Nordictrack S22i vs Peloton Bike Comparison – Which is Best for You?

 

Trying to compare the Nordictrack Commerical S22i vs the Peloton bike?

Wondering how they stack up?

The Peloton bike came out a few years before the Nordictrack S22i studio cycle. And it was pretty much a game-changer in the industry.

 

 

Now you didn’t have to go to the gym to take a spin class – you could do it directly from the comfort of your own home – through the console. This was unlike anything people had seen before.

Understandably, the Peloton skyrocketed to the top of the charts and has been a popular choice with buyers ever since.

Nordictrack introduced their own version of the streaming spin bike last year – the Commercial S22i Studio Cycle. No surprise – it quickly became one of Nordictrack’s best-selling bikes.

 

 

The 2 bikes are similar in that they both give you high-energy workouts directly to your bike console – in full, HD color. The screen consoles are the same size and even the molded, contoured padded handlebars look almost identical.

However there are still some pretty big differences between the two bikes if you look beyond the surface.

This post will show you some of the main differences between them. So you can decide which bike is best for you.

 

 

Nordictrack S22i 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 S22i Studio Cycle comes in at $245 less around $1999 plus Free Shipping here. So price-wise the Nordictrack S22i is a bit more attractive.

 

 

 

Spin Classes

With the Peloton bike, you get live Peloton spinning classes anytime you want – which is pretty cool.

You can follow your favorite instructor when they’re giving classes and watch them instruct you (and 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 S22i is a bit different. It delivers spin class workouts to your console via something called iFit Coach.

 

 

iFit Coach does not offer live workouts – but it does have thousands of on-demand cycling workouts – similar to the Peloton on-demand workouts. So again, you can choose from thousands of different classes to take or follow your favorite instructors etc.

However you get more than just classes with iFit Coach.

In addition to the classes – you can also choose to 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’ll see the landmarks pass you by on the console screen as you ride – for a bit of virtual reality fun.

You can choose to ride with an instructor guiding you – or just ride on your own and enjoy the view. You can choose from pre-designed trails – or use the Googlemaps feature to map out your own trail to ride (for example, if you want to ride through your old neighbourhood).

iFit Coach can also track everything from your daily calories and activity to your sleep patterns – to help you reach new fitness and health goals.

So technically you have a lot more options with iFit Coach than you do with the Peloton. But on the other hand, you don’t get the Live workouts.

 

 

 

Incline and Decline

The Nordictrack S22i bike has something very cool that the Peloton bike does not have – incline and decline.

You can get up to 20 degrees of incline and 10 degrees of decline on the Nordictrack S22i. You can change the incline or decline directly from the controls on your handlebars.

 

 

Alternatively, if you’re taking a cycling class – you can also choose to let the instructor change the incline or decline for you.

Another cool thing about this bike?

If you’re riding any of the world trails – the bike can incline and decline to mirror the actual terrain of the trail you’re riding. So this gives you a more realistic training experience.

 

 

Handweights

The Nordictrack S22i bike comes with a pair of 3 pound handweights included (Free). They fit easily into a tray in front of the handlebars.

You can get a pair of handweights with the Peloton bike as well – however they are an extra cost. They fit into a holding rack on the back of the bike.

 

 

 

Swivel Display

You can also get off the Nordictrack S22i bike and turn the console display 180 degrees – if you want to continue your workout off the bike.

The Peloton bike console does not have this feature.

 

 

 

 

Class Subscription

Both bikes do this a bit differently.

With the Peloton, according to their website, you are required to buy the Peloton monthly class subscription with the bike (you can’t just buy the bike by itself and add the monthly subscription later).

 

 

This makes sense because really, why would you buy the Peloton bike if you don’t want to get the classes? Without the classes, it’s really just a pricey indoor bike.

They do say that there is no commitment and you can cancel at any time however.

Still – this is an extra cost to keep in mind that you have to add on top of the price of the Peloton when comparing to the Nordictrack S22i.

With the Nordictrack S22i cycle you’ll need to have an iFit Coach monthly (or yearly) subscription if you want to access all of the studio workouts and world trails that come with iFit Coach.

However, here’s the good news:

if you get the Nordictrack S22i through the Manufacturer here (as of this writing), you’ll get a 1-year subscription to iFit Coach included. So you can try it out for 1 full year to see if you like it.

 

 

What if you don’t want the iFit streaming classes after the full year?

If you decide you don’t want the iFit membership – you can just go into your iFit dashboard online and cancel your subscription.

The bike will work find without iFit – and you will still have access to a limited number of built-in workouts on your bike. You’ll also still be able to see your workout stats and use the bike in manual mode (including the incline and decline, heart rate etc.)

 

 

 

 

Nordictrack vs Peloton – Warranty

One last thing – the warranty. With the Peloton you get a 1 year limited parts and labor warranty.

With the Nordictrack S22i bike you get a lifetime frame warranty, 3 years on parts and 1 year on labor. So you get slightly better protection for your investment with the Nordictrack.

 

 

Bottom Line?

So which is best when comparing the Nordictrack S22i vs Peloton bike?

They both have their benefits.

The Peloton gives you live workouts (as well as on-demand streaming workouts) 24 hours a day from their studios. And if you really love a specific Peloton instructor, then the Peloton bike might be a better choice for you.

On the other hand, the Nordictrack S22i bike may not have the live workouts – but it does have a lot more features – for a lower price.

You get thousands of streaming classes with iFit – plus the world trails and customized tracking. You get the incline and decline plus free handweights and a console that swivels – along with better warranty coverage.

So at the end of the day the Nordictrack Commercial S22i does have a lot of benefits as well. It really comes down to what you want.

Want to Learn More?

 

Click Here for a Special Offer on the Nordictrack S22i

 

 

 

Click Here for More on the Peloton