Peloton announced a new device and it’s not another piece of connected fitness machine. Rather, it’s a Bluetooth heart rate monitor called the Peloton Heart Rate Band, and it’s designed to be worn on a user’s forearm.

The Heart Rate Band will be available in small and large sizes and will cost $90. In comparison, the company’s existing chest strap retails for $49 on Peloton’s website, but this new device is arguably easier to use.

How does it work?

The device features five LED lights that indicate which heart rate zone you’re currently training in, battery level, and Bluetooth connectivity status. It also has a rechargeable battery that gets an estimated 10 hours on a single charge.

The Heart Rate Band device is meant to be an accessory that slots into the rest of the Peloton ecosystem, including their connected bikes, treadmills and the Peloton app — but it will also work with any third-party app that supports standard Bluetooth heart rate monitor profiles.

The device supports Peloton’s Strive Score metric, which is used to measure how long you’ve spent in a specific heart rate zone to determine workout intensity and progress.

The context

Peloton’s armband has been rumored for some time now. We’ve mentioned it back in June 2021 as part of the company’s wearables push. And, when you think about it, it makes sense for Peloton to enter this market as it will allow them to get those users who don’t like wearing straps.

It is, however, unclear how accurate the Heart Rate Band will be compared to other monitors. For what it matters, a recent study has found that optical sensors are less accurate for people with darker skin tones or obesity.

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Peloton’s Heart Rate Band is available today in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia.