After riding the Peloton Bike and the Peloton Bike+ (an upgraded model we review below), assessing 18 other indoor-cycling bikes, taking dozens of classes, observing even more, and absorbing myriad motivational mantras, we’ve concluded that if you have your heart set on a Peloton Bike and all that comes with it, you’ll be happiest with a Peloton Bike. It is a solid piece of equipment overall. But the bike becomes a shadow of its former self if you stop paying the $44 monthly membership fee. And Peloton has been through its share of ups and downs over the past few years.
We recommend the Peloton Bike in our guide to exercise bikes, but we also have other suggestions that might better fit your budget, style, or goals. To decide, you need to know yourself, what you want out of your bike and your workouts, and—perhaps most important—what you’re willing to go without.
Peloton Bike
Boutique-cycling fans will find their people and their workout vibe with Peloton. Everyone else will feel the burn mainly in their budget.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,445.
Peloton Bike+
This upgraded version aims to please those devoted to Peloton workouts both on and off the bike—though the add-ons aren’t crucial to getting the full experience.
Thanks to well-produced live-streaming and on-demand classes starring self-made celebrity instructors, the Peloton Bike has a devoted following. (And plenty of competition.) Is it worth the investment? Quite possibly, especially if you’re accustomed to spending lots of money at spin studios week in and week out and want something more convenient at home. Or maybe you simply find Peloton’s offerings intriguing, and you’re willing to make the financial commitment. Many people, however, are likely to be turned off by the Peloton Bike’s significant up-front cost and ongoing expense (and, possibly, the May 2023 recall due to a faulty seat post).
Once you purchase the Bike itself, you need to keep paying a $44 monthly subscription fee, or you’re left with just three classes and a free-ride mode that displays only real-time data on the screen, with no leaderboard-inspired competition or any record of your efforts.
Nowadays you can choose to rent a Bike ($89 per month) or a Bike+ ($119 per month); the rental price includes the membership. Renters pay a one-time $150 delivery fee and are free to cancel their agreement or buy their bike at any time.
| Base price | Dimensions (inches) |
Footprint (feet) |
Bike weight (pounds) |
Tablet size (inches diagonal) |
Audio | Camera | Subscription price (per month) |
Max weight (pounds) |
|
| Peloton Bike | $1,445 | 59 by 53 by 23 | 4 by 2 | 135 | 21.5 | Two-speaker system (rear-facing) | 5-megapixel front-facing (no privacy cover) | $44 | 297 |
| Peloton Bike+ | $2,495 | 59 by 59 by 22 | 4 by 2 | 140 | 23.8 | High-definition four-speaker system (front- and rear-facing) | 8-megapixel front-facing (with privacy cover) | $44 | 297 |
The Bike+ features several upgrades over the Bike, though several specs (such as overall footprint and maximum weight) remain the same between the two.
