More than two million exercise bikes manufactured by Peloton are being recalled due to a potential safety issue with the seat component.
Bike owners have been urged to cease using their vehicles immediately and get in touch with Peloton for a free fix.
There have been many cases of people being hurt when the bike’s seat comes loose, including “a fractured wrist and lacerations,” according to the manufacturer.
Bicycles sold in the United States between January 2018 and May 2023 are affected by the recall.
On Thursday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission of the United States government issued a recall warning owners of the PL-01 model bike of potential damage.
According to a statement released on April 30, Peloton has received 35 complaints of “seat posts breaking” out of a total of 2,160,000 bikes sold until the end of April.
The business said it was recalling the seat posts of impacted units “out of an abundance of caution” and offering free replacements.
Members who made their bike purchases in the United Kingdom, Germany, or Australia will not be affected by the recall, according to Peloton. The firm is in communication with Canadian authorities and will provide an update to Canadian consumers “within the coming days.”
During the epidemic, when gyms were shuttered to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Peloton cycles were quite popular. According to the company’s website, the price of a base model Peloton cycle begins at $1,445 (£1154).
The home workout equipment vendor, however, has been subject to criticism throughout the years. On Thursday, after hearing of the latest voluntary recall, investors dumped the stock by more than 8%.
The brand was criticized in 2019 for an ad showing a spouse buying an exercise bike for his wife as a Christmas present.
The lady in the commercial says, “A year ago, I didn’t realise how much this would change me.” The advertisement was deemed “sexist” and “dystopian” by critics on social media, leading to a precipitous drop in the company’s stock price.
The treadmill in question was recalled a year later following a child’s death and over 70 reports of injury.
A popular character from the HBO sitcom Sex and the City, Mr. Big, had a heart attack while riding a Peloton cycle, resulting in his untimely death. According to CNN, the announcement saddened followers and caused a 75% drop in the company’s share price in 2021.
As the firm failed to recover from the sudden decline in its popularity, Peloton CEO and co-founder John Foley quit later that year.
