NordicTrack S27i (New) vs Peloton Plus Bike

By Robbie Ferri CPT

CPT & Indoor Cycling Instructor

Many people have taken to indoor cycling in the past decade, and we can see why it’s amazing. They are enjoying all the benefits of getting fitter, feeling better, and challenging themselves. 

One thing you will find is there is a huge amount of different bikes to choose from. Some come in as little as $300, and others can cost as much as $2500. There are so many choices it can be overwhelming.

Two bikes we often get asked to compare here at Girl Bike Love are the NordicTrack S27i and the Peloton Bike Plus. In this article, we’ll be telling you everything you need to know. From the fine details to the experience you can expect to get.

NordicTrack S27i

The NordicTrack S27i is one of the most advanced bikes on the market. It is an incredible way to get your indoor cycling fix and a huge amount of fun to ride with some incredible features. It’s a fantastic-looking spin bike and would take your home gym to a completely new level. It’s not just a bike with its 27” HD screen. It’s an entertainment center with pedals. 

It has a belt drive system that connects to the flywheel. The resistance is created using magnets. You get 24 levels to challenge yourself. It’s ready for long easy rides and short power sprints. The bike can work for users up to 350 lbs, and although they don’t state a height range, it’s pretty good from reading many different people’s experiences. 

It comes with the iFit application, which has google maps integration and Bluetooth to connect headphones and other goods. The S27i comes with some great special features. One to mention is the incline and decline ability that gives realistic hill climbing and descending. Another is automatic resistance and climbing. It comes with an excellent warranty of 10 years on the frame, two years on parts, and one year on labor.

Getting the right NordicTrack S27i

Before considering the S27i, it’s important to understand there are three versions of the bike. The original from the release, the 2020 model, and the 2022 model. You would think they are fairly similar, but they are not at all. The original is noisier, has weaker Wifi, a slower screen, quieter speakers, and a slower climbing motor. 

The 2020 has a better climbing motor, uprated speakers, a better screen, and improved connectivity. The 2022 model is a redesigned bike with weight on the back, an even better climbing motor, speakers with internal fans, improved stability, and even double-sided pedals. 

We highly recommend that if you’re getting a NordicTrack S27i, go for the newer version. It’s so much more defined, will give you a much better experience, and holds much more resale value. Buying secondhand is always risky, and many people are getting rid of the older versions for newer versions.

Peloton Plus

The legendary Peloton bike needs little introduction. The new Peloton Plus bike not only looks the part but also gives an excellent experience. The new bike looks redefined and has some excellent features, bringing it back to the best bikes category. The 24” screen is excellent and links you up to some of the best instructors in the world.

It has a modern belt drive paired up with a magnetic resistance system. It’s silky smooth to ride, and you will feel connected to the bike no matter how quick the sprint is. The Peloton Bike Plus has 100 levels of resistance and caters to anyone from a beginner to a professional.

It’s a decent sized bike and will work for users from 4ft 11” to 6ft 4” and under 290 lbs. The Peloton application is great, and you get a strong sense of community when it comes to owning a Peloton. You get a year’s warranty, and it comes with some great features such as auto resistance, a swivel screen, and those great Look Delta pedals. 

The Peloton Bike or the Peloton Bike Plus

Peloton makes two different bikes. You get the original Peloton bike and the Peloton Bike Plus. There’s a big price gap of over $1000 between both, and many people ask us why. Here’s what you can expect to get for spending more money.

The Peloton Bike Plus firstly has a bigger screen and better screen. Instead of a 21” screen, you get a 24” HD screen that can rotate both up and down and left and right. This is a great feature for off the bike classes. The bigger screen also comes with better speakers and is anti-reflective. 

Another great feature of the Peloton Bike Plus is the auto resistance. This means you have the instructor changing it for you for the perfect workout. You also get Apple GymKit integration and better connectivity. 

What are the differences between the NordicTrack S27i and the Peloton?

The best way to understand these bikes is to break them down and tell you the difference between the two. This will help you make the right decision and get the perfect bike for you. 

Design

Let’s start with the design. A bike design is very important. We not only want it to look good, but we also need it to be functional and be a bike you’re proud to be riding. The best indoor bikes on the market have sleek designs that function well, remove sweat, and are very comfortable to ride. 

The NordicTrack S27i has undergone a few changes in its remodel, and the 2022 version looks fantastic. They have listened to a lot of user feedback and really improved it. It has a sleek black and gray design and almost looks aerodynamic. The oversized tubing looks fantastic, and the wide base offers great stability. It functions excellently, keeping sweat off the flywheel, and is easy to clean. 

The Peloton is a great looking bike and has been since day one. The Bike Plus has a much stealthier look to it with darker casing. That’s not all though. The wider aero bars and improved weight holders for us have gone a long way. It’s a good looking bike that does share similarities to the NordicTrack s27i in the front-facing flywheel and rear weights.

There’s not much between the two, in our opinion. It’s each to their own. They are both great looking bikes. I personally do like the look of the NordicTrack s27i more as it just has a space-age design and is just so sleek. 

Size, User Fit, and Weight

Exercise bikes come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important to understand how big they are and if they will work for you. The difficulty for many companies is making bikes small enough in size but also fit a wide range of users. 

The NordicTrack S27i is 57” by 65” by 28”. It’s quite a large bike, but all the space is used properly. With a 27” screen, you cannot expect it to be small. They have done a great job of compacting it as you have to remember it has the climbing motor inside it as well. It works for users up to 350 lbs, but they don’t mention a height range. The total weight of this bike is 217 lbs. 

