Peloton tips and tricks: Get the most out of your bike or bike+

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(Pocket-lint) - Peloton has a few machines in its portfolio, including two bikes and two treadmills, but no matter which one you have at home the principle is the same: train on it while watching the enthusiastic Peloton instructor on the big screen in front of you.

The Peloton experience runs deep though. There are features upon features built into the machines - some of which aren't so easy to find - so while you can just hop on the tread and run, or get on the bike and ride with the instructors, there there's so much more than eye encounters to help you achieve your goals.

We've dug into all of these Peloton Bike+ features to compile this list of tips and tricks that we hope will help you get the most out of your Peloton Bike or Bike+.

Peloton Bike training tips and tricks

How to start a live class on Peloton Bike and Bike+

Not so obvious that one. Live classes appear in the top right corner of the screen, as well as in the Schedule tab. To join a live class, you'll need to count yourself in or tap join if you're just in time or a bit late.

Tap the Calendar tab at the bottom of your Peloton Bike/Bike+ screen > Tap the date you want to take a live class > Scroll through available courses > Tap "Count Me In" or "Join" when you've found the class you like.

How to see upcoming live classes on Peloton Bike and Bike+

If you want to see what live classes are coming on Peloton Bike or Bike+, go to the Schedule tab at the bottom of the screen . The screen that appears will automatically show you all live quotes for that day.

How to start a program on Peloton Bike and Bike+

There are a number of programs on Peloton Bike and Bike+ designed to help you achieve your goals, whether it's learning the Peloton Method by driving terms, doing a core program to strengthen your core or following a Pilates program, for example.

Tap the Programs tab at the bottom of the screen > Select the program you want to start. They vary in length, but they each require you to do a certain number of workouts per week.

How to connect Apple Watch with GymKit to Peloton Bike+

We have a separate feature to connect your Apple Watch to Peloton Bike+, but if you have a Watch Series 3 or later and you have the Bike+, you can connect both with GymKit. Start a compatible race on Peloton > Hold your Apple Watch at the top of the screen near the camera > Tap Connect on your Apple Watch > Tap Start on your Peloton screen.

Keep in mind that not all rides are compatible with GymKit, for example Bike Bootcamps and Weight Classes are not.

How to view and join a challenge on the Peloton bike

Challenges are great for staying motivated on Peloton. There's one for the year called LAnnuel, but there are also monthly ones which are great for giving you that extra reason to get on the bike, even when you can think of 20 reasons not to.

Tap Challenges at the bottom of the screen > Tap "Join" for one of the challenges ringing down your street. Any that you join will appear here too, with a progress bar showing how close you are to completing them. You'll also see any challenges you're a part of if you scroll down the Home tab.

How to delete a workout on Peloton

There are several ways to delete a workout on Peloton. One of the quickest is to tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap Workout History > Swipe from right to left on any workout in the list you want to delete > Tap "Delete Workout".

You can also tap a workout from the list, scroll down to stats details and graphs on the right-hand side, and tap "Delete workout" at the bottom.

How to pause a workout on Peloton

Following an update in November 2021, it is now possible to pause a Peloton On Demand workout on the Bike and Bike+ if you are using the latest firmware. During an on-demand workout, press and hold the screen and confirm you want to pause. Everything, including your class, progress, and metrics, will freeze until you resume.

How to bookmark an instructor on Peloton

It is not possible to tap on an instructor on Peloton and bookmark them as such. You can, however, bookmark workouts from your favorite instructors and rate races from your favorite instructors and the instructor will eventually end up in the "Your Instructors" section of the Home tab.

If you want to learn more about any of the instructors or just see their courses, you can tap on the three dots in the bottom right of your Peloton screen and tap on instructors in the menu. From there, you can choose which instructor you want to learn more about.

How to mark a ride on Peloton

To mark a ride on Peloton, simply tap the favorites tab in the top right of a ride map you're interested in.

How to find classes marked on Peloton

If you have bookmarked a number of races or courses on Peloton but you don't know where they end, go to the Courses tab on your screen > Tap Filters in the top right > Enable bookmarks > Tap Show Courses at the bottom. Your marked classes will then appear for you to choose from.

