The Peloton Tread Experience
I got the chance today to try out a 20 min run on the Peloton Tread at our local showroom. It retails for $3,995 + delivery and can be reserved now. I also had a great chat with the sales specialist, Christine Leffler, about the make of this treadmill. (Thank you for the Peloton towel, team Palo Alto!)
Here are some of my key takeaways. Let’s start with a 360 tour.
360 of the Peloton Tread
It’s a beaut.
Because of its minimalist design of the posts, the treadmill doesn’t actually feel quite as imposing as some of those you would see at a corporate gym. It’s the kind of treadmill that deserves to be shown-off, not hidden in a garage. The screen is extra wide — not a requirement for running but could be if you were on the floor bootcamping.
Industrial design: 10/10
It’s the porsche of treadmills.
The tread’s controls are second to none. A small swipe and the treadmill responds instantaneously. The jump button is my favorite feature as it seamlessly jumps to the next level. The biggest flaw of the bike is fixed with the front-facing speakers. I’m deducting 1 pt because the screen shakes at high speeds. They made a trade-of of form over function with the floating screen.
Engineering: 9/10
Running on high
Well it doesn’t quite feel like you’re running on air, it’s pretty close to it. There’s a nice bounce to it that feels better on my knees. While the tread’s narrow/shorter profile contributes to a chic profile, it can actually make you feel a little squished. I caught myself looking back to see if I still had enough runway.
Running comfort: 9/10
Content is king
I used to rely heavily on Netflix to get me through a treadmill run. Now, I actually look forward to running. Why? The music, leaderboard, metrics, coaching (Olivia Amato!) and community all make me want to show up for a run. Who am I???
Content/Instructor: 10/10
Nailing the last mile
Details matter at Peloton. Even the storage tray is so thoughtfully design. Two cup holders, more than enough storage for headphones, HRMs, cellphones, headphones. I also love how the clear acrylic tray adds to the light feel of the overall treadmill.
Thoughtful design: 10/10
Watch-out: Treadmills are loud. The Tread is no exception.
The tread is loud. But all of them are. It’s loud enough that I wouldn’t feel comfortable running on it at 5am next to my kid’s room. I’m not sure a near-silent treadmill can be engineered to be honest. It has to be built to withstand a 300lb adult pounding away on it. But, I do feel it is important to set expectations just in case you’ve been spoilt by the whisper quiet peloton bike. To hear it, I recorded a little video. Not the best video because Olivia’s voice is blasting over it but you’ll get a sense of its volume. It gets pretty loud once the speed gets over 6.0. If you’re going to be mostly in headphones anyway, probably not a huge deal. At least that’s my theory as to why I never really noticed how loud treadmills actually are in the gym.
It’s a commercial grade treadmill.
If you’re geeking out over the specs, you might notice that it has a 2HP AC motor, which is more commonly found in commercial grade treadmills. So if you’re comparing treadmills, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. AC motors have more torque and power than a DC motor. I’m not an expert, but do your research. Lots of great discussion about the specifications and engineering on the Peloton Tread Facebook group.
It ain’t about the Tread.
What you’ll quickly discover about Peloton is that their instructor, cotent and rich tribe experience is what makes customers love Peloton. You can read about the addictive experience I’ve had on their bike so far here.
Addictive experience? Priceless.
Will I buy it?
The $3,995 price tag is not quite as accessible as the bike’s pricing, especially since we won’t be able to use it inside our house (it will 100% wake up the kids at 5am). It might be something I’ll consider when we complete our bike’s payment. Meanwhile, I’ll be riding my bike at #ZeroDark and drooling over your Tread from afar. Keep slaying it, team!
