SoulCycle Bike
What is it?
SoulCycle’s at-home Peloton competitor
Price
$2,500 plus $40 monthly Equinox+ subscription
Like
Sturdy yet sleek hardware.
Can stream Netflix and Disney+.
Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
The rides are memorable and leave you sweaty.
No Like
Rides are more about the vibe, so metrics are lacking.
You must have clip-in shoes, which may be even more moolah.
You have to use clip-in shoes.Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
Fewer features than Peloton Bike+ but same price.
I’m not paying $42 for the candle.
Thats exactly the throw in of exercise bike the company has made.
You have to use clip-in shoes.Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
This is a nice-looking piece of hardware.
My family and in-laws said it made my apartment look super fancy, and I get why.
Its also a fairly standard footprint too, measuring 62.2 x 22.2 x 53.5 inches (LWH).
Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
As for riders, it supports anyone between 410 and 610 weighing up to 350 pounds.
(I cant say the same about the one time I nearly flew off my Flywheel bike.)
It was nothing that tightening the adjustable knobs couldnt fix, but not my favorite thing to happen mid-ride.
I confess I pedaled furiously to the Ben Swolo scene in The Last Jedi. Sue me.Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
Another quibble is that the front wheel isnt exactly silent.
you’re free to hear a whirring, but my husband said it wasnt anything egregious.
Just something to keep in mind in this work-from-home era.
The shoes, mat, and weights will cost you extra but make the experience better. Though, all you really need are clip-in shoes.Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo
Heres the not-so-great part.
On the plus side, shipping and handling are included.
SoulCycle does offer its own shoes, which range from $175-$215.
The accessories make the experience better, but the only things you need are the shoes.
Does an instructor wearing a bedazzled cowboy hat and hollering yeehaw!
along to the beat of Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy sound like a great time?
These are all actual things that I heard or saw during the classes I took.
If this tickles your fancy, SoulCycle might be right up your alley.
Im a nerdy metrics girl so the SoulCycle classes left me a bit gobsmacked at first.
The classes tend to focus more on the experience and vibe than they do building a skillset.
Just not what I gravitate toward.
To clarify, this isnt a knock against the difficulty level.
You absolutely will have to mop up your sweat at the end of class.
Youll get prompts to do tapbacks or handlebar pushups while cycling.
In an 80s playlist ride, I was told to headbang and whip my ponytail.
The instructor in the sparkly cowboy hat told me to mimic swinging a lasso.
You dont have to do these things, but it is part of why people love SoulCycle.
Unfortunately, it also means that instructors are vague.
They give some guidance about form, or exertion level, but its too nebulous for my taste.
Some classes also involve light hand weights, and those parts seemed wildly haphazard to me.
There is no way to measure resistance beyond left is less and right is more.
Instructors will only give murky guidance like a touch to the right or take some resistance off.
Ultimately, I wasnt too impressed with what I saw on my screen and with the after-ride metrics.
I dont care if I matched the beat 85%thats not how Id choose to gauge progress.
Otherwise, the classes are fairly standard.
On-demand cycling classes range from 20-90 minutes, with the bulk lasting 20, 30, or 45 minutes.
you’re able to also get shorter sculpting classes that focus on using lightweight dumbbells.
Music genres span all the regulars: pop, rock, hip-hop, country, electronic, etc.
Theres a huge stable of instructors and youll find at least one that you like.
(Im Team Tanysha.)
One note: SoulCycles on-demand catalog is not quite as expansive as Pelotons yet.
However, SoulCycle makes up for it by letting you stream Netflix or Disney+ from the screen.
That said, I found it a great option for when I wasnt feeling a class.
Peloton, SoulCycle, or Something Cheaper?
If youre on a budget, you dont have to get a Peloton or SoulCycle.
Echelon also hasa range of dupesfor around $1,040 to $1,640.
But lets say youre willing to invest.
For me, the scales tip in Pelotons favor.
The Equinox+ app is good, but a tad disjointed.
The different workout types are from branded studios under the Equinox umbrella.
Treadmill runs are Precision Running.
Yoga is Pure Yoga.
Its jarring and the app isnt quite so intuitively designed.
However, dont take my word for it.
If youre an Apple Watch user, it also supports GymKit for cycling classes.
Not to mention Pelotons out here droppingnew features, includingworkout playlistsandscheduling workout routines.
Another pro in Pelotons favor is you dont have to use clip-in shoes.
However, over the last year, Peloton has also facedmonths-long shipping delaysthat have left customers fuming.
But if you want something now, the wait time for a SoulCycle Bike is only 1-3 weeks.
While I personally prefer Peloton, I had a ton of fun on the SoulCycle Bike.
I may have even let out a yeehaw or two of my own.
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