One of the most commonly asked questions by Peloton Bike owners is, “How can I use my Apple Watch as a Peloton heart rate monitor?” The Apple Watch is a fantastic heart rate monitor, and people who own one along with a Peloton bike understandably want to use the two products together. Seeing your heart rate onscreen during a workout is a practical and motivational tool.

There are various ways to accomplish this, and the first factor is which bike you own. If you own a Peloton Bike+ then your path to utilizing your watch as a heart rate monitor is relatively simple. The Bike+ comes loaded with Apple GymKit, a technology that allows for simple and direct integration between watch and fitness equipment. Everything works out of the box.

If you own one of the original Peloton Bike models things get a little trickier. But there are some solid options. Let's break them down.

Peloton Heart Rate Monitor Options

Watch Link

A Watch Link pod is a small device that serves as a bridge between your Apple Watch and Peloton Bike. You pair your watch with the Watch Link, and then connect the Watch Link the bike. Watch Link uses the ANT+ protocol to communicate with the bike, providing a more stable and reliable connection than Bluetooth (we'll get to that below). You can share a single Watch Link pod with multiple Apple Watch owners in your house.

Follow these steps to use a Watch Link:

  • Pair the Watch Link pod to your watch
    • Download the Watch Link app to your Apple Watch (through App Store on either your watch or iPhone).
    • Open the Watch Link app on your watch.
    • Tap to Start, then tap Connect Now. Hold the pod near your watch until it pairs.
  • Connect the Watch Link pod to your Peloton Bike.
    • Browse to your workout on the bike.
    • Open Heart Rate Monitor Settings and look for device named “Device (ID #).” (You can find Pod ID# in the watch app's settings if you need it)
    • Tap Connect
  • Work out
    • Open the Watch Link app on your Apple Watch.
    • Find and select the workout that you're about the start.

Pros

  • A stable, reliable connection with a Peloton Bike.
  • Simple to set up.
  • Can be shared with multiple Apple Watch owners in your home.
  • Can be used with many other fitness products in your home or gym.

Cons

  • More expensive than some other options.