What to Consider Before Buying a Used Peloton
Courtesy of Peloton
Whether you're already a Jess Sims mega fan, a Kendall Toole stan, or a total cycling newbie curious to discover why everyone is obsessed with Cody Rigsby, you might just be on the market for a Peloton bike or tread. But with new models ranging from $1,895 for the original Peloton Bike to $2,495 for the Peloton Bike+, you might also be considering searching for a used Peloton so you can get your Jess King fix without breaking the bank.
As with any other big-ticket item, there are some things you want to consider before buying used vs. new when thinking about buying a Peloton bike or machine. Here's everything you need to know before you hand over your hard-earned cash for a used Peloton. (If you're thinking of buying a Peloton bike, here's what you need to know about buying cycling shoes for your Peloton.)
Should You Buy a Used Peloton Bike or Tread?
First, know this: Peloton won't have your back if you buy a used bike or tread. While buying a used Peloton might be commonplace, the company does not endorse any secondary sales of Peloton bikes, treads, or memberships. While the brand can't exactly give its blessing on your purchase, the person you buy the equipment from can transfer prepaid membership credits to you at their discretion if they email support@onepeloton.com with both their info and yours.
What this really means is that if you choose to buy a used Peloton bike or treadmill, you can't purchase the warranty along with it because the warranty is non-transferable. As Peloton states on their brand website, "the only Bikes that Peloton guarantees and provides warranties for are those sold by Peloton." The same goes for Peloton treadmills since, according to Peloton's website, the warranty applies "only so long as the Peloton Tread+ remains in the possession of the original purchaser, or for a gifted Peloton Tread+, the owner of the original membership attached to that Peloton Tread+." (Thinking about getting a Peloton Tread? Here's how the Tread and Tread+ compare.)
So if you choose to buy a used Peloton bike or treadmill — even if it's from a reputable seller (i.e. someone with tons of great reviews and endorsements on a site such as eBay) — you are personally responsible for whatever happens to the machine. So if your used Peloton machine needs repairs at any point, you'll either have to fix or replace the parts yourself or pay Peloton an out-of-pocket fee to send an official technician to your home. (Related: The Best Peloton Mats to Add to Your Home Gym).
The Best Places to Buy a Used Peloton
If you're not scared off by the warranty issue, then it's time to start researching the best places to buy a used Peloton machine. Again, as with any second-hand purchase, there are no guarantees that you'll get exactly what's advertised, so your best bet is to do as much homework as possible to find the most credible sellers with the best track records for selling other houseware and/or workout gear. Here are some of the best places to start searching for a used Peloton:
Online marketplaces and resale apps such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Recycler, OfferUp, Nextdoor, and Letgo. The plus-side here is that if the deal is made with someone local, you can likely pick the machine up yourself (or with the help of a very good friend) and skip shipping and handling costs.
National online marketplaces such as eBay. You may be able to find a good deal, but you may also need to pick up the used Peloton machine yourself — many eBay sellers require buyers to do the pick-up so they don't have to pay hefty shipping fees.
The unofficial "Peloton Buy Sell Trade" Facebook Group. This private Facebook group has more than 185,000 members, so it's very likely you can find someone in your local area looking to unload a used Peloton. (Peloton is not affiliated with the group, so be aware of that warranty issue.)
Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc. Potentially your safest bet to avoid scams is to buy a used Peloton machine from someone you know or trust — consider posting a query to social media to see if anyone you know might be looking to sell their equipment.
How Much Does a Used Peloton Bike or Treadmill Cost?
The thing with buying a used Peloton is that the seller can set the price at any number they see fit. So while the equipment may be in rougher shape than it would be if you bought it brand new, you might still be on the hook for a steep price tag. Some used original Peloton bikes currently for sale on eBay, for example, start at $700, which isn't cheap, but is still more than a thousand dollars less than the cost of a brand new original model. The Peloton Bike+ options are predictably pricier, with some selling on eBay for $2,100 or more (a few hundred dollars off the retail cost). The prices of used items can vary depending on the age of the product, how much wear and tear the original owner put on the machine, and whether a bike or tread comes with accessories such as Peloton weights, so be sure to read the listings carefully.