The Peloton is 59” by 59” by 22”. Surprisingly, it’s quite a large bike, knowing it only has a 24” screen. It works for users that are 297 lbs or less and has a height range of 4ft 11” to 6ft 4”. What makes this bike really special is that it only weighs 140 lbs making it super easy to move around compared to other bikes.

They both offer a lot when it comes to size, user fit, and weight. If you have lots of space and need a higher weight limit, the NordicTrack S27i is for you. For a smaller bike that is much lighter then the Peloton Bike Plus. 

Resistance

The resistance on a spinning bike really matters. When we look at resistance systems, we want reliability, a smooth quiet ride, and it to work for both beginners and professionals. 

The Nordictrack S27i has an excellent resistance system. It has a belt drive and a magnetic flywheel, giving you a silky smooth ride. Unlike a typical spin bike, you control this with buttons, or it can be controlled automatically by the instructor. It has 24 different resistance levels, offering a great ride no matter your strength. 

The Peloton Bike Plus is also belt drive and comes with magnetic resistance. It’s very quiet and easy to ride. It’s controlled with a dial and also has that automatic resistance. It has 100 levels and offers a similar range as the NordicTrack s27i. With the Peloton, you can find the perfect level as you have more options.

As far as resistance goes, both bikes are very good, and they are going to give you an excellent experience. We do like that Peloton has dialed in more levels, but on the other side, we like that NordicTrack works on a button system, not a dial. 

Screen

The screen is the center of your entertainment, and for the best experience, it has to be great. It’s not just about the size but the functionality and responsiveness. 

The NordicTrack S27i has a larger 27” screen. It’s high definition, and it’s very responsive. The speakers are great and even have internal fans hidden in them. In our opinion, any bigger screen would be too much, but we love the cinema experience of the S27i. 

The Peloton Bike Plus screen is 24”, well 23.8” to be exact. Peloton screens have always been fast and responsive. The speakers in the Bike Plus are excellent and even when you’re sweaty, it works great.

The NordicTrack screen is bigger and does come with fans. In our opinion, it is better than the Peloton Bike Plus, but not everyone likes a huge screen. Either is great, but the fans make such a difference. 

Application 

High-end bikes like these come with applications installed, and these matter. The application gives you access to classes, and some will even let you watch streaming services. 

The NordicTrack S27i has the iFit application. It costs $39 a month for a family plan or $15 a month for an individual, so it’s priced well for sole users. It comes with all the indoor cycling classes, live and prerecorded. Lots of other workouts like yoga and strength training are included. It even has Google Maps integration, so you can ride on almost any road worldwide. 

Then we have the Peloton Bike with obviously the Peloton application. The application is $44 a month, which is one of the most expensive on the market. The Peloton offers some amazing instructors and a huge amount of spinning classes you can choose from. Not only that, you get strength training, yoga, meditation, and many other classes. 

For us, they are both great applications. We do feel though, for a sole person, the iFit is the way to go, as the $15 a month deal is just too good to refuse. The Peloton is amazing for spinning classes and is worth the extra cash to join the community. 

Special Features

When it comes to bikes at the price point of the S27i and the Peloton Bike Plus, you expect more than just a spinning bike. Some bikes have incredible features, and they can easily set themselves apart from their competition.

The NordicTrack S27i comes fully loaded when it comes to special features. Firstly it has an incline and decline motor to simulate climbing. It also has automatic resistance and climbing simulation. Then you get the fans on the screen, which is great and makes such a difference, and the iFit google maps integration can make every ride unique. 

The Peloton comes with automatic resistance and weights, but that’s really about it. It’s a great bike overall, but it struggles to set itself apart from the NordicTrack S27i. We would have loved to see it with something else.  

Which is for me?

As spinning bikes, they are both excellent. You are going to have a great experience with whatever you buy. It can be a tough call when it comes to picking one. For us, it came down to two things. Price and features.

The NordicTrack S27i is around $3000 with a monthly subscription of either $15 or $39. The Peloton Bike Plus is $2500 with a subscription of $44 a month. So you save $500 when buying the Peloton but are paying a higher subscription over time. 

Though the NordicTrack S27i does offer more special features. The incline and decline climbing simulator are really fun, and little things like the fan on the screen make a big difference in our opinion. 

It all comes down to personal preference, but for me personally, the NordicTrack s27i does offer a bit more than the Peloton. The only thing Peloton beats it on really is the community.

FAQs

Is there a bike as good as Peloton?

Pelotons are excellent bikes, but many spinning bikes out there are better. It depends on what you’re looking for in a bike, but many alternatives exist. 

Is the NordicTrack bike compatible with Peloton?

Not really. The NordicTrack bikes are made to be used with iFit. You could use the Peloton app on a tablet, but the experience would be poor. 

Is the NordicTrack bike worth the money?

NordicTrack spinning bikes are excellent. They are expensive, but the experience they give you is amazing.

Can you connect other bikes to Peloton?

You can connect other bikes to the Peloton application. Bikes such as the Bowflex C6 are ideal for making a budget Peloton. 

Verdict

You are not making a mistake by investing in either one of these two spinning bikes. The NordicTrack S27i is of amazing quality and is stacked with special features. The Peloton is amazing and comes with a community like no other. We hope you enjoyed our article and are ready to get yourself a bike.