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Quick Answer
It would be fair to say that the official bike mat from Peloton is not cheap.
When you’ve just had to spend a lot (like an awful lot) of your hard-earned cash on the bike itself, it comes as a bit of irritation to be told that you also need to get one of these as well.
Aren’t there alternatives out there that will do the same job? Catch sweat? Stop the bike wobbling around on the carpet? Prevent noise and vibration traveling through the floor to your downstairs apartment neighbors?
As it happens, there are. In fact, there are some great choices available.
Here’s the quick answer:
These VersaFit tiles from Force USA will help keep your Peloton stable, it will keep your flooring protected from any, ahem, light perspiration, and it will also keep vibration noise to a minimum.
However, there’s a couple of extra alternatives that you may also want to consider. Let’s take a look at these now.
Hard base: 3/4″ Plywood board
Due to the sheer weight of your Peloton (approximately 135 Lbs / 61 Kg), it will stay nice and steady when placed on a hard floor, such as timber, or a low pile carpet. If your room has a deeper pile carpet, then you might get a bit of movement on the bike when you’re taking part in an especially energetic workout.
If this is an issue for you and you want to keep your bike more stable then get a 4’x8’ sheet of ¾” plywood from your local builder’s merchant or nearby DIY store and trim this down to the size you want. This gives a super solid surface to ride on and helps reduce indentations in your room carpet.
Don’t have access to a DIY store? Don’t have transport for a plywood sheet? No problem as you can get an ideal size sheet for your bike below.
Sweat-catching
You’ll no doubt have experienced the shock by now of seeing just how much sweat you’re capable of producing with a Peloton workout. It’s amazing that the human body can contain so much liquid.
The main purpose of an exercise mat under your bike is to catch that sweat before it ruins your carpet or flooring. There are two mats that are worthy of your consideration and are great alternatives if you don’t want the Peloton version. Both of these can be teamed up with the ¾” plywood base mentioned above.
This is a fantastic super-dense bike mat that catches all that sweat from your dripping brow and helps to keep your carpet pristine. It’s got a non-slip pattern on the surface, so you won’t have the slightly strange feeling of skating across your floor as you pedal on your (supposedly) stationary bike.
You’ll sweat. Lots. So, it’s also good to know that the mat’s surface is simple to keep clean and fresh. Just clean it down with water and standard household detergent. All ready for the next incredibly sweaty workout!
Made from high-density PVC it’s good for preventing your bike from making indentations in the rug or carpet. Plus, it’s suitable for other workouts, such as aerobics or yoga.
The mat comes in a couple of sizes, giving plenty of room for your Peloton and ideal for a wide range of activities.
SuperMats Bike trainer mat
Live in an apartment, with downstairs neighbors, and it’s socially responsible to think about the impact that using your bike will have on them. They might well be awestruck by the phenomenal summer beach body you create as you pedal away. However, they may be slightly frustrated by the noise and vibration coming through their ceilings from your exertions.
Combat this with a thicker and even more substantial bike mat such as this.
The SuperMats trainer mat teams perfectly with your bike. An ample footprint (around 30”x60” or 76x152cm) so there is plenty of space for your Peloton. It’s fantastic quality kit and weighs-in at approximately one pound with a thickness of nearly 3/8”.
It helps protect your floor covering from the bike’s weight and stops the feet from denting the floor. The SuperMats also reduces the vibration noise you can get. Stopping this from traveling through your neighbor’s ceiling (neighbors who are currently talking about how incredible you look).
As one purchaser says “You want THIS Mat!“. I just say ‘buy it now’.
Bike trainer mat alternatives
Thanks for joining me to look at Peloton mat alternatives. I hope that this has been useful.
In conclusion, if you don’t want to get a Peloton branded mat, but still want to catch perspiration and soak up vibration noise. then get a trainer mat like these ones above.
Have fun and enjoy your workouts.