How to filter classes on Peloton

Peloton doesn't run out of classes, so filtering is key to finding what you want quickly. Tap the Courses tab at the bottom of the screen > Tap the type of workout you want to do at the top - Cycling, Bootcamp, Strength, Cardio, etc. > Tap Filter in the top right corner > Filter by Duration, Instructor, Music, Class Type, Subtitles, Sessions, Bookmarks, Taken, Not Taken, Weights, No Weights > Tap "Show Courses" at the bottom. Tap Clear in the top right to clear all filters and start over, or tap a filter again to remove it.

You can choose to filter by as many or as few categories as you want. For example we love the Intervals and Arms rides and we're a big fan of Alex Toussaint so we tap on Cycling and then filter by 30 or 45 mins under the length, Alex Toussaint under instructor and then we just tap on the weights and all the Arms and Intervals rides by Alex appear.

How to hide classes that contain explicit language on Peloton

If you want to make sure there are no swear words in your Peloton class - maybe the kids are nearby, or maybe be that you don't react well to swearing - you can hide lessons that contain explicit language.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red Settings cog in the top right above your name and photo > Tap Preferences > Check the box next to "Hide classes that may contain explicit language".

How to hide pre/postnatal classes

It is possible to hide pre and postnatal classes but this is only available for on-demand classes. You will always see pre and postnatal live classes.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red Settings cog in the top right above your name and photo > Tap Preferences > Check the box next to 'Hide pre/postnatal classes'.

How to start a race on Peloton

You can either choose a class on Peloton Bike and Bike+, or choose to just ride and have your metrics appear on screen. If you just want to ride, tap the More tab at the bottom of the screen and select "Start Riding" under the Just Ride tab.

How to start a scenic ride on Peloton

As well as lessons and the ability to just ride, Peloton also offers scenic rides, which allow you to ride scenic routes around the world . For example, you can choose to drive 10 km from Big Sur.

Tap the More tab at the bottom of the screen > Choose "Show Routes" under the Scenic Drive option > Tap a route you like.

What are Power Zones on Peloton and how do you display them?

Power Zones outputs on Peloton aim to achieve specific output levels at different times, with the goal of helping you improve your strength, endurance and overall performance. There are seven zones in total, each representing a target output range. For example, zone 7 can be reached when working at an output of 190 or higher.

You can either select an estimated Functional Threshold Power (FTP), which is the highest power you can sustain for an hour, based on your weight and gender, or you can choose a value personalized. It is recommended to do a maximum stress test of 20 minutes to determine this value.

If you choose to take Power Zone training or courses, you'll want to view the Power Zones, which appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap your username in the lower left corner of the screen > Tap the red settings cog at the top above your name and photo > Tap Preferences > Check the box next to "Show Power Zones" > Choose Estimated or Custom.

How to send a high five on Peloton

Peloton has a high five feature that allows you to send a virtual high five to another member of the community and receive a high five in return. It works for both on-demand and live classes and it's a good way to send encouragement to your fellow Pelotoners.

To send a high five, tap the person's avatar next to a member's leaderboard name on the right of your screen during a workout. They'll get a notification on the left of their screen, just like you if someone hits the nail on you.

How to hide cadence and resistance range during a ride

During a Peloton cycling workout, instructors will give you a range of trials between cadence and resistance. Sometimes that range - and trying to stick to it - can do more harm than good. It's possible to hide both easily though, allowing you to focus on how you're feeling rather than trying to respond to a specific number.

To hide the pace range, tap the arrow to the right of the pace range during a workout. To hide the resistance range, tap the arrow to the right of the resistance range.

What are Sessions on Peloton?

Sessions is a Peloton feature available for running and cycling workouts of 20 minutes or more. They allow you to see a live leaderboard for an on-demand course where members started the course at the same time. Sessions start every five minutes and you can either choose to wait for the session to start or skip it and start immediately.

What is the 'Here Now' feature on the Peloton Leaderboard?

The Here Now feature is a leaderboard tab that appears on the right side of your screen when you take a course at the asked. It'll show you members who are on the same course as you at the time, helping you stay motivated when trying to catch another member on the board, for example.

What is a Stack on Peloton and how do you stack classes?

There is a feature on Peloton called Stacked Classes which allows you to create your perfect workout by queuing classes you want to track, adding them to your stack so you can seamlessly switch between them.

For example, you can add an arm strength workout, followed by a lap, followed by a recovery lap to a Stack.

