Peloton vs. Echelon: which is the best exercise bike brand?
When searching the wide web for exercise, we are often faced with two major brands, Peloton vs. Echelon. It is the battle of the brands, but which one is better?
Well, I’m here to make a side-by-side comparison with you today.
Interactive training has turned the world into turmoil; exercise bike brands are competing and ensuring their models answer the growing demand for immersive fitness classes and training at home.
Now Peleton may be the king of interactive spin classes on their exercise bikes, but Echelon is giving them a run for their money by offering a very similar product at a lower price. They have both skyrocketed in popularity!
But wait, let me tell you something:
Peloton may be one of the most popular exercise bikes in the cycling world and come at a stupendous price tag but will Echelon be the underdog that will steal the crown? It is possible.
To make things easier for you, I have broken down all the most popular features of both Echelon and Peloton to see which one really deserves the prized number one of the best exercise bikes on the market.
Let’s jump in!
Overview of Both At-Home Exercise Bikes:
Let’s start by breaking down the overview of each, so you get a general idea of what each is about:
Peloton:
Peloton first launched its first bike in 2012 to improve the fitness experience in the comfort of your own home, it utilized high-quality technology, and the exercise equipment was arguably better than what you’d find in a gym.
Peloton built its reputation to today of high-end at-home spin bikes that provide live and on-demand streaming classes for a thriving community of fitness enthusiasts.
Users can access live classes at scheduled times, where you can compete with others and where instructors will shoutout those who are on the leaderboard to motivate riders. They can also access on-demand classes so they can ride when convenient.
Riders can also choose the type of music they want to ride to, and they can also find an instructor to work with. They offer a monthly subscription of $39.99 a month with a range of fun bike workouts for users to enjoy.
But Peloton doesn’t just offer awesome bike fitness classes, but they also offer a range of different fitness classes besides cycling. This includes yoga, meditation, stretching, strength training, cardio, boot camp, running and walking classes, and much more.
This membership aims to give you challenges, achieve goals and keep you motivated. There are now over 3 million members of the Peloton community, 33 instructors who broadcast 10-14 live classes a day and over 350 a month.
There are 164 million workouts to choose from, and this company employs more than 3500 people worldwide to join the Peloton family.
Echelon:
Echelon Fitness Multimedia is a slightly newer brand and has been rocketing sales since 2017. They offer heart-thumping rides and at-home experiences that are of a high standard similar to Peloton.
They offer more affordable stationary bikes with tracking and interactive features like their higher-priced rivals. The company has 40 instructors and films over 2000 classes a month for their subscribers to use.
Their company streams over a million classes each month, and their subscribers often workout more than 3 times a week on average and at any given time in the day.
Echelon prioritize developing new and exciting classes for their users; they are here to entertain, motivate and engage their customers with their wide range of class offerings and options.
Plus, since the pandemic, their business has risen by 600% as it has never been so easy to work out from home; all of us gym junkies out there have been craving and searching for a way to work out at home, and as a result Peloton and Echelon have thrived because of it.
They now have over 200 employees, their new company has ramped up to meet the challenge and has grown as a whole, almost to the popularity of Peloton (They may need to watch out, affordable brands are coming!)
Echelon Bikes Vs The Peloton Bike :
Let’s start by doing a side by side comparison of the two:
Price and Warranty:
Price is a massive factor while considering buying a new exercise back or any fitness machine. We cannot deny that Peloton comes with a stupendous price tag; you are paying for the brand essentially.
Their basic package comes for $1895, including the bike, warranty, delivery, and setup. This is over double the price of Echelon Bikes’ starting price, which is only $839.98.
Even their most expensive model with the touch screen included is cheaper than Peloton’s basic package at a price of just $1639.98.
Both Echelon bikes have a monthly $39.99 membership, but if you go for the monthly membership over the one or two-year ones, you will be struck with a $150 delivery fee. (They offer free premium delivery for those who opt for the longer membership).
This is a great way to ensure you make use out of your bike, though; you’re more likely to go for the membership as you’ll get more out of it. (Plus, you’ll most likely get membership savings too).
