I ordered both bikes during quarantine and compared them side-by-side. Read my in-depth review to find out which one is right for you.
In March of 2020, as governments enforced citywide lockdowns and gyms closed their doors, I was desperate to find home workouts that were both fun and effective. To name a few, I took virtual classes with Epic Interval Training, tried a couple of Barry's At-Home classes, powered through the BBG workout program by Kayla Itsines, and discovered Kirsty Godso's insane HIIT workouts on Nike Training Club.
But by the third month of quarantine, I really missed indoor cycling. At first, I ordered this $300 stationary bike and it did the job, but it wasn't as stable as I hoped it would be.
Finally, I caved. I was ready to take it to the next level, and the only question I had left for myself was: Peloton or SoulCycle At-Home? I scoured the internet for reviews of both, but because SoulCycle just released their At-Home Bike at the height of quarantine, I couldn't find much. Several YouTubers teased titles like "Peloton vs. SoulCycle At-Home Review," but from the moment I started researching in July until I write this today, no one on the face of the world wide web has compared the two side-by-side — until now.
So, Which Bike Is Better?
After taking them for a spin over the course of two weeks, I can't deny that they're both high quality, A+ studio-level bikes. Determining which bike is right for you depends on your workout style, any memberships or bike accessories you may already have, and how competitive you are — which I'll dive into below.
But no matter what bike you decide to commit to, as long as you're an avid indoor cyclist, I genuinely don't think you'll endure any buyer's remorse if you're considering getting one in the first place.
The OG Peloton Bike
Fun fact: when I first got both bikes, I posted the photo above on my Instagram stories with a poll that said, "choose a side." Peloton got 30 votes, while SoulCycle got 10 votes.
So without further ado, let's kick things off with the crowd favorite.
When I first ordered the Peloton on July 30th, it came with the price tag of $2,245 and the option of monthly financing through Affirm. My bike was scheduled for delivery on September 28th, almost two months after placing the order. Come September, I was pleasantly surprised that the bike's cost dropped to $1,895 after Peloton released the Bike+ (aka, a new and improved version of the OG bike).
I ordered the "Bike Basics" package, which came with no additional Peloton accessories, including shoes. The Peloton is only compatible with Delta cleats, so if you own a pair of bike shoes with the 3-screw setup, you do not need to purchase a new pair of shoes. I, on the other hand, have owned this amazing pair of TIEM spin shoes for over four years. They're still fully intact after years of use, and I saw no need to replace them — mostly because they're cuter and comfier than any other pair of bike shoes I've ever come across. The only downside is, these spin shoes use 2-screw SPD cleats, which Peloton's default pedals are not compatible with.
Taking matters into my own hands, I ordered this new set of pedals, which allows SPD clips on one side and contains cages on the other, so people who don't have spin shoes can try the bike too. And I must say, switching out the pedals was the hardest part. I attempted to, but couldn't do it myself. It took two men, a 15mm box wrench, and a whole lot of brute force. Eventually, replacing the pedals was a success.
Now let's talk about the all-access membership. It costs $39/month and is a separate expense from the bike itself. Besides indoor cycling classes, they also offer yoga, HIIT, and more — but we 👏🏼 are 👏🏼 here 👏🏼 for the indoor cycling classes. Because Peloton has been elevating people's home gyms since 2012, they definitely offer a more extensive pool of on-demand indoor cycling classes from the get-go. There are a range of music genres, class durations, and instructors to choose from. My favorite instructor is Olivia Amato and I love taking her hip hop, EDM, and dance rides.
The cool thing about Peloton is that you get a load of real-time stats during your ride. Here's what your screen will look like during an on-demand Peloton class.
On the bottom of your screen, you'll see your cadence and the percentage of resistance on your wheel. The yellow bars above those numbers will indicate what range of resistance and cadence you should be at to make the most of your ride, and you can also see the average stats of riders who have taken the class before you.
At the end of your class, you'll be able to see your class rank, in addition to your total distance, calories burned, and average speed. You can also add friends to get competitive, stay motivated, and compare your stats!
