An Honest Review of the SoulCycle At-Home Bike (Plus How to Score $1,000 Off for a Limited Time)

If you’ve ever clipped in, tapped back or waved a sweaty towel around to the beat of a Taylor Swift remix, chances are you’ve taken a SoulCycle class. Featuring epic playlists, inspiring instructors and sweat-inducing choreography, the boutique fitness company (that has 80 studios nationwide) is known for creating an electrifying—and at times, intimidating—workout environment that hardcore fans can’t get enough of. Now, the brand that put spinning back on the map is looking to bring that same intensity to your living room with the SoulCycle at-home bike. Even better, you can score $1,000 off now through the holiday season. Originally starting at $2,500, this is the best sale the brand has ever offered.

Before testing, I had some questions: Is it possible to replicate the IRL energy of an in-person class on a 21.5-inch touchscreen? How does it compare to the one and only Peloton? After five months of testing, I’ve got answers (and some pretty ripped calves). Here’s everything you need to know about the at-home bike, from the basics of beat match to the intricacies of the Equinox+ app.

• Cost: $2,500; $1,500 for bike, plus $40/month for Equinox+
• Dimensions: 62.2" L x 53.5" H x 22.2" W
• Weight: 128 pounds
• Screen Size: 21.5”
• Rotating Touch Screen: No
• Rider Height Range: 4’10” to 6’10”
• Rider Weight Limit: 350 pounds
• Clip-In Shoe Requirement: Delta and SPD-style shoes
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Media Streaming: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+

At the heart of it all is the sweat-resistant touchscreen, with its massive display, anti-fingerprint coating and high-quality stream. The sound quality of the built-in speakers is top-notch, engineered specifically for this bike to create a surround sound environment similar to that of a front-row studio spot. If you live alone or DGAF about your neighbors, we advise you to crank it up and sing along to Nasty by Janet Jackson like there’s no tomorrow. But if you’re in a shared space or don’t want your roommates to know you’re taking a holiday ride in the middle of June, there’s a Bluetooth option that can connect to any wireless compatible headphones.

The bike frame felt strong and sturdy, though I did notice some slight shaking during the particularly fast sprint pushes. The handlebars are non-slip and easy to grip. The bike seat is as comfortable as a saddle can be, but the placement of the resistance knob made it a bit tricky to change my power while staying on beat and keeping up with the choreography. Perhaps my specific settings are to blame, but the knob always felt just slightly out of reach, forcing me to bend down or lean over each time the instructor told us to add a turn to the right.

As far as metrics go, there are only three numbers dubbed important enough to grace the top of the screen: cadence, power and distance. You’ll also see a progress bar at the bottom displaying how much time has elapsed in your workout. If at any point you don’t want to see either of these features, just swipe up and down to make them disappear.

One thing you won’t see before, during or after your ride? A leaderboard. Just like the in-studio offering, the main goal of a SoulCycle class is to match your cadence to the beat of the music. And with the new at-home bike, you can finally measure and score it. So rather than racing against @spinmaster3000 in Marfa, Texas, you’re simply competing against yourself. Once the class has ended, you’re met with a bar graph and percentage score that indicates your beat match on a scale of 0 to 100. That’s how you know how much of the ride you spent matching the music (again, the main goal) and how you can measure your success and growth in each class.

In addition to the on-demand and live classes, the SoulCycle bike also offers a “free ride” feature where you can do your own thing while listening to music, exploring a new city or streaming your favorite shows.

It wasn’t long before I noticed that the hi-res touchscreen had another special feature to it. It’s made of glass, meaning when the light hit just right I could see myself, sweat dripping everywhere as I strained to keep up with Valentine or Melanie in the middle of their latest ride. With a quick adjustment of the eyes, I could easily dial back in, erasing my face to concentrate on the task at hand. But I began to notice that as my legs got heavy and my lungs felt pinched, my focus would drift...and there I’d be again, staring myself down as I climbed the latest hill or sprinted to the finish line. A convenient byproduct or a purposeful innovation, I’m not entirely sure. But either way, this mirrored effect was indescribably motivating.

There’s something disarming (yet exhilarating) about watching yourself break down barriers, do the impossible or simply finish a hard AF sprint. At the very moment you’re dying to give up, your own reflection tells you otherwise. It’s the silent incarnation of a live instructor shouting “REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED!” And it quickly became my absolute favorite part of the whole damn bike.

The SoulCycle at-home bike is certainly an investment, but like Hulu and health insurance, it’s the kind of investment you don’t often regret. The classes are well thought out, well-produced, challenging and fun. There’s no shortage of energy or opportunities to dig deep and surprise yourself. As a runner, I’m used to mustering motivation out of thin air, and over the years I’ve tested more workout apps than I care to share. What sets SoulCycle apart is how it carries you, both through class and through the rest of your day. I’m a happier person when I hop off the bike. Lighter (in more ways than one), inspired and proud of the person that appears in my screen’s reflection.

If you’re on the fence about trying the SoulCycle at-home bike, take this as a sign to give it a go. You never know who you might find staring back at you...

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