Peloton went from booming during the pandemic to losing 76% of its stock value. A mix of safety issues with the Tread+ and overpriced products has left people wondering—can they recover? Let’s talk about where they went wrong and if there’s any hope left.
Peloton has no chance of recovering. They blew their early lead, and competitors have caught up with better, cheaper options.
Maybe they’re praying for another fitness company to do something dumb and buy them out, but after Lululemon’s disaster with Mirror, that seems unlikely.
@Darcy
Peloton was never going to stay at its pandemic highs. The valuation made no sense. There’s only so many people willing to pay $3k for a treadmill, no matter how fancy it is.
Peloton was just a COVID fad. I lost a couple of grand, too—not on stocks, but on buying their bike and subscription. Sold it used for a few hundred bucks, and I wasn’t the only one. Facebook Marketplace is full of barely used Peloton bikes.
@Haven
Yeah, laugh at me if you want, but doesn’t it say something that so many are being resold? It’s overpriced and competes with gym memberships that cost way less upfront. It worked during lockdowns, but now it’s just another expensive trend.
@Haven
Subscription-based anything is awful. I hope this business model crashes and burns.
I tried a friend’s Peloton recently and thought it looked great with the big screen, but the bike itself felt cheap. For the price, it was super disappointing.
Sky said:
I tried a friend’s Peloton recently and thought it looked great with the big screen, but the bike itself felt cheap. For the price, it was super disappointing.
We bought a Keiser bike instead of a Peloton. No screen, but we use a tablet for classes. After three years, ours is still like new, but my sister-in-law’s Peloton is rusting and falling apart. For the price, I don’t think the Peloton is worth it.
If Peloton wants to survive, they should look at Zwift. Zwift appeals to serious cyclists and doesn’t force you to buy their equipment—it’s more like an online game. Peloton is stuck in a closed system, which just doesn’t attract a hardcore base.
I’ve been using the Peloton app for years but never bought their overpriced machines. Why bother when you can just strap your phone to a $250 bike? The classes are good, though—way cheaper than a personal trainer.
@Hadi
We got a used Peloton for cheap, and I do think the auto resistance and big screen make a difference. But at full price? No way. It’s more of a luxury item for people who want convenience over value.
Peloton will never make big returns for shareholders unless they fix their share-based compensation. It’s eating too much of their revenue, just like with companies like Zoom and Match. Even if they do well, all the gains go to management.
My LA Fitness just rebranded their cycle room with Peloton logos and now charges extra to attend classes. Smart move or cash grab?
Fitness trends are just like diet fads—popular for a while, then they fade away.
Pippin said:
Fitness trends are just like diet fads—popular for a while, then they fade away.
Exercising probably costs more lives than it saves. Like seat belts, but for your legs.