Peloton vs Echelon: Which exercise bike is better?

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Peloton vs Echelon: Which exercise bike is better?

By Maddy Biddulph 16 November 2021

Peloton vs Echelon: if you’re thinking about buying an exercise bike, then it’s a question that’s bound to have crossed your mind.

(Image credit: Getty Images ) Jump to:

• A closer look
• Design and features
• Workouts
• Display and user experience
• The verdict

Both brands have made their name in the fitness industry for launching some of the best exercise bikes in the world. And not surprisingly this kind of high tech home fitness equipment is even more popular since the pandemic, as so many of us have used our time at home to get fitter.

Peloton has a cult following and some high profile fans including Ellen Degeneres and Olympian Usain Bolt. Meanwhile, Echelon has been dubbed by some as ‘the cheaper Peloton alternative’.

Exercise bikes on sale are being snapped up by people who like recreating a spin studio environment at home, says lifestyle fitness coach Nathan Honess. He says: "They make it easy to fit in a short workout before or after work, without having to worry about a time-consuming commute or childcare."

"Exercise bikes are good for people of all abilities because they are low-impact, meaning they are great at improving our fitness without harming our joints. 

With so many home exercise bikes on the market, it can be overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right bike for you. That’s why this article breaks down the pros and cons of Peloton vs Echelon bikes so you can buy wisely by taking a look at the design, performance, connectivity, ride experience and differences in price. 

, now $999.00 at Walmart

Echelon Connect EX5: Was $1499.00, now $999.00 at Walmart

Save $500 off the EX5, which is very similar to the newer Echelon Connect EX5S but without the inbuilt display or hefty price tag. It weighs just 112lbs and has front mounted wheels so is easy to move from room to room. With multi-position competition Aero handlebars and a large, padded seat it’s a comfortable ride, too.

, now $2,145.00 at Peloton

Peloton Bike+ Basics Bundle: Was $2,495.00, now $2,145.00 at Peloton

This Peloton bundle marks the beginning of Peloton's Black Friday offerings, with a neat $150 off. Grab yours now for an immersive fitness experience at home.

Peloton vs Echelon: A closer look

Cult favorite Peloton has two bikes to choose from – the original Peloton Bike with a 22-inch HD color touchscreen, and a new ‘cardio + strength’ Peloton Bike+, which has a massive rotating 24-inch HD touchscreen.

By comparison, Echelon has four bikes - the Echelon Connect Sport and EX-3 (which don’t have screens, just device mounts so you need your own smartphone or tablet to use it), while the Echelon Sport S Smart Connect has a 10-inch inbuilt touchscreen, and the latest EX-5S, with a 21.5-inch HD screen.

With both brands, you need a monthly subscription to access their online content and live classes via an app, available on iOS and Android.

The new Peloton Bike+ costs $2,495 (plus an all-access membership for $39 a month) and comes with a 360-degree swiveling touchscreen for on and off-bike workouts. It has ‘auto-follow’ digital resistance, which you control via the screen as well as a dial, improved Apple Watch connectivity, and four speakers, which also rotate for that surround sound movie theater feel.

The original Peloton Bike has been slashed to $1495, plus the $39 per month subscription fee, while the Echelon Connect EX-5S costs $2187 with a monthly FitPass membership fee ranging between $25-40/month.

(Image credit: Echelon)Peloton vs Echelon: Design and features

Aesthetically, the EX-5S and original Peloton Bike are pretty similar, so much so that Peloton brought a lawsuit against Echelon for copying its technology. Both bikes have steel frames and magnetic resistance dials, which you manually control. 

This differs from the more luxurious Peloton Bike+, which has a digitally controlled resistance. This means you can set it to automatically mimic what the instructor is doing, taking the stress out of having to keep changing the intensity yourself.

The Peloton bikes both use Look Delta-compatible cleats, which you can fix to the bottom of bike shoes with a 3-screw hole set-up, so you’ll need to factor in the extra cost of buying the right trainers before investing in the brand.

The Echelon range by contrast has double sided pedals - clips on one side and toe cages on the other – giving you more options with footwear.

Apart from a few minor design tweaks – hidden wires, hand weight racks, raised logo - the main difference on the Peloton Bike+ is the bigger rotating screen. This makes workouts feel even more immersive and helps with the non-spinning classes like bootcamp or stretching, when you want more space on the floor, away from the bike. 

We’ve touched on the new improved sound system, which has state-of-the-art front and back facing speakers (compared with just rear-facing audio on the original Peloton). Turn the volume up and you can almost imagine yourself right there in the class with the instructor. The excellent sound quality on the Bike+ in particular helps keep workouts engaging. 

