Peloton Bike+ review 2023: What it's like to ride

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The new Peloton Bike+ has three key differences from its popular predecessor: It comes with a bigger, rotating 24-inch touchscreen, it allows you to sync the bike with one of the best Apple Watches to monitor heart rate activity, and now features automatically adjusted resistance. It's also quite a bit more expensive.

At $2,495, not including the $40 a month membership fee to access the classes, it's a pricey investment — and a substantial increase over the original Peloton Bike that's now just $1,895. It's worth it for serious spinners and the live classes offer a legitimate competitive adrenaline rush.

After purchasing one myself, it's been an up-and-down experience. It's one of the best exercise bikes that offers a huge library of engaging, interactive classes but it does have a few drawbacks, namely its high cost and uncomfortable seat.

Peloton's new flagship elevates the brand's workout experience

The Peloton Bike+ has the same dimensions as the original, standing 4 feet high and 2 feet wide, and at 140 lbs, it's not something you're going to move around very easily. It's a hefty piece of equipment, made of carbon steel and tested to handle riders up to 297 pounds. I appreciate the sturdy construction, though as there's never been even the slightest wobble, no matter if I was getting on or off the bike.

The machine comes with two slots for water bottles and space in the back specifically designed to hold a pair of weights. Riders need to wear specific biking shoes with Delta-compatible cleats — Peloton offers shoes for an additional $125, as well as water bottles for $25. A selection of one- to three-pound weights is also available for $25, as is a floor mat for $59. The Peloton-offered gear is convenient, though there are cheaper alternatives.

A set of easy-to-use knobs make it simple to dial in the right height for both the seat and handlebars, even for someone like me who had no prior experience using it. If you do run into any trouble, the bike's home screen offers walkthrough videos on adjusting both the seat and handlebars.

It also offers tips for proper positioning. For instance, the seat should be about an elbow-to-fingertip distance from the handlebar, and the walkthroughs worked great for showing me how to specifically set that up.

Figuring out how to adjust the screen takes just a few minutes, as well, as it only requires a gentle pushback and an upright tilt before it starts to easily swivel. This was key for any workouts that took me off the bike, as I wanted to be able to quickly move the screen as I transitioned to a workout mat.

The companion Peloton app is intuitive to navigate and it's easy to find and start a class

It's fairly simple to maneuver through Peloton's class options. The screen offers live schedules, on-demand classes, and a range of beginning to advanced levels and programs. Each requires a simple tap on the screen and you're in.

The home screen also shows what classes are happening live, what classes and programs your friends recommend, and a section for your favorite artists. For instance, you can look exclusively for classes featuring music by Lady Gaga.    

As each class progresses, the screen monitors how fast you're pedaling, the current resistance, distance traveled, calories burned, and, most importantly, how many minutes are left. Heart monitors can also be hooked up via Bluetooth or through an Apple Watch, and users can connect their Spotify accounts. If there's a song played in class that you like, the interface lets you click the small heart reaction to quickly add it to a Spotify playlist.

It's worth noting that non-bike classes offered on the app aren't viewable within the metrics captured by the bike. For example, I took a walking class to get some extra steps in one night but when I looked for it on the bike after a ride, it only showed that I'd done the walk as a "past workout." The workout itself wasn't accessible and a search revealed no walking offerings.

It's a blast to ride but the seat is so uncomfortable that longer rides were an actual pain

I ordered the Bike+ during a panic attack at the thought of being trapped in my house all winter with no exercise options but Zoom and YouTube.  I wanted something different and challenging. Peloton's bike fit the bill.

As soon as I got it, one thing was abundantly clear: There's a wide variety of workouts that produce a ton of sweating. I also couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable the seat was. Although I'm fine riding a normal bike, the Peloton seat was so painful that I could barely manage five minutes in the saddle. Even with the addition of a gel seat top and padded bike shorts, I'd still be in so much pain after a 20-minute ride that I'd be hobbling.

This goes away over time and it's a well-known issue (I'd consider it a sort of hazing ritual). But why Peloton can't offer a seat made for beginners, wider riders, or women, I don't know. It did lessen my motivation to want to jump on and ride knowing it'd be an uncomfortable experience.

One thing Peloton does make easy, though, is being able to simply jump on and ride right away. A minimal amount of navigation stood between me and a session. But whenever I instead wanted to look for something specific, whether it was a particular program, workout, or artist, I often had to look multiple places — on the bike, then on the app, then on my laptop — just to find it.

One of the best new features I was able to take advantage of is Peloton's "Auto-Follow Resistance" which changes the resistance levels automatically based on what the instructor sets it at. The auto function makes it far easier to focus on the ride. This is something NordicTrack's S22i Studio Cycle has had for some time, so it's nice to finally see it on a Peloton.

Price breakdown

Here's how the Bike+ stacks up to other interactive exercise bikes on the market:

• Peloton Bike+: $2,495
• Peloton Bike: $1,445
• NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle: $1,999
• The Stryde Bike: $1,595
• Echelon EX5S: $1,640

Should you buy it?

The answer to this question comes down to two key factors: Do you enjoy the production style of Peloton's classes and, perhaps most importantly, do you have the budget?

At $2,500, the Bike+ certainly isn't a drop in the bucket, and that high price also means it's likely to be the center of your fitness routine. There's no denying the value of the bike and its effectiveness — so long as you use it.

It's easy to see why Peloton's Bike+ (and standard Bike before it) are popular pieces of at-home workout equipment; they offer energetic, sweat-soaked workouts, they're incredibly convenient to use, and they do well to help people of all fitness levels keep up with some routine cardio.

For me, Bike+ filled a need I thought I had: I wanted something that could deliver a better workout than what I was used to on Zoom and YouTube. And though it took some getting used to (i.e. its incredibly uncomfortable seat), it ultimately allowed me to satisfy that need.

It's certainly not a cheap piece of equipment, and a recurring $40 per month charge for unlimited access to its wide-ranging app adds to that, but it's been a quality investment I'm glad I made.

I just hope I'm not hobbling forever.