Peloton runs and rides are about to get a lot more scenic. During its Homecoming 2021 keynote on Friday, Peloton cofounder and CEO John Foley said the company is adding guided Scenic rides to its workout-streaming platform. The smart home gym equipment maker also tipped one long-awaited feature: a pause button.
A Different Scene
Until now, Peloton has only offered unguided outdoor virtual rides, and this content hasn't exactly been a huge hit with users of its smart stationary bikes. Only about 10% of All-Access Bike members have taken a Scenic class in the last three months, Foley said. He added that users have complained "some of the content was getting a bit stale, the constant playback speed felt a bit unrealistic...and, let's be honest, the music left something to be desired."
In response, Peloton is now relaunching its Scenic content with new features exclusively for All-Access members, including instructor-led runs and rides filmed in picturesque locations such as Big Sur, Hawaii, and New Mexico. With this feature, Peloton is taking a page from rival connected fitness platform iFit (available on NordicTrack, Proform, and Freemotion Fitness machines), which already offers instructor-led global workouts filmed in 40 countries spanning all seven continents.
"Whether you want to be transported to a new place from the comfort of your home, try something different, distract yourself during a workout, take a break from studio classes, or join our instructors out of the studio on an immersive adventure, we have a Scenic class for you," Foley said.
Like Peloton's studio classes, the new guided Scenic rides are set to an instructor-curated soundtrack. In addition, Peloton is adding new distance- and time-based Scenic classes, both of which will feature tunes from Warner Music Group's catalogue. Expect to hear artists such as Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Linkin Park, Green Day, Megan Thee Stallion, David Guetta, Cher, and Madonna.
The video during distance-based Scenic classes will speed up and slow down in response to your own speed. The new time-based classes will be similar to Peloton's traditional Scenic content, but with a "more cimentaic approach."
Something New to Strive For
During the keynote, Foley also debuted a new Strive Score metric and an overhauled Programs section with more regimented training plans, both of which will be available for All-Access and Digital members. Classes in each Program are meant to be taken in order for the best results. You get a recommended schedule that includes rest days, a progress report at the end of each week, and badges for your achievements. You're also now able to select a Program that's specific to your favorite instructor.
"You just need to make a commitment to yourself, and join the Program of your choice," Foley said. "We'll structure the program for you."
The new Strive Score is a personal, non-competitive metric, based on your heart rate. It measures the amount of time you spend in each heart rate zone to track how hard you've been working during your session. To see it, you'll need a compatible heart rate monitor.
"We've heard from so many of you that you want credit for your work off the Bike and off the Tread," Foley said. "That's why we're introducing Strive Score. The goal is to give you an easier way to compare your performance across workouts, including those that don't have power-based output from a connected device, like strength, HIIT, and bootcamp classes."
Peloton Presses Pause
Finally, if you have to go to the bathroom or take a phone call during an on-demand workout, you'll soon be able to press pause, then later pick up where you left off. Peloton has never offered a pause button, an intentional decision, which the company previously said helps "ensure that you work as hard as you would in a live indoor cycling class."
Based on user requests, Peloton now says it's working to integrate a pause feature "in a way that maintains the integrity of the leaderboard."
Nothing New on Netflix
The company made no mention of opening its platform to Netflix and other third-party video streaming services in the future, another highly requested feature some were hoping to hear about today. "Unfortunately, we have no updates on if we'll enable third-party streaming on our Bikes and Treads," a spokesperson says.
All of the features announced at the keynote are rolling out now, with the exception of the pause function, which will be available "later in the year," a Peloton spokesperson says.
We're getting the new Peloton Tread in for review in the near future, so we'll be putting all of these features to the test soon.