Peloton Recalls 300,000 Bikes Due to Risk of Suddenly Breaking Free From Base, Zooming Forward and Crashing Through Wall, Leaving Peloton-Bike-and-Rider-Shaped Hole
/
depositphotos.com
Peloton today announced a recall of nearly 300,000 of its stationary bicycles, citing several cases of their bikes detaching from their base during intense efforts, hurtling forward at great speed, and crashing through a wall, leaving behind a hole in the shape of a person on a Peloton bike.
The recall involves bikes sold in the U.S. from January 2018 to April 2018 whose frames are stamped with the words HASTY-WELD, the name of a contractor briefly used by the company.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 14 Peloton users have reported suddenly riding through walls after their bikes broke free, resulting in abrasions, contusions, and tiny cartoon birds circling their heads, as well as the comically shaped hole.
“It was scary,” said one injured user who spoke to Dumb Runner on condition of anonymity. “I was about 15 minutes into my ride, really getting into it, and was starting a sprint segment when the bike started vibrating.”
“Next thing I knew,” she said, “the whole (bike) shot forward, right through my wall. Left a hole that looks just like a cutout of me on the bike.”
This isn’t the first time Peloton has run into safety issues. According to a story on NPR.org:
Earlier this year, Peloton Interactive agreed to pay a $19 million fine after failing to quickly notify regulators of a known defect in its Tread+ exercise machines. The company also knowingly sold the defective treadmills.
In the case with its treadmill, Peloton received more than 150 reports of incidents involving people, pets or objects getting injured or killed by the time the company reported the problems to regulators.
Peloton users are being urged to stop using the bikes immediately—or, if they must use them, to point them away from any walls.
