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Peloton announces new safety features for Tread treadmill after reported injuries and death

24 August 2021
Dan Ackermann

Peloton will once again sell its Tread treadmill model in the U.S., UK and Canada on Aug. 30 and in Germany later this fall, the company announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: The move comes three months after the company recalled its Tread and Tread+ models due to reports of small children being injured and even killed beneath the machines.

  • Peloton initially pushed back against the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which had recommended that consumers stop using its treadmill.
  • The company later switched gears and urged people to stop using the machines immediately and contact Peloton for a full refund or "other qualified remedy."

Details: The new Tread has several safety features, including...

  • A Tread Lock. Each authorized user will need to enter thefour-digit, digital passcode to unlock the belt before a workout.
  • A physical safety key to help bring a runner to a quick stop during a class if needed.
  • Easy-to-reach speed and incline knobs and stop buttons.

What they're saying: "Our goal is to be the go-to fitness solution and the largest and safest home fitness brand in the world," John Foley, Peloton’s CEO and co-founder, said in a statement.

  • "We’ve worked hard to make sure the new Tread truly earns its spot in Members’ homes. We’ll always continue to innovate our hardware, software and safety features to live up to our commitment to Member safety and to improving the full Member experience."

The big picture: Peloton and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced free repairs for the roughly 1,000 Tread units sold in the U.S. to ensure the touchscreen remains securely attached to the machine.

  • Current Tread owners in the UK and Canada are also eligible.
  • New Treads sold after Tuesday will incorporate these changes.

Worth noting: The machine recall isn't the only controversy dogging Peloton. At one point, its website allowed anybody to access Peloton users' age, gender, city, weight, and workout statistics.

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

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Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.