Are you a Peloton user who always wondered what it’d be like to take classes in person at Peloton Studios New York? Ever since getting my Peloton Bike+ in 2020 and Tread in 2022, I’ve wondered what it would be like to experience a class in person. In June 2023, I was able to find out!
This information is coming from my personal experience of taking 3 cycling classes at Peloton Studios New York (PSNY) in June 2023 so it may vary in accuracy depending on when you’re reading this. For the most current information, please visit the Peloton Studios website and their FAQ page.
How to book a class at Peloton Studios New York
These are hot tickets, so the more you understand about the process, the less frantic the process will be. In general, the steps are:
- Purchase class experience credit(s)
- On the Thursday six weeks in advance of your desired dates, get in the queue for classes by 11:30am Eastern. The site opens at noon, but the queue forms early.
- Don’t think, just book! There’s no time to weigh and compare your options once you hit the booking site. If you see an open class, grab it.
- Check the site frequently for waitlist spots.
- Receive confirmation.
For one of the classes I took, I was fortunate to be part of a group booking organized directly with the studio. Since those are rare and I didn’t organize that, I’ll focus on the standard process of booking classes. In addition to the group class, I scored two additional class reservations through standard bookings. As you can imagine, the demand for a spot in a live class is high, so you need to plan in advance and keep a watchful eye as your trip approaches to see what you can find.
Timing: How Far in Advance to Book Peloton In Person Class
New classes are released onto the Peloton Studio booking site on THURSDAYS at noon Eastern, six weeks in advance. If you are looking to take a class within the next 5 weeks, the process is the same, just not a specific day you must book.
If you’re booking six weeks out: You will want to make sure to be logged into the studio site and on the page by 11:30 ET on drop day so you can enter the queue. Note that PSNY is closed to live classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so if you’re looking to visit on those days, you’re out of luck.
Purchasing Credits – How much does a Peloton In Person Class cost?
Taking classes at PSNY requires buying Experience credits. Yes, even if you’re an all-access member, you still have to pay a per-class fee in person. It is $35 per class at the New York Studio (£25.00 in London), for all modalities. In order to book a class, you need to have credits on your account.
Purchase credits BEFORE trying to book your classes on the scheduler. If you’re booking on drop day, you will have no time to find a class and purchase a credit and complete the booking. If you don’t have a credit available, someone else can grab the spot from under you.
Credits expire 12 months from purchase and are non-refundable, but you CAN transfer your credit to another member if you can’t use it before expiration.
Queue – How it works
The online booking system is easy to use, in my opinion. The studio site has a queue manager that will open up about 30 minutes before the classes drop at noon Eastern. It will tell you what place you are in line, and what time they approximate you’ll enter the queue. There’s a timestamp at the bottom to let you know when the information was last updated. This is really helpful to make sure you’re not to the queue too early before classes have dropped. If you see a queue screen and the estimated time to your entry on the site is BEFORE noon Eastern, you’re a little too early. Refresh until you see a time that is reflected noon or later.
Don’t Think, Just Book
Once you enter the booking site, there’s no time to peruse classes and weigh your options. If you see something, grab it! I thought I was fast enough with two classes that I tried to secure on the first go, but I was too slow and they were gone by the time my cursor stopped spinning. If you decide you don’t want to do a class you secure, you can always remove yourself from it (as long as it’s 24 hours before the class) and get your credit put back into your account.
Waitlists are your friend
If you don’t secure a spot in a class but see a waitlist spot available, grab it! As people cancel their reservations, you’ll move up the waitlist and hopefully will secure a spot. I secured spots in all the waitlist classes that I’d signed up for, and many of my friends did as well. The earlier you are on the waitlist, the better. And if you are on the waitlist the day of, you can still show up and they’ll give you a buzzer. If there’s a no-show or late cancelation, they’ll buzz you and you’ll have a spot. Of course, there are no guarantees, but if you’re already in the area or taking other classes that day, it doesn’t hurt to try.
Check the studio website frequently for class spots or waitlists to open. I kept it bookmarked on my phone and checked throughout the day and spots for at least a couple of different modalities would pop up throughout the day. Again, keep credits on hand so that when you do happen upon a waitlist, you can grab it without checking out.
Waitlists really heat up a week before the classes. Check more frequently as people cancel plans last minute.
Peloton Studio In Person Experience
Already have your spot or confirmed on the waitlist? Congrats! You’ll receive email confirmations and reminders with information about arriving for your class. You want to arrive a minimum of 45 minutes prior to class time. Arriving 1 hour in advance is ideal, giving you enough time to check in, get a locker, explore a little, and then get in line without rushing. Class doors open 30 minutes prior to class time. If you are not in the class 15 minutes prior to class time, your spot will be forfeited.
Upon arrival, you’ll find check-in kiosks, where friendly Peloton employees will help you get checked in for your class. You’ll fill out a waiver on a tablet, and also let the team know if it’s your first time to the studio and if you’re celebrating any milestones. You’ll receive a wristband to indicate you’re supposed to be there, a plastic card that is color-coded to indicate where in line you fall (people with birthdays or milestones, for example, can enter the room and pick a spot before someone without anything special going on), and if it’s a milestone, you’ll get a sticker to wear.
You’ll find a lovely lobby area with check-in, a small food/drink area with items for purchase, and up a short set of stairs, the cycling studio, a shoe rental area, the freestanding “P” and a set of lockers. Up a longer set of stairs, you’ll find the very nice locker rooms, a Studio store, another member seating/hangout area, and other studios. There are water bottle filling stations in the locker room and around the facility.
