Dreaming of a Peloton? These exercise bikes are just as good (and cheaper, too)

Exercise machines get smarter every year. Do you prefer your cardio workouts in groups or classes? You can still stay in shape working out at home, even if you can’t go to the gym or health club. Connected home exercise machines with personalized coaching, group classes, and changing scenery help you stay engaged so you can achieve your fitness goals. Peloton is the hottest name in fitness tech today, but the prices can be a stopper. There are plenty of exercise bikes and other Peloton alternative fitness options priced right for home use, however, from interactive treadmills to rowers. Some of the alternates we found include a one-year subscription to iFit virtual home fitness workouts. Other machines are compatible with iFit, and you can buy a membership to the service separately. Echelon exercise machines also have fitness apps available by subscription.

The best Peloton alternatives

Bowflex C6 Bike – $949 with free mat and free shipping
Echelon Reflect 40″ – $1,040, save 10% with the code HOMEBODY10
Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5 — $1,240
ProForm Carbon E7 Elliptical – Black – $1,399, was $1,999
ProForm Carbon HIIT H7 Elliptical Trainer – Black – $1,399, was $1,999
Nordic Track RW900 Rower with 1-Year iFit Membership – $1,599, $400 off
Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5S – $1,640
NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle with 1-year Fit membership — $1,999, $1,000 off
NordicTrack Commercial Treadmill 2950 w/1 year iFit membership – $2,999, $1,000 off

Bowflex C6 Bike — $949

The Bowflex C6 Bike lets you choose your workout app. The C6 is compatible with Peloton App, Zwift App, and Explore the World App to follow virtual courses and trails that adjust to your speed. Access your choice of workout or coaching app via Bluetooth, and adjust the resistance precisely with 100 micro-adjustable levels. The C6 has dual-link pedals with toe cages and comes with a pair of three-pound dumbbells and a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate armband monitor.

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Echelon Reflect 40 — $1,040

You don’t have to work out in front of a mirror. Mount the Echelon Reflect 40 on a wall and follow personalized training with a Reflect Membership. You’ll also enjoy live classes, on-demand classes, and can compete with family and friends. The Reflect 40 weighs 26 pounds and measures 39-inches high x 20-inches wide x 2-inches thick. The HD display has a 1080p resolution and a 60 Hz vertical refresh rate for smooth video. You don’t have to buy the Reflect Membership, which costs $39 a month (one month is included in the price of the device). You can also save by purchasing an annual Reflect Membership with the device for $1,400 (an $80 savings) or a two-year membership with the device for $1,600 (a $360 savings).

You can save 10% on the Reflect 40″ with the discount code HOMEBODY10.

Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5 — $1,240

Available for shipping now (other Echelon Smart Connect Bike models are pre-order only), the Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5 has a competition seat, adjustable bars, clip-on and cage pedals, and 32-level magnetic resistance. The EX5 has a smart device mount for your phone or tablet that flips 180 degrees. With an Echelon Connect membership ($39 monthly, one month included in the price), you can work with more than 30 world-class trainers plus take trainer-led classes with everything from kickboxing to Zumba, yoga, and more. You can save $80 buying the EX5 with annual membership for $1,400 or go big and save $360 when you purchase an Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5 with a two-year membership for $1,600.

Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5S — $1,640

You’ll have to wait till the end of June for the Echelon Smart Connect Bike EX5S to ship, but pre-orders are available now. The newest model in Echelon’s Smart Connect Bike lineup, the EX5S, includes a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen display, new kick guards on-frame stabilizers, and back and front power ports. The top-of-the-line model costs $1,640 with a monthly Echelon Connect Membership. You can save $80 if you order the EX5S with annual membership for $2,000 or enjoy a $360 savings and buy the EX5S with a two-year membership for $2,200.

NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle — $1,999

While not much cheaper than the Peloton, the NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle is probably the best option when it comes to comparable feature sets — they’re practically the same. The S22i has a screen that is all but the same size as the Peloton. Still, the capability for instructors to adjust your incline and resistance for you (you have to do it yourself with the Peloton) makes it a better option if you’re looking to stay more focused on your workouts. NordicTrack also includes a one-year membership to these workouts in the purchase price of the S22i, which is another advantage.

What is iFit?

iFit is an online fitness program with personalized virtual coaching, virtual studio classes, and destination workouts. iFit memberships cost $15 per month for individuals and $33 per month for families of up to five people. You can use iFit workouts with a smartphone or tablet with any cardiovascular fitness equipment. Still, many of the exercise bikes that are iFit compatible can connect with iFit and automatically adjust settings such as resistance, speed, and incline to vary workout intensity.

Icon Fitness and Health, the company that owns iFit, also is the parent company of NordicTrack, ProForm, Freemotion, Weider, Weslo, Gold’s Gym, and others.

Other fitness equipment

While we’ve focused here on high-tech fitness bikes that are good Peloton alternatives, an exercise bike is only one part of your home gym. We’ve recently scoured the web for good deals on other home gym essentials, which you can check out below.

Good luck, and here’s to a fitter 2020!

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.

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