Best Mat for Peloton Review

When it comes to accessories and the best mat for Peloton, I’ve come to realize something important. There are three kinds of mats for Peloton that you might be considering. Perhaps that’s how you ended up on this review blog post.

One, there is the Peloton bike mat or the mat that goes under the cycle. Two, there is the Peloton yoga mat. It’s something I cover in my review of the company’s yoga classes. And, three, there is the Peloton workout mat, which is sold with the Tread.

For example, so many people end up asking me if you need to have a mat under your Peloton bike or cycle. Or if the Peloton automatically comes with an official Peloton mat.

best mat for peloton review

But, do they mean the Peloton bike or the Peloton Tread? Well, in this blog post, I’ll address both.

What is the best Peloton mat

Or what is the best Peloton mat? Well, it depends on what you’re looking to do with it. Is this for going under your bike? Or are you looking at the Peloton reversible workout mat for strength or yoga classes?

After answering those questions, then, I’ll get into the specifics of what you should look for in a mat. For example, the best dimensions for a Peloton mat, the thickness you want and where you can buy the mat, if you don’t get one with your Peloton purchase. So many people have found great Peloton mat alternatives on Amazon. Just be sure you read those reviews!

Best mat for Peloton bike 

Since the Peloton bike or cycle is likely the most popular piece of Peloton equipment, let’s start there with the mat. As I mentioned in my blog post about the best Peloton accessories, our cycle came with a mat. But it came with a mat because we bought the “works” package when we bought our bike in 2016.

So, if you’re thinking about purchasing the Peloton cycle, keep in mind that the “works” or “family” packages come with a bike mat. However, now you can also buy the mat “a la carte.” That wasn’t an option when we first joined. Anyway, the official Peloton mat for under your bike costs $75.

FYI, Peloton does not offer free shipping for these accessories. Expect to pay at least $12 for shipping. So that official Peloton mat at $59 actually costs at least $71 plus tax.

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However, now that Peloton is on Amazon, you can get free shipping. This is especially true if you have Amazon Prime Membership. 

What is the Peloton mat for

So, what is the Peloton mat for? Well, this mat is meant to go underneath your Peloton bike to protect the floor. That’s because you may sweat a lot when riding the bike.

When we first got our Peloton, it lived in our workout room or Peloton room at home. It was really just the guest room that we never used.

That home had hardwood floors. So the mat under the bike was really more for ease of cleaning.

However, I have heard some people say they believe that the mat protects your flooring. I believe it. Because the Peloton cycle has six stabilizer feet–three on the front and three on the back–and it’s heavy. If you’re moving the bike around a lot or doing high impact classes, those feet could, potentially, be digging into your flooring and damaging it.

Here are overall specs for all Peloton equipment.

Peloton bike mat on carpet

Then, we moved two years ago. In our new house the Peloton was on carpet for the first time. It took me awhile to put the mat down, just because I was lazy. But the mat really helped for lots of reasons.

Can a Peloton bike go on carpet

I will tell you this. Yes, you can put the Peloton bike on carpet. But, without the mat, the bike will likely be pretty wobbly on carpet like mine was.

However, that’s all changed now that there is a mat underneath. It’s a lot better. Even better than when I tried putting a piece of plywood down under the bike. 

Don’t do it. Unless you’ve found a perfect piece of plywood, chances are the wood is somewhat warped. And then your bike will wobble even more.

How to stabilize your Peloton bike on carpet

So, in addition to putting the Peloton mat under my bike on carpet, which really helped, here’s what else I did to stabilize it. I adjusted the little “feet” on the bottom of the bike.

Didn’t know there were feet there? Neither did I.

But if you feel under the front and bottom “crossbar” on the ground–where the wheels are on the front, for example, you’ll feel feet. They’re on the back “crossbar” of the bike, too.

You can spin them to make them go up or down. This helps tremendously from making your bike rock and feel unstable.

Cleaning up underneath the bike

Plus, now with the mat down, I can actually wipe up my sweat under the bike. Before that I would sometimes just lay down beach towels to collect the sweat. Then they would go in the wash.

VeloTowel mat under bike

We’ve already established that one of the purposes of the Peloton mat underneath the bike is to catch sweat. Because of that–and because I sweat a lot like Matt Wilpers does–I always wipe the mat down after especially sweaty workouts. I mean like sweat is dripping from my wrists like a faucet. But I digress.

I’ve just discovered this new product from VeloTowel (they make a frame wrap to protect your bike from sweat) called the VeloMat. It’s exactly as it sounds–a mat to put on your mat under your bike.

Use code LEAH10 to save 10% on your purchase of any VeloTowel products.

Why the VeloTowel mat is superior

Yes, you could just put a towel down, but this mat is way more absorbent. And, frankly, more aesthetically pleasing for your Peloton room. You may want to add it to your Peloton gift list!

I talk more about VeloTowel products in my post on how to clean your Peloton.

Two tips on sweat under the bike. First, read my post on how to clean your Peloton. Second, check out the Velomat from Velotowel. It’s way better for under your bike than bath towels!

velotowel mat under peloton

Skip the plywood under the bike

As I mentioned above, when the bike first went on the carpet, we tried putting it on a piece of plywood. That didn’t last very long.

Why? Because the plywood we got at our local home improvement store wasn’t 100% flat. So the wobbly bike became even more so with the plywood rocking.

We got rid of the plywood for that reason. Therefore, I don’t think it’s worth it to put your Peloton on plywood, even if you have the mat, too.

