The Peloton Bike+ with Peloton IQ is about as immersive a fitness experience as you can get – from the comfort of your own living room.
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Peloton Bike+ with Peloton IQ is one of the most immersive and motivating indoor fitness experiences money can buy. It combines premium hardware, slick software and AI-assisted coaching.- Delivers a highly polished, immersive workout experience
- Vast, high-quality class library with motivating instructors
- Peloton IQ adds extra value for off-bike workouts with rep tracking and light form feedback
- High upfront cost, with a subscription that’s essential to unlock the bike’s full value
- Power and performance metrics may not satisfy data-driven or competitive cyclists
Indoor cycling and exercise bikes are something of an anathema to me. For something that was developed for the open road, I have always considered riding a bike indoors counterintuitive. I have also staunchly avoided the growth of indoor cycling platforms like Zwift and Rouvy for the same reason. But then I am not a proper cyclist at heart and can see a place for such apps in the training regimen of someone who wants to be the next Tadej Pogacar.
For the same reason, until the end of last year, I had avoided the Peloton in the gym, thinking it a glorified spin bike. How wrong I was. I guess everyone remembers their first time: for me, it was in a popular hotel chain near the NEC that I first climbed aboard a Peloton bike, created an account and chose my instructor. The memories are there like it was yesterday – I was instantly hooked. Seeing my name climb the leaderboard as I willingly obeyed my instructor to turn up the resistance – I’d found my calling.
So, when Peloton gave me the opportunity to test its latest Bike+ with Peloton IQ, I jumped at the chance. Peloton IQ is the AI-powered technology integrated into the Peloton Bike+ (and other new Peloton hardware like the Tread+ and Row+), enabling features like automated workout planning, real-time form correction and rep tracking via its movement camera, personalised performance insights, and hands-free voice control.
Essentially it transforms the Bike+ into a more intelligent, personalised fitness machine that guides you through cycling, strength, and yoga workouts seamlessly with its swivel screen and Sonos audio. It’s like having your instructor in your living room. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Peloton Bike+ with Peloton IQ.
Peloton Bike+ set-up
Unlike many smart trainers or indoor bikes, setting up the Peloton Bike+ is refreshingly hands-off. Delivery and installation are handled by Peloton’s own team, meaning the bike arrives fully assembled, calibrated and ready to ride. For anyone who’s wrestled with Allen keys or struggled to level a bike on uneven flooring, this alone feels like a premium touch. All you need to do is set the seat and handlebar height and you’re ready to pedal. Well almost.
The Bike+ itself immediately makes an impression. The large, swivelling HD touchscreen dominates the setup and clearly signals that this isn’t just a cycling machine – it’s a full-body training hub. During setup, you’ll create or log into your Peloton account, connect Wi-Fi, and activate Peloton IQ, which uses the bike’s built-in front-facing camera to enable movement tracking during most of the compatible strength classes. This is a great feature. It’s like having a personal trainer telling you how to perfect your technique!
Space might be something to consider for people putting the Peloton Bike+ in an outdoor gym space (or pain cave, as is the popular parlance). While the footprint isn’t enormous, the bike needs clearance for riding and for off-bike workouts when the screen is rotated. Once positioned, though, it feels solid, stable and unmistakably premium.
Using the Peloton Bike+
Riding the Bike+ is where Peloton’s polish really shines. The pedalling action is smooth and quiet, resistance changes are immediate, and the overall feel is far closer to a high-end studio spin bike than a traditional home trainer. The standout feature is Auto-Follow resistance, which automatically adjusts the resistance to match the instructor’s cues, allowing you to focus entirely on effort rather than constantly reaching for the dial. The metrics are those that any well-versed indoor cycling enthusiast would be used to: RPM and watts function in the normal, while the software also allows heart-rate integration with either a Peloton-specific or ANT+ HR monitor.
Peloton’s class library is vast and varied, ranging from short, punchy HIIT rides to endurance sessions, recovery spins and music-led themed workouts. The instructors are a major part of the appeal – energetic without being intimidating, and consistently good at making tough sessions feel achievable. Everyone has their favourite: indeed this has been the focus for Peloton in the last three years. Instructors were tasked with becoming ‘personalities’ so that people opt for their classes. Regular Peloton users are evangelical about some of the instructors who have built huge followings on social media and other platforms.
Off the bike, the experience expands significantly. The rotating screen makes it easy to switch to strength, yoga, mobility or stretching sessions, and this is where Peloton IQ comes into its own. During supported classes, the camera tracks your movement, counts reps and offers gentle form cues. It’s not a replacement for a personal trainer, but it does add a layer of accountability and feedback that’s rare in in-home fitness equipment.
The social side is ever-present but optional. Leaderboards, challenges and milestones are there if you want them, creating a sense of shared effort that many users find hugely motivating. If competition isn’t your thing, you can simply hide the leaderboard and focus on your own numbers.
Who is the Peloton Bike+ for?
The Bike+ is best suited to people who enjoy being guided through workouts rather than designing their own training plans (although you are able to do this as well). If you like the idea of turning up, pressing play and being coached through a session – much like a spin studio or fitness class – Peloton’s approach fits perfectly.
It’s also an excellent choice for households with multiple users. One subscription supports multiple profiles, and the range of content means it can cater to very different fitness levels and interests, from beginner riders to experienced indoor cyclists, and from strength training enthusiasts to yoga regulars.
Where it’s less convincing is for purist cyclists who care deeply about absolute power accuracy or want to train within open platforms like Zwift, Rouvy or TrainerRoad. While the metrics are consistent and useful, they’re not designed to replicate outdoor cycling data with scientific precision. But then this isn’t really the point of Peloton. It is the community that you interact with that makes you accountable and the competitive element of the leaderboards is hugely motivating for anyone with even the smallest competitive streak.
Is it worth buying?
Whether the Peloton Bike+ is ‘worth it’ depends almost entirely on how often you’ll use it. The upfront cost is high – £2,695 / £2,299 with no accessories – and the ongoing subscription ($49.99 / £45) is essential to unlock the bike’s real value. If it becomes a clothes rack after a few enthusiastic weeks, it’s a very expensive clothes rack.
However, for users who train several times a week, the equation changes quickly. Compared to regular boutique studio classes, personal training sessions or gym memberships, the Bike+ can begin to justify itself — especially when used by more than one person in a household.
Peloton’s biggest strength is consistency. By removing friction, decision-making and setup time, it makes it easier to show up and train regularly, and for many people, that alone makes it worth the investment.
Peloton Bike+ verdict
The Peloton Bike+ with Peloton IQ isn’t just an exercise bike – it’s a fully-fledged training platform designed to keep you engaged, challenged and coming back for more. Its strengths lie in its seamless integration of hardware, content and coaching, wrapped in an experience that feels motivating rather than clinical.
It won’t suit everyone. The price and subscription model demand commitment, and cyclists looking for open ecosystems or ultra-precise performance data may find it limiting. But for people who value structure, variety and community, the Bike+ delivers one of the most complete and enjoyable home fitness experiences currently available.
In short, it’s a premium product with a premium feel — and for the right user, it earns that status every time you clip in.
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