Major Safety Recall for Peloton Exercise Bikes
Fitness technology giant Peloton Interactive has issued a significant safety recall affecting hundreds of thousands of its customers in the United States. The company is pulling approximately 833,000 units of its Bike+ Model PL02 from the market following reports of a dangerous fault with the seat post assembly.
Safety Hazard and Reported Injuries
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall on Thursday, warning that the seat post on these popular exercise bikes can break during use. This mechanical failure poses a serious risk of falls and injuries to riders.
The safety regulator confirmed that Peloton has received three separate reports of the seat post breaking and detaching during exercise sessions. Alarmingly, two of these incidents resulted in users suffering injuries from subsequent falls.
Immediate Action Required for Customers
Consumers who own the affected Peloton Bike+ models have been urged to stop using the equipment immediately. The company is advising customers to contact them directly to arrange for a free repair.
Peloton is providing replacement seat posts that customers can install themselves, offering a relatively straightforward solution to the safety issue. This recall represents another blow to the fitness brand, which voluntarily recalled more than 2 million of its original model bikes last year for a similar seat post problem.
Financial Impact and Broader Challenges
The safety concerns have compounded existing financial pressures for Peloton. The company's shares fell 6.5% in New York trading on Thursday, adding to an already difficult year that has seen the stock decline by 18.1%.
Peloton has been implementing cost-cutting measures and reducing its workforce as part of a broader turnaround strategy. In August, the company revealed plans to cut its global workforce by 6% while simultaneously raising product prices to counter higher expenses linked to Donald Trump's tariffs.
The company warned that these latest tariffs are expected to reduce its 2026 free cash flow by approximately $65 million, creating additional headwinds for the business as it navigates both operational and product safety challenges.
