Trying to Decide Between a Peloton and SoulCycle Bike? We've Got You Covered

After six years, Peloton is no longer the only megawatt fitness brand offering at-home indoor cycling rides for its customers. In late 2019, SoulCycle announced the release of its very own at-home stationary bike. While the bikes have a lot of similarities (like HD touchscreens and bluetooth), their differences are what set them apart. Let's dive in.

Originally priced at $2,245, the Peloton bike's price has been lowered to $1,895. For those seeking a more immersive fitness experience, the Bike+ is now available for purchase at $2,495. The brand new stationary bike offers a more advanced full-body workout with classes like strength, stretching, and yoga. Neither bike includes cycling shoes, but they can be purchased at an additional charge for $125. Other packages for the original Peloton Bike and Bike+ that include shoes, weights, and other accessories can be found at the shopping section of onepeloton.com.

On the more expensive side, a SoulCycle at-home bike will cost you $2,500 and includes shipping and handling with shoes priced separately (a $200 value). Both brands offer financing options as well as other accessories such as mats and weights.

Image Source: Equinox Media

With the Peloton bike, you'll get access via a class membership — costing $39 per month — to thousands of workout classes offering different levels of cardio and difficulty. Powered by Variis, SoulCycle customers will need to subscribe to a year-long membership — costing $40 per month — in order to have access to on-demand SoulCycle classes, as well as streaming classes from brands like Equinox, Precision Run, and PURE Yoga.

While both brands charge their customers relatively the same, the SoulCycle bike is solely built around music and curating a workout with fun, upbeat choreography. If they wish, riders can keep track of their progress with SoulBeat, a post-ride recap. Each recap will highlight how the rider connected with the class's playlist as well as their measured distance and power output. At its core, the SoulCycle bike aims to cast that same velocity and energy you'd feel in their indoor cycling studio, but from the comfort of your home.

Unlike their competitor, Peloton allows riders to compete against each other in real-time, as well as track performance with a leaderboard feature. Additionally, the Bike+ has a rotating screen, putting emphasis on dual workouts that alter between bike and floor exercises.

In the end, it really boils down to the type of workout you're after. If matching your workout to rhythm and tempo is a priority, SoulCycle is probably your best bet. For those looking for competition and a stricter class structure, a Peloton bike might be your match.