Overall, the Peloton Bike is great for:
people who are driven by competition
if you're obsessed with stats and tracking progress
anyone who has an interest in yoga, HIIT, and indoor cycling
those who already have spin shoes with Delta clips or a Peloton all-access membership
Here is Peloton's monthly cost breakdown:
Bike only (no accessories): $205.32 per month for 12 months
Peloton all-access app: $39 per month
SoulCycle's Quarantine Baby
Now moving onto the underdog — SoulCycle's latest release — the At-Home Bike.
In March of 2020, Equinox released a digital fitness app called Variis, consisting of on-demand SoulCycle, Precision Run, Pure Yoga, Rumble, and Equinox classes. In case you didn't know, Equinox is SoulCycle's parent company. Then, the bike became available for pre-order on the same month, right as the whole world went on lockdown. Impeccable timing, am I right?
But because the bike is still relatively new, a lot of developments are still being made.
Before I ordered the Peloton in July, I emailed the Variis team asking if any financing options would become available for the SoulCycle At-Home Bike. On July 29th to be exact, a Variis Customer Service Associate replied, "At this time, we are not offering any financing options. I will share this feedback with our team as we consider this option for the future."
So as much as I really missed SoulCycle, I took that as a sign to hold off.
Fast forward to September 16th, SoulCycle announces that they're offering bike financing! Like I said, lots of developments still in progress ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
With much excitement and an eagerness to compare the two bikes, I ordered the SoulCycle At-Home Bike on September 30th. Total cost after financing for 12 months? $2,500, with no additional SoulCycle accessories.
The bike was delivered on October 21st, less than one month after placing the order. Two delivery men arrived while I was halfway through a Peloton class, so after the new arrival was all set up, I decided to continue the rest of my workout on the SoulCycle bike to immediately compare the two. My first impression was that I loved the look and feel of the bike — the grip of the handlebars felt so much more comfortable, and the screen's default angle seemed way easier on the eyes. Easily adjustable knobs were also built-in to customize seat height, seat distance, and handlebar height. But best of all, SoulCycle's default pedals are compatible with SPD cleats on one side and Delta on the other, so I could use my TIEM spin shoes with ease! Safe to say, I was instantly impressed.
Before the bike's arrival, I was already familiar with SoulCycle's on-demand classes on Variis, thanks to Equinox. Remember the $300 stationary bike I mentioned earlier? I was using it to take SoulCycle classes on an iPad. As an Equinox member, you have access to Variis at no additional cost. Otherwise, it'll cost you $40/month.
Being only seven months new and a constant work in progress, SoulCycle offers a much smaller class selection than Peloton. Despite that, I've found more go-to instructors on Variis, including Claire Jones, Sydney Miller, and Conor Kelly.
And in case you were wondering, here's what your screen will look like during a SoulCycle At-Home class.
As you can see, there are fewer stats on display: just cadence, power, and distance. You can swipe the top of the screen to view or hide those stats; swipe the bottom of the screen to view or hide the class length; or swipe the bottom left of the screen to get a preview of a form rider (so you can check your form and follow along with the moves). Although part of me wishes I could see the percent of my resistance and the ranges I should be working in throughout the ride — I still end up getting a great workout in. Plus, who knows, maybe they'll add that feature in the future!
Where SoulCycle lacks in stats and class selection, they make up for with the vibe and video production. While Peloton's on-demand classes consist of one static camera facing the instructor, the cameras of SoulCycle's on-demand classes switch between the instructor and a few other riders in the room, including the form rider. The mood lights and background effects change with each song too, so not only does it feel like you're watching a well-produced workout video, but it also gives you an immersive studio experience from home.
Overall, the SoulCycle At-Home Bike is great for:
riders who love cycling with choreography
if you miss the vibe of being in a spin studio
anyone who gets bored quickly while working out
pre-covid SoulCycle regulars or current Equinox members
Here is SoulCycle At-Home's monthly cost breakdown:
Bike only (no accessories): $228.65 per month for 12 months
Variis app membership: $40 per month (or free for Equinox members)
My Favorite Part About Having Both Bikes
The great thing about both programs is that they upload new on-demand classes each week, provide a schedule of live rides that you can take at no additional cost, and give you the option of just riding to your own music without an instructor.
But what was the best part about having both bikes, you ask? Having my very own mini spin studio for two weeks, LED candles included.
If you're wondering which bike I decided to keep, follow me on Instagram and send a message my way!
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