To be honest, I did not want to get the Peloton Tread. My initial plan was to wait for the more premium Peloton Tread+ to be released after it was recalled last year.
However, given Peloton’s current situation, it was made pretty clear to me that the Tread+ will likely not be released again anytime soon. So I gave in, and ordered the Peloton Tread instead.
I am glad I did.
Table of contents
Peloton Tread video review
Video sponsored by Drip Accessory
Peloton Tread specs
Standard specs:
- Standard running belt
- Tread Lock to help prevent unauthorized access
- 59″ of running space
- 23.8” HD touchscreen
- 68” L x 33” W x 62” H dimensions
- Weight: 290lbs
- Speeds from 0 to 12.5 mph
- Incline from 0 to 12.5% grade
- Safety Key
- 12-month limited warranty
Screen and sound specs:
- 23.8″ touchscreen
- 1080p HD
- 2.5 GHz Qualcomm QCS605 Processor
- 4 GB RAM
- 16 GB internal flash storage
- Front-facing stereo speakers
- 2.2 Channel with rear-facing woofers
- USB-C charging port for devices
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Bluetooth® 5.0 connectivity
- 8 megapixel front-facing camera with privacy cover for video chats with friends
- Built in 4-digital-array microphone
Peloton Tread design
Whatever anyone may think about the Peloton Tread, it is hard to deny that this is currently one of the best looking and well-designed treadmills.
Part of what I like so much about the design is how simple and uncluttered it feels. The screen and hand bars are well placed to allow you to utilize as much of the tread as possible. Everything here is simple and easy to use.
What I like most about this design is the knob system they created for adjusting the Tread’s speed and incline. Instead of using buttons like most treadmills, these knobs are a much easier and more natural way to quickly make adjustments while running.
There is also a button on the center of each knob which allows you to even more quickly adjust your incline or speed up to the next level. This makes adjustments very easy to make and helps elevate the Peloton Tread over other treadmills in terms of its design and ease of use.
Peloton Tread belt
While the overall design of the Peloton Tread is excellent, the experience of running on the Tread belt is not. With a more narrow and slightly less shock absorbent running surface than other popular treadmills, the Peloton Tread falls a bit behind here.
By no means does it feel bad to run on though. It will definitely provide enough support for most runners. This is something that may feel more noticeable for someone like me who does not run all of the time. With less support, I find that I cannot run quite as long on the Peloton Tread as I can on some others.
Peloton Tread content
I am going to ignore all of the non-tread classes for the sake of this review because you can get access to those pretty cheaply without a Peloton Tread. Instead I will focus on what content is most important in terms of paying their $39 monthly membership.
Peloton easily has the most populated live classes of any platform. And for good reason. The instructors tend to be good to excellent and there are enough of them that produce new classes regularly that it would be hard for most to not find at least a few coaches that they enjoy.
All of the classes are also available on demand, which is personally what I prefer because I can never seem to time my schedule up for a live class.
A big part of what makes peloton classes so good is their focus on music. If you like the idea of watching an instructor talk and motivate you through workouts with a variety of excellent playlists, then the Peloton Tread is a no brainer. There are classes for all types of runners and even ‘non-runners’ here, from power walking, hiking, interval training, endurance training, and my favorite: Bootcamp classes.
Peloton Tread bootcamp classes
Bootcamps on peloton are classes that have you alternating between running on the Tread or bike and strength work off of them. While I like the Bootcamps I’ve taken on the Peloton Bike, they are even better here on the Tread. On the Tread, it is much easier to go back and forth with less down time since you don’t need time to switch out shoes.
Peloton seems to be leaning pretty heavily towards these Tread Bootcamp classes with a new Bootcamp on their schedule almost every single day (and some days with more than one). As someone who has spent over a decade doing mixed high-intensity workouts like CrossFit, these classes deliver a similar feeling.
Peloton programs (and lack of them)
For all that is excellent about Peloton’s classes, they fall significantly behind in one important area: programs. Outside of a couple beginning running programs, Peloton has very little to offer in terms of structure and guidance.
I understand why Peloton likely does not focus on making programs. They want members spending their time on newer content so that there is more interaction on the leaderboard and more of a community feel to classes.
The problem is this can make it very hard for the average person to create a good training plan that is progressive and provides results long-term.
I don’t have as much of a problem with the lack of programs on the Peloton Bike because of the Power Zone classes offered there. As someone who likes structure and improvement, Power Zone classes are what I feel is the best part about the Peloton Bike. With no equivalent of Power Zone on the Tread, it is a noticeably weaker offering.
Is the Peloton Tread worth it?
The Peloton Tread is one of the best designed and best looking treadmills under $2,500. So I think for those who already have a Peloton Bike and want to expand their home gym, the Peloton Tread is an excellent choice.
However, given that this is not the most comfortable treadmill to run on and the fact that the Peloton membership offers very little in terms of programs and guidance, I am not so sure it is the best choice for everyone. If these things are important to you and you are not already a Peloton member, you may want to also look at other treadmills (like those from NordicTrack) before making a final decision.
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