
Are iFit live classes really live?
Yes, the classes are live. The trainers are in a studio and they can see and hear you. They also have the capability to project images of your workout onto a screen so that the rest of the class can see what you’re doing. iFit has up to 7 live classes per day which is half of what Peloton offers.
What’s better Nordictrack or Peloton bike?
Nordictrack bike is better because it has resistance controls on the handlebars, plus cooling fan, and lower price point, and it also inclines, which gives you a more challenging workout. It also is compatible with iFit which is cheaper than Peloton membership.
Peloton vs Nordictrack S22i vs Echelon?
Nordictrack offers a higher quality machine with many more features, such as built-in WiFi, an interactive touchscreen, and online workouts. Nordictrack’s incline and decline system plus cheaper price and cheaper membership make it a better option than Peloton and Echelon. Peloton, on the other hand has a good community which is extremely active and supportive. Last but not least, Echelon, its more affordable than Peloton but doesn’t have the quality to stand against Peloton or Nordictrack bikes.
Sayed Hosseiny
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs.