But even with the delivery fee, the Echelon Connect Bike is still cheaper than the Peloton. Assembly is fairly simple and straightforward, too, and should only take 15-20 minutes to set up. You can get it set up for an extra $200 if you would prefer.
In terms of costs and both the monthly membership being the same, Echelon is definitely cheaper, even with all the added costs on top. Plus, both Echelon offers the same 1-year warranty and 30-day return policy.
The obvious winner has to go to Echelon for this round.
Footprint, comfort, and weight:
Peloton is slightly larger in size, 48 inches long and 24 inches wide compared to Echelon’s 42 inches long by 22 inches wide in Echelon EX-1 and Echelon EX-3 models.
However, Peloton is shorter than the 54 inch Echelon EX-5 and Ex 5s models, which are slightly thinner at 20inches. That being said, both are compact enough to fit in most home gym spaces without looking too bulky.
Echelon is also much lighter than Peloton, weighing between 105 and 124lbs in their Echelon Ex models, so they are much easier to move from one place to another.
In terms of comfort, the Peloton Bike mimics the road bike’s feel; it is a bit more comfortable during intense sprints and lengthy rides. However, the Echelon Bike is more like your typical home gym bike, so it’s all down to preference again.
Again Echelon seals the number one spot for this round!
Frame and user weight capacity:
Both the Peloton Bike and the Echelon Bike are made from high-quality and durable steel. They are both as durable as each other; there are hardly any differences in weight capabilities too.
A bike’s frame and user weight capacity can impact how stable and durable your bike feels while cycling. Both seem to be as good as each other in terms of stability, frame material, and user weight capacity.
Resistance:
In terms of resistance levels, a Peloton bike and Echelon Bike both work with manually controlled knobs to change the magnetic resistance systems. Neither exercise bike offers incline or decline features for extra resistance or challenge.
So if you’re looking for a bike like this, I would recommend checking out the NordicTrackS221.
The main difference between a Peloton vs. Echelon is that they have different resistance levels; while the Peloton bike offers 0-100 levels, the Echelon bike only offers 32 levels of resistance.
The Peloton Bike has almost an unlimited level of resistance, and it is fluid instead of stepped; this also allows for finer adjustments to your bike’s resistance, so you’re fully in control while you ride.
The Peloton bike also has the added benefit of Auto-Follow Resistance, so when the instructor calls for the resistance change, your bike will automatically adjust for you instead of struggling to keep up while reaching for the knob to change your resistance.
Talk about convenience, hey?
Despite the Peloton bike offering more resistance levels, Echelon bikes’ resistance is usually more than enough for most people; the only difference is that Peloton bikes are slightly smoother.
It is all down to preference, but I feel that the Peloton Bike is definitely the winner for a smoother ride.
Display and Interactive Training:
Having an interactive training option almost feels like a luxury, and if interactive training is your go-to, then the Peloton Bike is one of the best. You will get that kick-ass feeling from Peloton Cycling studios in comparison to Echelon’s disingenuous rides.
Peloton Bike:
The Peloton Bike has a 22 inch HD touchscreen built-in display that allows you to dive deep into their virtual reality exercise classes; you will feel like you’re in the room with them!
Their monthly membership allows you to drive deep into the Peloton experience and discover all the wonders of your machine.
They also offer 20 or more classes a day with thousands of online training programs, unlimited accounts as well as a super interactive dashboard that helps you track your progress with friends.
Plus, as I mentioned earlier, Peloton offers bike and spin classes, but they also offer a range of other off-bike fitness classes, which are worth noting. Classes are streamed all day long, and no matter when you’d like to train, there will be a class waiting for you day and night.
At only $39 per month, Peloton bikes definitely seal the deal in terms of variety.
Echelon Bike:
If you choose the first three Echelon Bikes models, such as the EX1, 3, or 5, you will need to use your own tablet or smartphone to train interactively. This is a definite bonus as you can place your tablet or smartphone on your bike and keep the cost down as you’re using the technology you already have.
If you decide to opt for the top-of-the-line models like the EX 5S, you will get a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen built-in display similar to Peloton.
