New Peloton Feature Lets Users Terrify Virtual Runners by Passing Way Too Close
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Peloton, maker of the interactive stationary bikes whose popularity has soared during coronavirus lockdowns and gym closures, announced a suite of new features today meant to give riders a more realistic experience, Dumb Runner has learned.
The features, collectively called Real Ride™, gives users the chance to interact with virtual pedestrians during their “rides,” including the ability to approach runners from behind and race past them, without warning, within inches of their shoulders, provoking gasps, yelps, and shouted curses.
“Our signature bikes and streaming classes have always provided a top-notch cardio workout in the comfort of your own home,” said Jacques Anquetil, Peloton’s chief innovation officer. “These new features take that experience to the next level.”
In addition to the “passing way too close” feature, Anquetil said, the Real Ride™ suite allows riders to:
anger motorists by riding two, three, or four abreast on narrow, winding roads;
bike down crowded sidewalks;
blow “snot rockets” that hit the virtual cyclist behind them;
navigate glass-strewn bike lanes;
engage in games of chicken with oncoming runners on multi-use paths;
dodge plastic bottles and other items thrown from the windows of passing cars; and
pause the ride for 10 minutes to repair a flat virtual tire in a virtual rain storm.
“Essentially, these features let Peloton riders feel as if they’re truly on the road, with every sensory experience that entails,” said Anquetil. “All without leaving their home.”
