Echelon GT+ Connect Bike Review: The New Rival To Peloton?

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Since Peloton reintroduced the at-home exercise bike as more than a machine for draping clothes on in the corner of your bedroom, fitness companies have been continually innovating to make indoor cycling more exciting. Echelon is one of those competitors appealing directly to riders who can’t quite stomach the idea of paying the equivalent of a month’s rent for a cardio machine. The company’s newest indoor stationary model, the GT+ Connect Bike, which rings up at under $1,000 and comes with a partner app stocked with both live and on-demand classes for on and off the bike. The most noticeable difference: There’s no oversized screen attached to the bike. Instead, you can stream workouts directly to your smartphone or tablet—a cost-cutting measure that also makes the bike a slightly less obtrusive addition to whatever room it lives in.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option than what Peloton has to offer, consider Echelon’s alternative. Here’s a breakdown of the GT+ Connect Bike’s features and what you’ll get in the Echelon Fit app.

Echelon GT+ Key Features and Specs

• Machine Weight: 88 pounds
• Max User Weight: 300 pounds
• Dimensions: 54 inches long x 24 inches wide x 57 inches high
• Flywheel: 15.4 pounds
• Resistance: 32 levels
• Warranty: One-year limited warranty
• Bluetooth enabled: Yes
• Touchscreen display and size: N/A
• Key features: Four-way adjustable seat and handlebars, two water bottle holders, integrated tablet and phone holders and a dumbbell rack

Echelon GT+ Connect Bike Pros

• The Echelon Fit app offers tons of live and on-demand classes
• Option to customize your bike’s flywheel when you order
• Oversized padded seat is comfortable enough for extended time in the saddle
• Features a water bottle holder and dumbbell rack
• 32 levels of magnetic resistance
• Lightweight, easy to move
• Budget-friendly

Echelon GT+ Connect Bike Cons

• For some, the lack of a built-in touchscreen display is a non-negotiable
• You really can’t use the bike without an Echelon membership
• Doesn’t fold up

What is the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike?

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike is the latest indoor cycling offering from Echelon Fitness, a company specializing in at-home fitness equipment. The GT+ is an affordable at-home exercise bike that pairs via Bluetooth to a tablet or phone, where users can stream live and on-demand classes from the Echelon Fit app.

Design

While most at-home exercise bikes stick to a black and silver palette, the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike has a black and navy blue body and allows buyers to customize the flywheel area and resistance knob in light blue, purple, orange, or (for a limited time) pink. It’s a nice element of personalization that isn’t currently offered by any competitors. Otherwise, this compact design is pretty traditional: There’s a flywheel at the front, a resistance knob on the frame, an adjustable seat and handlebars and integrated water bottle holders, dumbbell holders and tablet and phone holders.

Pedals

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike is equipped with dual-compatible pedals. That means one side has SPD compatible clips for cycling shoes, and the other has a toe cage so you can wear regular athletic sneakers.

Seat

The GT+ Connect Bike seat is oversized and padded for a comfortable ride, and you can adjust the seat four ways—up and down and forward and backward—to ensure you’re in the proper position.

Controls/resistance levels

With 32 levels of magnetic resistance, you can easily increase or decrease the tension on the flywheel to make your workout more or less challenging.

Working Out with the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike

At-home exercise bikes use a weighted flywheel to build momentum as you pedal. The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike’s flywheel is 15.4 pounds, which is on the lighter end of the spectrum (most commercial indoor cycling bikes have 40- to 50-pound flywheels). A lighter flywheel generally means the bike will generate less overall resistance. But the magnetic resistance system allows you to finetune the intensity between 32 resistance levels (FYI, certain bikes—like the IC4 from Schwinn—have up to 100 resistance levels). With a weight capacity of 300 pounds, most riders will find the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike still offers a smooth, quiet riding experience.

App

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike pairs with the Echelon Fit app (which is available for both Apple and Android compatible devices). The app offers live and on-demand cycling, running, rowing and functional training workouts from more than 30 instructors—meaning you can train on and off the bike with a subscription.