Peloton In Person Studio Class: What to Expect
You’ll be called to enter the class in order of card color. For example, “members with a black card can now enter the studio.” Again, these are based on milestones and other occasions. For our group class, we didn’t have cards and were escorted in first by our group contact. For my other classes, I didn’t have any milestones and it wasn’t my first time in the studio, so I entered with the final group.
There are 39 bikes in the cycling studio. Some are more visible than others on camera. If you can see yourself very clearly in a mirror, you’ll likely be visible at some point. If you prefer to stay away from the cameras, the seats in the back rows that aren’t directly centered on the instructor are least visible. The class fills quickly, so just grab a bike you’re cool with and don’t think too much about it.
There are helpers in the studio to assist with bike adjustments and to answer questions. The bikes in the studio are the original Bike and have a very small screen. LOG IN to your bike – bring the info on your phone or a note you shove in your bra, but don’t forget your login info and scramble last minute.
You can take your phone in for photos, but you need to have it off before the class starts. I kept mine in one of the cup holders. Each bike has a small towel that you can use if needed.
You’ll be seated on your bike and hopefully situated 15 minutes before the class starts. Since there is no warm-up, it’s good to get pedaling, take photos, and chat with people around you. It’s all good vibes and everyone is happy to be there!
Prior to the instructor entering, a coordinator will greet the class and let you know what’s happening. Helpers are in the class the entire time, so if anything goes awry, you can raise your hand and get help. The control room will say hello through the speakers. And then the instructor will be introduced and enter the room. Different instructors greet classes differently. Camila and Christine both came around and gave high 5s to everyone. I’ve seen others go straight to the center and say hello. Totally up to them.
They’ll talk to the class to let everyone know what they’re in for, and then hop on the bike. They’ll pose for still photos used as the covers of each class, then chat through the pre-ride, and then it’s showtime!
The cameras are not intrusive at all, but you will probably notice them when the red lights switch on and off for various angles. It’s dark in the room, so it feels very much like a typical studio spin class in that regard.
The room will start off cool, but can get hot quickly. If you ride at home with a fan on full blast, it will be different! But, for the rides I took, it didn’t get too bad. Sweaty shirts, yes. But still manageable.
When the class is over, the instructor will leave the room first, and then you’ll get instructions from the crew about lining up for photos.
Will I Meet Instructors at PSNY?
Yes, you will get to meet and take a photo with the instructor of your class. You may see other instructors taking photos with their classes or arriving or leaving the studio, but you might not get to talk to them. It’s still fun to spot them!
For your instructor photo – immediately after your class ends, the instructor leaves the studio first, before everyone gets off their bikes. The studio coordinator will come in and explain the meet-and-greet and photo process. You will line up in a designated area outside of the studio and wait for the refreshed instructor to come out. I seriously don’t know how they go from being totally drenched in sweat to looking so fresh in a matter of minutes, but kudos to them! The studio coordinator is very clear on this – do not touch the instructor unless they initiate it. Some instructors are huggers, some stay at a distance – respect them and only do what they invite you to do. You’re also instructed to keep it very brief – for the cycling studios, there are 39 people per class waiting to meet the instructor. This isn’t the time to spill your life story to them. Peloton takes the photos for you, and will send you a link to them very shortly after the class. If you have friends with you that you want to snap photos while you’re meeting the instructor, by all means give them your phone, but DO NOT let that person interfere with the Peloton photography. You know how you go out with friends and everyone wants a group photo on their phone, so you hold things up swapping phones in and out instead of Airdropping or texting a single photo to everyone? DON’T DO THAT! The Peloton studio photographs are always good – they know what they’re doing!
After Class and Photos
After your class and photos, you can use the locker room if you wish to shower and get dressed. They are very nice locker rooms with towels, Malin + Goetz products and even Dyson hairdryers.
Packing List for Peloton Studios New York
I wore my outfit to the studio with sneakers and a light jacket, and carried a backpack to the studio with the following:
- Shoes/cleats – You can borrow some on-site for no charge if you prefer, but I have wide feet and use a different brand of shoes. If you DO bring your own shoes, make sure they use LOOK Delta cleats! If you have different pedals at home, your shoes won’t work there and it’s probably best to borrow some at the studio.
- Socks
- Hair ties, bobby pins – Some are also available complimentary in the locker room if you forget
- An extra shirt, leggings, and underwear just in case I wanted to change after class
- Water bottle – they do not provide these on site unless you want to purchase some from the little snack station
- Electrolytes for my water
- A couple of Kind bars in case I got hungry
- A small towel to wipe sweat off before photos if needed
- Battery bank and phone charger in case I ran low on charge
- Wallet with ID and credit card if I wanted to purchase something at the Studio shop
Miscellaneous Thoughts/FAQ:
- Luggage – You CAN NOT take luggage to PSNY. The lockers are standard size and will fit a backpack or small duffel/gym bag. The staff can’t hold your luggage. Most hotels will hold it for you if you’ve already checked out.
- Where to Stay – PSNY is near Hudson Yards, which is an area that has a lot of great hotels. Our group stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Chelsea and while it was a little further away from the studio than I initially wanted to stay, it was a great location, had excellent staff, very clean rooms, and was accommodating with both early check-in and late checkout. I’d definitely stay there again.
- Vibes – I’ll say a lot more about this in another post, but everyone was SO welcoming. Every staff member, the instructors, and the other class-goers – 10 out of 10, no notes.
Have any questions or want to share your experience? Let me know in the comments!
