NordicTrack S22i and Peloton Indoor bikes are the current top pick in the premium exercise bike section. Both bikes have far more to offer than what most users genuinely need and will give you a sweat-inducing workout at home! However, most persons will find it difficult to choose the right bike! As such, we’ve decided to pitch in with this unbiased comparison of the Peloton vs NordicTrack S22i.
The truth is, most reviews and comparisons of the NordicTrack vs Peloton have some form of bias. Or rather, they were made with information that is inaccurate. In this article, we’ll clarify most of those mistaken notions and hopefully give you a better picture of how both bikes compare.
To kick things off let’s start by doing a short review of both bikes.
Peloton Vs NordicTrack Comparison
If you are looking for a bike from either of these brands, you first need to identify precisely the things you’ll need on an exercise bike. By identifying your needs, choosing between the NordicTrack s22i vs Peloton bikes will become much more straightforward. Both companies essentially have two different strong points; hence identifying your needs makes it easier to choose a bike after knowing how they compare.
Peloton’s strongest selling point is their app and the bountiful features, live classes, and elite trainers that they employ. The bike itself is also pretty amazing and stands out among the top 5 best exercise bikes to buy in 2020.
However, the price is the biggest downfall of buying a Peloton bike. NordicTrack’s S22i bike’s strong point is the bike itself and not so much the app. The app that comes with the NordicTrack is the iFit app, and while it does have a tonne of content, the user interface is less intuitive than Pelotons.
However, that’s not to say that the iFit app is utter garbage; on the contrary, the app in combination with the bike is surprisingly just as good.
We’ll go into more detail later on in the comparison but first, let’s take a look at the similarities of the Peloton and NordicTrack s22i bikes.
What are The Similarities & Differences of The NordicTrack S22i And Peloton Indoor Bike?
Both the Peloton and NordicTrack s22i bikes have many common features.
Screen
The first similarity is that both bikes come with a 22″ HD Touchscreen display which you won’t find on other bikes at present. The screens on both bikes are crisp and display app content flawlessly.
Moreover, the 22″ display on both bikes can also be transmitted to a television using different means. Also, both bike screens also come equipped with speakers built into the screen.
There are also a number of differences between the NordicTrack vs Peloton screens.
Firstly, the NordicTrack S22i has a screen that can swivel 360 degrees horizontally. The lack of the swivel feature is one of the points of the Peloton that gives Nordictrack the upper hand. NordicTrack S22i also features HDMI connections for sending video to a television.
Peloton, in contrast, has more screen connection options such as Bluetooth 4.0, ANT+ Wireless and Wifi built-in. The Peloton also can do screencasting to a SmartTV. So if you own a smart tv, you can send your workouts to a bigger screen and enjoy a more immersive experience. However, if you don’t have one, then you’ll need to purchase a Roku TV or Apple TV, etc.
One last difference that is noticeable immediately with the NordicTrack bike is the inclusion of a built-in fan.
Drive System
Another similarity of the Peloton and NordicTrack is the Drive System. They both utilize belt drive with Inertia-Enhanced Flywheels located at the front of the bike. Both bikes also use magnetic resistance to increase or decrease the difficulty of pedaling. Because of this similarity in the drive system, the ride experience between the Peloton vs NordicTrack is almost identical. There are two main differences between the NordicTrack s22i vs Peloton’s drive system.
The first is that Pelotons resistance can only be adjusted manually through the resistance knob while on the NordicTrack; the resistance can be either manual or automatic. Peloton’s resistance levels are calculated using a combination of cadence, output, and resistance percentage. Their resistance is percentage based and ranges between 0 – 100.
In contrast, the NordicTrack S22i’s resistance is easier to read and use. The NordicTrack has 24 levels of resistance that can be controlled by either you, your trainer or based on the terrain-matching system built in the bike. The automatic resistance control is a fantastic feature for when you want to focus entirely on your workout or experience a real-world ride simulation.
The last feature differentiator between the NordicTrack and Peloton is the incline and decline that the S22i bike is capable of doing. The NordicTrack S22i has a digital control that allows the bike to be inclined 20% and also automatically increase resistance. Additionally, the bike can also decline by 10% from a horizontal position.
Structural
Since both bikes are premium quality indoor exercise bikes, the materials they used in the constructions are nearly identical. Both bikes feature non-slip handlebars with multiple grip positions and a comfy seat. On both indoor bikes, the seat and handlebars can also be adjusted to suit your height.
They both have dual water bottle holders and dumbbell racks. However, the dumbbell rack position is at the front of the NordicTrack. On the Peloton, the dumbbell holder is on the back of the bike behind the seat. We’ve seen some complaints that the dumbbell rack placement on the NordicTrack is terrible, but those came from prior Peloton owners and is subjective to user opinions. NordicTrack also provides two (3 lbs) dumbbells as a part of the package.
