Bowflex C7 vs Peloton Bike 2023: Which Bike is Better?

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Are you torn between the Bowflex C7 and the Peloton Bike Basics? The price difference between the two might have caught your attention, leaving you wondering if the extra features are worth the investment.

Before you make a decision, let our in-depth Bowflex C7 vs Peloton Bike review be your guiding light.

As a personal trainer, I’ve been using spin bikes for years and have seen the benefits they can have on your fitness.

Indoor spin bikes have become increasingly popular. And these two models are at the forefront of the indoor spin bike.

So I’m going to share with you my thoughts on how these two models stack up.

Both the Bowflex C7 and the Peloton Bike Basics have all the features you need for a good spin bike. Whether you choose any of these two bikes, you will still get a great workout and enjoy the benefits of an indoor bike.

Buy Bowflex C7 on Amazon

Buy Peloton Bike Basics on Amazon

So, which bike is better?

Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

• Features Bowflex C7 vs Peloton Bike
  • Resistance comparison
  • Weight capacity comparison
  • Functionality comparison
  • Console comparison
  • Fitness app comparison
  • Price and warranty comparison
• Bowflex C7 vs Peloton: The Winner
• Which indoor bike is best for YOU?
  • Which indoor bike is best for beginners?
  • Which indoor bike is best for your budget?
  • Which indoor bike is best for a small apartment? 
• FAQs About Bowflex C7 vs Peloton
• What to do next?

Features Bowflex C7 vs Peloton Bike

Resistance comparison

When it comes to indoor exercise bikes, resistance is one of the features you shouldn’t skip over. Resistance is what makes your workout harder and more effective. Without it, your bike would be boring and wouldn’t do much for you. 

Surprisingly, both the Bowflex C7 and Peloton bikes come with 100 levels of magnetic resistance. Magnetic resistance is a type of resistance that uses magnets to generate more or less force. 

Increasing the resistance by adjusting the dial causes the magnets to move nearer to the flywheel, resulting in a braking effect that increases the difficulty of pedaling. 

Conversely, decreasing the resistance causes the magnets to move away from the flywheel, making pedaling easier.

What I like about bikes that use this kind of resistance is their silent operation. Since the flywheel and the magnets don’t make contact, there’s no rubbing or grinding noise generated. 

Both bikes have resistance knobs for manual adjustments.

Weight capacity comparison

The Bowflex C7 has a maximum weight recommendation of 330 pounds. While the Peloton bike can accommodate up to 297 pounds.

Although a 33-pound difference in weight limit may not be significant for some users. It is worth considering that some individuals with heavier body weight purchase indoor cycling bikes with the intention of losing weight and improving fitness.

Therefore, a higher weight capacity is certainly advantageous. You can also borrow your bike to your friends or family, so having a higher weight limit means it is suitable for many users.

In terms of the indoor bikes’ weight, the Bowflex C7 weighs 117 pounds, whereas the Peloton bike weighs 135 pounds. The heavier weight of the Peloton bike provides greater stability, ensuring it remains sturdy even during high-speed pedaling.

Both bikes came from a reputable brand and incorporate high-quality components, guaranteeing their durability.

Functionality comparison

Both the Peloton Bike and the Bowflex C7 come with an adjustable seat and handlebars. The handlebars of both bikes offer multiple grip positions, but they have relatively different designs.

Take a look at the photo below:

You can see that the Peloton bike has a lesser grip option to accommodate the wider screen. On the other hand, Bowflex has more grip position because it has a smaller screen.

Speaking of screens, Peloton’s screens come with a tilting feature, so you can adjust it to match your position. While the Bowflex screen is stationary.

For the pedals, the Peloton bike uses Delta-compatible clip⁠-⁠in pedals. While Bowflex C7’s pedals are dual-sided with SPD clips and toe cages.

Traditionally, clip-in pedals were known as clipless pedals (yes, it’s a bit confusing!). These pedals require the use of cycling shoes with specially designed cleats attached to their soles.

Delta clips are a cleat design synonymous with three-hole cleats, originated from the Look company.

They feature a triangular outlook with three large holes that align perfectly with pedals of the same pattern. Look also manufactures the Look Keo cleats, which have a similar triangular design, but with narrower holes.

Despite this difference, people commonly refer to all three-hole cleats as “Delta”. Peloton pedals use the Look Delta system, resulting in Peloton shoes also featuring Delta cleats [1].

On the other hand, SPD stands for “Shimano Pedaling Dynamics”. These pedals are commonly used in various cycling disciplines, including road cycling, mountain biking, and indoor cycling.

The SPD cleat, which attaches to your cycling shoe, uses two bolts to secure it in place [2].

Note: Another type of pedal system called SPD-SL uses three bolts for attachment.

The SPD vs Delta cleats has been an ongoing debate in the indoor cycling community for years. So I will leave that up to your preference on which type of pedal system you prefer.

