Peloton recall, by the digits

2.16 million: Peloton bikes sold in the US between January 2018 and May 2023

35: Reports of seat posts breaking, which led to…

…13: Reports of injuries, including a wrist fracture, lacerations, and bruises.

Peloton’s future beyond bikes

After a dismal post-pandemic 2022, Peloton drew up an aggressive gameplan to turn things around. The at-home exercise retailer announced a brand relaunch and a revamped Peloton app for later this month when it reported mixed-bag earnings on May 4. (Connected fitness revenue, bike leasing, and refurbished bike sales were bright spots, but the company posted a ninth straight quarter of losses that were wider than expected.)

Luckily for Peloton, the business plan goes well beyond the original flagship product, the bike. The majority of the workouts on Peloton’s platform—57%—were not cycling related. Two-thirds of active members participated in non-cycling activities like strength training and yoga, and almost four in ten workouts involved no Peloton hardware of any kind. So, the company’s revamped app will have “a tiered membership structure as a mobile gateway to our amazing fitness content from strength and meditation to outdoor running,” it said.

Quotable: How to identify if your Peloton original Bike is affected by this recall

“The recalled Peloton original Bike model can be identified by its red “P” logo followed by the white-coloured “Peloton” brand name on the bike’s frame, and by its non-swivel display. The PL-01 model number on the label [is] located on the inside front fork (near the flywheel).” —Peloton’s May 11 statement

Country of interest: Canada

Members with the Peloton original Bike in the UK, Germany, and Australia are not affected. Peloton is in discussions on this issue with the regulator in Canada and will have an update for our Members in Canada within the coming days.

The recall does not affect international and North America Bike+ nor international Peloton original Bikes.

A brief history of Peloton recalls

October 2020: Together with the US CPSC, Peloton announced the recall of out-of-warranty PR70P clip-in pedals, the first generation of pedals that were fitted on Bikes sold between July 2013 and May 2016, which carried the risk of breaking unexpectedly during use and causing injury. The recall was announced on the back of 120 reports of pedal breakages and sixteen reports of injuries.

May 2021: The US CPSC and Peloton announced the voluntary recall of about 125,000 Peloton Tread+ treadmills after reports that adult users, children, pets, and objects had been pulled underneath the Treadmill, posing a risk of injury or death. More than 70 incidents were reported, including the death of a six-year-old. Peloton is offering customers a full refund through November 6, 2023.

Also in May 2021: The consumer safety federal agency and the fitness equipment company recalled the Tread treadmill because of the risk of the touchscreen on the treadmill detaching and falling, posing a risk of injury to consumers. There were 18 reports of the touchscreen loosening and six reports of the touchscreen detaching and falling. No injuries were reported in the US but there were reports of minor injuries such as abrasions, minor cuts, and bruises, in Canada and the United Kingdom.

May 2023: Peloton orders a voluntary recall and free bike seat replacement option for more than two million of its original bike model.

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