Additionally, both bikes also have adjustable leveling feet and front-mounted rollers to make moving the bikes a breeze. The only significant difference in the construction of the bikes is their user weight limits. On the Peloton, you have a max user weight limit of 305 lbs. In contrast, the NordicTrack S22i indoor bike has a max user weight limit of 350 pounds. So depending on your weight, you should pick the bike that is more suitable for you.
Membership & Price
With both bikes, you will be expected to pay for a membership subscription to Peloton Digital app or iFit app. The membership fee for the Peloton is to $19.99 per month in addition to the cost of the bike.
On their website page, they still have a price of $39 per month, so it’s not clear which price you will be paying. However, do note that the app cost is separate from the price of the bike, so that is an additional $468 for a year of use.
The iFit coach app comes as a part of the bikes package for the first year. After the first year, iFit will cost about the same as the Peloton app monthly.
Another significant difference that is noticeable when comparing the Peloton bike vs NordicTrack s22i is the price.
The Nordictrack is cheaper than the Peloton by a few hundred dollars when considering the basic package of both bikes. However, there are occasional discounts available for you to take advantage of most times.
Click here to get the price we got on the NordicTrack S22i.
Warranty
The most important part of purchasing a piece of equipment as expensive as a Peloton or NordicTrack is their warranties. Peloton offers a 1-year frame warranty, 1-year parts warranty, and 1-year labor warranty.
In contrast, the Nordictrack S22i provides a lifetime frame warranty, 3-years parts warranty, and 1-year labor warranty. The length of a warranty says a lot about the sturdiness of an item and also how committed the brand behind it will be should a situation arise. So it is always better to pick the product with a more extended warranty.
Customer Service
NordicTrack is notorious for having terrible customer service. While Peloton, on the other hand, provides excellent service and quick support. However, we have to point out that most persons that had issues with customer service did not purchase the bike directly.
So customer service is something that Peloton have as an advantage since they only sell their bikes direct and not through retailers. Recently, NordicTrack has started offering their bikes through Amazon and customer service has been good so far.
Pros & Cons of NORDICTRACK S22I
Pros
- It has a screen that can be rotated 360-degree horizontal rotation.
- The NordicTrack S22i has a built-in fan.
- It Includes a set of 3-pound dumbbells.
- The bike has 24 levels of digital resistance.
- You get automatic Incline/Decline for workout and terrain matching.
- It has on-demand global trainer-led workouts.
- The iFit app has Cross-Training workouts
- It includes a Built-in HDMI port on the screen.
- The bike DOES have a power button and to switch it on and off.
- It includes 1-year FREE iFit coach membership.
- The Nordictrack S22i has a more extended overall warranty than the Peloton.
Cons
- It is a little harder to navigate the app’s user interface.
- NordicTrack has an overall less engaging app experience than Peloton’s Digital App.
- The bike doesn’t have screencast over wireless functionality (Readily).
Pros & Cons of Peloton Bike
Pros
- It has a 22″ HD Touchscreen Display.
- Amazing Live and On-demand Classes.
- More Intuitive and Visually appealing app
- The bike allows Screen Casting to smart TVs.
- It has Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities.
- Weighs a little less than the NordicTrack bike
- Rear Placed Dumbbell holders.
Cons
- No Dumbbells Included in Basic Package.
- Does not offer Incline or Decline functionality.
- Screen cannot swivel 360 degrees.
- The bike costs more than the Nordictrack.
- Only has a manual resistance knob.
Overall Winner: NordicTrack S22i
Both bikes have a tonne to offer the average user. However, the NordicTrack does the same thing as the Peloton as a stand-alone exercise bike. Plus it has a few more impressive features that the Peloton can’t match at present.
The price of the NordicTrack is also lower than the Peloton with a longer more comprehensive warranty. You also get a Free year of iFit coach membership if you purchase the bike here. As such, we had to give the overall title to the NordicTrack bike.
However, the Peloton bike does have some strong points which NordicTrack probably will never be able to match. The first being the app and the amazing instructors that they have hosting live and on-demand classes.
The app is also better laid out, and feature a lot more options that are not provided by the iFit coach app. Peloton also has better customer service which is mostly due to being the sole seller of the bike and forces more liabilities on them. While they do have better customer service; their bikes cost more, have fewer features and grant a shorter warranty period than NordicTrack.
We conclude by saying that the NordicTrack is better after comparing after looking at all the main points. Nevertheless, if Peloton’s live classes are more important to you, then buying a used Peloton bike isn’t a bad choice.
Otherwise go with the NordicTrack. Hopefully, you now have enough information to pick the better bike after reading our comparison of the NordicTrack vs Peloton.
Share your thoughts or concerns in the comments below!