Now’s the time for folks to get creative about how they exercise, but if you were hoping to get a Peloton Tread, you’re out of the luck. Peloton has announced that it’s temporarily suspending sales for its treadmills as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
On its website, Peloton notes that any deliveries scheduled for after March 18 will be cancelled, and affected customers will receive a full refund for the $US4,300 ($7,407) treadmill in the next 7-10 business days. Customers who financed their purchases will see refunds as well.
The reason Peloton gives is the treadmill’s heft: While the company’s stationary bikes can be left at a customer’s home entrance, the same is not true for the 455-pound treadmill, which has a footprint of 6 feet by 2.7 feet. I reviewed the Peloton Tread for Gizmodo back in 2019, and distinctly remember a crew of three deliverymen was needed to set the thing up in my cramped apartment. While the Peloton Bike can definitely be set up by a customer without much help, the Tread is a much more unwieldy beast.
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The news reflects the challenges facing the fitness industry as physical locations close. A look at Google trends shows a massive spike in searches for at-home workouts in the past 30 days, as well as in searches for Peloton itself. To cope, many studios and services have begun extending trial periods or offering free streaming classes online.
Peloton noted that it would give customers whose Tread deliveries were cancelled advanced notice as to when it would restart sales—though, by that time, who can say whether those rushing to buy will still want them. Bike deliveries, meanwhile, will be left at a house or apartment’s entryway. The company also recently extended the 30-day free trial period for its app to 90 days.