Unless you were living under a rock during lockdown, chances are you caught whiff of the latest fitness craze to take the world by storm: Peloton. Even those who profane the wearing of lycra for anything other than an ironic costume party, lockdown saw the world unite on the bike, logging miles as fitness enthusiasts chased down others on the screen attached to the bike. For those of us in Australia, we could only look on in awe. Thankfully, the trend is set to arrive on home soil soon, but in the mean time it looks like there already might be a new contender on the block by way of the Peloton Tread.
It might seem like your average treadmill, but get closer and it becomes apparent that the Peloton Tread is anything but. It’s sleek, beautiful and easy on the eye, making not too shabby an addition to your living space. It features an ample 23.8-inch HD touchscreen, high-fidelity sound system and is geared towards an immersive, instructor-led experience to tribal a premium fitness studio.
Is it really worth all the hype though? Well, yes. Yes it is. Given that it’s the company’s first foray into non-biking fitness, a lot of time and energy went in to making this every bit the success it stands to be. With an all matte-black frame and minimalistic look, it’s the chic treadmill you didn’t know you needed. As far as function goes, incline and speed are easily adjusted via dials on either side of the tread, with a “Stop” button should you need it. The belt itself is also sturdy and given the absence of a front base, you can run with ease knowing you’re not going to be tripping over your feet.
The big draw card is that even if you’re not into running, the Peloton Tread will help you get there. Yes, you can just power it up and get into a guided 5km, but you can also browse through a catalogue of classes, which range in duration from five to 60 minutes and are helpfully categorised into beginner, intermediate or advanced. There’s even a bootcamp option which combines tread-based cardio with strength training.
Weighing in at 131kg with a width and height of well over a metre, it’s not the most discreet machines available and is going to take up quite a bit of space. Ideally it would fit in a garage, but you’d have to ensure the floor is durable to withstand the weight carbon frame. Also, it’s not cheap. It’ll set you back 2,295 pounds (approximately $4,091 AUD), and that’s not even including the subscription. Still, if we’ve learnt anything during lockdown, it’s that health is a priority and when it comes to finding an exercise regime or program you actually like and want to do, that’s worth the investment.
While the Peloton Tread is only available in the UK, given the success of the bike format and its arrival to Australia, we’re banking on this follow in its footsteps.
