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More people than ever before are interested in buying home workout equipment. Whether it’s busier schedules or crowded gyms incentivizing the growth, the home gym market is going through an explosion.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, as many as 39.6 percent of American adults were classified as obese in 2016 [1]. It’s a good thing more and more people are seeking solutions to solve their unhealthy lifestyles. However, with rising demand comes rising supply.

It can be increasingly difficult to pick and choose which workout equipment to purchase with so many brands competing for your money. As a consumer, there has never been a better time to buy at-home workout equipment. However, that doesn’t make the choice any less difficult. This article should ease your decision.

In this comparison, we will be going over the CITYROW GO and the Peloton. By the end, you should have a clear picture of what each offer and which one would be the best fit for yourself and your fitness goals.

Features Head-to-Head: CITYROW GO vs Peloton

1. CITYROW GO Features

an overview of the cityrow go rower

  • Water Rowing

The CITYROW GO is a rowing machine through and through. Because rowing machines inherently work more of your muscles at once, they can provide a more efficient and effective total body workout. The resistance mechanism that this rowing machine uses is built by WaterRower, which happens to be the leader in the industry.

With a water rower, you are getting the most authentic and real-life experience. After all, you are stroking just as you would on a body of water.

Therefore, it can provide you with a much more life-like and immersive experience than what you would get with magnetic resistance which is what a lot of other rowing machines use.

  • Top-of-the-Line Technology

This rowing machine comes with a lot of good technology crammed into it. For one, you get a built-in touchscreen that measures in at 19.5-inches. This touchscreen is resistant to sweat meaning you don’t have to worry about ruining it with an intense workout. The screen is also capable of adjusting off the rower at a total of 30-degrees for better viewing when you are off the rowing machine.

The display also comes with a high-quality 20-watt speaker that can make you feel as if you are right there in the studio. You will also be able to utilize the built-in Bluetooth technology if you prefer to workout with headphones as to not disturb anyone with your tunes.

  • Exceptional Design

The CITYROW GO offers one of the most aesthetically pleasing designs you will find available. The machine looks less like something you would find in a gym and more like a high-end piece of furniture being made of sustainable wood. Because you are getting a fully American crafted rowing machine with a partnership with WaterRower, you can count on getting high-end design and performance.

  • Easy Storage

Whenever you are looking to invest a lot of money into a piece of workout equipment, you want to ensure that it is going to fit seamlessly into your life.

A machine that takes up all of your living room is likely one that hinders your lifestyle. Because of this, you should be prioritizing one that offers good storage features and options. The CITYROW GO is capable of folding up and storing in less space than an end table. Along with this, it doesn’t take a long time to do. The entire process takes as little as 20 seconds.

This means you will be able to have a high-end workout machine right in the middle of your living room giving you an intense workout and 20 seconds later free up your entire living space.

2. Peloton Features

an overview of the Peloton bike

  • Fully Connected Experience

One of the things that have made the Peloton experience one of the most sought-after experiences is the connected experience it provides.

Peloton arguably does connected workouts the best. They have a line of exercise equipment that is fully connected and that offers high-end connected features you would expect. Not only can you hook up your bike to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but you can sync up your fitness band, smartwatch, or heart rate monitor for even better and more comprehensive tracking.

You are getting the highest level of connectivity and compatibility with Peloton. With partnerships with so many hardware and software brands, the support is unparalleled.

  • Exceptional Display

The display you are getting with the Peloton bike is one of the best you will find on a piece of workout equipment. The included display will range from 22-inches to 24-inches depending if you get the regular or the plus model. The regular model comes with (2×10 watt) rear speakers and the more expensive model comes with 4-channel audio with 2-front facing and 2 in the rear.

Therefore, you are getting an immersive experience no matter what. While the 24-inch model is certainly more impressive, the 22-inch model with high definition is certainly no slouch.

RELATED: Hydrow vs WaterRower

  • High-Level Adjustability

When spending this much on workout equipment, you want to be certain that it is a good fit for you and your body type. Peloton did a great job with the design of its bike(s). They offer virtually limitless levels of adjustability that you won’t find in a lot of the other competing bikes in the marketplace.

With the ability to adjust the seat position, handlebar position, and even screen – you should be able to find the perfect seated position for any riding style.

This level of adjustability is one of the quality-of-life features that you would expect from a bike that touts itself as offering up a premium experience.

  • Quiet Operation

One of the biggest things a lot of people might be hesitant about when they are buying at-home fitness equipment would be the noisiness of the operation.

After all, a lot of bikes, treadmills, rowers, and other equipment are incredibly noisy.

Peloton managed to make the operation of their bikes virtually silent with the included Poly V power transmission belt drive.

  • Premium Construction

With the Peloton, you are getting a bike that is made up of some of the finest quality materials you will find available. For one, it is made up of welded steel and it is powder-coated for scratch protection. It also features magnetic resistance with either mechanical or digital adjustment depending on which model you get.