Find the first workout you want to do and tap the icon with the two rectangles and the + symbol. Repeat this with any other workouts you want to add to your stack. To show the stack, tap the two rectangles with the + symbol at the bottom right of your screen. You can change the stack or press Start to begin. Once you've completed the first workout, you'll see the "Continue Stack" option at the top to move on to the next workout.

What is a collection and how do you see them on Peloton

Collections are a series of classes that have a particular theme, for example musical artists or Pilates. If you want to get into Pilates or Yoga for example, Collections is a good place to find classes in those categories.

Tap the Courses tab at the bottom of the screen > Tap Collections in the top left corner > Choose the collection that interests you > Select a class from the collection.

What is an Encore lesson on Peloton?

An Encore is a lesson that has already been recorded but plays back as if it were a live lesson. You can choose to show Encore courses in the list of live courses or hide them.

Tap the Calendar tab at the bottom of your screen > Enable or disable the "Show reminders" option.

Peloton's personal tips and tricks

How to see your race recommendations on Peloton

The Peloton Home tab will show course recommendations based on what you've done previously, as well as workouts that might benefit you based on what you've been doing.

In the Daily Picks bar on the Home tab, you'll see ride recommendations for "Your Habit", "A Quick Workout", "Something New", "A Challenge", "Building Strength" and " A stretch”.

How to see your activity on Peloton

At the top of the Home tab on the Peloton Bike screen, you'll see how you're doing this week in terms of the days you've had a workout. You'll also see any streak notes, like a five-day streak, for example.

To see your full activity, head to your username at the bottom left of the screen> Tap Activity. You'll then see a graph of your activity, which you can filter at the top or tap "View History" in the top right corner for a breakdown of your workouts.

How to see your achievements on Peloton

Peloton loves the achievement. You may have noticed instructors calling users on rides and saying things like "Happy 100" or "Happy 300" or "Happy First Ride."

If you want to see the achievements you got, tap on your username in the bottom left corner > Tap Achievements in the panel. A list of your achievements will appear here, along with the next ones to try for.

How to see a summary of a previous month on Peloton

You can see a summary of your performance over the previous month on Peloton, with stats including your active days, number of different workouts , the best instructor and the best performance, among others.

Tap your username at the bottom left of the screen > Tap Calendar in the left bar > Scroll up and down through the different calendar months on the right of the screen.

How to find friends on Peloton

One of the best things about Peloton is the community, with high fives quite the thing. You can also follow all your friends and train with friends if you want.

To find friends on Peloton, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Select Search Members in the top left corner > Enter your friend's username or choose to connect to Facebook to find Facebook friends who are on Peloton.

How to ride with friends on Peloton

To ride with friends on Peloton, you can schedule a session in the Peloton app and share the invite. Your friend will then receive an alert a few minutes before the scheduled session starts, just like you on the Peloton app and your Peloton bike. Tap "Join Session" and you can ride with friends.

How to video call friends on Peloton

To video call friends on Peloton, you must already follow yourself. You will then need to join the same class as your friend. From there, head to the "Here Now" section of the leaderboard to the right of your screen during a workout and tap on your friend's name. You can then press "Talk" to video call them, assuming your friend has enabled the feature.

How to change your weight on Peloton

You may have lost weight since you first bought your Peloton bike, and you may want to update your personal profile to reflect that.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog at the top of the screen above your username and photo > Tap Weight > Adjust accordingly.

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How to change your profile picture on Peloton

You are not required to have a profile picture on your Peloton account, but you can if you wish. To add or edit one, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap the edit symbol in the large circle above your username > Choose Take a new photo or Import a Facebook image.

If you want to edit your photo at a later date, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap the settings cog at the top of the screen above your username > Tap "Edit Image".

How to see and manage your personal bests on Peloton

Peloton saves your personal bests so you can try to improve them. You can see your personal folders by tapping on your username in the bottom left of the screen. Your personal folders will appear at the bottom right of the screen in a panel.

If you want to manage your personal folders, tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap Manage Personal Folders in the bottom right of the screen.

How to switch accounts on Peloton

Peloton supports up to six users under one subscription, but you need to make sure each user has their own profile to get the right recommendations for you, as well as the right statistics and a record of your own individual achievements and efforts.

To switch users, tap the two arrows in the lower left corner of the screen and tap the correct user profile before starting a workout or race.

How to tag on Peloton

Tags on Peloton allow you to express various elements of your personality and connect with other members who may have similar interests, such as #PelotonDads or #PelotonMoms. You can add up to 10 tags to your profile at a time, and you can choose which tag you want to set as primary before each workout.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap Add tags under your profile picture and username in the left panel > Tap "Add Tags" or Explore > Choose the desired tags. If you have more than one, here you can select the main tag you want to display in the ranking.

Peloton Bike privacy tips and tricks

What is Peloton Strive Score and how do I hide it from others or turn it off?

The Peloton Strive Score is a personal, non-competitive metric that measures your training intensity, based on how long you spend in each heart rate zone. You can turn off the effort score entirely, and you can also choose to hide it from others in class, as well as heart rate zones.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog at the top above your name and photo > Tap Preferences > Check or uncheck the box next to "Track and show effort score" > Check or uncheck the following box to "Hide my stress score and heart rate zones from other class participants".

How to disable video chat on Peloton

Peloton allows you to video chat with other users you follow and who follow you. If you don't want users to be able to video call you, you can disable the feature.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog at the top of the panel on the left > Select the "Social Networks" tab > Check or uncheck the box next to "Enable video chat".

How to hide your age group and gender in the Peloton leaderboard

The Peloton leaderboard appears on the right side when you enter a race. By default, your gender and age group - like F or M, 30 or 40 - will appear below your username, allowing other users taking the course to see.

If you want to hide your age range and gender, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap the red settings cog at the top of the panel on the left > Select the "Social" tab > Check or uncheck the following box at “Age/gender group visible in ranking”.

How to make your profile private on Peloton

It's possible to make your entire profile private on Peloton, meaning only members you approve will be able to see your profile and training history.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog at the top of the panel on the left > Select the "Social Networks" tab > Check or uncheck the box next to "Private profile".

Peloton Bike music tips and tricks

How to find lessons with your favorite music artist on Peloton

Some Peloton instructors offer lessons with dedicated playlists to some artists. For example, Cory does Britney Spears rides and Spice Girl rides. There are others though. You can either access rides focusing on a musical artist by tapping on the Courses tab > Hitting on collections in the upper left corner > Artist Series > Find your favorite music artist from the list.

You can also tap the Home tab and scroll down. There is a Recommended Artists panel which will show artists based on your previous rides and feedback. Tapping on an artist will then show you all of the classes featuring their music.

How to see a music playlist for a workout before you start on Peloton

Sometimes rides have titles that tell you what kind of music they'll have, other times it's not so obvious . If you want to check out what you're going to listen to while you sweat on the bike, then you can.

Tap the course you plan to take > Tap "Show Playlist".

How to save a song on Peloton

If a song comes up during a workout you like, you can save it to your profile, so you can come back to it later. A music symbol will appear on the left of your screen during a workout, tap it to see the song playing. To add a song to your favourites, tap the heart.

How to see your favorite songs on Peloton

All your favorite songs on Peloton are placed in a dedicated place so you can see them all. To find your favorite songs, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap Music in the panel. All your favorite songs will appear here.

How to sync your favorite songs with Apple Music or Spotify on Peloton

We have a separate feature that offers a bit more detail on how to sync your favorite Peloton songs with Apple Music or Spotify. In a nutshell though, tap your username in the bottom left corner > Tap Music > Tap "Connect" on the right > Choose "Connect" next to Apple Music or Spotify, depending on your preference.

Once you have connected your Spotify or Apple Music account to Peloton, you will see a playlist called “My Peloton Music by [username]”.

How to make Peloton music louder

During a practice session, you can choose to have the original mix - which is a combination of instructor and music, more music, or more instructor. When you start a workout, press the volume up or down button on the right edge of the screen and select your preference.

General Peloton Bike tips and tricks

How to connect a heart rate monitor to Peloton Bike

It's worth connecting a heart rate monitor to your Peloton Bike or Bike+ to ensure you get more accurate data from your workouts. You can use Apple Watch if you have the Bike+ or use a third-party app, or you can use another heart rate monitor.

Tap Settings at the top right of the screen > Tap Heart Rate Monitor from the drop-down menu > Choose your device from the list. If you don't see it, tap "Go to Bluetooth settings" and select "Pair a new device", then follow the instructions.

