GoKawiilAnother addition is a USB-C plug-in fan unit that sits (and locks into) the top of the display. It has three different speeds and a directional slider to aim it directly at your face, perfect when you're getting in and out of the saddle on a hill climb workout. It makes more intensive rides substantially more comfortable, as does the redesigned saddle, which is wider and more cushioned.
Beneath the fan, the Bike+'s camera is lodged in a little capsule that can be rotated inside the console for privacy. Perhaps this is me being an idiot, but I assumed many Peloton members were streaming their camera feed during rides (yuck). That is not the case; it's only used for coaching instruction, form correction and rep counting.
The camera turns the new Bike+ into more than just another connected exercise bike. Like its Coach camera, the Bike+ will coach and guide you, even while you're following a prerecorded class with an instructor, who is also coaching and guiding you. The built-in AI voice is robotic enough not to be mistaken for a human.
It's hard to get too mad with the robo-coach. Peloton IQ will make a little sound for each rep and count down for static holds like planks. It is just enough to help me push a little further. Compared to the older Coach camera, the upgraded algorithms and tech rarely make mistakes in their guidance. If it said my hips needed to be higher, yes, my hips needed to be higher. If I wasn't shoulder pressing with the full range of motion, it'd call me out. Dang it.
The built-in ultrawide camera can be zoomed in to frame your movements better, but I was surprised by how well it kept me in frame despite my tiny apartment's square footage.
It's a shame, however, that movement tracking coaching and rep counts don't exist beyond strength and core training classes. If you were hoping for helpful form tips during your downward dog, or Warrior Poses I and II, you're gonna have to find an actual yoga teacher.
It seems like a missed opportunity when users pay a premium for both classes and equipment.
You can also use voice commands during strength training workouts. This means you can get your reps or crack down on your form at your own pace. While Peloton's array of bodyweight and dumbbell exercises are broadly simple movements, some (like a Turkish get-up) will demand a few reps and some scrutiny before you're easily folding them into your workouts.