Peloton on Tour LA Class Taping (Backstage Pass & High Five Crew): Photos + Review

The last event of Peloton On Tour in Los Angeles, California happened on Saturday, July 15th. It happened at the Santa Monica showroom, just like all the previous events. This activity was all about “Peloton Class Tapings,” where Peloton instructors recorded real classes.

If you’re interested in knowing what the other weekend events were like, you can check out our previous article about the Peloton instructor experience on Thursday. Following that, we had the Outdoor Walk & Talks on Friday morning. And don’t forget the free group workout at UCLA on Friday afternoon.

Many folks have been wondering where they can watch the classes recorded during the Peloton Class tapings. Well, Peloton decided to include these classes in the on-demand library, and they became available on Tuesday, July 18th. You can easily access them through the provided links.

For those of you exercising at home, these classes will look just like any other pre-recorded class in the on-demand library. However, there’s a special twist – they will have an extended introduction. This intro will showcase video clips of both the backstage pass ticketholders and high-five crew ticketholders. So, you’ll get to see some behind-the-scenes moments before the class begins.

Another common question people have is whether they’ll appear on camera during this experience. Well, now that the classes have been released, there’s a slight chance you might be seen. Just before the class kicks off, there’s a brief special introduction that lasts about a minute. During this introduction, both the high five crew outside and the backstage pass holders are briefly featured, but it’s only for a second or two.

Once the class officially begins, the camera doesn’t show the crowd while the class is in session. However, after the cool-down session, in the final two seconds before the screen fades to black, the camera zooms out from the instructors and gives a quick glimpse of the backstage pass members and then the high five crew. So, when you wonder how much screen time you might get during the class, it’s best to think of it as a “fleeting glimpse” either during the intro or outro.

Just to make things clear, none of the members could exercise with the instructor. These sessions were different from your usual PSNY or PSL classes. Only the instructor was doing the workout. Whether you had the high five crew ticket or a backstage pass, you couldn’t join in with the instructor.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t any cake or tasty snacks and drinks for the members to savor while they watched the class.

Big thanks to Peloton members like @celestineoninsta, @beautyandthebenchpress, @SugiBear, @FrenchPixie317, @Joanna116, and many more for generously sharing their photos and stories from the event featured in this article.

Five Peloton instructors took turns teaching a class, and each member could only sign up for one. Here’s the schedule of Peloton class recordings during the Peloton on Tour in Los Angeles:

• 9:00 AM: 10 minutes Row – Katie Wang
• 10:30 AM: 10 minutes Strength – Ben Alldis
• 12:00 PM: 20 minutes Tread – Adrian Williams
• 1:30 PM: 15 minutes Cycle – Camila Ramon [In Spanish]
• 3:00 PM: 20 minutes Cycle – Kendall Toole

As an extra treat, Adrian Williams teamed up with Ben for his strength class, making it a special two-in-one strength experience with Ben Alldis.

For these activities, there were two choices available for people to register. The first option was the “Backstage Pass,” priced at $60. Peloton’s description of the Backstage Pass ticket for the Peloton Class Taping at Peloton On Tour was as follows:

Get ready for your exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the inner workings of a Peloton class. Join us in sunny LA and become part of our crew for a day. You’ll witness it all, from setting up to wrapping up, alongside our dedicated staff, crew, and your beloved instructor! Each time slot covers a 60-90 minute session with one instructor. Just a heads up: This experience won’t include a workout due to space constraints.

To boost participation, they offered a complimentary pass for the “High Five Crew” during the Peloton Class Tapings at the same times. Peloton introduced the High Five Crew pass like this:

Couldn’t snag a backstage pass? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, and the best part is, it’s completely free! Come join us outside the store for an exciting opportunity to watch the class recordings and be part of a lively pep rally and viewing party, featuring some surprise appearances by our instructors! This might be your moment to make a cameo in a class, as we’ll be recording the party to include in our on-demand classes. Feel free to create a sign to cheer on your favorite instructor and bring your infectious energy. Be sure to RSVP and drop by to discover what our Peloton community is all about!

According to attendees’ feedback, each class had 25 backstage pass tickets up for grabs, and approximately 50 tickets for the high five crew were also available.

For those lucky enough to snag tickets, the process kicked off just like any other session. Upon reaching the Santa Monica showroom, friendly Peloton staff were on hand to check in arriving members. They simply matched names with the ticket list; there were no ID checks. Those holding backstage passes formed a line against the wall, patiently waiting to enter the showroom. Meanwhile, those with High Five Crew tickets were swiftly ushered into a special corral, right across from the showroom entrance.

For the High Five crew members, your experience meant staying within the designated corral throughout (we’ll delve deeper into the backstage pass experience later in this article). It’s important to note that there were no chairs provided for High Five ticket holders; it was a standing-room-only affair.

The Peloton team had arranged two TVs, one on each side of the door, ensuring you had a clear view of the instructor during Tread/Bike/Row sessions as the class was recorded. They also set up speakers for you to hear the instructor’s guidance. However, reports suggest that hearing the coach could be challenging unless you were positioned right at the front of the corral.

Before the class commenced, the Peloton team strolled through the corral, giving members a rundown of what to expect. Some instructors even made surprise appearances between classes, greeting those waiting outside and snapping a few selfies.

Just before each class began, the instructor leading the session would usually step out for a quick hello with the High Five crew. They’d also invite a few questions, as the session kicked off with a brief Q&A session.

Peloton also had a video crew capturing special moments with the High Five crew. They didn’t keep the cameras rolling throughout the entire class; instead, the video team alerted the High Five crew to cheer and get hyped up. These lively moments were the ones recorded, presumably for use in the class’s introduction. One Peloton team member described it as aiming for that energetic “College Game Day” atmosphere. To enhance the experience, Peloton provided signs and banners for people to hold while they cheered and watched the class from outside.

After the class, the instructor typically made a return appearance outside to express gratitude to the High Five crew for their presence. They would then head back inside to take photos with those holding backstage pass tickets. At this point, the High Five crew session came to an end. However, a few instructors, following their photo sessions indoors with the backstage pass ticketholders, found a moment to come back outside for a few extra selfies.

It seems like the teacher leading the initial class might not get as much time to chat with the folks outside in the high-five group. Meanwhile, those who teach later in the day have more opportunities to step out and greet the high-five gang gathered in the corral.

If you had bought the special backstage pass tickets, the experience was a bit different. You’d form a line by the wall, and eventually, they’d usher you into the showroom. Right there in the middle of the room was the main camera, facing the backdrop with the workout equipment. On either side of the camera, they had set up chairs for you to sit and wait for the class to begin.

Before the class kicked off, the instructor came out and had a quick Q&A. They answered questions from both the folks inside and a few from the high-five crew outside. The instructor also gave some shoutouts to the members in attendance.

The Peloton team explained the setup to the folks inside and even showed them how they captured the screenshot for the class before it started, letting the members see how it all worked. Members were also there when the recording crew checked the audio and microphones.

Then, the coach began to lead the class, treating it just like any regular session. However, unlike the high-five crew outside, it seems Peloton had extra cameras capturing the backstage pass members throughout the entire class. Those inside the showroom were encouraged to cheer and shout out whenever they felt like it during the class.

Just like the folks outside, there are reports that the video clips of the backstage pass members might be used for an extended preshow introduction, although there’s also a slim chance you could spot these shots during the class itself.

Once the class concluded, the instructor expressed gratitude to the attending members and even briefly stepped outside to do the same with the high-five crew. Next, the backstage pass members were escorted to the “stage” area, where they, along with the instructor, recorded a video saying, “What’s Up Peloton,” likely for use in the intro when the class becomes available on-demand. After that, everyone who had purchased the backstage pass ticket had the opportunity to take an individual photo with the instructor.

At that moment, the showroom appeared vacant as the team prepared for the upcoming class and the next set of backstage pass holders. While Peloton had completely sold out tickets for both the backstage pass and the high five crew, it seemed like not everyone made it to the event.

Specifically, for the high five crew, even if you only had a ticket for the initial class, Peloton allowed members to join a standby line for another class if there was available space – and it appeared that most of those eager to be in the area again were accommodated. Additionally, there were individuals who hadn’t managed to pre-book free high five crew tickets but were still granted access to the section.

Similar to the giveaways at other weekend events, attendees left with some complimentary goodies. Folks who grabbed the free high five crew tickets received a cool Peloton-branded hat. Now, for those who splurged on the $60 backstage pass tickets, they were in for quite a treat. They walked away with the same stylish hat, a snazzy Peloton sticker, a delightful postcard, and an exclusive Santa Monica Peloton license plate cover for their vehicles. Although, it’s worth mentioning that a few lucky individuals got a keychain holder instead of the license plate cover, while others received a neat patch.

Just like every other day, Peloton had their special Peloton on Tour Los Angeles merchandise up for grabs if you fancied snagging some custom goodies to bring back with you.

As for the reviews of this experience, they appeared to be a tad more mixed compared to some other events over the weekend. Some members felt that since you only got a brief moment with the instructor, it might not be worth splurging on the backstage pass ticket; they’d rather join the free high five crew outside instead. However, it’s important to note that the backstage pass guarantees you a photo opportunity, whereas the high five crew ticket doesn’t offer the same assurance.

Some folks found that the backstage pass session turned out to be their top pick for the weekend’s events. It was highly interactive, and participants got a glimpse into the class recording process. Your perspective on how captivating this experience is could differ depending on whether you’ve had the chance to visit PSNY & PSL and partake in a studio recording there. What you learn during the backstage pass at Peloton on Tour mirrors what you’d experience during the pre-show at either the New York or London studio in person.

It’s worth mentioning that Peloton has expressed their commitment to gathering feedback from every Peloton on Tour stop and using it to enhance future events. If you’re curious about the dates and locations of upcoming Peloton On Tour stops, you can check them out here and decide if you’d like to snag some tickets. We’ve also put together a handy guide with hacks for getting those tickets, which you can find here.

Would you be interested in attending a Peloton class taping in your city?

Don’t forget to check our list of the Hottest Peloton Instructors this year; they will surely make you sweat 🙂

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