[A basic spin bike and YouTube on your phone is all you need on a budget. But there is definitely something about a $2,000 bike with a huge touch screen and a variety of interactive features that gives you the extra motivation you need to work out on a regular basis. And when it comes to the best exercise bike, the choice is often Peleton vs. NordicTrack.

But before you buy a Peloton bike (or the new Bike+), consider your options; Peloton is not the only manufacturer of home fitness equipment; others, such as the well-established NordicTrack, offer a true "studio" experience with live and on-demand classes designed to provide a true "studio" experience."

Peleton offers a fancy connected exercise bike with live and on-demand classes.

Take a look at both the bikes and classes offered by Peleton and NordicTrack to help you make the best decision.

NordicTrack has six exercise bikes in its lineup, and this article will compare the NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle to the Peloton Bike and Peloton Bike+.

The physical specs of the Nordic Track Commercial S22i Studio Cycle and Peloton Bike are fairly similar: both bikes are relatively compact (the S22i is about 7 inches longer than the Peloton), have high-resolution touch screens and built-in speakers, have metal magneto-resistive system instead of a flywheel. However, how this resistance system is set up varies slightly from bike to bike: the S22i's magneto-resistive system is digitally controlled by a button on the handlebar, while the Peloton's system is controlled by turning a physical knob. [The S22i's system is less precise, but because it is digitally controlled, the instructor can adjust the resistance remotely while you are taking the lesson. The Peloton Bike system is very precise, but the instructor cannot take control away from you and force you to keep up with the other members of the class. Nevertheless, the new Peloton Bike+ offers digitally controlled resistance and the ability to "auto follow" the instructor.

There are other minor but noteworthy physical differences between the two bikes: the NordicTrack S22i's touchscreen rotates 360 degrees, which is useful if you want to watch your strength training without the bike in the way; the Peloton Bike's touchscreen does One of the biggest draws of the Peloton Bike+ is the rotating screen, so Peloton apparently understood that this would not be suitable for non-bike workouts. Also, the S22i has toe cages on the pedals, while the Peloton does not (you either need special spin shoes or toe cages on the pedals).

As for price, the NordicTrack S22i is slightly more expensive than the Peloton bike right out of the box - $1,999 compared to $1,895 for the Peloton. However, the S22i includes the first year of the NordicTrack subscription membership for free, whereas the Peloton does not.

As you can probably already tell, content is a big issue. It's basically the whole reason you're considering buying a connected fitness bike in the first place; Peloton classes are all the rage and the instructors (understandably so) have a cult following. That's not to say that NordicTrack's iFit instructors are bad. Frankly, group fitness instructors are generally pretty high-energy and inspiring.

Both NordicTrack's iFit and Peloton's subscription services offer more than cycling classes. They offer everything from running and walking workouts to yoga, strength training, cross-training, and recovery "workouts" that include cool-down stretching and meditation. Both services offer live workouts in addition to on-demand content to keep you in the game, with encouragement from instructors and live leaderboards.

In addition to mobile devices, the Peloton app can be accessed on the best streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Android TV.

It may be all Peloton hype, but NordicTrack's iFit also has a neat "global" training feature that allows you to follow instructors around the world and check out the scenery (and terrain-adjusted workouts at the same time. iFit 's "Map Based Workout" feature allows users to draw custom workouts on Google Maps. iFit uses terrain mapping data extracted from the Google Maps API to emulate the incline and gradient of the map you draw, and then uses Google It can even import scenery from Street View to see where you are biking. After all, there may be no need to go outside during quarantine.

Both Peloton and NordicTrack require an active subscription to use the bike's touch screen and interactive content. iFit subscriptions for NordicTrack are family plans with up to five profiles for $33-$39 per month, and Peloton's subscription is $39 per month (unlimited profiles). If multiple profiles are not needed, NordicTrack also offers an individual plan for $15/month, the same as the mobile app subscription; Peloton offers only one plan for device subscribers.

The companies also offer content a la carte through their mobile apps, with full access to all content but no connection to the device (although the mobile app subscription is included with the device subscription). The Peloton mobile app ( iOS and Android) is $13/month and the NordicTrack iFit mobile app (iOS and Android) is $15/month.

Both apps offer a free 30-day trial so you can check them out before committing.

Which bike is right for you? It really depends on what you're looking for; if you don't care about Peloton's content, the NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle is a better overall value. But if you like Peloton's content (at a gym that is currently closed, for example), then Peloton is the only way to go. [Some people work out better when they are externally motivated by an instructor operating the machines, while others work out better when they have complete control over how hard they want to push themselves.

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