Peloton’s new Treads make you choose between floor space and running feedback

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Peloton has three treadmills arriving October 1, and the choice is more practical than the names suggest. The $2,195 Tread Flex folds to reclaim floor space. The $3,495 Tread Vision adds a camera that analyzes running form. The $6,695 Tread+ Vision adds a slat belt and a steeper incline. All three are on waitlists as of September 27, and Peloton’s All-Access Membership costs extra.

Price: Tread Flex from $2,195; Tread Vision from $3,495; Tread+ Vision from $6,695. All-Access Membership separate.
Where to buy: Peloton Tread Flex waitlist | Peloton Tread Vision waitlist | Peloton Tread+ Vision waitlist. Available October 1.

If your treadmill has to share a room with a desk or sofa, start with the Flex. Peloton says folding it reduces its length by nearly half, and wheels and casters help move it after a workout. It has a 21.5-inch swivel screen, reaches a claimed 12.5 mph and inclines to 12.5%. Those last two figures match the Tread Vision. The Flex is the one to consider when storage is the constraint, not when you want camera-based form feedback.

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What the extra $1,300 buys

The Tread Vision’s movement-tracking camera powers Run Analysis. Peloton says it measures cadence, stride length and vertical movement while you run, then produces an efficiency score and suggestions afterward. That could make training feedback easier to see, but a score is not a diagnosis or proof that the treadmill will improve your form. We have not run on any of these machines.

The Vision also has a 23.8-inch swivel screen, an integrated fan and physical buttons for jumping to the next speed or incline setting. Peloton says it revised the deck cushioning and audio. Those are reasons to try one in person before paying the difference, especially if the way a treadmill feels underfoot is more important to you than workout metrics.

Where the Tread+ Vision earns its price

The $6,695 Tread+ Vision keeps the camera, fan and 23.8-inch screen, then swaps in Peloton’s rubberized slat belt. Peloton says the belt absorbs impact and returns energy with each step. It also raises the maximum incline to 15%, compared with 12.5% on the Flex and Vision. The slat belt and incline are the distinct hardware reasons to look at the most expensive model. Neither comfort nor running benefit can be settled from a specification sheet.

Peloton’s Sled Mode adds up to 300 pounds of resistance after you disengage the motor for a manual push. It is not exclusive to the new Tread+ Vision: Peloton says the feature will come to every generation of Tread+. That distinction is useful if you already own one.

Some of the new software also comes to older hardware. Peloton says heart-rate-zone workouts, personalized pace targets, on-screen shortcuts and route-replay workouts are rolling out to all Treads. Run Analysis is limited to compatible camera-equipped models. The rollout starts October 1 for All-Access members in supported markets, so buying a new treadmill is not the only way to get part of this update.

Price: Tread Flex from $2,195; Tread Vision from $3,495; Tread+ Vision from $6,695. All-Access Membership separate.
Where to buy: Peloton Tread Flex waitlist | Peloton Tread Vision waitlist | Peloton Tread+ Vision waitlist. Available October 1.

The first decision is whether you need the machine to fold. If not, decide whether camera feedback is worth $1,300 over the Flex. The Tread+ Vision asks for another $3,200 beyond the Vision, mainly for the slat-belt running experience and steeper incline. Before joining a waitlist, check the space it needs both open and folded, the separate membership cost and whether a local showroom has the model you want to try.

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