We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news.
As of today, a ton of massive changes just hit the Peloton ecosystem. The at-home fitness giant didn’t just overhaul one part of the structure 6 million people rely on for quality workouts—it made improvements and tweaks across its hardware, software, content, and partnerships. Everything is available for members to explore now, both in the mobile app and on the brand’s proprietary equipment devices, but I don’t blame you if you’re not even sure what to start looking first. Here’s what you need to know.
Peloton devices got a makeover
Peloton became most famous for its classic Bike, a stationary bicycle with a touchscreen that, since 2014, has allowed anyone anywhere to take a virtual spin class. Since the introduction of the Bike, the brand has rolled out an upgraded version, plus two kinds of treadmills and one rowing machine. The first big announcement of the day has to do with all those products: The five-part lineup is staying the same, but the Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, and Row all got a significant makeover.
Known collectively as the Peloton Cross Training Series, the new lineup is this:
-
The Cross Training Bike
-
The Cross Training Bike+
-
The Cross Training Tread
-
The Cross Training Tread+
-
The Cross Training Row+
Each of the devices features a swiveling screen (which users of the old Bike+ will be familiar with) designed to allow users to switch more seamlessly between cardio and Peloton’s other class offerings, like strength, yoga, and Pilates. That is where the whole “cross training” thing comes in. They also have enhanced audio, better processors for touchscreen responsiveness, and upgraded wifi and Bluetooth, giving them a distinct edge over their predecessors.
Of particular note is what comes with the Plus line, or any device with a “+” after the name. Those all have a built-in, movement-tracking camera that will monitor your form, count your reps, and help the software suggest weights for you to use in your strength workouts. I tested it out yesterday at Peloton Studios in New York and was impressed. (If you recall, a few months ago, Peloton phased out the Guide, a camera that connected to users’ TVs and did a much rougher version of what these built-in cameras are now going to do. We should have seen this new integration coming then.)
The Plus line also comes with Sonos audio, hands-free control so you can make vocal commands to adjust your weight or pause a workout, and accessories and features based on users’ requests. They have a three-speed fan built in to cool you down, for instance, and the Bike+ finally has a tray that can hold your phone. The Bike and Bike+ have cushier seats, though you can also purchase one of these new seats separately for your older Bike and Bike+ models.
Peloton IQ
The brand also announced the launch of its AI component, Peloton IQ. Remember how I mentioned the Plus line allows for voice commands? You can say, “OK, Peloton, skip this exercise,” or “OK, Peloton, pause this workout.” That’s pretty useful if you’re, say, doing a lift or yoga exercise and your touchscreen isn’t within reach.
But the AI does more than that. Its real purpose is to provide “dynamic coaching.” Basically, your Peloton app got a major redesign (which you can see for yourself by opening it on your phone or Peloton device right now). Across the top, you’ll see suggested workouts that are based on your goals, your past workouts, and your schedule. Crucially, this works on older models, too. I asked reps at Peloton Studios about this specifically yesterday and everyone was quite clear that they’re not trying to force users to give up existing Bikes, Treads, or Rows.
Still, the most advanced features of Peloton IQ are only available on the new Plus line, since those devices have the movement-tracking camera that enables the AI to give feedback, correct form, count reps, and suggest weights. The Plus line also allows for self-paced strength workouts similar to the ones you can find on Peloton’s Strength+ app. Instead of following along with a class and instructor, you can generate a workout plan that simply walks you through a series of exercises and you can go at your own speed. You can pick your target muscle groups, deny exercises you don’t want to do, and change the weight you’re using for a totally custom experience.
One cool thing I saw during yesterday’s demo was that if you nail your form too easily or do more reps than suggested, the AI will automatically tell you when it’s time for you to consider using heavier weights. You can accept or deny this suggestion and if you accept, from then on, it will be set so you’re always doing that exercise with that weight. You can input any weights you have on hand at home, so even if you only have a set of five-pound dumbbells, the app will tell you when to use them and won’t suggest exercises with anything heavier or lighter.
Club Peloton, better Teams, and more
On your Peloton app, you’ll also now see something called Club Peloton, which is a recognition program that rewards you for consistency and variety in your workouts. You’ll be assigned a level—bronze, silver, gold, or legendary—based on things like workout streaks or trying new types of exercises. Reps told me at the demo event that Club Peloton will eventually evolve to start giving back. For instance, members of a certain level may be eligible for discounts on certain items or to get early access to classes.
Peloton says this is part of its “further investment in human connections.” Obviously, the company is famous for making it possible to do complete workouts all on your own at home, but a big part of its success comes from the ways it approximates the in-person feeling by offering virtual group classes, personable instructors, and other features like Teams. You can join Teams with your friends and compete together or against one another or even join Teams based on mutual attributes like being a new mother or living in a certain region, but with today’s overhaul, you can now also join something called Official Peloton Teams. These are helmed by Peloton instructors and include options like Move for Life, Cross Training, Menopause Health, and more.
Peloton pricing
Peloton’s prices are going up, which isn’t exactly a surprise. The company’s letter to investors during the last earning period hinted at that and it’s to be expected with all these new features rolling out. At least now it finally makes sense why Bikes, Treads, and Rows were being phased out at sporting goods stores a few months ago, and Peloton launched its own resale platform over the summer for people who want to sell their old equipment: We’re getting a whole new fleet of devices.
So, the new prices for membership are:
-
All-Access Membership goes up from $44 to $49.99 per month
-
App+ Membership goes up from $24 to $28.99
-
App One Membership goes up from $12.99 to $15.99
The devices are priced like this:
-
The Cross Training Bike is $1,695 (plus $150 for expert assembly if you don’t want to do it yourself for free)
-
The Cross Training Bike+ is $2,695 (plus $150 for optional expert assembly)
-
The Cross Training Tread is $3,295 (plus $150 for optional expert assembly)
-
The Cross Training Tread+ is $6,695 and you’ll need to pay $299 for assembly
-
The Cross Training Row+ is $3,495 (plus $150 for optional expert assembly
Final notes and first impressions
I saw all of this at a press event yesterday and was truly impressed, especially because there wasn’t much of a hint about what the event was even about before I got there. The brand kicked off today’s big launch by adding 2,000 classes compatible with the new AI features and everyone, even people with the lowest-level, app-only membership, can now access most of the new offerings (besides the motion-tracking features). That’s a lot to keep under wraps.
From what I saw during demos, these are genuinely solid improvements. Even the swiveling screens, fans, and phone tray are nice touches, since those are the kinds of things Peloton users have been paying extra to third parties to get for years.
This is just the broad view of all the changes and it’ll take me some time to work through all the new features and options on my app and Bike, but I’ll update my old posts and create highlights for the truly noteworthy changes over the next few days. I already know I’m going to be thrilled by the new integration with Apple Health, for instance, even though I haven’t gotten to play with it yet. I’ve been tracking all my non-Peloton workouts through the Peloton app for weeks, since it’s easier than tracking some with Apple Health and others with Peloton. Now, any workout I complete on or off the app will be reflected in my Peloton history and will contribute to the AI’s suggestions for what I should do on a given day.
Over the next month, there will be promotions available so anyone who wants to upgrade to a new piece of equipment can do it more economically. As I find out more about those, I’ll keep you updated. Personally, after all of yesterday’s demos, I’m already pretty sure it’s about time for me to retire my classic Bike and invest in the new Bike+.
