Peloton Tread review

Two-minute review 

The Peloton Tread is a high-tech, smart running machine from the people behind the Peloton Bike and Bike+, the US brand that kickstarted the home gym industry into upping its game with higher-tech products featuring bigger touchscreens, better apps and a wider range of virtual classes. You need to sign up to the Peloton app ($39 / £39 / AU$59 per month for the All-Access Membership, required to operate the Tread) to access the virtual content, but that gives you the chance to take daily live classes as well as try thousands of on-demand workouts. There is a digital-only subscription available for just $12.99 / £12.99 / AU$16.99, but this streams classes to a separate device (like your phone or tablet) rather than to your machine. 

The Peloton Tread is easy to use and has intuitive controls. It’s operated using an incline wheel on the left handrail and a speed one on the right, which means you can change the intensity of your run without getting distracted. You simply move the wheel forward to increase and rotate it back to decrease – very simple to maneuver in the middle of a run.

The Tread has a conventional 59in x 20in running belt. It’s smaller than the Tread+ (only available in the US), which also has the extra benefit of a slatted rubber running belt that simulates the feeling of a road run. Unlike most other treadmills, the Peloton Tread doesn’t have a front base, so you can run along the whole belt without having to watch your feet. That makes a real difference when you’re watching a class on the 23.8in HD touchscreen, which you can also rotate to do workouts off the Tread.

The Peloton app has thousands of live and on-demand workouts to choose from and the instructors are really motivating and enthusiastic. This helps to bring the vibe of a studio-style workout to your home, so even if you’re not in the mood to exercise, their energy can help pep you up to get going.

The machine has front-facing stereo speakers and rear-facing woofers, and as you’d expect, the sound quality is clear and crisp. You could invest in a Peloton mat to put under the Tread to minimize noise, but it’s pretty quiet anyway. Each footfall is much quieter than on a normal treadmill, and if you’re playing music through the built-in speakers rather than Bluetooth headphones, the tunes mask the treadmill noise itself.

If you have the budget, and are looking for a home gym machine that helps motivate you to exercise, the Peloton Tread could be exactly what you're looking for.

Price and availability 

• Re-released in August 2021
• High price with additional costs for classes

The Peloton Tread is available now from Peloton and costs $3,120 / £2,295. You will also need to factor in an extra cost for the Peloton app ($39 / £39 a month for all-access membership). Neither the Peloton Tread nor the Tread+ are currently available in Australia. 

Design and setup 

• Bulky but sturdy
• Big, bright touchscreen

The Peloton Tread arrives in three boxes and requires at least two people to set up. It’s a heavy treadmill, weighing 291lb / 132kg, so it’s not easy to move around once you’ve got it in position. Think about where you want to place it before the delivery and make sure it’s near a power outlet.

The Peloton Tread is well made, with a carbon steel frame and durable handrails. We really love the 23.8in HD touchscreen, which is easy to navigate. The 59in shock-absorbing belt is also a pleasure to walk or run on, despite not having the slatted design of the higher-spec Tread+.

The Peloton Tread comes with a USB-C port for charging your devices but there’s no fan, which feels like an oversight for a treadmill of this price. It’s not foldable either.

When you start walking on the Peloton Tread, you can adjust the speed and incline either on the touchscreen or via the dials on the handrails. The sturdy frame is reassuringly solid and helps minimize any noise.

Safety Features

• New Tread Lock system with four-digit PIN
• Stop-sensor tech
• Emergency stop and safety key

The Peloton Tread and the Tread+ were recalled in May 2021 due to safety concerns. The month before the recall, the CSPC had issued a warning claiming that the machine posed a threat to children's safety. This was following reports that one child had died and several others had been injured by the machine.

Peloton made some major changes and added safety features to the machines in August 2021, before re-releasing them. A new Tread Lock system was added, which means that users have to input a four-digit passcode before they can use the machine. There’s also stop-sensor tech built in the belt, which will halt the treadmill and lock the machine after 10 seconds of inactivity. The machines also come with the usual emergency stop and safety key.

Instructors give a safety talk before each class, reminding you to tie your sneakers tightly and making sure there are no obstacles nearby. This is a nice touch and gives classes more of a personal feel.

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Performance 

• Easy-to-use controls
• Motivational classes
• Relatively quiet

You can use the Peloton Tread without signing up to the Peloton app, but you’ll miss out on all the virtual classes. If you have a Peloton Bike or Bike+ and are already signed up, you can use your subscription on both machines without needing an extra membership.

Hit the start button and the Tread’s belt starts to roll smoothly, and you can use the dials on the right and left to control your speed and incline. The speed maxes out at 12.5mph / 20kph and the incline goes up to 15% for hill climbs and interval training. We enjoyed the challenge of a hiking class at this incline, and were able to easily hold on to the handles when the intensity increased. 

Whichever class we tried – from the 20-minute hike to a 5k run – we found that real-time metrics on screen and the leaderboard were really motivating and gave training a competitive edge. This adds to the feeling of being part of the Peloton ‘family’ and all being in it together. We liked the ability to 'high-five' your fellow runners and watch their stats, too. 

There’s no decline option, but the incline range and speed limit is more than adequate for a challenging workout.

Most of the Peloton Tread instructors are hugely enthusiastic, fun and informative. They are very encouraging as they share advice on technique, such as how long your strides should be and how to concentrate on having the correct running posture.

If you don’t like the group setting vibe then you might find this annoying – and we noticed that some of the instructors spent too long relaying anecdotes over offering advice. Thankfully, if you find yourself zoning out, you can just turn up the music instead. There's a huge amount of licensed music included in Peloton's service, so you won't be short of tunes to enjoy.

Noise-wise, the Peloton Tread is pretty quiet as it has a powerful 3HP DC motor. A gentle walk measured 65dB, which is the same as a normal conversation. A jog with different speeds and inclines measured 78dB, the same noise level as a washing machine, while running at max speed was 88dB – the same as a blender.

First reviewed February 2022

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