Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton Bike Comparison – Which is the Better Buy for You?

 

Trying to compare the Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton bike?

Wondering which is best for you?

 

 

The Peloton bike is a bit older than the Nordictrack S15i and has been out for a few years now. It was one of the first home exercise bikes to give you streaming live classes from the Peloton NYC studio directly to your bike console.

This is convenient – since you don’t have to take pricey spin classes or live near a gym offering Peloton workouts.

Nordictrack introduced the Nordictrack S15i just last year and it has since become one of their most popular bikes.

It also gives you a multi-color, touch-screen console where you can stream daily fitness classes to your home.

 

 

This leaves a lot of people wondering – what’s the difference? How do they compare?

And which bike is the best value for the money?

Here’s a review of the key differences between the Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton bike to help you decide:

 

 

Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton – Price

 

As of this writing, the Peloton bike starts as $2245 here. It ranges up to $2694 if you want to add in some extras like heart rate monitor, bike mat and hand weights.

The Nordictrack S15i Studio Cycle comes in at $645 less – around $1599 plus Free Shipping here. So the Nordictrack S15i is currently more attractive price-wise. It also includes the handweights for free – unlike the Peloton.

 

 

Streaming Classes:

The big selling point of the Peloton is that you can take Peloton live spinning classes – which is pretty cool.

You can follow your favorite instructor when they’re giving classes and watch them lead you through the class in real time. You can get up to 14 daily live rides streamed from the NYC studio.

 

 

You can also choose from thousands of on-demand classes (pre-recorded, not live). So if you like a particular instructor’s style, you can take their past classes if you want.

You can also see your workout stats on the screen and track your progress as you ride.

The Nordictrack S15i does it a bit differently.  It delivers cycling class workouts to your console via something called iFit Coach.

With iFit Coach you don’t get the live classes. But you do get thousands of on-demand cycling classes and workouts. This is similar to the Peloton on-demand workouts.

Just like Peloton, there are popular instructors that people really love to follow in the iFit library as well.

 

 

There are also classes for beginners all the way up to experienced cyclists.

However iFit Coach also gives you something more than just cycling classes.

You can also ride famous trails all over the world – from portions of the Tour de France to the streets of Paris to the hills of the Grand Canyon.

You watch the scenery pass you by on the console screen as you ride – for a bit of virtual reality fun.

 

 

You can ride on your own to enjoy the view. Or you can ride with an instructor who will coach you through your workout, pointing out interesting landmarks along the way.

Another thing you can do with iFit?

Use the Googlemaps feature to map out your own trail to ride (for example, if you want to ride through an old neighbourhood).

So while you don’t get the live classes, you have a lot of other cool things to do with iFit – like explore the world or map out your own trails. You don’t get these options with Peloton.

 

 

 

Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton: Console

Both bikes come with impressive multi-color, touch-screen consoles. You can use these consoles to connect with Peloton or iFit and stream the classes to your bike.

There is a difference in size however.

The Peloton bike console is larger at around 22 inches across:

 

 

The Nordictrack S15i bike console is a bit smaller at 14 inches across:

 

 

This isn’t a huge difference, but worth noting. (If you want a similar bike to the Nordictrack S15i with the same 22-inch screen as the Peloton, check out the Nordictrack S22i bike here).

So the Peloton has the advantage with the larger screen size.

However the Nordictrack S15i console does something the Peloton screen doesn’t – it rotates 180 degrees.

This is handy when you want to get off the bike and continue your workout. Or if you want to try different off-bike workouts that are also included with iFit like stretching, yoga etc.

 

 

 

Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton: Incline/Decline

The Nordictrack S15i also gives you incline and decline for a more immersive cycling experience.

The bike has a 20% incline and a 10% decline that you can change with a push of a button on your console or handlebars.

 

 

The bike will also incline and decline to match the actual terrain of the world trail that you’re riding – which is pretty cool. You don’t get incline or decline with the Peloton bike

 

 

Upper Body Training

The Nordictrack S15i Studio Bike also comes with 3-pound handweights included. They sit in front of the console in a special shelf designed to hold them.

The handweights on the Peloton bike sit at the back, behind the seat. You get the handweights included for free with the Nordictrack S15i bike.

The handweights on the Peloton bike are an extra cost.

 

 

Free Streaming Offers

Both bikes offer you a “Free Trial” of their streaming classes with the bike. However,  as of this writing, the Peloton only gives you 2 weeks of free classes.

If you get the Nordictrack S15i bike through the Manufacturer here, you can get a 1-year iFit coach membership included.

So you can try iFit out for the full year to see if you like it – which is a pretty significant savings. (You can still use the bike without iFit if you decide iFit is not for you).

 

 

Bottom Line?

So what’s the bottom line when comparing the Nordictrack S15i vs Peloton bike?

They both give you the option to take streaming fitness classes from your home on a solid, stable bike. Both bikes also come with fully adjustable seats and handlebars for maximum comfort.

The Peloton has the advantage of a slightly larger screen size. And you get live classes – which you don’t get with the Nordictrack S15i.

However the Nordictrack S15i bike gives you thousands of streaming fitness classes as well as the option to ride famous trails all over the world – or map out your own.

You also get more crosstraining options with the incline and decline. And it’s a lot more cost-effective with free handweights, iFit 1-year membership included and a lower starting price.

So it really comes down to what you prefer.

Want to Learn More?

 

Click Here for A Special Offer on the Nordictrack S15i

 

 

Click Here for More on the Peloton Bike

 

 

Related: Nordictrack s15i vs S22i Bike

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