However, I can say Bowflex’s addition of toe cages in their pedal system is a great move, as it allows you to wear any type of shoes.

The functionality comparison is a draw, as this feature depends on your preference. Bowflex offers more handlebar grip position, but Peloton offers a tilting and wider screen to match your riding position. The pedals are also up to your preference.

Console comparison

The Peloton Bike Basics has a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen, while Bowflex’s touchscreen size is 7 inches. So Peloton has a relatively wider screen than Bowflex.

On workout metrics, Bowflex c7 shows your time, interval, distance, calories, burn rate, heart rate, cadence, and resistance. While Peloton Bike Basics displays your time, speed, distance, cadence, resistance, calories, effort level, and heart rate.

Here is a breakdown of the similarities and differences in accessories and console features between the Bowflex C7 and Peloton Bike Basics:

As you can see, it’s a bit hard to choose between the two, since Peloton has a wider screen and more console functionality. But Bowflex has more accessories that are beneficial for your exercises.

Fitness app comparison

Peloton has an All-Access Membership that you can get on a monthly membership. You have to buy it separately from the Bike.

The Peloton App offers a wide range of classes in various disciplines, extending beyond cycling. From strength training and yoga to meditation and more, there are thousands of classes available.

You can also try outdoor classes, boxing workouts, or engage in a gamified cycling experience called Peloton Lanebreak.

Additionally, the Peloton Bike is compatible with Apple Watch and Android watches running Wear OS 3 or higher.

While Bowflex comes with an included JRNY All-Access Membership which is free for the first 2 months.

With a JRNY Membership, you can enjoy uninterrupted streaming of your favorite shows from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ on your existing accounts.

No need to choose between workouts and entertainment—you can do both simultaneously.

If you have Peloton and Zwift subscriptions, you can also connect them on the Bowflex Bike.

Comparing the membership prices, the Peloton App is more expensive than JRNY.

Price and warranty comparison

The Bowflex C7 is more expensive than the Peloton Bike Basics, but not by too much.

Being slightly more expensive than Peloton, you get additional perks with Bowflex C7 like the included dumbbells, an armband for heart rate monitoring, and the two-month free Fitness app subscription.

With the Peloton Bike, you only get the bike. You have to purchase the accessories and fitness app separately.

The Bowflex C7 indoor bike offers the following warranty policy:

• 3 Years Frame
• 3 Years Mechanical Parts
• 1 Year Electronics
• 1 Year Labor

The Peloton Bike indoor bike offers the following warranty policy:

• 5 Years Frame
• 1 Year Screen
• 1 Year Components
• 1 Year Pedals
• 1 Year Labor

While the Peloton has a longer warranty for the frame, you can see that Bowflex also has a longer warranty duration for its parts.

Both have a reliable warranty policy and came from a reputable brand, so you can guarantee you are purchasing a quality product.

Bowflex C7 vs Peloton: The Winner

This Peloton vs Bowflex C7 review shows that both bikes have similarities in terms of resistance, console, and functionality features.  

They also came from a trusted brand and are famous in the fitness community. So whether you choose any of them, you will surely get a great riding experience. 

If I have to choose only one bike, it would be the Bowflex C7 for the following reasons:

• Bowflex C7 has a higher weight capacity than the Peloton Bike.
• The fitness app of Bowflexs is more affordable than Peloton’s.
• Bowflex is slightly more expensive than Peloton, but you get more perks and accessories if you purchase the C7 bike.

Of course, Peloton Bike, like Bowflex C7, is still a great indoor bike to have. Many riders choose Peloton for its active online community.

Which indoor bike is best for YOU?

Which indoor bike is best for beginners?

I recommend both bikes for beginners. As I mentioned, they are similar in almost all the essential features you should look for in an indoor bike.

Bowflex has an affordable fitness app membership that gives you guidance when starting your riding journey. Peloton has a very active Facebook community with over 480,000+ members, which can be helpful if you want to connect with other riders.

Which indoor bike is best for your budget?

The price difference between the Bowflex C7 and the Peloton Bike Basics is very small. 

I would recommend the Bowflex C7 because there is an included pair of dumbbells, an armband for heart rate monitoring, and 2 months free of fitness app membership. Unlike Peloton, where you only get the bike.

Which indoor bike is best for a small apartment?

The Bowflex C7 has a smaller footprint than the Peloton, so it is more suitable for small spaces. However, Bowflex is taller based on the dimension, so if you have a low ceiling height and are tall, Peloton might be the better option.

FAQs About Bowflex C7 vs Peloton

What to do next?

Both indoor bikes, regardless of the model you choose, offer excellent options for home use.

They provide all the necessary features to elevate your riding experience and help you achieve your fitness goals from the comfort of your own home.

Before you go, we would love to hear from you! 

If you’ve had any experience with these two bikes, we invite you to share your feedback by leaving a comment below. We value your insights and look forward to hearing about your home gym journey.

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