The pedals are aluminum and delta-compatible. When you sit on the Peloton, you can feel the difference.

It is a solid piece of equipment that you can depend on.

Winner: Tie

Workout Comparison: Studio Style Work Head-to-Head

1. CITYROW GO’s Studio Style Workouts

With the CITYROW GO, you are going to be able to get studio-style workouts that target all parts of your body. While you may assume that all you are going to get is rowing workouts, CITYROW GO’s experience offers much more. You will be able to choose from a variety of different classes that work on and off the rowing machine. This includes endurance classes, yoga classes, and even HIIT classes.

  • Weekly Classes

With a membership, you will be able to attend new classes regularly as they are released. This new and fresh content can keep you coming back for more.

  • On-Demand

With access to on-demand classes, you should be able to get an effective workout whether there is a live class at the time or not. This can help you maintain a high level of consistency with your workouts.

  • All Fitness Levels

You don’t have to worry about having a lot or a little bit of experience. The CITYROW GO workout experience can be tailored for beginners or seasoned athletes.

  • Real-Time Metrics

With the rower, you are getting real-time tracking for instant motivation. This way, you will be able to track your results in real-time and get the feedback that you need to push your workouts even harder, faster, and longer.

  • Lots of Workout Options

You will be able to choose from numerous different types of classes. This can make it a good comprehensive solution for anyone looking to get into better shape through various exercises and training routines.

  • Smart Programming

The unit comes with smart programming which can push your intensity levels without causing added strain on your joints and putting you at further risk of suffering an injury [2].

See all of CITYROW’s workouts at their website.

2. Peloton: Live and On-Demand Instructor-Led Classes

With Peloton, you are going to be able to gain access to both live and on-demand classes. You will be able to choose from various classes that will put you into the studio with other Peloton users for added motivation or you can choose to use on-demand workouts to workout during your own time.

  • Social 

Peloton has surged in popularity because it offers a near seamless experience for all of its users. You never have to ride alone and feel lonely again during your workouts. You will be able to take part in instructor-led classes and use cool social interaction features like virtual high-fives with your classmates. It can be a great way to make working out more fun and rewarding.

  • Real-Time Data

Because Peloton has so much compatibility with fitness trackers and because the built-in fitness tracking data is so good, it will deliver you a lot of good and useful fitness tracking information. This will provide you with all kinds of real-time data that you will be able to use to enhance your workouts, correct issues, and more.

  • Good Incentives

The platform has a lot of workout programs you can take part in and it offers unique challenges that can give you even more incentive to push yourself and earn badges for completing them.

Winner: TIE

Rowing vs Biking: What’s the Better Workout?

CITYROW GO is a rowing machine that uses water resistance. Peloton is an exercise bike that uses magnetic resistance. They aren’t entirely comparable when you are looking at them one vs one. It comes down to what you enjoy doing more. That being said, the rowing experience will provide you with a much more complete workout experience.

While both of them offer exercises you can do on the mat, the rowing experience itself is superior to the biking experience because it can force you to engage more muscles at once and you can maintain higher levels of intensity with it. Therefore, you will get a more effective and more efficient workout experience with a rower.

RELATED: WaterRower vs Ergatta

Our Winner: CITYROW GO

Price Comparison: Is Peloton or CITYROW GO Cheaper? [2,3]

CITYROW GO Pricing Options

  • CITYROW GO Classic = $1,245
  • CITYROW GO Max = $1,945
  • App Subscription = $24.08 per month

Pelton Pricing Options

  • Peloton Bike = $1,895
  • Peloton Bike+ = $2,495
  • App Subscription = $39 per month

Our Winner: CITYROW Go

Summary: Picking The Right Workout Option For You

Phew. This is a close one. Each of these brands delivers exceptional value for the money. The majority of fitness seekers couldn’t go wrong with either. With both, you are getting feature-packed and premium-quality workout equipment. It will likely come down to whether you prefer rowing or biking.

Consider CITYROW GO If…

  • You are someone who prefers rowing over biking. Rowing does give a better total body workout. Likewise, the workout is much more efficient.
  • You want the immersive experience of feeling like you are riding on the water while working out in your living room.
  • You want to save money as the CITYROW Go can be bought cheaper.
  • You want convenient storage possibilities with your exercise equipment.
  • You want equipment that won’t look like workout equipment in your living room.

Consider Peloton If…

  • You know people who have a Peloton bike. If you have friends or family with a bike, it may offer you a cool social experience.
  • You are willing to spend more money on the brand and Peloton’s reputation.
  • You want the best app experience in the marketplace.
  • You enjoy biking over rowing. If you want a studio-like bike experience, the Peloton bike is the best available.
  • You want instruction from world-class instructors.

Learn more at Peloton

References:

  1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/home-fitness-equipment-market—growth-trends-and-forecast-2020—2025-301069056.html
  2. https://go.cityrow.com/us-en/experience/overview
  3. https://www.onepeloton.com/shop/bike-plus