As one of the home fitness darlings of the pandemic, Peloton has struggled ever since as people began returning to their gyms. Now the company is dealing with another setback: On May 11, Peloton announced a voluntary recall of its flagship product, the original Bike model.
According to a statement on Peloton’s website, the voluntary recall comes because the bike’s seat post, which adjusts up and down to accommodate people of different heights, can break during a ride, potentially causing “risk of falls and injuries”. As of the end of April, the company says it received 35 complaints of broken seatposts (out of roughly 2.2 million bikes sold) and 13 related injuries, including a broken wrist, as well as cuts and bruises.
The affected bikes were sold from January 2018 through May 2023 in the US by Peloton, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Amazon, and retailed for around $1,400. To see if your bike was one of them, check the label on the inside of the front fork (which connects the frame to the steering wheel) next to the steering wheel: It will have a model number of PL-01.
The solution, according to Peloton, is a replacement seatpost, which they will provide free of charge (along with a new end cap and end cap bolt) and users can install at home without having to call a technician. service: all you need is a screwdriver. You can fill out the form here to order it, and watch the video here for a step-by-step guide on changing posts. However, until the new seatpost is ready, you should stop using the bike, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
This disturbing news comes two years after Peloton recalled the Tread+ treadmill, its higher-end option that featured a super-comfortable slatted treadmill and retailed for over $4,000, due to injury risk: adults, children, pets and objects could be passed under the rear of the machine, according to the CPSC. When the product was recalled, the company received more than 150 reports of what happened, resulting in 13 injuries (including broken bones and friction burns) and the death of a young child. Two years later, the Tread+ has yet to return to the market and will be “on hold for the foreseeable future,” according to the company.
Peloton’s 6.6 million user base and sales of its hardware have surged during the pandemic, as many people discontinued their gym memberships and instead relied on the company’s live-streaming and on-demand classes. to exercise at home. But a couple of years later, business began to decline, due in part to competition from face-to-face classes, as well as a growing number of at-home platforms offering a similar experience. In fact, if you’re looking for an indoor cycling bike that allows you to take classes at home, you now have a ton of options at your fingertips.
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