Classes

The Echelon Fit App aims to recreate a studio experience at home. You can stream 40-plus daily live classes or choose from a vast library of on-demand classes led by more than 30 trainers. There are also Scenic Rides that take you through exotic destinations; challenges that pit you against other Echelon Fit App community members plus strength, core and yoga classes available via FitPass to complement your cycling.

Display

There is no display included on the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike. In lieu of a touchscreen, like what you’d find on the Peloton Bikes or the NordicTrack S22i Studio Bike, GT+ Connect riders will have to perch their own smartphone or tablet on the integrated phone and tablet holders to stream workouts classes and view workout metrics (you can also connect a heart rate band or Apple watch to the app for more data). This helps cut down on the cost of the bike, but may be an issue for those who prefer a larger, built-in screen.

What to Consider Before Buying an Echelon GT+ Exercise Bike

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike is billed as an affordable alternative to Peloton, especially in terms of the studio experience. It’s definitely a budget-friendly exercise bike with a lot of appealing features, but it may not offer quite the same range—in terms of intensity and lifespan—as pricier models.

Related Post: Echelon vs Peloton: Which Is The Better Bike for You?

The 88-pound frame is great for portability (although it doesn’t fold), but may not stand up to wear and tear as well as a heavier bike. And with a 15.4-pound flywheel, you might not experience the same fluidity as you would on a commercial bike that uses a heavier weight, although the magnetic resistance and belt drive help with that.

The GT+ Connect Bike also comes without a screen, which may not be an issue if you prefer riding with your phone or tablet, but may be a dealbreaker for people looking to immerse themselves in a studio-style class via a sizable HD touchscreen.

Price

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike costs $899.99, and as of publish time is on sale for $719.99. To purchase the bike, an Echelon Membership, which grants you access to live and on-demand content, is required (see below for more info). You can also add a one-year extended warranty for $99, or a two-year extended warranty for $149. Shipping is free in the contiguous United States.

Subscription

A subscription to the Echelon Fit app costs $34.99 per month, $399.99 per year, or $699 per two years. All of those payment plans grant up to five user profiles access to 40-plus daily live classes and thousands of on-demand classes for all Echelon equipment, as well as access to Fitpass, which offers a selection of off-equipment workouts.

Ordering process

On the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike product page, you can choose your color and warranty preferences. Once you click “Buy Now,” you’ll be prompted to choose which Echelon Membership you’d like to subscribe to (or, if you’re already an Echelon member, you can choose that option). Then you can check out using Shop, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, PayPal or a credit card.

Assembly

The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike does require assembly, and there’s no add-on option to purchase assembly help. However, all Echelon bikes come with detailed assembly instructions and, according to the company, should take less than half an hour to set up.

Echelon GT+ Connect FAQs

Can you use the Echelon GT+ Connect without a subscription?

No, you can’t use the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike without a subscription. Because there is no screen on the bike, there’s no way to see your workout metrics without connecting to the app, which requires an Echelon Membership (see details above).

Can you use the Echelon GT+ Connect with regular shoes?

Yes, you can use the Echelon GT+ Connect Bike with regular shoes. The dual-compatible pedals have clips on one side and toe cages on the other. Toe cages are small frames that attach to the front of the pedals; you slide your sneakers inside and tighten the buckle or strap to keep your foot secure (and create more leverage) as you pedal harder.

Related: The 12 Best Exercise Bikes for Killer Cardio Sessions

Final Thoughts

If you’ve got your heart set on a Peloton bike, there’s no cheaper alternative that’s going to give you quite the same experience. But if you want a great bike from a reputable brand that offers comparable studio-style classes at more than $1,000 less than the Peloton? The Echelon GT+ Connect Bike is it. Yes, you’ll miss out on the oversized screen but with a partner app that’s full of live and on-demand classes and a lightweight and compact frame you can customize to fit your home’s color scheme, you’ll certainly get a Peloton-esque experience.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.