While there don't seem to currently be any listings for either model of Peloton's treadmills on eBay, the Facebook Buy Sell Trade group, or on Facebook Marketplace, you might be able to find models through other sellers for a fraction of the retail cost if you keep an eye out (the original Peloton Tread retails for $2,495; the Peloton Tread+ was available for $4,295 but has been temporarily recalled due to safety concerns).
No matter where you attempt to buy a used Peloton, do as much research as possible to get a general sense of the used equipment market before agreeing to a price with the seller. Depending on where you're buying your used Peloton, you may be able to look through historical sales listings for the average rate. You may also want to think about which aspects of the sale matter most to you — for example, if you had to choose between a product that comes with a return policy or a product with minimal wear and tear, which feature would take priority? (Related: These Celebs Love Peloton Just As Much As You).
How to Get a Used Peloton Bike or Peloton Treadmill to Your Home
If you're planning to purchase a used Peloton locally, you'll likely be responsible for picking up and setting up the machine yourself. If you're buying a used Peloton product from a seller in another area, you may be asked to handle and pay for the shipping and handling. While Peloton doesn't endorse purchasing a used machine, they do offer recommendations for moving equipment. For starters, find a shipping or moving company that offers insurance for your used Peloton bike or treadmill in case damage occurs during the transport.
In their moving recommendations for a used Peloton bike, the company does suggest you do a few things to prepare for shipment: removing the touchscreen, pedals, sweat guard, water bottle holder, and weight holders from the bike, bringing the handlebars and seat post to their lowest positions, and fully tightening all the adjustment levers before boxing it up. If you're communicating directly with the seller of your used Peloton bike or treadmill, you may want to request they do all these things before sending the product your way. (While you wait for your Peloton, here are the best accessories you need for a better ride.)
Peloton does not recommend trying to move a Peloton treadmill on your own since you will need to have it disassembled in order to move it from the seller's home to your own. It's recommended that you have a Peloton technician disassemble and reassemble the Peloton tread when you relocate it for safety purposes (which will cost $350) and you will be responsible for moving it once they take it apart. You will need to consider hiring a mover or have at least two people move the treadmill to your home since it's very heavy.
What to Consider Before Buying a Used Peloton Bike or Peloton Treadmill
You'll have to decide what matters most to you when buying a used Peloton machine, but a few key questions to consider before making your purchase include:
How many people have used the bike or treadmill before you and how often. Is it "like new" or has it seen better days?
Does the seller have the original sales receipt? This can provide evidence of the machine's age and original ownership.
Are the monitor and speakers in good working condition? There's no way to truly gaurantee the tech quality of a used Peloton unless testing it in person, but you should at least ask the seller if there are any known issues.
Can you go for a test spin or run? Of course, this only works if you buy from a local seller, but it's worth asking if that's an option for you.
Does the machien come with accessories — cycling shoes, dumbbells, etc — or are these statationary bike accessories available for an additional cost?
Negotiate! A major advantage of buying a used Peloton is that the asking price isn't necessarily the price you have to pay.
How to Set Up a Used Peloton Bike or Treadmill
Once you get the used Peloton bike or treadmill into your home, setting up your Peloton account shouldn't be too tough. The seller should have performed a factory reset (this wipes the previous owner's leaderboard and stats) on the equipment before you purchased it so when the machine comes to you it will be ready to set up your own account. If that's not the case, contact Peloton to have them walk you through how to perform a factory reset.
You will need some important info from the seller, including the email address they used to originally register the bike or treadmill with Peloton. Once you have both parties' email addresses ready, click on the Peloton chat option on the company's website, and a customer service rep should be able to help you transfer ownership. If you were already accessing Peloton content through the $13/month digital app, you'll now need to upgrade to the $39/month membership to access live and on-demand classes via your machine's screen. But once you do that, you'll be ready to start cycling or running with all your previous stats from the app intact as your account will simply be transferred to the new machine. (Related: The Best Peloton Workouts, According to Reviewers).
