Peloton Bluetooth Headphones: What You Need to Know

Many people have so many questions about Peloton Bluetooth headphones. So in this blog post I’m going to share two important pieces of information about the headphones you might use with your Peloton bike.

1. The best Peloton Bluetooth headphones
2. Answers to the most common questions about Bluetooth headphones

What are Bluetooth headphones

Maybe you’re still using wired headphones with your phone or other devices. So you may not know what Bluetooth headphones are.

Basically, Bluetooth allows a pair of headphones to connect wirelessly with a device. There are many products beyond headphones that use Bluetooth to connect one thing to another.

For example, the heart rate monitor I use with my Peloton bike is a Bluetooth device. If I have to hotspot my phone when my Wi-Fi signal is spotty, I’ll turn on Bluetooth to do that.

Basically, Bluetooth uses radio waves to transfer data or connect devices that are near to one another. Unlike Wi-Fi, which also connects devices, anything using Bluetooth needs to be nearby. Otherwise, you lose the signal.

Why you want to use Bluetooth headphones with your Peloton

When we bought our Peloton bike in 2016, we decided to upgrade to “The Works” package. It came with, among items such as a Bluetooth chest strap heart rate monitor, a pair of wired Peloton headphones. Not Peloton Bluetooth headphones, not Peloton wireless headphones but the old-fashioned wired kind.

Where is the headphone jack on the Peloton?

In case you didn’t know, there is a headphone jack on the original Peloton bike. On my Generation 2 bike, it’s on the right side of the tablet or touchscreen. That’s the same side as the volume button.

I’ll tell you that this positioning is awful. It’s so far away from where you’re sitting that I always felt like I had to tip forward so that the wired headphones weren’t pulling tight.

When Peloton introduced the Bike Plus or Bike+, they unveiled a new position for the headphone jack. Rather than being on the side of the screen, it’s now in the front of the handlebars.

While the new position for the headphone jack is much better, I don’t recommend using wired headphones with your Peloton at all. You do a lot of moving around when you’re riding the bike. I did not like being tethered to the bike via headphones and quickly switched to wireless headphones.

Is there a headphone jack on the Peloton Tread

Like the bike, the Peloton Tread also has a headphone jack for wired headphones. On the Peloton Tread support page, the company recommends making sure that your wired headphones have a long enough cord to support the movement you’ll be doing on the Tread. This concerns me for two reasons.

One, I know that when I’m doing treadmill work, I tend to drift to the back of the treadmill platform. If I’m wired to my treadmill with headphones, I could see them ripping out of my ears.

Two, to have headphones with a long enough wire to allow for my drift, this could be trouble when I’m closer to the screen. That is, I would be worried that the longer cord might droop enough to get tangled up in my legs and feet.

Two of the Tread accessories packages that you can buy– the Tread Works and the Tread Family–include headphones. Thankfully, they are wireless headphones. So, that’s good to know if you’re in the market for a Tread.

What kind of Bluetooth headphones work with Peloton

Officially, any kind of headphones that are Bluetooth compatible will work with your Peloton bike or Tread. You just need to enable Bluetooth on your Peloton equipment and then go through the pairing process.

In fact, all Peloton hardware has Bluetooth. While this article is talking about using Bluetooth with headphones, the Bluetooth works to connect your heart rate monitor, too.

How do you connect or pair your Bluetooth headphones with Peloton

Here are the steps for pairing or connecting your Bluetooth headphones to Peloton. These are the instructors for making them work with the Peloton bike. The steps for Tread are similar.

One, turn on your headphones.

Two, turn on your Peloton

Three, go to “Settings” in the upper right hand corner of your touch screen.

Four, enable Bluetooth if it’s not already on.

Your Bluetooth headphones should automatically connect.

If they don’t, tap settings again and then tap “Bluetooth Audio.” This will bring you to a screen that shows all of the Bluetooth devices that have paired with your Peloton. Tap “Connect” for the pair of headphones you want to connect.

Voila, your Bluetooth headphones are now set up and ready to use with your Peloton.

Here’s a video that walks you through the steps, too.

