Stryde Bike vs Peloton – Battle of the Studio Bikes

For fans of studio cycling, the battle continues to escalate between brands seeking to dominate the home market. Comparisons between the Stryde Bike and Pelton are being made daily as the trend toward home fitness ramps up. We’ve seen a number of other great match-ups here in this arena, including the MYX Bike, but there are some particulars worth of note here as online specials and deals factor into the mix. If you’re a long-time frequenter of spin classes, chances are you’ve already shopped around and know there are some differences between these brands. But ultimately the real question is which bike fits which particular rider.

The Stryde Bike brings a more budget-friendly price of $1,495, which comes with free shipping. Meanwhile, the original Peloton, as opposed to the newer Bike+, is rolling in at $1,445. The difference is all in the features though, with both Peloton and Stryde offering their own unique workout libraries, trainers, and online community. Both bikes feature a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen and magnetic resistance, so the choice really may come down to personal preference in programming and price for many customers

So how do Peloton and the Stryde Bike compare? Let’s start with the build specifications.

Footprint

Both bikes are approximately 4-feet long by 2-feet wide. The foot print is effectively how much space your bike will take up in a room, and for the most part this shape and style of indoor cycling bike is pretty consistent from brand to brand. The Peloton bike is a bit smaller, but with just a 1.6-inch difference, it really depends on how one positions the seat and bars of the bike. Those adjustments could make one effectively longer or shorter, so it’s pretty much equal. This factor comes into play when situating a home bike, whether in a garage gym, or the living room.

Winner: Tie

Weight Capacity

The bike’s weight capacity plays a pretty big role for some folks, and it does give evidence toward general stability. Here, we see the Peloton holding up to 305 lbs versus the Stryde Bike at 350 lbs. This could be a factor for some larger customers, but even at the lower body weights, we can assume that higher weight capacity means greater stability as a unit. Both bikes are within the general range of their competitors within the industry, but overall we’d say the Stryde Bike is a little more durable.

Winner: Stryde Bike

Resistance

Here, much like the bikes’ size, both machines offer 0-100 levels of silent magnetic resistance. Both the Peloton and Stryde systems use magnets that it move closer to or further from the flywheel to add more resistance. One of the upsides to magnetic resistance is that it’s nearly silent, which makes for a much smoother user experience over other alternatives. Magnetic resistance is becoming a little more common throughout the fitness industry and users are enthralled with the smooth ride of silence, as opposed to the noiser alternatives.

Winner: Tie

Drive

Another similarity is that both of these bikes use a belt drive system which connects the pedals to the flywheel and creates a smoother ride. This compared favorably to the chain driven system found on actual bicycles.

Winner: Tie

Exercise Programming

And herein lies the biggest differences between the two companies themselves as both bikes utilize their own apps for programming. The Stryde Bike offers multi-point training from indoor cycling clubs such as the High Ride Cycle in Denver, the Vibe Ride in Atlanta, the Ride House in Dallas, RideBike Studios in Miami, and City Cycle in Seattle. With more than 200 classes available by way the Stryde app, new programs are loaded ever day. That said, if the user doesn’t want to continue that subscription service, they can utilize the screen to hook into any number of other exercise apps available for download. This means greater freedom in choosing which programs one uses, or perhaps using none at all. One can select “Free Ride” and get the standard workout data, or grab Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, or any of the other big cycling apps. The boom in home fitness companies has brought along with it a plethora of exercise programs at a variety of pricing, with some free.

The Peloton meanwhile, brings its own app to the game with a monthly cost of $12.99. In exchange for this, users get the dynamic of live spin classes and pre-programmed ones from their virtual library. The Peloton fitness community has developed a cult-like following over the years for good reason. Their high-octane workouts broadcast from studios in New York are not only engaging but fun. The Peloton workouts range in goal and tempo, as well as fitness level, making them attractive. That said, a Stryde Bike user could just as easily download that same program onto that bike and perform right along for less money.

Winner: Stryde Bike

Pricing and Value

Given the similarities between the two bikes, the battle might very well simply come down to dollars and cents. Here, the Stryde Bike’s is $1,495 as opposed to the Peloton’s $1,445. Granted, the Peloton is unleashing its Bike+, which means there will undoubtedly be discounts and online offers going forward which may in fact beat that down a bit. The Stryde Bike comes with a 5-year warranty on the frame, with 1-year for parts and labor. The Peloton meanwhile only comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month warranty. To this degree, there’s not much question the Stryde Bike is offering the better price for a stronger warranty. Depending on what discounts come forward, it would be worth the time to keep warranty in mind.

Winner: Stryde Bike

Conclusion

There’s not much dispute that in terms of bike-for-the-buck, the Stryde Bike comes out on top. Slightly bigger with a more solid weight capacity, it’s lower cost and has a much better warranty, as well as more diversity of digital workout options.