Peloton Top 10: Best accessories for your Peloton Bike (2022)

UPDATE: Amazon is now selling the original Peloton Bike direct, and for a great price too.

Okay, if you’re like me you splurged in a possible moment of weakness and bought a Pandemic Peloton (NASDAQ: PTON). With the 0% option the now ubiquitous spin bike was admittedly a pretty tempting option for working out in this socially distanced world. Gyms are closed. And though restrictions are now lifting I’m not exactly thinking of heading back anytime soon to crowded public spaces where people around me are profusely sweating (besides, we’re spending less on the Peloton bike and subscription compared to our old gym membership fees and working out more often). In fact I’ve been riding the Peloton since March and appreciate the convenience of hoping on in a moment’s notice for a quality spin class — even if I only have 15 minutes to spare. Plus, there’s all that other content. For the first time ever I find myself even taking Yoga classes; loving the adventure and considering myself fortunate to be able to somewhat focus on fitness during this time.

But, as a Peloton bike owner what accessories do you need?

I’ve included some ideas below to hopefully help get you started. Skip ahead or read on for a brief backstory.

We bought our bike at a Peloton store here in Silicon Valley, one day before everything shut down due to COVID-19. We passed on most accessories. Aside from splurging on the Peloton branded bike mat and cycling shoes, we decided to buy stuff from other (i.e. cheaper) places. Eventually we made a game of it, promising only to buy an accessory here and there (biking shorts for instance) after we hit certain milestones, like completing 50 rides. That way we were ensuring this wasn’t just a dreamy honeymoon phase, to only find ourselves dumping the bike on Craigslist — not a chance in hell.

So Loni and I have been riding pretty much everyday, and slowly outfitting a tiny bedroom where the Peloton is located to inspire us to keep fit, or at least try. Thanks to the addicting classes and top tier instructors we’ve found ourselves coming back for more every day. Perhaps too much at times. Now we find ourselves doing something I never thought possible: forcing each other to take recovery days… and even recovery weeks. I paid the price for taking far too many spin classes one week shortly after we took delivery — as Strava rightfully told me — and the following week I was a stiff zombie, shuffling up and down stairs with my quads as tight as they’ve ever been, burning and sending me a not-so-subtle message. Cult of Peloton? I’m fully assimilated. Be good out there. If you can’t be good, be careful. Right?

With that preamble, here’s some of my picks for best accessories for your Peloton bike.

CAP Barbell Neoprene Coated Dumbbell (Pair), 3 lb, Black
Price: $10.00 (all prices USD)
Where to Buy: Amazon

Even our Peloton rep suggested we go with cheaper dumbbells for the back of the bike instead of buying their premium versions. We found this 3 pound set made by CAP on Amazon. They work just fine and as you can see above fit the brackets. Unfortunately due to coronavirus these are out of stock on Amazon, so you might need to hunt around or just be patient. Either way, absolutely do not think that 3 pounds is not enough weight for arm toning!

White Classic Luxury Cotton Washcloths, 12 pack
Price: $19.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

You’ll definitely want a face towel when riding. I won’t go into too much detail but Alex Toussaint can make it rain… sweat. I was using some old white towels, but I need aesthetics. This gray towel 12 pack by White Classic maintains a pleasing monochromatic vibe. Not the highest quality (I had to cut some stray strings), but they’re absolutely good enough for the job.

Vectario Hovergrip HGRPV26 Portable Flexible Cell Phone Holder Stand
Price: $25.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

Yes I get it. We’re focused on the ride, not social media or work. Leave your iPhone, just for a second. Yes, mostly I do just that. But there’s times (recovery days mostly) where I cruise to my own music (Spotify and Plexamp) and need my phone to manage my tunes. With this flexible snake arm (Vectario Hovergrip) you can easily mount your phone on the handle bars, and remove it when you don’t want distractions. I actually found this particular model from someone on the Peloton subreddit, but can’t find their post to give credit.

Sometimes you need your phone folks. There are worse things in this world. Don’t judge me. Join me.

Embrava Water Bottle – 32oz Large
Price: $21.95
Where to Buy: Amazon

Goes without saying, but you will need water. For longer 45- and 60-minute rides you’ll probably need two water bottles. This is my old 32oz bottle by Embrava I previously took to the gym. Fortunately it fits well on the Peloton, and, again, gives me that moody grey aesthetic.

Peloton Cycling Shoes
Price: $125
Where to Buy: Amazon

You can find these spiffy brand consistent cycling shoes on the Peloton store on Amazon. You can also find cheaper variants that are compatible with the Look Delta cleats so you don’t necessarily need to get these pricier ones. However, these are well made with excellent support and comfort. Having a spare pair around might not be a bad idea in case something happens you won’t miss any spin days.

Scosche Rhythm+ Heart Rate Monitor Armband
Price: $79.95
Where to Buy: Amazon

At first I tried using my Apple Watch and a third party app to sync HRM info with the bike. It didn’t work out so well. That’s slightly disappointing given I’m always wearing the Apple Watch. Instead I opted for a dedicated heart monitoring arm band. I settled on the Scosche Rhythm+ armband monitor. No complaints here. You wear the band on your upper forearm — I don’t notice the strap at all while riding. Hold the power button and it connects almost instantaneously. Highly recommended.

