Peloton Bike+ vs NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle Comparison 2024

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Last Updated: May 3, 2023

The NordicTrack S22i Exercise Bike and the Peloton Bike+ both have some improvements and changes since we last compared the two brands. Upgrades and additions have been made to the frames and subscription apps on both bikes.

The Peloton Bike+(left) compared to the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike(right).

The S22i and Peloton Bike+ have a similar footprint, 3 adjustment points, offer the same maximum leg span, but come with separate integrated apps and overall generate different experiences when you ride them. In this comparison review, we’re going to dive into all of their similarities and differences, as well as let you know which one we prefer and why.

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Why You Should Trust Our Comparison/Review

Our team has tested numerous home brands of exercise bikes, and we’ve even been able to ride the previous models of the NordicTrack S22i and the original Peloton Bike. You can find our comparison review of those models here.

When we compare equipment, our reviewers are literally bouncing back and forth from each saddle to saddle. We line up the bikes and compare everything from the size, construction, feel, screen quality, content, ride experience, and features. In this comparison review of the NordicTrack S22i and Peloton Bike+, you can trust that we’ve thoroughly tested each of these bikes to give you this extensive comparison review.

Our Peloton Bike+ vs NordicTrack S22i Video Review

Pros & Cons of NordicTrack S22i

Pros & Cons of Peloton Bike+

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Recommendation

When considering each bike as a whole, the ride, the classes they offer, the cost, and their features, we have to lean towards the NordicTrack S22i. While the Peloton app is now adding outdoor rides to their class options, iFit holds the crown in this category. The graphics and videography in iFit’s numerous outdoor classes make them stand apart, as well as all of the different options they offer.

The trainers lead you through different parts all over the world, you can partake in challenges and still take studio and mat classes. The added component that the S22i actually inclines and declines while you ride, makes the overall experience more realistic and fun.

We do enjoy Peloton’s instructors and music in their studio classes, and the Peloton Bike+ is sturdy and has some nice upgrades from the original bike. The NordicTrack S22i bike, however, comes at a lower price, and the upgrades and features with iFit as well as the incline/decline motor make this bike really stand out.

In-Depth Comparison of NordicTrack S22i and Peloton Bike+

iFit App vs Peloton App

Comparatively, both of these monthly fitness subscription apps are similarly priced per month and contain classes on and off the bike, studio cycling classes, as well as outdoor rides.

Peloton has a live schedule of classes daily to choose from as well as on-demand classes, while iFit’s classes are available on-demand only.

One aspect to consider when comparing iFit and Peloton is that Peloton doesn’t offer any onboard classes. In order to see your metrics on the screen, you have to pay for the monthly subscription. The S22i has some onboard workouts that you can access without an iFit membership. The S22i also has a manual mode so you can ride on your own whereas the Peloton doesn’t have a specific manual mode.

The Peloton App(left) vs iFit on the NordicTrack S22i bike.

iFit App

The iFit app has a pause button for its classes. There are plenty of class types to choose from like outdoor guided rides, races, studio classes, and off-the-bike classes. Music is a background component in the classes however and can be skipped ahead on a preselected playlist. iFit also offers a leaderboard and a large library of classes.

The NordicTrack S22i also has Smart Adjust, this is where the bike will automatically adjust your resistance and incline/decline for you throughout the class. If the resistance is too much, you can manually decrease it, and the Smart Adjust feature will take that into account when adjusting in the future. You can also turn this feature off and manually adjust the bike yourself.

Studio classes on the Peloton App and outdoor rides on the iFit app. Both of these apps excel in different ways.

Peloton App

The Peloton app has live and on-demand classes, no manual mode, a few outdoor rides that they’ve recently started to add, and a bunch of studio classes both on and off the bike as well. The instructors are fun and engaging, and they create the music playlist for each class so we listen to it the way they intended us to, rather than skipping ahead through a preselected playlist.

