Why Peloton Bike+ Beats Bowflex for Serious Cyclists

⚡ Last tested: April 2026  |  Independent review — not sponsored

If you’re serious about indoor cycling, there is one name that comes up again and again — and for good reason. We tested Peloton Bike+ over an extended period, logging dozens of rides across live and on-demand classes, stress-testing the hardware, and comparing the experience directly against Bowflex’s competing offering. The result? This is our most comprehensive Peloton Bike+ review yet, written specifically for UK cyclists who want the truth before spending serious money. Peloton has built something genuinely impressive here, but it is not without its frustrations. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist chasing performance metrics or a beginner looking for structured motivation, this review will tell you exactly what to expect — including the bits the marketing material won’t mention.

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What Is Peloton Bike+?

The Peloton Bike+ is the premium tier of Peloton’s connected indoor cycling range, sitting above the standard Peloton Bike in the lineup. It is a high-spec stationary exercise bike with a large, rotating HD touchscreen display at its centre, designed to deliver a studio-quality cycling experience from your living room or home gym.

What separates the Bike+ from ordinary exercise bikes — and indeed from the base Peloton Bike — is the combination of its rotating 23.8-inch HD touchscreen, auto-resistance adjustment, improved audio, and seamless integration with the Peloton app ecosystem. The screen pivots 360 degrees, meaning you can dismount the bike mid-session and use it for strength, yoga, or stretching classes on the floor beside it.

Peloton’s platform offers thousands of live and on-demand classes taught by instructors who have become genuine fitness celebrities in their own right. Available in the UK via pelotoncycle.co.uk, the Bike+ ships with professional delivery and setup included. It is, without question, a serious piece of kit — and it comes with a serious price tag to match.

Key Features

Rotating 23.8-Inch HD Touchscreen

The centrepiece of the Bike+ experience is its large, rotating HD display. The screen is bright, responsive, and strikingly clear — a noticeable step up from the standard Bike’s 21.5-inch fixed screen. The 360-degree rotation is genuinely useful: it means the Bike+ functions as a proper multi-modal training hub rather than a single-use piece of cycling equipment. The interface is smooth, menus are logically laid out, and class visuals look exceptional.

Auto-Resistance (Automatic Cadence Following)

One of the Bike+’s headline features is its automatic resistance adjustment. When enabled during compatible classes, the bike’s resistance dial adjusts automatically to match what the instructor calls for — so if they shout “turn it up to 50”, the bike does it for you. In practice, this feature works well and removes the distraction of manually fiddling with the dial. It does require you to surrender a degree of control, which some experienced cyclists may find frustrating, but for most riders it enhances immersion significantly.

Premium Audio with Front-Facing Speakers

The Bike+ swapped out the rear-facing speakers of the original Bike for a front-facing speaker system with significantly improved sound quality. This matters more than you might expect — when you’re 20 minutes into a hard ride, good audio keeps you going. Music sounds full and energetic, and instructor voices cut through clearly even at higher volumes. It is not quite audiophile territory, but it is more than good enough to make headphones optional rather than essential.

Apple GymKit Integration and Metrics Tracking

The Bike+ supports Apple GymKit, allowing it to sync directly with Apple Watch to share health data bidirectionally. Metrics tracked include output (measured in watts), cadence, resistance, heart rate, and calorie burn — all displayed clearly on screen in real time. The leaderboard feature, which ranks you against other riders taking the same class, adds a surprisingly addictive competitive dimension. Output and cadence tracking are consistently accurate and have become a trusted benchmark for many UK cyclists measuring fitness progress.

How Peloton Bike+ Compares

Feature	Peloton Bike+	Bowflex VeloCore	NordicTrack S22i
Rotating Screen	✅	❌	✅
Auto-Resistance	✅	❌	✅
Live Classes	✅	❌	✅
Apple GymKit	✅	❌	❌
Class Library Size	✅ Vast	⚠️ Limited	✅ Large
UK Availability	✅	❌ Limited	✅
Monthly Membership Cost	£44/month	~£20/month	£39/month
Community & Leaderboard	✅	❌	⚠️ Basic

Pros and Cons

Pricing

Peloton’s pricing structure in the UK involves two distinct costs: the hardware (the bike itself) and the ongoing membership subscription. Here’s a full breakdown:

