No matter what your price point, Peloton has options with its new bike and treadmill
By Christopher Turner
There is no denying how much COVID-19 has changed the way we work out. As the pandemic spread earlier this year, quieting the sounds of group fitness classes and exercise machines, home fitness took on a new role. Whether it was a PT session or a yoga class on Zoom, or panic-buying of at-home gym equipment, fitness fanatics were desperately trying to find ways to exercise effectively within their own four walls. Retailers reported sharp increases in sales of home gym equipment – like Peloton – and online marketplaces almost immediately sold out of dumbbells and kettlebells.
Now, even though fitness studios and gyms are reopening across the country (with heightened cleaning protocols and contactless experiences), workouts have substantially – and probably permanently – changed. Because of that, heading back to your local gym may be a little less appealing than working out in the comfort of your own home…with a little help, of course.
Two new options from Peloton
One much-hyped brand that helped usher in a new era of at home workouts is Peloton, and today they’ve announced the introduction of the Peloton Bike+ and the new Peloton Tread, upping the brand’s portfolio of immersive, connected fitness products and experiences. The Peloton product suite will now include two different bike models and two treadmill models, offering members new ways to combine cardio and strength training, while adding more affordable entry points for you to experience the popular at-home workouts.
“Our goal is to be the go-to at-home fitness solution for as many people as possible,” says John Foley, Peloton’s CEO and co-founder. “And with these new product launches, we’ll be able to offer access to Peloton’s best-in-class fitness content at various price points, depending on what consumers are looking for, especially in a world where people are increasingly working out at home.”
The Peloton Bike+
Eight years after Foley (a spin devotee himself) co-founded Peloton, the New York-based fitness company is releasing the Peloton Bike+, available in Canada starting on September 9, 2020. The higher-end Peloton Bike+ builds on the innovation of the original Peloton Bike while offering some serious hardware and software upgrades.
Like the original, the just-released model is incredibly simple to use (and nice to look at) with whisper-quiet wheels and a sturdy frame that help immerse the user in live or on-demand workouts. The most noticeable upgrade is the 23.8” HD touchscreen, which rotates 180 degrees left and right so you can easily transition your workout from the bike to the floor. Also, expect an incredibly responsive touchscreen and clearer sound thanks to the high-fidelity four-speaker sound system.
Other impressive upgrades include Gymkit, which (finally) enables you to sync your ride with Apple Watch, and Auto-Follow, an optional (but highly recommended) feature that automatically scales the resistance of your ride based on the instructor’s guidance as you are taken through seated sprints to standing hill climbs and everything in between.
The new Peloton Bike+ retails for $3,295 CAD, while the original Peloton Bike will now be available at the lower price point of $2,495 CAD as of September 9, 2020.
The all-new Peloton Tread
Peloton’s bike isn’t the only product to get the makeover treatment. Also announced is the new Peloton Tread treadmill, with similar upgrades and a more affordable price point than its predecessor. Like the Peloton Bike+, the sleek Tread has a 23.8” HD touchscreen with integrated speakers that can move to suit on-demand workouts, which include running, walking, and off-the-treadmill strength training, cardio, and more. But what really makes the difference here is the size. Tread measures smaller than most couches (measuring 68” L x 33” W x 62” H) and fits comfortably in most homes.
The larger, original Peloton Tread, now called the Peloton Tread+, is not available in Canada, but the new Peloton Tread will be available, retailing for $3,295 CAD. The bad news? It won’t be available in Canada until early 2021.
Peloton makes it easy
It can be incredibly challenging to maintain the motivation to work out at home. But Peloton seems to have mastered the art of inspiring long-term motivation with a seemingly endless library of on-demand classes that vary widely in type, length, and level of difficulty. The equipment is topnotch, but what really sets the brand apart from other connected home gym products is the wide offering of classes Peloton offers: a range of video cycling classes and off-the-bike workouts that include strength training, core workouts, stretching, yoga, and even meditation. The classes are designed to motivate with competitive leaderboards and experienced instructors (my personal recommendation: jump at any class led by Cody Rigsby or Robin Arzón) who lead workouts that ensure you feel as though you’ve been transported to a high-energy gym class environment.
There’s also the curated upbeat tunes. “We have over a million songs under licence, representing the largest audiovisual connected fitness music catalogue in the world,” the company said in a registration statement before its IPO last year. “Our curated music is as diverse and dynamic as the members we serve, delivering a custom-fit-and-finish musical experience created by instructors and music supervisors on our production team.”
The robust music platform lets users take themed music rides, allowing them to pick a genre of music, their favourite decade or even a specific artist: anyone and everyone from Madonna to Britney Spears to Rihanna to Drake. Members can “like” songs and save them to their profile, as well as integrate Apple Music and Spotify so they can sync the songs they like with their fave streaming service.
And, finally, there’s the active, tight-knit user community…2.6 million members worldwide and counting. Many members actively share workout tips and celebrate each other’s progress on social media, pushing you to get back on your bike or treadmill day after day. You can even send a virtual high five to someone taking the same class on the other side of the world.
The only catch to the unmatched experience is the equipment price tag, which is justifiable, as well as the monthly Peloton membership that grants you unlimited access to the video classes. Monthly subscriptions cost $49 CAD per month – which is more than comparable to (if not cheaper than) monthly gym memberships, and can be cancelled or paused at any time. Plus, investing in fitness isn’t exactly the worst idea.
If you’re interested in taking your home workouts (especially spinning) to the next level and need that extra dose of motivation that comes from high energy studio class instructors, Peloton is undeniably a great option. For more information about Peloton products or membership, visit onepeloton.ca.