Forget about using AirPods

Maybe you have your earbuds that came with your Smartphone. Don’t bother using them, especially if they are AirPods. Here’s why

AirPods are, technically, compatible with the Peloton. However, I’ve heard too many people complaining about them. Once you “pair” the AirPods with the bike, they are difficult to re-pair with your phone or any other device.

So, I tried it out. Sure enough, once I paired my AirPods with my bike, two things happened.

Pairing AirPods is impossible

One, the AirPods “kicked” all of the other Bluetooth devices off the bike. This included my heart rate monitor and the other brands of Bluetooth headphones my husband and I use.

Two, I could not reconnect the AirPods to my phone. I had to resort to using a wired pair of iPhone headphones for making calls for the rest of the day.

Eventually, I was able to fix the problem. I had to move far enough away from the bike, shut it down, let the AirPods drain all their power, and finally reboot my bike. Then, finally I could re-pair my other Bluetooth headphones with my bike and pair my AirPods with my phone. What a hassle. It’s not worth it.

Finally, we bought a Bike Plus last year. I thought because of the interconnectivity of the Bike+ and the Apple Watch that the AirPods would work better. Nope, they still wouldn’t connect.

There is one way you can use AirPods with Peloton

Even for all of my doom and gloom about AirPods and the Peloton, there is one way you can use them with Peloton. And it’s the Peloton app.

In fact, whenever I do any of the outdoor programs via the Peloton app, I’ve paired my AirPods with my iPhone before I head out the door.

If you’re using the Peloton app on your Roku TV, here’s the trick to pairing Bluetooth headphones, including AirPods. You need to be using the Roku TV app smart remote. That is, you have to have downloaded the Roku remote app to your Smartphone and be using it to “run” the Peloton channel on your Roku TV. Then, you can have your headphones already paired with your phone, and the sound from the TV will come through the phone remote app.

Best Bluetooth headphones to use with Peloton

Below, I’ve included the brands that I think you should invest in, if you want a pair of Bluetooth headphones to use with your Peloton bike. I’ve personally tested out each of the brands that I’ve mentioned below.

AfterShokz Aeropex Open-Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones

A Facebook friend knew I liked my over the ear headphones and recommended I try these AfterShokz Aeropex headphones. A blog reader actually posted a comment recommending them, too.

These headphones actually sit in front of the ear. That way if you happen to wear them outside, you’re aware of your surroundings. I’ve loved them for my Peloton, and they’re easy to buy on Amazon.

Urbanears Hellas On-Ear Active Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Another Facebook friend told me about these Urbanears Hellas On-Ear headphones. Normally, I wouldn’t want to wear this kind of headphone while I exercise. But I tried them out when I rode my 900th ride at the Peloton Pittsburgh showroom in January 2020. See pic below.

Here’s what won me over. With the Urbanears Hellas headphones, the headband, if you will, and ear coverings are removable. That means when they getting sweaty from me getting sweaty, I can take them off, toss them in my lingerie bag and put them through the washing machine.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that these headphones exist anymore. Dang it.

Bose in ear Bluetooth headphones

I started out with these Bose in-the-ear Bluetooth headphones that have great sound and hold a charge for weeks. They were a gift last year and I do like them.

Update: My 23-year-old daughter has “permanently borrowed” these from me, which is why I transitioned to the Aftershokz headphones mentioned above.

Do you need headphones for Peloton

Of course, you don’t have to ride your Peloton Bike with headphones on. However, I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you own the Bike Plus.

With the Bike Plus, the sound speakers are in the front of the screen. In the original bikes they are behind the screen, so the sound is being broadcast “away” from you. The Bike Plus design is much nicer.

I’d mentioned that we recently upgraded to a Bike Plus. The sound coming out of those speakers is so good that I ride all the time without headphones, even with my husband sitting nearby. I don’t have to make the volume very loud to hear the instructors perfectly.

Final thoughts on Bluetooth headphones for Peloton

As I wrote in my popular blog post on the best must have Peloton accessories, Bluetooth headphones are definitely on the list. You don’t want to be riding a Peloton bike without them.

There are a number of reasons that Bluetooth headphones make sense.

One, they give you freedom of movement while riding.

Two, the sound from the Peloton bike sucks so this helps you hear better.

Three, if you’re working out when others are sleeping or nearby, you don’t disturb them.