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Here’s the quick answer:
1. Yes, it’s fine to use your Peloton bike on a carpet
2. This exercise bike mat will help keep the bike stable, protect your carpet from sweat, and minimize vibration noise (Buy the 3′ by 4′ tiles to give the floor coverage you need for your bike)
However, there’s a longer more in-depth answer to the question and that’s what we’re going to look at now. So, stick around, because there are a few considerations that we need to look at.
I’ve divided these up into three topics, which I’ve named the “Three S’s of Riding Your Peloton Bike On Carpet”. Catchy, huh? The three S’s are:
- Stability
- Sweating
- Seriously upsetting the neighbors
Let’s take a look and see.
Editor’s Recommendation:
The perfect fan to cool you down on your Peloton is the Lasko High Velocity Pro-Performance Pivoting Utility Fan
- Targeted Airflow Pattern to deal with the toughest workouts
- Simple to use
- 3 fan speeds
Stability
AKA a wobbly Peloton
Given the weight of a Peloton bike (around 135 pounds or 61 Kg) it will likely stay fairly steady on the floor as you pedal. If your bike is placed on a hard floor, then it should be rock steady. If it’s on a low (or short) pile carpet, then it should also be good and steady. For reference, a low pile carpet has shorter fibers that look and feel quite dense if you run your hand over them.
If you have a medium or deep pile carpet (sometimes known as ‘shag pile’) then you might get movement when you’re doing a particularly vigorous workout on the bike. Again, because of the weight of your Peloton bike, this is generally not an issue.
3/4″ Plywood board
If you want to make your bike more stable and have access to a builder’s merchant or DIY store, then pick up a 2’x4’ sheet of ¾” plywood to go under your bike. This will give a solid surface for riding and will also help reduce indentations in your carpet from the bike.
If you don’t have access to a DIY store (or don’t have transport to get a sheet of plywood back to your home) then you can get a perfect-sized sheet for your Peloton below.
Sweating
There’s no getting away from the fact that Peloton workouts are sweaty….very, very sweaty.
It’s useful to keep a supply of gym towels for mopping your brow. And a water bottle for keeping yourself hydrated. Remember, there’s no pause button so it’s not like you can just hop off and go get a drink!
It’s also worth protecting your carpet from moisture and that’s where a basic trainer mat like this is fantastic.
Indoor bike trainer mat
This is a high-density exercise mat that will help protect your carpet from your perspiring brow. It has an anti-slip patterned surface on each side, so you won’t have the somewhat ironic feeling of moving across the floor on your stationary bike.
Because you will sweat, a lot, it’s also worthwhile knowing that the surface of this mat is easy to keep nice and clean. Just mop up any puddles of sweat, and give it a spruce up as necessary with standard household soap and water. Keeping it fresh and ready for your next sweaty workout.
It’s made from a dense PVC and so will be good for stopping your Peloton making dents in the carpet and it’s also suitable for other exercise activities such as yoga or using a jump rope. That versatility is a great feature. Just roll your Peloton away and you can use the mat for situps, plank, or whatever else you’d like to throw at your poor abused body.
The mat is available in 36″ x 90″ size. Ample for Peloton use and perfect for a range of other activities.
Seriously Upsetting The Neighbors
If you live in an apartment, then it’s also important to consider the effect that your Peloton use will have on them. Yes, they’ll be blown away by the incredible beach body that you’ve created whilst pedaling away. But they might also be infuriated by the vibration through their ceilings from your nightly streamed workouts.
The best way to combat this is to use a thicker, even more substantial trainer mat like this one.
Bike trainer vibration
A great solution to noise and vibration is to get a pair of these gym flooring tiles. The tiles are designed for gym floors and are 5/8” thick. Each tile is 39.4″ square and are available in single tile units. They’re made out of rubber and then bonded together into sheets.
What does that mean? Well, it gives you a deep, durable rubber surface to go under your bike and soak up mechanical noise and vibration from it.
Get a set of two tiles to give a generous space for your Peloton (at 2′ by 4′) and room around it for safe mounting and dismounting.
Noise and vibration are no trouble with these tiles as the rubberized design soaks it all in and blocks it from traveling any further.
Indoor bicycle trainer mat
Thanks for joining me today. I hope that this article has given you the information you need.
To sum up, using your Peloton bike on carpet is fine. If you’ve got a very deep pile carpet, then you may have some movement as you pedal but the weight of the bike should keep it firmly in place.
If you want to help reduce movement, catch sweat, and dampen vibration noise then grab yourself a trainer mat like these ones above.
Have fun and enjoy the ride.
