With home workouts becoming increasingly popular, Peloton is one of the most sought-after exercise equipment. However, many people don’t want to pay $1,900 for a Peloton bike and monthly subscription. So before splurging on the Peloton membership, asking if the bike or tread is useful without the subscription and if you will use all the extra features is essential.
You can use a Peloton bike without a subscription, but you need a subscription for the Peloton treadmill. The main advantage of the Peloton all-access subscription is signing in to your account and maintaining your profile.
Also, access to a remote personal trainer, among other benefits. This article is a complete guide on making the most of your Peloton equipment without a subscription.
What can you do on a Peloton treadmill without a subscription?
Without a subscription, the Peloton treadmill is just a standard treadmill. As of August 2021, Peloton rolled out a new software update for their treadmills, allowing any tread owners to access Tread Lock and the Just Run feature without a subscription. In May 2021, they executed a mandatory Tread Lock safety feature which prohibited its use without a subscription. However, due to high demand, they restored it.
What can you do on a Peloton bike without a subscription?
If you don’t pay for the subscription, your Peloton bike is another standard stationary bike. You will not have access to the extensive workout library and live classes that Peloton offers under their membership. However, you can still use a Peloton without a subscription. Here’s what to do on Peloton for free:
- Access three pre-recorded free classes
- Use the Just Ride feature without the Scenic Rides. Just Ride will only show cadence, resistance, and speed.
- The bike’s touchscreen-only displays your cadence, resistance, and speed, in real-time but does not save the data.
What will you miss out on a Peloton without a subscription?
Peloton offers two types of subscriptions or memberships, which include:
- Connected Fitness Membership: This is a $39/month all-access membership if you have your Peloton equipment.
- Digital memberships: This is a $12.99/month package for those who don’t have Peloton equipment but want to participate in classes such as yoga, cardio, etc. This membership package gives you access to the Peloton app, which includes the same benefits as the all-access subscription. However, the app is only accessible via a tablet, smartphone, smart TV, or PC. Also, you will not be able to monitor your performance and you can have only one membership profile per device.
Peloton’s all-access membership has plenty of features to make your training sessions much easier. However, you will miss the premium training content without a subscription. The following are the subscription benefits:
- Access to the entire library of live courses and on-demand classes depending on disciplines available on your Peloton equipment.
- Record and save metrics like heart-rate monitoring, calories burned, movement tracking, and body activity to your profile.
- Leaderboard competitions and Peloton challenges
- The 232 beautiful routes for an entertaining training experience
- Interaction with trainers and teachers who may provide insights and comments
- Additional materials include yoga, walking, strength training, meditation, and more.
- Interaction with other members and subscribers
- You can create up to 20 user profiles if you share your devices.
- Allows you to use the same content collection on all of your devices.
- You can schedule classes with instructors at your convenience.
Cool tips to get the perfect workout on a Peloton without a subscription
In spite of the access to limited features, you can still get a lot from your Peloton bike or treadmill without the subscription. You can still access the features of your device through the touchscreen display. Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your Peloton bike or treadmill without a membership.
- Plug in your device to an electrical outlet and then press the power button below the bike’s tablet.
- To activate the smart device on your Peloton bike, you have to activate Bluetooth. So first, go to Settings > Bluetooth and then enable it.
- A list of devices will appear; select Peloton Cycle, and your smart device should sync with the Peloton touch screen.
- Access the three on-demand classes and Just Ride features on the bike’s touchscreen. You’ll see only three on-demand classes and Just Ride classes.
- Select a workout session from the available options and enjoy.
- If you want training guidance without committing to a subscription, you can always get free online cycling classes on YouTube and other fitness apps and channels.
Can you use a Peloton without an account?
No Peloton account is needed to use the bike and tread. However, you will need to create an account to access the all-access membership features.
Conclusion
In my opinion, Peloton’s all-access membership is not necessary unless you’re a fitness enthusiast or need extensive training guidance. Fortunately, their equipment is still useful without the membership perks. On the other hand, people who want to track their progress and interact with trainers and other participants may find the subscription worth the cost.