Peloton features a leaderboard and they now have a pause button for their on-demand classes only. There is still no option to pause a live class. Peloton has also added an auto-follow feature where the resistance on the Bike+ is automatically added when the instructor gives the cue. This feature is only available in on-demand classes, however. You can also manually adjust the resistance yourself, too.

Peloton also offers Lanebreak which is a game you can play while riding. There are multiple “classes” that you can take of these with different playlists of music. The objective is to keep your avatar in a specific lane to collect points.

Side by side, both of these fitness apps have been upgraded to now contain a lot of similar options, but overall they still generate different experiences. iFit excels in its outdoor content, and Peloton shines in its studio classes.

One of our other reviewers, Kristen, and I are both indoor cycling instructors. We love that Peloton keeps the music integrated into the classes, and think their instructors are fun. Getting led around the world on the S22i bike through iFit is also a thrilling experience and their content is unmatched. Depending on if you’re a studio spin class junkie, or a road cyclist looking to train indoors, you’ll probably have a preference between these two apps.

NordicTrack S22i Console vs Peloton Bike+ Console

The console on the S22i and Bike+ have a few similarities. One is that the volume can be adjusted by trainer voice and music so you can balance them or completely mute either. This is a nice feature that is easy to access on both bikes. The consoles also differ in a few ways, which changes how they each function a little bit.

NordicTrack S22i Console

The console on the S22i contains a 22” touchscreen that tilts and swivels up to 360 degrees. The console also consists of a fan, handles, and a brake knob. The fan is a nice feature and the buttons on the handles make changing your incline and resistance easy. The speaker is also front-mounted just below the screen.

Your riding metrics, like watt output, resistance level, cadence, and incline level are displayed on the touchscreen, which is clear to see across the top of the screen. You can also adjust the volume level on the right outer edge of the screen. Your headphones can be synced through Bluetooth as well.

The screen has faster processing than the previous version, but it is heavier and slightly thicker than the Peloton.

Both the Peloton Bike+ and the NordicTrack S22i feature impressive HD touchscreens on the front of the bike.

Peloton Bike+ Console

The console on the Peloton Bike+ is slim and contains a resistance knob, handles, and a 24” touchscreen. The speakers are on the front of the screen, so they point right at you, which is nice. There’s also a USB-C charging port on the back of the screen, so you can charge your phone.

Like the S22i, your metrics are displayed on the screen as you pedal. We like this display because it is superimposed on the screen so it doesn’t feel like it’s in your way. Metrics like watts, speed, cadence, and distance are displayed as well.

The large touchscreen can tilt up and down and swivel 180 degrees in both directions. You can also adjust the speaker volume on the right outer edge of the screen, and Bluetooth headphones can be synced, too.

Overall, the biggest difference we noticed in the consoles is the resistance adjustments. The buttons on the S22i handles are convenient and make changing the resistance/incline easy. The knob on the Peloton Bike+ is a little harder to use.

The resistance is broken up into 100 increments on the Bike+, and although this is an easy number to understand, the buttons on the S22i make it handier to adjust to each increment, versus the Bike+ resistance knob. For instance, in order to get to a specific resistance level, I have to play around with the knob a bit to finally land on that number because it is pretty sensitive.

Construction Quality / Durability

The NordicTrack S22i exercise bike is solid and heavy at 200 lbs. This is namely due to the incline/decline motor. The Peloton Bike+ is sleek, and lighter in weight, but has a lower weight capacity. The S22i can handle up to 350 lbs vs the 297 lbs weight limit on the Bike+.

However, on the Peloton Bike+, there are 4 leveling feet on the 2 stabilizers and they can all be adjusted. The S22i has only 2 adjustable leveling feet located on the back stabilizer.

NordicTrack S22i vs Peloton Bike+ Frame

Although the frames look a little different on these bikes, we are impressed with their geometry.

When both of the saddles are raised all the way, the leg spans are the same. The leg span is the distance from the top of the lowest pedal to the top of the seat. Both measure 42 inches, which is a wide range and helps accommodate taller riders.