BALEAF Men’s Cycling Shorts 3D Padded
Price: $33.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

You don’t need them, but the padding in cycling shorts sure does help. This is one of the things I treated myself to after hitting a milestone, in this case 50 rides. Again, we wanted to make sure the Peloton wasn’t a passing trend (hint: it isn’t). There’s plenty of choices out there. I like these ones by BALEAF because they’re inexpensive, devoid of aesthetic clashing neon colors and have a phone pocket on the left side.

Also consider: sponeed cycling shorts — if you don’t need the phone pocket these are equally comfortable if not more stylish.

Balanced Body Hanging Mat
Price: $47.00
Where to Buy: Balanced Body

The Peloton experience is not complete without the wide variety of classes that you can take off the bike and tread. I was quite surprised at the depth found in the library of classes. I’m particularly interested in improving my flexibility so I gravitate towards stretching and Yoga. But there’s also lots of options too for cardio and strength training. Meditation classes these days are very welcome. The mat above is by Balanced Body (they also sell a non-hanging version). On this one we decided to spend more. The quality is outstanding. I’d say it’s commercial grade and similar to ones you’ll find at local gyms.

Apple Watch or Fitbit Charge/Versa
Price: From $149+
Where to Buy: Amazon

I admit it. I’m one of those guys. Then again I live in Silicon Valley. Gadget, gadget. Yes, I wear both an Apple Watch and a Fitbit. But there’s a reason. And that’s because I’m hyper focused on my heart rate. Especially my resting heart rate and recovery heart rate. Fitness and health are a priority and I’m trying to collect as much data as I can to track trends and make improvements where possible. I find myself pouring over data, ride analysis (using the superb Strava app), and monitoring week over week fitness and exertion levels. No, of course you don’t need both (I happened to have a Fitbit Versa sitting in a drawer from a few years back, but if I wanted to get one today I’d go for the less expensive and less obtrusive Fitbit Charge tracker), but at least for this stretch of 2020 I’m paying close attention to stress levels, and trying to ensure I come out of this thing with heart rate and sanity intact.

Also, it’s worth noting that the Peloton bike syncs post ride data with Apple Health, Fitbit and Strava. Works well — though the Apple Health/Activity app syncing can take occasionally take longer than I like. (I have a suspicion that a future version of the Peloton tablet will have Apple Gymkit built in. That would be nice. Just a hunch.)

Stroller Fans Mini USB Desk Clip Fan
Price: $28.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

Fortunately our Peloton sits in a small room with an overhead fan that does a suitable job of air circulation. Sometimes, though, especially during the long summer season in the San Francisco Bay Area, I need more. I like this small USB clip on fan. No wires needed. Adjust speed using the dial and adjust the direction and you get fresh air and a slight reprieve. Keep in mind this obviously is not the most powerful fan in the world and for many it won’t cut it. If you’re like me and need somethings more powerful (but loud and bulky) on those PR days maybe get a floor fan and blast away towards the bike

RELATED: What happens when you hit 100 rides on a Peloton bike?

Hint: if you’re instead looking for a powerful room fan I highly recommend one by Vornado.

Google Nest Max Smart Display
Price: $229 (but I recommend waiting for it to go on sale for $179)
Where to Buy: Varies

You can stream Peloton classes on the screen of your iPhone or iPad or Android phone well enough. But the advantage of something like the Google Nest Hub Max smart display aside from being conveniently table mounted is that it has a larger display (10-inch HD) and impressive sounding speakers (stereo speakers on front with 3″ woofer on rear). At first we thought a large 65″ TV would be the right option. However, it crowded our small bedroom space — and looked like an uninviting black void when not being used. This display with built-in Chromecast maintains the zen and ensures we’re not overwhelmed by a mega screen. Hint: I setup a Slickdeals alert and waited for a sale, when it dropped from $229 to $179 (Via Verizon).

Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Price: $149
Where to Buy: Amazon

Earbuds are all the rage lately. I like these little guys from Samsung. Galaxy Buds+ are mid-range, have great Bluetooth connectivity with the Peloton (fast, reliable) and have apps for both iOS and Android to adjust things like the sound curve and passthrough volume (works great). USB-C on the case makes charging a breeze and fast. Tapping controls are intuitive and responsive. When I first got my Peloton bike I tried using my trusty Apple EarPods, the old school wired ones that come with new iPhones. The cord wasn’t long enough to give me enough reach to ride in the saddle. I’m glad that was the case. It’s hard to go back to wired headphones after being spoiled by these wireless earbuds. Oh: sound is excellent. Clean mid-range. Not too much bass (if you want more try the excellent Echo Buds from Amazon). Nothing will beat proper over-ear headphones in this category, but for spinning and casual listening and phone calls, the Galaxy Buds+ are a good choice. Often I enjoy turning on subtitles during a cool down ride and listening to my own music, a great way to chill after setting a PR.

Another great option for wireless earbuds: Amazon Echo Buds. $129.99. Built-in Alexa. Excellent noise reduction by Bose. And fabulous, bass-oriented sound.