How to increase the volume on the Peloton Bike

To increase the volume on your Peloton Bike or BIke+, press the volume buttons on the right edge of the screen. You can also tap settings at the top of your screen and move the volume slider.

How to adjust the screen brightness on the Peloton Bike

To adjust the screen brightness of the Peloton Bike, tap Settings in the top right corner of the screen. From there, you'll see a screen brightness option with a slider. Drag to adjust the brightness up or down.

How to change the Wi-Fi network on your Peloton Bike

Peloton requires a Wi-Fi connection to operate, so if you change your Wi-Fi network you will need to make sure to update your Platoon settings. Tap Settings in the top right corner of your screen > Tap Wi-Fi > Select the network from the list and enter the password.

How to connect headphones to your Peloton bike

To connect Bluetooth headphones to your Peloton Bike or Bike+, tap Settings in the top right corner of your Peloton screen > Tap Bluetooth Audio. Make sure your headphones are in Bluetooth pairing mode. If they don't appear in the list of available devices, tap Settings Bluetooth > Pair a new device > Follow the instructions on the screen.

How to connect and pair AirPods to Peloton

For those who specifically want to connect Apple AirPods to their Peloton Bike or Bike+, we have a separate overview with some additional details, but the summary general is below.

Tap Settings in the top right corner of your screen > Tap Bluetooth Audio > Press and hold the button on the back of AirPods or AirPods Pro until it flashes white > Tap "Connect" next to your AirPods in the Peloton filter list.

Where to plug headphones into Peloton

If you have wired headphones, rather than Bluetooth headphones, you can connect them to the Peloton Bike or Bike+ by inserting them into the port just below the handlebars at the environment.

How to turn off the camera on the Peloton Bike

Both the Peloton Bike and the Bike+ have a camera at the top of the screen. This camera has a physical lid switch, so if you want to turn the camera off, just make sure the lid is fully left.

How to cast Peloton on TV

You can cast your Peloton screen to a compatible TV, which is handy if you want to do weight training and you don't have the Bike+, which allows for example to rotate your Peloton screen.

Tap Settings at the top right of your screen > Tap "Cast Screen" > Tap your TV from the list of available devices.

Peloton Bike other tips and tricks

How to connect Peloton to Facebook

You can connect Peloton to Facebook, which you can do for several reasons. The first could be to import a profile picture, the second could be to find friends on Peloton via Facebook, which is easier than finding their username.

Tap on your username in the lower left corner > Tap on the red settings cog in the upper right corner of the left panel > Tap on “Social” > Check the box next to “Facebook Connected”. You will then be prompted to go to www.facebook.com/device and enter the code displayed on your Peloton screen. You can choose to use the Facebook app or the browser. Tap "Approve" when prompted. You will then have connected Facebook to your Platoon.

How to connect Peloton to Strava

You can connect Peloton and Strava together to have Peloton workouts automatically saved to Strava, whether it's running or cycling.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog in the top right corner of the left panel > Tap Social > Check the box next to "Stava Connected" > Log in to your Strava account and follow the instructions.

How to connect Peloton to Fitbit

Like Strava, you can connect Peloton and Fitbit so that Peloton automatically adds your workouts to your Fitbit.

Tap your username in the lower left corner > Tap the red settings cog in the top right corner of the left panel > Tap Social > Check the box next to "Automatically post my runs to Fitbit" > Sign in with your Fitbit account > Select the information you want to share > Tap Allow. That's it.

Can you use the Peloton screen to watch TV or Netflix?

Short answer for this one, no. Peloton uses a custom version of Android, but there's no way to download apps, like Netflix or Prime Video. It also cannot be used to watch TV.

Can Peloton monitors see or hear you?

Another short answer, no, they can't. The camera at the top of the screen allows you to video call with friends you follow on Peloton or take a profile picture. Don't worry, those super-enthusiastic instructors can't see when you're not putting in the effort or when you're insulting them for telling you to increase that resistance.

How Peloton shoes work

The Peloton Bike and Bike+ use Delta-compatible cleats, which you clip on with Peloton shoes, or any shoe with a three-bolt-hole setup. To unclip, point your toes inward toward the bike and your heel outward. To clip, simply align the front of your foot with the wedge and press down.