The Big Peloton Explainer: Is The Bike Worth The Spend?

Let's talk about Peloton. It's unlikely you've not heard of Peloton. Once a friend or relative buys a Peloton it's pretty much all they can talk about for the next few months. The obsession is real. Simply put Peloton is best known for its at-home spin studio style bike and its app-based platform that serves up countless indoor cycling and fitness classes to choose from. Each Peloton Bike boasts a flashy touch screen that looks like a very large - very expensive - iPad mounted at the perfect viewing height for its rider. It's on this screen that you can follow along to spin classes, other fitness classes - if you go for the Peloton Bike+ option, more on that later - simulate scenic bike routes and even keep an eye on a real-time leaderboard.

Peloton tapped into demand for an elevated at-home fitness experience at a time when most were still hooked on gym subscriptions. Cut to 2021 and fitness enthusiasts at large have experienced over a year's worth of lockdowns and gym and fitness studio closures. At-home fitness is well and truly in the spotlight. That said, where consumer demand emerges, brands quickly go to provide. With more workout gear on the digital shelves than ever, does Peloton have what it takes to stand out? Those already in the Peloton club would scream 'YES!'.

News flash: The Peloton x Beyoncé Artist Series is live

Queen Bey has finally come to Peloton town. Current members rejoice, would-be members get signing up! Peloton's new artist series will serve up 72 hours of powerful content, 17 classes over a three-day period with content streamed globally from Peloton Studios New York and the new Peloton Studios London across Peloton's cycling, strength, yoga, barre, stretching and outdoor content. A spin to the tune of Beyoncé's greatest hits? Barre squats to the Lemonade album? Count us in.

'The Beyoncé Artist Series allows you to mentally draw deeply from internal and external places of power and this is the soundtrack that will transport you,' says Peloton’s Head of Music Gwen Bethel Riley. 'We are honoured to have designed a new series of classes that elevate movement and music on the Peloton platform. This empowering message will motivate our community to show up for each other and for themselves.'

How big is a Peloton Bike?

The original Peloton Bike, priced at £1750 (that includes free delivery) plus the £39 per month subscription cost for unlimited live and on-demand classes has a footprint of 4' x 2'. It weighs 135 lbs and has a 22" HD touchscreen. Then there's the Peloton Bike+, which is designed to offer a more immersive workout. The touch screen is slightly larger (23.8") and offers 360 degrees of rotation, meaning if you love Peloton's yoga workouts and HIIT classes as much as the spin classes, you can still follow along using the same screen. Its footprint is the same as the OG Peloton Bike at 4' x 2' but it weighs in slightly heavier at 151 lbs. The Peloton Bike+ costs £2295, which, again, includes free delivery. The £39 per month subscription cost for unlimited live and on-demand classes from Peloton is payable on top. If music's your thing the Peloton Bike+ could be for you. It features a four-speaker sound system, which makes for clearer sound quality and, some say, a greater connection to your instructor. Its Auto-Follow function offers the rider a touch-free optional adjustment that takes over and automatically controls resistance based on targets you've added to your profile.

What classes are on offer on the Peloton App?

It would take less time to list off the classes not on offer on the Peloton App quite frankly. The Peloton App boasts thousands of classes across categories like indoor cycling, running, walking, strength, stretching, cardio, yoga, pilates and meditation. It's rated 4.8 Stars in the Apple App Store (thanks to 2,300+ reviews and ratings) and is currently available on iOS, Android and web, as well as Amazon Fire TV, Apple Watch, Chromecast, Android TV, Apple TB and Roku TVs. The Peloton App is also available on Sky Q for UK-based Members. This makes space for flexibility. If you're a Peloton Bike owner and happen to be staying away from your bike for a week or two you can do so safe in the knowledge that you can still access your fitness classes on your phone or even Chromecast them to another TV. Peloton Bike owners buy into the £39 per month All-Access Membership, but if you want to give the app a go before committing to a Peloton Bike you can do so by subscribing to the digital only version of the Peloton App for just £12.99 a month. You can opt in to a 30 day free trial before you do so too.

What sort of flooring do I need for a Peloton Bike?

The short answer is that a Peloton Bike will function well on any type of floor. Yes, hard flooring swerves the wobble factor entirely, but even deep pile carpet isn't a no-no. If you're planning on placing your Peloton Bike in a room with deep pile carpeting consider investing in the Peloton Bike Works, £245, a kit collection that includes all your basics (bike shoes, cleats and headphones) as well as a heart rate monitor and, crucially, a mat. Roughly the same size as a regular yoga mat, the Peloton Mat, when placed on top of a carpet, offers up a surface that moulds to the base of your Peloton Bike in a very short amount of time to help stabilise it. Not to mention the fact that it stands to catch any rogue drops as you sweat it out mid-class. Yep, Peloton have every eventuality covered.

Shop: A Few Peloton Bike Essentials Now

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