Size of Peloton bike mat

As far as the actual Peloton bike mat goes, here are the dimensions. The Peloton mat footprint is 36 inches by 72 inches. Or three feet by six feet. When you center the cycle on the mat, you have a good six to 12 inches to the edge of the mat.

Why am I sharing the Peloton mat dimensions or its footprint with you? It is in case you want to buy a mat alternative. Then, you’ll know what size mat to buy.

Peloton bike dimensions

As far as the Peloton bike dimensions, here’s what you need to keep in mind:

  • Front to back on the bottom, from the widest part of the base: 49 inches
  • Side to side, along the base: 20 inches
  • Front to back, from weight rack to front of screen arm: 52 inches
  • Side to side, across handlebars and screen: 23 inches

As I mentioned above, a lot of people have told me they found great mat alternatives on Amazon. Plus, if you don’t want to buy the “works” or “family” package–because you don’t need the additional accessories–then it probably makes sense to look for your mat alternative elsewhere.

We recently purchased a second Peloton bike. We’re getting the Bike Plus. I didn’t order any upgraded packages or accessories for the new bike and got the mat for underneath on, you guessed it, Amazon.

What kind of mat to buy for under your bike

Fun fact: if you decide to shop for a bike mat for under your Peloton, use the term “bike trainer mat” or “treadmill mat” for the best results.

Finally, as far as how thick the Peloton bike mat, it’s not very thick at all. Only about 4 mm–that millimeters. A yoga mat, on the other hand, can be 10 mm thick. That’s almost a quarter of an inch.

I can’t give you the pros and cons of putting a yoga mat under your cycle, though. I know this is a hack that some people use, but I can’t speak first-hand to whether it works or not.

Peloton Tread mat

Like the bike, the Peloton Tread has packages you can upgrade to and get additional equipment with. Also like the bike, the “works” and “family” packages include a mat. However, this mat isn’t for under the Peloton tread. Rather, this is a Peloton workout mat. 

This workout mat is designed to be used for off-Tread workouts. This includes the bootcamp classes, strength and stretching. In fact, if you read my review of the Peloton app, you’ll discover just how many classes you can take with your digital subscription that don’t require owning any Peloton equipment at all.

Finally, when it comes for a Peloton mat for the Tread, do not–I repeat, do not–put a mat underneath it. People with Treads have told me that as you change the elevation, the mat will bunch up underneath. And that can get nasty!

Size of Peloton exercise mat

The dimensions of the mat that comes with the Tread package is as follows: 26″ x 71″ This is according to the company website. 

Also according to the Peloton website, it is two sided–black on one side, red on the other. One side is sticky for yoga and the other for working out on the floor.

I chatted with Peloton support about the thickness. They said it is 5 mm. So, if you’re looking for something with a lot of cushion, you’re probably better off buying one made for yoga. 

The Peloton exercise mat

So, do you need a mat for floor work? Probably yes, unless you already own one.

You can buy this Peloton workout mat a la carte. It costs $70 on Amazon.

As I mentioned above, the company does not offer free shipping on accessories. Expect to pay $12 or more for shipping. So really this exercise mat would set you back $81 plus tax. If you can find it cheaper–and I’m guessing you can–go for it.

Mat alternatives

Like I said above, a lot of people have found alternatives on Amazon. In fact, I’ve linked to a few below. I’ve also included the Cyclingdeal floor mat, which seems to be super popular among Peloton owners. 

But, Amazon isn’t the only place that sells bike mats. I found a comparable bike mat on TrekBikes.com and one on Wayfair, too. Who knew that Wayfair.com sold bike mats? Anyway, I’ve also included those shopping alternatives.

Finally, I made sure to find you alternatives that were priced less than what you would pay on the Peloton website. Because what good is another option that costs more?

The best yoga mat for Peloton

As I mentioned above, you can use the exercise mat that you buy from Peloton for doing yoga. Personally, I use my Gaiam yoga mat when practicing Peloton yoga.

I recently invested in one that is 10 mm thick. Those extra few millimeters really make a difference on my knees during cat cow.

Compare that with the Peloton mat at only 5 mm thick. Anyway, here are some Gaiam products to consider adding to your yoga practice.

Manduka yoga mats

In addition, here is the brand Manduka, which you can find on Amazon. I like Manduka because it offers a lifetime warranty on some of its yoga mats.

Peloton Matt

Why am I including this last point? Well, I can see some of the search terms that people use when they land on this blog. Recently, it’s been Peloton Matt. I’m assuming you’re looking for information about Peloton instructor Matt Wilpers.

Who is Matt Wilpers

Just so you know, Matt Wilpers teaches on the bike and Tread. He’s also the founder of the Power Zone training in the cycling classes. 

Speaking of power zones, here is my new blog post on Peloton Power Zone.

Matt Wilpers company offers remote biking fitting via FaceTime. I had one done and wrote a review of this cycle fitting service here. 

Finally, if you’re looking for quotes from Matt, I would suggest you check out my blog post on Peloton instructor quotes. There, you’ll find lots of gift ideas, including milestone gifts, and fun swag featuring fun and well-known quotes from some of the most popular Peloton instructors, including Matt Wilpers. 

Have any other questions about the best mat for Peloton? Please post a comment and I’ll try to find you the best and fastest answer possible.

One Comment

  1. Hello Leah,

    Greatly appreciate seeing someone who places some importance on the mats that go under a Peloton bike! I want to let people know if looking for a high quality, environmentally responsible, odourless and North American made mat look no further than RMC Rubber Mats Co. Easy to use and secure online ordering can get you a 4’x6’- 1/4” thick mat for about $60 + shipping. Check out
    http://www.rubbermatsco.com
    Thank you Leah!! 🙂

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