Given their similarities in both look and price, choosing between the Peloton Tread and NordicTrack 2450 can be tough. To help make the choice easier, I have put together a comprehensive list with over a dozen differences between the two treadmills.
Table of contents
Peloton Tread vs NordicTrack 2450 comparison video
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Peloton Tread vs. NordicTrack 2450: Build
Treadmill storage space
The NordicTrack 2450 is foldable whereas the Peloton Tread is not. When folded, the NordicTrack’s treadmill shrinks its footprint by almost two-thirds. For those with a more limited home workout space, this can be hugely beneficial.
Construction quality
While NordicTrack tends to rely a lot on plastic, the Peloton Tread uses higher quality materials in the casing surrounding it. Peloton uses a higher quality soft-touch coating, carbon steel, and a nice polycarbonate cover for the handrails.
Touchscreen
The touchscreen on the Peloton Tread is slightly larger (23.8″) when compared to the NordicTrack 2450 (22″). However, Peloton’s touchscreen cannot turn side-to-side, whereas the NordicTrack 2450 has a full 360 degrees of functional rotation. This allows the screen to be more easily used for workouts off the treadmill, such as strength and yoga classes.
Running belt
When comparing the Peloton Tread and NordicTrack 2450, NordicTrack definitely comes out ahead when it comes to its running belt. While both treadmills have a belt that is around five feet in length, the NordicTrack 2450 is both wider and more comfortable to run on.
At 22” in width compared to Peloton’s 20”, you have more wiggle room when it comes to foot placement. NordicTrack also has a noticeably better shock absorption system which is more comfortable to run on.
Fans
Underneath the touchscreen, you will notice that NordicTrack 2450 has included a built-in fan. The fan works very well and has four settings: low, medium, high, and auto. The auto setting adjusts the fan based on your current speed.
Treadlock
Looking farther down, you will notice both treadmills have a red safety key. When removed, this safety key ensures the treadmill does not accidentally turn on, a scenario that can be dangerous for young kids and pets.
Peloton offers additional protection via the “Treadlock,” which is a passcode you must enter before using the treadmill. Removing the safety key after every workout is easy to forget, so having a passcode as a backup can be a nice addition.
Peloton Tread vs. NordicTrack 2450: Adjust
Auto adjust
A big difference between the Peloton Tread and NordicTrack 2450 is that the NordicTrack includes auto-adjusting features like Smart Adjust and Active Pulse.
Both features will automatically adjust the incline based on the environment you are seeing on the screen. When Smart Adjust is selected, your speed will adjust based on your fitness level, the incline, and the current intent of the workout. Active Pulse works in a similar way but adjusts the speed based on your heart rate to keep you in the correct heart rate zone (for workouts with that focus).
Manual adjust
Peloton may not have auto-adjust, but their manual adjustment utilizes the best design I have seen. Instead of relying on buttons, which can be hard to press while running, Peloton has a knobs adjustment system.
Located inside the handrails, the knobs feel great to adjust your speed and incline while on the run. Peloton’s knobs also have a button in the center, which allows for faster adjustments upward.
Incline range
And when it comes to incline, the NordicTrack 2450 has a much wider range when compared to the Peloton Tread:
- Peloton Tread: 12.5 degrees of range (0% to 12.5% incline)
- NordicTrack 2450: 18 degrees of range (-3% to 15% incline)
In addition to an almost 50% larger incline range, the NordicTrack 2450 is also much faster to adjust. While Peloton takes 21 seconds to move 12.5 degrees, NordicTrack only takes 15 seconds to move through its full 18 degrees.
Peloton Tread vs. NordicTrack 2450: Content
UI and leaderboard
When it comes to UI, the Peloton Tread is significantly ahead of NordicTrack. Despite some improvements over the past year, browsing and discovering workouts on the NordicTrack still feels like a mess. Peloton’s UI, on the contrary, feels almost perfect.
This goes well beyond just browning classes as well. The metrics displayed during Peloton’s classes also look better and provide more useful information.
Additionally, Peloton has a much better leaderboard allowing you to:
- See who is currently in the class with you
- View and add others as friends to follow
- Give fellow runners a friendly high five
NordicTrack has a leaderboard, but I almost always hide it, given its limited use. Not only is it hard to tell who is taking the class with you, but even if you could, there is no way to interact with them.
Music
The music selection on Peloton is currently the best of any connected fitness platform. Each class has a well-thought-out playlist, and there are countless workouts with themes for specific musical artists as well.
NordicTrack does not utilize music nearly as well. While offering 11 genres of radio stations to choose from, not having music specifically designed around the workout makes for a worse experience.
Programs and stacking
Where NordicTrack really shines is with their running programs. There are dozens, if not hundreds of well-designed programs to help you improve. The programs range from recovery walks, to running your first 5K, to even preparing for a marathon. The programs are comprehensive and can span in some cases span several months with three to six sessions per week.
The Peloton Tread offers two running programs (at the time of writing this), and those two are not as well designed as any I have found on NordicTrack.
However, where Peloton has done well is in their class stacking feature. This feature allows you to combine running workouts with a variety of warm-ups, cooldowns, running mobility classes, or any other class type.
It is not only the fact that you can stack these workouts together, but the fact that Peloton has so many warm-ups, cooldowns, and running mobility classes to choose from. NordicTrack may have a few options but not many (if you can find them).
Live classes and events
Another aspect to consider when comparing the Peloton Tread to the NordicTrack 2450 is the live classes. Peloton offers almost 200 new live Tread classes per month, all of which are quickly made available on demand.
NordicTrack used to also offer live classes, but they have recently cut them out from the schedule entirely.
While NordicTrack may no longer offer live classes, they do provide live and on-demand running events. There are several races and events added each month, which can range from 5K races all the way up to full marathons (including the Boston Marathon).
Boot camp classes
A big highlight for the Peloton Tread is their boot camp classes. These classes take you on and off the tread, mixing running with strength and core movements. Boot camp classes are some of the best workouts offered for the Peloton Tread.
While NordicTrack does have a few boot camp classes of their own, they are not nearly as good nor are there many to choose from.
Peloton Tread vs. NordicTrack 2450: Price
The final area where NordicTrack excels is that there are numerous price options to choose from.
Peloton has one treadmill and one membership option that can be used with it. NordicTrack, on the other hand, has almost a dozen treadmills to choose from at various prices. This makes it easier to find a treadmill most in-line with your budget and needs.
For example, the NordicTrack 1750 (which costs $600+ less than either after shipping) is exactly the same as the 2450, except for a smaller screen.
iFIT’s $39 monthly membership is similar in cost to Peloton’s $44 monthly cost. However, iFIT also offers an individual membership for $15 per month for those who do not need to share their treadmill with others.
Final thoughts
There is no denying that the choice between the Peloton Tread and NordicTrack 2450 is a tough one. I personally go back and forth on which I like more, given the variety of pros and cons of each listed above.
I suggest going over this list thoroughly and to really consider which features are most important to you. Both treadmills are excellent, so while it can be a tough decision, you will likely be happy either way.
Suggested articles:
- Complete beginner’s guide for the Peloton Tread
- NordicTrack X22i Treadmill review – updated 2022 model
- NordicTrack EXP 14i Folding Treadmill review – updated 2022 model
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