Echelon Connect EX 5s vs Peloton Bike+
Side by side comparison of two of the best exercise bikes on the market. Same category, different priorities.
Echelon Connect EX 5s
A Peloton alternative with a screen and classes at a lower price.
Peloton Bike+
The best home exercise bike you can buy if money isn't an issue.
How do the Echelon Connect EX 5s and Peloton Bike+ compare, spec for spec?
| Spec | Echelon Echelon Connect EX 5s | Peloton Peloton Bike+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599 | $2,495 |
| Rating | 4.3 (4,200) | 4.5 (8,900) |
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Should you buy the Echelon Connect EX 5s or the Peloton Bike+?
Both are strong picks in the exercise bikes category. Here's how to decide:
Get the Echelon Connect EX 5s if...
Built in 21.5" screen, live classes and lower monthly cost than Peloton.
Get the Peloton Bike+ if...
This bike is for people who genuinely want to ride multiple times a week and need the motivation of structured classes to actually do it. If you're the type who needs an instructor yelling at you to push harder, this setup delivers that better than almost anything else you can put in your living room. The class library is massive, the instructors are legitimately good and the live session feature makes solo workouts feel a lot less lonely. Day to day it's a solid experience. The 23.8 inch rotating screen is sharp and responsive. Swapping between cycling and floor workouts by spinning the screen around works well if you want to mix in yoga or strength sessions. The auto resistance feature is a nice touch too. It follows the instructor's cues so you're not fumbling with a knob every 30 seconds during interval work. The belt runs near silent and the whole thing feels rock solid even during hard standing climbs. Where it falls short is obvious. This is genuinely expensive. The bike itself is $2,495 and then you're paying $44 a month on top of that just to access classes. That's a real ongoing cost you need to account for. Skip the subscription and you basically have a very expensive stationary bike with a giant screen that does nothing. Also it's heavy and not easy to move so wherever you put it is probably where it's living permanently. Pick this over the cheaper base model if the rotating screen and auto resistance matter to you. If you don't care about those features the lower priced version gives you the exact same class experience for about a thousand dollars less. But if budget isn't the main concern and you want the most capable version available for home use this is the one to get. Just make sure you'll actually use it regularly. This rewards committed riders and punishes casual ones who let it collect dust.