The First Five Differences I Noticed After Switching to the Peloton Bike+
I’ve been an avid rider on my regular Peloton Bike for four years and never considered upgrading to the Bike+ because of its cost and because I wasn’t sure if it would have features that would make it significantly better than what I already had . To my surprise, when I started testing the Bike+ for review, there were a few tweaks and features that immediately jumped out at me. I’ll need a little more time riding and getting to know the machine before I write my final comparison and review, but here are the surprising differences I noticed right away.
Bike+ has better sound quality
One of the first major differences I noticed was in the sound output. To be fair, I’ve never had any issues with the sound coming out of my Bike, whether I’m following verbal cues in class or playing the music game Lanebreak . However, you don’t know what you’re missing until you experience something different, which is what happened here. The speakers on the regular Bike are rear-facing and draw 16 watts of power, while the speakers on the Bike+ are rear- and front-facing and draw 26 watts, and they have subwoofers. Overall, this makes for a more immersive audio experience.
The volume buttons on the Bike+ have become more accessible
Both the Bike and Bike+ have volume buttons on the side of the touchscreen, and you can reach in with your right hand to adjust them fairly easily. The volume buttons on the Bike are a little further back behind the screen; I had to feel for them. The buttons on the Bike+ are right on the edge of the screen and are larger, so I found them easier to reach.
Bike+ seems a little bigger
Overall, both take up about the same amount of space in your home: The Bike has a footprint of 59″ by 23″ and the Bike+ has a footprint of 59″ by 22″. Both require eight feet of ceiling height. The Bike weighs about 135 pounds and the Bike+ weighs about 140 pounds. Their dimensions are so similar that I didn’t feel any difference while riding.
Still, the Bike+ feels bigger. At first, I couldn’t figure out why, but then I realized it’s because it’s a little sleeker and more refined. The logo on the side is in raised silver decals, which looks sharp compared to the flat white “Peloton” branding on the Bike, which also includes a red Peloton badge. The knobs used to change settings like seat height and distance from the screen are also much more discreet than on the Bike (more on that in a second), making for a slightly more spacious ride. On my Bike, I regularly hit the knob that controls the height or lowering of my seat with my foot, making it feel cramped. That’s not an issue on the Bike+, which has a more compact, hidden knob.
The screen on the Bike+ is also larger. On the Bike, the screen is 21.5 inches wide; on the Bike+, it’s 23.8 inches. This may not seem like a big difference, but it’s actually quite noticeable; the screen feels much more expansive.
The Bike+ screen is better overall
Before I got the Bike+, I knew the screen would be bigger, but I didn’t know how much it would impact my experience. I also knew the Bike+ screen rotates, while the Bike screen doesn’t. (The Bike screen does tilt up and down, though.) Since I have the Peloton app connected to my Roku, I don’t feel the need to rotate the screen to do meditation , stretching , yoga, or strength training, but I appreciate that it’s possible.
I also found the Bike+ screen to be just a little more responsive and snappy. I wouldn’t go so far as to say my Bike screen was laggy or causing me any issues, but it’s four years old and that’s kind of the nature of aging tech. I don’t mind the responsiveness of my Bike at all, but I did notice that it was slower than what I experienced with the Bike+. But the screen specs are basically the same – 1080p, HD – so I don’t know that I’d classify the Bike+ as an upgrade over the Bike. Over time, the Bike+ screen could likely slow down, as mine seemed to, though I didn’t notice.
The settings are different
I have a hard time moving the seat up and down on my bike. The telescopic bar gets stuck, and the handle that I have to loosen to adjust it also gets stuck and is hard to operate. Moving the seat on the bike back and forth horizontally is also a big feat for me. I haven’t even tried to do it since the day I got the machine, even though as a spinning trainer I know how important perfect bike setup really is. However, the long, bulky, stubborn handle on my bike is hard to turn, and the seat is nearly impossible to slide back and forth on its track.
This is not the case with the Bike+. Turning the handle and moving the seat up and down was easy because the rails were clean and the handle was small and easy to turn. I was able to play with them until I got them just right. Neither handle sticks out too far on the Bike+, so you never hit your feet on them or get your pants caught in them. It was easy to move the screen up and down. In the picture below, the Bike+ is on the left and the Bike is on the right. Notice how much smaller and simpler the handles are on the Bike+. Also note that the weight holsters on the Bike are wire, while on the Bike+ they are plastic. I find it a little difficult to pull the weights out of the wire cage, but it’s not a big deal for me. Still, the more accessible, exposed plastic holders are a nice addition.
Then again, could my issues with adjusting the bike’s settings have less to do with the superiority of the Bike+ and more to do with the age and maintenance of my bike? Sure! With a little WD40, I’m sure I could improve the way the physical adjustment knobs on my bike work. But I will say that I’ve always struggled with this since I got my bike in 2021, so I really think it’s a benefit of the Bike+. I’m also grateful for this: I brought the Bike+ to my boyfriend’s house so we could test out features like shared classes (and because I barely have room for one Peloton, let alone two, in my apartment). He’s a full foot taller than me, so his bike settings are very different from mine. The ease of adjusting the seat height, screen height, and seat proximity on the Bike+ makes it more ideal for families with multiple riders.
Thoughts on the immediate differences between Bike and Bike+
As I said, I’m going to continue testing the Bike+ before I can give a formal opinion on whether it’s worth the extra $1,000 or so over the Bike, and small differences like a more accessible volume control and easier seat adjustment may not make that determination. For now, I can say that these differences were immediately obvious to me as someone who spent years on the regular Bike, and if you’re looking to upgrade, they may be deciding factors. I especially appreciate the larger, faster screen and simpler adjustment knobs.
If you’re thinking about upgrading an existing bike, consider selling it on Peloton’s own resale site, which will net you cash plus a few hundred dollars off a future Peloton purchase. You can also sell a bike or any other brand of home fitness equipment on other online marketplaces like TradeMyStuff if you need to raise cash and free up some space before considering the Bike+.