The maximum reach on the Peloton is 2 inches longer than the NordicTrack. This isn’t too much of a difference, but might be a little noticeable to taller riders and riders with longer torsos. The reach is the measurement from the nose of the saddle to the handlebars.

Both bikes have 3 adjustment points. You can move the saddle forward/back and up/down, but you can only raise and lower the handles. Since the handles can’t move forward and back, it can make it a little more challenging for taller and shorter riders. I’m just over 5 feet and I have to ride with my seat all the way forward in order to reach the screen on both bikes. So, this is just something to be aware of.

NordicTrack S22i vs Peloton Bike+ Flywheel

Both flywheels use silent magnetic resistance to keep your ride smooth and silent.

The NordicTrack and Peloton have front flywheels that are similar in size and weight. They are both heavy enough to maintain inertia so the pedal stroke is fluid, smooth, and can support pedaling while standing. The S22i weighs 32 lbs, which is 2 pounds heavier than the Bike+ flywheel.

These bikes also use magnetic resistance which is silent and usually doesn’t require any maintenance. Both of the bikes are smooth and operate practically silently, which is expected with bikes of this quality.

The incline motor on the NordicTrack S22i is also very quiet after being updated. So, noise is not an issue with this feature either.

NordicTrack S22i vs Peloton Bike+ Drive System

The S22i has hybrid pedals that include toe cages on pedals so you can use athletic shoes, and SPD clips. SPD clips are commonly found on spin bikes and there are a lot of shoes that you can find with these compatible cleats.

We like that toe cages can now be purchased for the Peloton Bike+, although we wish they were deeper and extended over the bottom of the foot further. The Bike+ still uses Delta LOOK cleats. These aren’t as popular as the commonly used SPD clips on indoor bikes, so you’ll most likely have to purchase the Peloton shoes in order to clip in.

Overall, we prefer the hybrid pedals on the S22i because the toe cages are more comfortable and the SPD cleats are more commonly found. Both the Bike+ and S22i use a belt drive system, so they’re smooth and quiet to operate.

NordicTrack S22i vs Peloton Bike+ Handlebars/Cockpit

On the Peloton Bike+, the handles have been updated to include more of a horizontal bar, than the original bike. This is great because they offer more grip options. Both bike handles have a sweat-proof coating over the handles that provides enough cushion and a good texture.

As far as storage, you won’t find any on the Peloton Bike+. An extra spot for your phone was sacrificed to keep the design as sleek as possible. Although the S22i does have a little bit more of a cluttered look than the Peloton, there is a tray in between the weights to set your phone.

The cupholders are below the handles on both bikes and can hold standard water bottles. We find the Bike+ cupholders to be a little flimsy though.

Performance & Functionality

The NordicTrack S22i and the Peloton Bike+ overall performed well for our team. Something to make note of however is that even though the Peloton Bike+ has 100 levels of resistance, and the S22i only has 24, this doesn’t reflect the amount of resistance you get with each bike. This is merely how the increments are broken up.

We had one of our reviewers who rides outdoor bikes professionally compare his watt output on both bikes at their max resistance. He determined that both of the bike’s highest levels of resistance are plenty challenging for him. So, we think that both the S22i and the Peloton should provide enough resistance for almost any skill and size rider.

The Bike+ and S22i also have light weights that can be used while you ride. The S22i has the weights in front of the handles, while the Bike+ has them on the back behind the saddle. Our team is a little bit divided on where we prefer weights to be. I like them on the front, while Kristen likes them on the back. I usually forget when they are behind the saddle and knock them when I swing my leg over to get on, but that might just be me.

Overall, we really enjoy the enhancements made to both bikes and think that no matter your skill level, or size, either bike should work for you.

Warranty/Customer Service

Peloton offers a 12-month limited warranty on the screen and most components, as well as a 5-year warranty on the frame when you buy the Bike+. Delivery and assembly are also included, so their team will set the bike up for you.

NordicTrack has a 10-year warranty on the bike frame, a 2-year warranty on parts, and a 1-year warranty on labor when you take home the S22i. NordicTrack also offers a white glove delivery and assembly available to almost all zip codes.