Introduction
The original Peloton exercise bike first went on sale back in 2014, and since then it has transformed the way that we exercise at home.
Exercise bike workouts used to be notoriously dull and tedious, but Peloton created a whole new interactive workout experience by fitting an internet-connected tablet to their bikes and enabling people to workout in groups and with qualified instructors, just like a group cycling class.
A new Peloton Plus bike was developed in 2020 that featured an improved fully rotational and slightly larger screen, a better sound system with front and rear-facing speakers and automatic resistance control, but these new features come at a significant cost, and many new users are still choosing to buy the original Peloton bike now that it has come down in price.
So in this article I want to review the original Peloton bike, discussing all of the key features and taking a closer look at the main pros and cons to see if this is still worth buying in 2024.
Features and Benefits
- tilting 22″ HD Touchscreen
- 2-channel rear-facing 16W stereo speakers
- 5 megapixel front-facing camera
- Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity
- adjustable resistance
- smooth and quiet belt drive system
- fully adjustable seat and handlebars
- live and in-demand classes with all-access membership
- personalized training plans
- detailed performance tracking
- includes water bottle holder, stabilizers and transport wheels
- compact space-saving 4 x 2 feet footprint
- strong alloy steel frame
- suitable for users between 4″11 and 6″5
- accommodates users up to 297 lbs
Product Dimensions / Weight
This Peloton bike weighs 135 lbs when it is fully assembled, and as mentioned above, it is strong enough to accommodate anyone up to 297 lbs.
It has dimensions (in inches) of 59″(L) x 53″(H) x 23″(W), so it has a relatively small footprint, but Peloton do suggest that you have at least 24 inches of free space around each side of the bike and a minimum height of at least 8 feet to exercise safely and comfortably.
Positives
The main reason why you should consider buying the original Peloton exercise bike as opposed to a regular indoor cycling bike is because it provides an immersive workout experience that will take your workouts to a whole new level.
You do need to pay an additional monthly fee for the all-access membership to get the complete package, but once you do so, you will have access to over 50 professional instructors who will guide you and motivate you to successfully complete a variety of workouts set to some uplifting music, from beginner workouts right up to advanced workouts.
There are live streaming classes every day as well as thousands of on-demand classes that you can filter by length, difficulty, instructor, music and class type, so you will never be short of options, and you will never be pressurised to keep up with the other members of the class, like you would be in a real-life class. Indeed you can filter the other participants to choose who you exercise with, and you can actually encourage and motivate each other during your workouts.
If you are fiercely competitive and enjoy racing against others, there is a leaderboard that you can use to see how you are performing in comparison to the other people in your virtual class.
It is easy to track all of your performance metrics on the screen (cadence, output, heart rate, distance, etc) and monitor your progress over time, and there are also personalized training plans that will help you achieve your targets.
The screen itself is an impressive 22-inch high-definition touchscreen, slightly wider than the earliest version, and it can be tilted upwards and downwards so that people of differing heights can view it at the optimal angle. It is also sweat-resistant in case you are worried about getting it wet during a particularly vigorous workout.
It features rear-facing 16W stereo speakers that will blast out the music from the workouts and of course the instructions, and has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and a headphone socket.
The bike features a belt drive system that is smooth and quiet in operation, and there is an adjustable resistance knob that you can use to vary the intensity of your workouts, from 0 to 100. The precise resistance setting will be displayed on the screen, and the instructor will generally suggest a level of resistance to be used throughout their workouts.
I also want to highlight one other cool feature and that’s the scenic rides. Peloton actually removed many of their scenic rides a year or two ago, but there are still quite a few that are available to all-access membership subscribers. These will really appeal to the more traditional cyclists who enjoy cycling outdoors on a real bike, particularly during the cold winter months.
Finally, it should be pointed out that this particular model has come down in price quite significantly in the last couple of years since the Peloton Bike+ was launched. This newer model does have a few cool features, but the original Peloton will be more than sufficient for most people, whether it is purchased new or used, because it remains a seriously impressive machine.
Negatives
With regards to the negatives, you could argue that the price of the less expensive original Peloton is still too high for a lot of people.
The truth is that there are slightly cheaper alternatives available that will give you many of the same benefits as a Peloton. For example, the Echelon EX5-S also comes with a 22″ HD screen and offers membership to over 3000 live and on-demand classes through their Echelon Premium Membership.
It is also possible to purchase a much cheaper indoor cycling bike that has a tablet holder, and simply stream lots of cycling workouts from YouTube to your phone or tablet, replicating the Peloton experience without paying any monthly membership fees. There are also numerous fitness apps that you can use too.
Of course they won’t necessarily be the same quality because Peloton use some top world-class instructors, whereas a YouTube workout may well be performed by someone who doesn’t have the same kind of knowledge or experience.
Another drawback of this Peloton bike is the monthly membership fee because this has to be paid if you want to continue accessing all of the premium content, otherwise you will only be able to use the bike in its most basic form.
On the plus side, the all-access membership can at least be used by the whole family, and I understand that it is now possible to pause your membersip for 1-3 months on request.
Finally, it should be mentioned that this Peloton will be a permanent fixture in your home because it cannot be folded away, and because you will be exercising at home instead of a live class, there will be no expert on hand to correct your form or give you a few helpful words of advice.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the original Peloton bike is still a very good quality indoor cycling bike that is built to last, and will provide you with some extremely effective fat-burning workouts from many world class instructors who can motivate you to achieve your goals.
There is a vast library of on-demand classes for you to join, as well as regular daily classes that will offer new and challenging workout routines, so if you are looking to experience the excitement and the competitive aspect of studio workouts from the comfort of your own home, this original Peloton will give you everything you need.
Yes, there are cheaper alternatives available now, but most of them do not offer the same kind of premium content that you get with a Peloton, and many of the cheaper alteratives do not have the same level of strength and durability either.
So ultimately you have to decide if you are willing to pay over $1000 for the original Peloton bike, and the additional membership to gain access to the very best content, or whether you are prepared to settle for a cheaper alternative.
The general consensus seems to be that it is worth paying more for a Peloton, even if it’s the older original model, because this is so much more than an exercise bike. It is an immersive workout experience that you will never get bored of.
→ Click here to buy the original Peloton bike
Also Available – Peloton Plus Bike
As mentioned at the start of this review, you can now pay even more for a new enhanced model – the Peloton Plus bike.
I will write a full review of this latest model very soon, but to give you a quick summary of the differences between this model and the original model, the new plus model has a slightly larger 24″ inch screen that has 360 degrees of movement so that you can watch it in front of your bike or whilst doing other exercises on the floor, for example.
Another cool feature is that the resistance can be adjusted automatically in accordance with the instructor’s instructions during their workouts, and the console comes equipped with more powerful 26W speakers that are both front and rear facing. It also Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity instead of 4.0 connectivity.
I personally don’t believe that these extra features justify the significantly higher price tag, but it is still worth considering if your budget can stretch this far because this is currently the best Peloton bike that you can buy.