(Image credit: Peloton)Peloton vs Echelon: Workouts

So which bike has the best workouts in the debate of Peloton vs Echelon? Both brands have more than just spinning (indoor cycling) classes, including cardio, strength training and yoga, so users can chop and change between workouts to suit their mood or fitness level.

Saying that, it’s hard to compete with the Peloton offering, with daily live weekly classes and thousands more on-demand workouts that you can filter by type, length, music, intensity and instructor. With low impact options, Tabata rides, interval training and even live DJs, the Peloton workouts promise something for every ability and taste.

As Nathan Honess, lifestyle and fitness coach, points out: "Live classes, like those available through Peloton and Echelon, are a great way to motivate people who want the benefits of a gym environment while still working out at home. 

"Seeing other people taking part in the same class encourages us to drive through our workouts and perform to our very best."

Echelon differs from Peloton as it also has specific workouts for Pilates and boxing, as well as audio-guided workouts that mean you don’t have to look at the screen to do them.

Both brands offer scenic rides in an array of countries – extra appealing post-lockdown when traveling outside of the country is still a little complicated.

(Image credit: Echelon)Peloton vs Echelon: Display and user experience

The EX-5S and Peloton Bike both have touchscreens – the Echelon has a 21.5-inch one that rotates 180 degrees while the Peloton Bike has a static 22-inch screen. The main benefit of having a rotating screen is when you want to do an off-bike workout like HIIT or yoga. It just means you don’t have to crane over the bike to see the instructor. 

That’s what makes the rotating 24-inch screen on the Peloton Bike+ so appealing, taking you from saddle to the mat and opening up a whole new world of online instructor-led classes. 

But to be honest, you can mimic the effect on Echelon’s cheaper Connect Sport ($1093 and a $54 monthly subscription fee) and EX-3 model ($1641 plus $54 subscription per month), because they both have moveable tablet mounts, and also offer off-bike workouts like yoga and HIIT.

When it comes to user experience, the Echelon bike has 32 levels of magnetic resistance, and the Peloton has 100 (fluid, rather than stepped levels). Realistically, 32 levels of resistance is adequate for most people, but the Peloton does make for a slightly smoother ride.

The Peloton Bike+ differs in that it has an ‘auto-follow’ digital resistance system – meaning that when the instructor tells you to change the resistance, the bike will automatically adjust it for you. You can live without it, but it’s a nice feature. But don’t worry, if you’re old school you can still manually adjust the digital resistance knob, and it takes far less effort to twist it than the dial on the original Peloton.

Bluetooth is available on all models of the Echelon so you can easily connect the FitPass app to the bike and start a workout. You can also link your Facebook, Fitbit and Strava accounts.

As expected the Peloton is slightly more advanced when it comes to connectivity. You can easily sync your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth device, including wireless heart rate monitors and smartwatches. The Peloton Bike+ has a new Apple GymKit integration, which makes pairing your watch a breeze. Just hold your Apple Watch up near the Peloton logo to sync it before your workout.

(Image credit: Peloton)Peloton vs Echelon: The verdict

There’s a lot to take in when investing in a big bit of home fitness equipment like a Peloton or Echelon, and it’s important to think about what you need out of your exercise bike before you make your decision.

As we’ve said, both brands offer an immersive fitness experience with enough classes and instructors to keep you from getting bored. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, then Echelon won’t disappoint. 

But there’s a reason why Peloton has a cult following and the price tag to match, and if you can afford one, you won’t regret it. For once the hype lives up to the reality: Peloton is the best exercise bike in America that you won’t want to live without.

Today's best Peloton and Echelon deals Peloton BikePeloton BikePeloton$1,495ViewSee all pricesReduced PriceEchelon - Smart Connect EX3...Echelon Smart Connect EX3 Max BikeBest Buy$799.99$679.99ViewSee all pricesReduced PriceEchelon - Connect Smart Bike...Echelon Connect EX5SBest Buy$1,499.99$1,274.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Maddy Biddulph

Maddy is a freelance journalist specializing in fitness, health and wellbeing content. She has been a writer and editor for 22 years, and has worked for some of the UK's bestselling newspapers and women’s magazines, including Marie Claire, The Sunday Times and Women's Health. Maddy loves HIIT training and can often be found working out while her two young daughters do matching burpees or star jumps. As a massive foodie, she loves cooking and trying out new healthy recipes (especially ones with hidden vegetables so the kids eat them). Maddy is currently completing a diploma in Level 3 personal training and can’t wait to help other busy mums like her feel energized and confident in how they look and feel. 

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