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The Peloton’s popularity may be past its peak, but the demand for the high-end spin bike is unstoppable. The Peloton is one of the best exercise bikes on the market, and it comes in two models: the original Peloton Bike and the Peloton Bike Plus. If you’re having a hard time deciding which model is best for your needs, CNET’s team of experts has you covered.
Check this out: I rode the Peloton Bike Plus for a month – and I liked it
The newer, updated model is a dream for Peloton superfans. For those looking for a Peloton on a tighter budget, the original Peloton is now more affordable than the newer model.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Peloton bike for your home, check out the guide below to find out which bike is best for you and how the specs and features compare. Before you buy, you should also consider whether you want a new Peloton model or if you’re okay with going with a refurbished one, which could save you hundreds of dollars no matter which bike you ultimately choose.
The Peloton Bike is the original Peloton model, with slightly slimmed-down features compared to the new upgraded model. But if you’re looking for a Peloton experience and want to save around $600, the original Peloton won’t disappoint.
The Peloton Bike also offers access to live and on-demand classes, giving you stats for each class. You’ll also have access to leaderboards, which let you see who else is riding with you in class in real time. One thing you don’t get with the original Peloton Bike is Apple Gym Kit integration, but you can still pair Bluetooth devices like headphones or heart rate monitors that use ANT+.
The Peloton Bike Plus is the latest Peloton Bike model with all the bells and whistles a die-hard Peloton fan could want. In addition to an upgraded, slightly larger touchscreen that rotates (so you can do other Peloton workouts, like strength training, off the bike), one of the most notable features is an option on the resistance knob that allows the instructor to automatically adjust the resistance of your bike based on their recommendation.
The bike offers access to live and on-demand classes with a leaderboard so you can see which other members are in class with you. You also get access to stats like power, cadence, resistance, and heart rate during your rides. The Peloton Bike Plus is also compatible with Apple GymKit and Apple Watch, which connects your Peloton to your Apple Watch for heart rate monitoring integration.
Overview: Which One is Right for You?
Price
Right now, the Peloton Plus is between $600 and $1,000 more expensive than the Peloton Bike, depending on whether you buy new or refurbished. That might not seem like a huge price difference when you consider that the total investment in a bike is already quite high. However, some people will be happy with the original Peloton. Below, we’ll explain how they differ.
Quality
Both bikes deliver quality. Both have nearly identical performance and construction metrics with minor differences. One of the biggest differences is the digital resistance knob adjustment on the Peloton Bike Plus with the option for Auto Follow during class.
Technology
The specs of both bikes are pretty much identical, but the Peloton Bike Plus has 4GB of RAM compared to the Peloton Bike’s 2GB. Both bikes have 16GB of internal storage. The Peloton Bike Plus has a USB-C charging port, which is handy for charging devices while you’re riding. The original Peloton has a standard USB port. Both bike models have Bluetooth.
Features
The Peloton Bike sound system is a little less powerful, with a dual-channel stereo speaker system in the back with 16 watts of total power. The Peloton Bike Plus has 26 watts of total power, 2.2 channel stereo speakers in the front and 2.2 woofers in the back.
Mate
The two bikes are about the same size and take up about the same amount of space. The bikes have a footprint of 4 feet by 2 feet (smaller than an average yoga mat, Peloton says), but Peloton recommends having at least 8-foot ceilings in the room where you’ll be using the bike. You’ll also need about two feet of clearance around all four sides of the bike, Peloton says.
Display
Both bikes have touchscreens, with slight differences in size. The Peloton Bike Plus’s screen is 23.8 inches, while the original Peloton Bike’s is 21.5 inches. Only the Bike Plus has the rotating feature, which can be a game-changer if you like to do Peloton workouts off the bike and simply want to rotate the screen to lift weights somewhere else near the bike. The Bike Plus also has a low-reflection, anti-smudge coating, which the original Bike doesn’t.
Delivery
Delivery and assembly costs are included with both Peloton bikes.
Check this out: Peloton Bike makes spinning at home much smoother