Option	Cost	What You Get
Peloton Bike+ (Hardware)	From £1,695	Bike, delivery, and setup included
All-Access Membership	£44/month	Unlimited classes, live rides, leaderboard access, up to 5 profiles
Peloton App (No Bike)	From £12.99/month	App-only access to classes on your own device
Finance Options	0% APR available	Split purchase cost over monthly payments

The true cost of Peloton ownership over three years, including membership, works out to roughly £3,279 — a substantial commitment. That said, compared to a premium gym membership in most UK cities, the per-session cost can compare favourably for frequent users. Peloton also offers a 30-day home trial, which meaningfully reduces the financial risk of buying.

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Who Is Peloton Bike+ Best For?

Perfect For:

• Dedicated indoor cyclists who ride four or more times per week and want structured, instructor-led progression
• Data-driven athletes who track output, cadence, and heart rate consistently and want reliable metrics
• Busy professionals who want a gym-quality experience at home without commuting time
• Competitive personalities who thrive on leaderboards, challenges, and riding alongside a community of thousands
• Households with multiple users who want different fitness disciplines — the rotating screen opens up yoga, strength, and stretching classes for every member

Not Ideal For:

• Casual riders who might use the bike a couple of times a month — the membership cost won’t justify itself
• Budget-conscious buyers for whom the upfront cost and monthly fees are genuinely prohibitive
• Android-first users who want deep wearable integration — Peloton’s ecosystem strongly favours Apple hardware
• Small flat dwellers where floor space is at a premium — the Bike+ has a sizeable footprint and the screen adds height

Our Verdict

After extensive testing, the conclusion of this Peloton Bike+ review is clear: this is the finest connected indoor cycling experience available to UK riders, and it is not particularly close. The hardware is premium, the software is polished, and the class content is genuinely world-class. The rotating screen transforms what could be a one-dimensional piece of equipment into a comprehensive home fitness hub. However, it demands a real financial commitment — both upfront and ongoing — and the ecosystem rewards those who use it frequently. If you ride consistently and value quality, the Peloton Bike+ delivers in almost every respect. If you’re uncertain about long-term commitment, the 30-day trial is the most sensible place to start.

Category	Score
Value for Money	7.5 / 10
Features	9.5 / 10
Ease of Use	9.0 / 10
UK Availability	8.5 / 10
Overall	8.7 / 10

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Peloton Bike+ worth the extra cost over the standard Peloton Bike?

For frequent riders, yes — the Bike+ justifies its premium through the rotating screen, automatic resistance, and improved audio. If you plan to use Peloton for multiple workout types beyond cycling (strength, yoga, stretching), the rotating screen alone makes the upgrade worthwhile. If you will only ever cycle, the standard Bike is a more cost-efficient choice.

Do you need a Peloton membership to use the Bike+?

You can use the Bike+ without a full All-Access membership, but your experience will be significantly limited. Without membership, you can access a small selection of free classes and use basic metrics, but live classes, the full on-demand library, and the leaderboard are locked behind the £44/month subscription. The bike functions poorly as a standalone piece of equipment without it.

How much space does the Peloton Bike+ need?

Peloton recommends a minimum floor space of approximately 61cm x 122cm for the bike footprint itself, with additional clearance around it for safe use. In practice, you should allow at least a 2m x 1.5m area to ride comfortably. The rotating screen adds overhead height, so low ceilings can occasionally be a consideration in older UK properties.

Can you use the Peloton Bike+ without the internet?

The Peloton Bike+ requires an active internet connection to access classes, live rides, and most features. Without Wi-Fi, your functionality drops dramatically — you can still pedal, but the interactive class experience disappears entirely. Peloton does not currently offer an offline mode for downloaded classes, which is worth bearing in mind for those with unreliable broadband connections.

How does the Peloton Bike+ compare to NordicTrack for UK buyers?

Both the Peloton Bike+ and NordicTrack S22i offer rotating screens and auto-resistance, but Peloton edges ahead on class quality, community, and software polish. NordicTrack’s iFit platform has a larger variety of workout environments, including scenic outdoor rides, while Peloton’s instruction and live class culture is widely considered superior. For UK buyers, Peloton’s local support is also more established and reliable.