Peloton Bike vs Peloton Bike+

Today I am excited to review the Peloton vs. Peloton Bike+! By the end of this article you will able to make an informed buying decision to determine which model is best for your personal needs. I have an in-depth review of the Peloton Bike+ you can watch here.

The Peloton is currently $1,495 and the Peloton Bike+ is $2,495. Regardless of which piece of equipment you purchase, both will require the Peloton all-access membership at $39/mo in order to use either of these bikes. There are many other similarities, but I want to start with the major differences in the 2 bikes.

There are some obvious small aesthetic differences you can see by looking at these bikes, such as the Peloton Bike+ having a refreshed logo, slightly larger frame, and slightly larger screen size. The screen on the Peloton Bike+ has a better resolution, and is upgraded from 22″ to 24″ screen. The Peloton original bike tablet does not rotate, however, can move up and down, while the Peloton Bike+ can rotate fully for workouts in front of your Peloton Bike+ (off-bike workouts).

The Peloton Bike+ has digital magnetic resistance that is controlled by a motor. The standard Peloton has a mechanically-operated magnetic resistance knob. The major benefit of the Peloton Bike+ is the automatic adjusting resistance, which allows you to ride freely while the machine automatically shifts resistance ranges for you. In the standard Peloton, however, you must manually reach down and change your resistance using the knob.

The speakers on the standard Peloton are located on the back – (2) 10 Watt speakers – while the Peloton Bike+ has speakers on the front. While speakers are sufficient on the standard bike, the Bike+ audio system blows away the original bike and includes subwoofers. But if you are a headphone user, this may be an irrelevant datapoint. Both bikes have physical headphone jacks and bluetooth capability.

Unlike the standard Peloton, the Peloton Bike+ syncs with your Apple Watch, working as a heart rate monitor, managing calories, and syncing with Apple Health to close rings.

While only you can determine which bike feels right for you, I will leave you with some questions to ponder in order to make the most informed buying decision: Does screen size and quality matter to you? Do you plan to do off-bike workouts with the machine? Are you okay with manually changing resistance during a class, or would you rather continue to ride seamlessly and let the bike automatically adjust for you? Do you plan to always use headphones? And if not, do you care about audio quality? Are you planning to use your Apple Watch to seamlessly connect to the bike for heart rate monitoring, calories, or closing rings?

Whichever model you choose, these steel-framed, visually appealing, and popular bikes seem to be a fan favorite with indoor cycling enthusiasts. Keep in mind there are many manufacturing alternatives out there that can go head-to-head with this brand. You can browse other reviews from different manufacturers on my Youtube channel here. Happy riding 🙂