Peloton Bike+ in the test: A touch of a fitness studio in your own four walls

During the Corona pandemic, the US company Peloton benefited from the closure of fitness studios and experienced a boom in demand. Although this has now leveled off significantly again, the Peloton offer has also been available in Austria since October. The OÖN editorial team tested the Peloton Bike+ with the corresponding app.

Processing: Peloton makes no compromises when it comes to workmanship. The bike appears to be of very high quality, it is extremely stable and does not wobble. The 24-inch touchscreen can be rotated and tilted to the side. This means you always have the best view of the display, regardless of whether you are sitting on the bike, standing next to it (e.g. during strength training) or lying on the floor on a yoga mat. There are very good speakers built into the screen. A small point of criticism concerns the display itself, which can be quite reflective depending on the light.

Accesories: For the pedals you need cycling shoes with a delta click system, which can be purchased if necessary. A training mat, headphones, dumbbells and a heart rate chest strap are also available. Users can also connect their smartwatch to the bike to record training data. In the test, the interaction between an Apple Watch and the Peloton Bike+ worked perfectly. The app on the watch reliably recognized when a course was started, recorded the performance data and synchronized it with the Apple Health and Fitness apps.

Software and setup: The software is based on Android and is entirely geared towards fitness programs. Users can start their training courses directly on the bike or plan them ahead on a schedule. This also works on your smartphone using the Peloton app. This can also be used to set sporting goals, study workout statistics or view other training courses. The setup worked perfectly in the test: After logging in with your email address and password, we continued with a short introduction, during which the height and position of the saddle as well as the height of the handlebars were adjusted.

With motivation for training success: The heart of the Peloton offering are the courses, which are led by professional trainers and are available both live and on demand. Regardless of whether it’s cardio, strength training, yoga or just sessions on the bike: the courses differ in their intensity, duration or even the music that is played in the background. The pedaling resistance is regulated automatically and in real time depending on the course, but can also be adjusted manually using a rotary knob directly on the bike if necessary. Some courses are held in German, but the majority are held in English. In fact, the mere – even if only virtual – presence of a trainer who explains the training goal of the respective course and keeps the trainees happy with motivational sayings is an aspect of training with Peloton that should not be underestimated. This means there are always clear instructions and a goal in mind that needs to be achieved. This makes the training much more structured and goal-oriented, as if you were just cycling haphazardly for a while.

Additional content and offers: In addition to the guided training sessions, there are also so-called scenic rides where you can explore some of the most beautiful places in the world at your own pace. If you prefer to be entertained during training, you can connect your Netflix or Disney+ account to watch films and series. This is a nice change and will certainly provide additional motivation for one or two users to get on the bike more often.

Conclusion and prices: The concept that Peloton offers in terms of its equipment and the range of training courses it offers is very sophisticated and well thought out. The courses are varied and fun, but are also taught with the necessary professionalism. The big but comes when you look at the price tag. While the regular Peloton Bike, which is equipped with a smaller, non-rotating screen and has to do without auto-resistance, costs 1,445 euros, the Bike+ costs a whopping 2,495 euros. And unfortunately it doesn’t stop there, because anyone who wants to use the course program on the bike has to pay an additional 39 euros per month for membership. The whole family can cycle with it, but the Peloton Bike+ is still expensive fun.