Peloton Bike vs. Peloton Bike+: 16 Differences you should know

When you are considering the differences between the original Peloton Bike vs the Peloton Bike+, there are a lot of things to consider besides the $600 price difference.

In fact, there are at least 16 differences between the original Peloton Bike and Bike+. Some of which are well known, but others which are not. And so we are going to go through the entire list so that you know everything you should to figure out which bike is best for you.

Screen size

The original Peloton Bike has a 21.5 inch HD screen, whereas the Peloton Bike+ comes with a 23.8 inch HD screen. While a two-inch difference may not seem like a lot, the larger screen captures a significantly wider portion of your vision since your face is usually less than two feet away from the screen.

Reduced reflective and anti-smudge coating

The screen on the Peloton Bike Plus comes with reduced reflective and anti-smudge coating. This transparent coating helps repel dirt, oil, and water fingerprints. It is often used for tablets and phones because it makes the surfaces of electronic devices much easier to clean. So it is nice to have this coating come with a screen that you touch all of the time.

Sound system

The original Peloton bike features two rear-facing speakers with 16 watts of total power. In contrast, the Peloton Bike+ has two front-facing stereo speakers with a total of 26 watts of power, as well as having two additional rear-facing subwoofers. Rotating screen

One of the most marketed features of the Peloton Bike Plus is that it has a screen that rotates 180 degrees in each direction, allowing for 360 degrees of viewing capability.

While you cannot rotate the original Peloton bike screen, there are accessories that you can install in your bike that will allow you to get that rotation. Check out the Pivot here.

Auto-Adjusting resistance

Having the resistance automatically change with the coach’s instruction for on-demand classes is my personal favorite feature on the Peloton Bike+.

With the original Peloton Bike, you’ll always need to adjust the resistance up or down manually throughout each class. However, since the Peloton Bike+ has auto-adjustment available, you can choose to just lock onto somewhere within the recommended range and no longer have to think or worry about making the adjustments yourself.

Mechanical vs. Digital resistance

Speaking of resistance, although both Peloton bikes feature magnetic resistance technology, the original Peloton uses a mechanical adjustment, whereas the newer Peloton bike plus uses a digital adjustment.

This means that when you turn the Resistance knob on the Peloton Bike+, it will have a faster and smoother spin, and this is really nice once you have a good feel for how much to turn the knob when you want to make a quick adjustment.

Calibration accuracy

Not many people know this, but because of the digital resistance adjustment for the Peloton Bike+, it actually has a more accurate output because it allows the bike to be calibrated electronically.

I’ve heard many stories of people who are pretty shocked jumping onto the Peloton Bike+ for the first time because it can feel a lot different because, in many cases, their original Peloton bike was not calibrated correctly.

Premium look

When viewing the Peloton Bike vs Peloton Bike+ side to side, it’s easy to see the new version has a cleaner and more premium design. There are fewer wires sticking out, the charger has a pad to keep things more condensed, and it has a more textured look around the entire bike, so if you are into aesthetics and want a more premium look, then the Bike Plus is definitely a step up.

Adjustment system

The adjustment systems on the bike don’t just look better but are functionally smoother and easier to use. This is very noticeable to me because my wife and I are very different sizes, and so we are frequently adjusting the bike up and down, forward and back, every day.

Headphone jack placement

On the original Peloton Bike, the headphone jack is placed in the back of the screen, which makes it awkward as the wire has to wrap around the screen, and if it is too short, it will not work.

With the Peloton Bike+, the headphone jack is right in the center of the handlebars, which is a lot better and easier to utilize.

Bluetooth technology

The Peloton Bike+ uses a Bluetooth 5.0 connection, whereas the original Peloton uses a 4.0 connection. This is probably one of the smaller differences between the two bikes, but the more advanced Bluetooth technology does allow for better speed and a further range. However, this probably will not make a noticeable difference for most of us because unless you’re going to the bathroom, you’re probably not going to be too far away from the bike during your workouts.

Camera

Many people don’t use or even know about the video chat feature, which allows you to see and talk with your friends during rides, but it’s there for those who want it, and the Peloton Bike Plus comes with an 8-megapixel camera that also includes a privacy cover. (The Original Bike has a 5-megapixel camera)

Microphone

Speaking of video chats, the microphones on these two bikes are very different. The original Peloton has a single built-in microphone, whereas the Peloton Bike+ comes with a four digital array microphone. This allows the Bike+ to cut background noise better, so your voice is not drowned out by other sounds (like the class).

Wi-Fi technology

The Peloton Bike Plus has an upgraded Wi-Fi system meaning it can use both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Depending on how your Wi-Fi is set up and the location of your router, the Bike+ will be able to utilize a faster connection for better streaming and video quality.

Apple Gymkit support

The Peloton Bike+ has Apple GymKit support, which allows you to connect your bike to your Apple Watch very quickly and easily before each ride.

The only downside of this is that the Apple Watch integration doesn’t work for any other class types besides cycling. So, unfortunately, if you want to see your heart rate and track your Strive Score on classes like boot camps, strength, yoga, or cardio, you really can’t do that with your Apple Watch unless you have a workaround like the Watch Link, which I use.

Included RAM (more important than you think)

The final difference is comparing the original Peloton Bike vs the Peloton Bike Plus+ is Ram. The original has a two gigabyte RAM, whereas the newer Peloton Bike+ has twice as much with four gigabytes. And while this will make it feel a bit more snappy and more responsive, the bigger benefit is that you will be able to go much longer without having to buy a new replacement screen.

Wrap up

Peloton has actually said that while they believe their bikes will last 10 or more years, they believe their screens will likely need to be replaced as technology advances. So you might not be saving nearly as much money as you think by buying the original Peloton Bike if, in a few years, you need to pay $300-$500 for an upgraded screen. This is actually the #1 reason why I suggest most people purchase Bike+ if they can.