The Echelon Connect Fit app gives you access to all the live and on-demand training classes that have grown with the Echelon Community. They offer the same price subscription (Not including the 99p difference).
Similarly to The Peloton Bike Echelon offer their own extra classes, including Stretching, Pilates, and meditation.
Echelon Connect Bikes go that extra mile and score points thanks to their 180 degrees adjustable console. This is brilliant if you like to switch between exercise bikes to regular workouts.
However, The Peloton Bike has to seal the deal for their top-of-the-class, energy spin class workouts. They have gained masses of following due to the very reason, and it is definitely worth all the praises.
Console connectivity:
Now, integrated workout metrics are provided in both the Echelon Connect Fit App and the Peloton Bike App. You can connect to your WiFi with the Peloton console; you can even use a wireless heart rate monitor strap or smartwatch to track your stats in the app too.
Echelon bikes also work with Bluetooth to connect to the Echelon Fit app; you can even connect your Fitbit, Strava, and even Facebook to track your progress with your family.
For newer models, both can also work on the HD touchscreen display right in front of you while you ride! So they both tie for this round.
Pedals:
Echelon is the most obvious winner for this category because of their exercise bike inclusivity; Peloton uses LOOK Delta Clip-in pedals, which means you can only use cycling shoes with LOOK delta cleats to clip you in.
You can’t even flip over the pedal to use with a normal sneaker.
On the other hand, Echelon Connect Bikes are SPD compatible and have fully adjustable toe cages. They offer toe clips on one side and conventional cages on the other to offer ultimate choice and adjustability for what they want to ride and when.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t change the pedals on the Peloton bike if you wanted to, but this would void the warranty on the crank arm. It is very frustrating having to look for new shoes to fit The Peloton Exercise Bike specifically.
Whether you prefer using clip-in trainers or not, the mere fact that Peloton requires a specific cleat for their shoes means that their bike isn’t as inclusive easily accessible as an Echelon Bike.
Echelon vs Peloton App:
The built-in Peloton app looks much more modern than the Echelon Fit app, but they both have their benefits, plus neither suffers from bugs.
They’re both free for the first 14 days, and then you will have to pay a monthly membership of $39 month.
Frequently asked questions
Can You Use The Peloton App With An Echelon Bike?
Yes, you can use the Peloton App with an Echelon Bike; their Keiser M3i bike is loved amongst bikers who use the Peloton app because you aren’t locked into the membership.
But if you have a built-in display, you won’t be able to download the app on that console.
Plus, you can get the Peloton app on your phone or tablet, so if you prefer the feel of the Echelon but prefer the Peloton app, then you have the best of both worlds.
Can you use either of these bikes without a subscription?
Yes, you can use either bike without a subscription, but I wouldn’t advise it. Peloton and Echelon have created workouts for a range of different purposes, and you’ll get the most out of your bikes if you commit to these training subscriptions.
These subscriptions make Echelon and Peloton the best exercise bike.
Which Echelon bike is best?
Again, it all depends on your budget, space, and whether you would prioritize tech. The biggest difference between the 4 Echelon Connect is that the EX5S has a 21.5-inch touchscreen display, whereas, with other bikes, you will have to bring your own console.
Summary: Peloton vs Echelon:
Getting yourself the best exercise bike for you isn’t easy, especially if you’re planning on adding an exercise bike to your home fitness equipment to regularly use, keep in shape, motivated all while staying within a mindful budget.
Now Peloton and Echelon offer amazing options for you. Echelon offers a brilliant range of affordable bikes that have 32 levels of resistance levels which is more than enough for most people. They also offer a brilliant Echelon app with a wide range of classes and trainers to help you through.
The Peloton on the other hand offer state of the art demand classes, live classes, and best known for their spin class. They may come at a stupendous price tag but they do offer quality for your money.
But the bottom line is for those on a budget, I cannot recommend Echelon enough, they are brilliant for the price point and offer features just a good as the Peloton bike does.
Both Echelon and Peloton are extremely popular in the cycling industry and excellently reviewed so who would I pick to be number one– Echelon vs Peloton?
It all depends on the individual, they both have key benefits and are definitely worth the membership.
Happy pedaling!
