Maggie Lu uses a Peloton Tread treadmill during CES 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 11, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ethan Miller | Getty Images
large force said Thursday that it will work with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to introduce rear safety guards for its Tread+ treadmills.
The news sent the stock up more than 1%.
The Tread+ treadmill has been at the center of safety concerns surrounding Peloton in recent years. Sales of the Tread+ treadmill have been halted since a toddler died under it in 2021.
Since the recall, an additional 279 incidents and 61 injuries have been reported, Peloton and the CPSC said in a joint statement.
The safety guard will be provided free of charge to anyone who owns a Tread+ treadmill, the company said in a release.
Customers can register in advance to pick up the doorman. It’s still being manufactured and is expected to be available in the fall.
Following the 2021 recall, Peloton told Tread+ treadmill owners to stop using the product.
The new guard features a breakaway design that moves away from the treadmill when it contacts an object, shutting down the power and slowing the belt. It is designed to eliminate the possibility of entrapment near the rear of the treadmill, which has been a leading cause of accidents in the past.
“As a brand dedicated to empowering members on their fitness journey, Peloton remains committed to ensuring they have access to our world-class fitness experience in the safest way possible,” the company said.
In addition to the problems with the Tread+ treadmill, other safety issues have plagued Peloton in recent years.
Amid growing concerns, the company has changed its stance on the recall in recent weeks.
Last week, when the CPSC recalled 2.2 million Peloton bikes due to safety concerns, Peloton cooperated, saying it was “important to actively work with the CPSC to address this issue and to collaborate quickly to identify a remedy.”
A defective part on the bike, model number PL01, injured 12 people, including a broken wrist, according to an internal Peloton memo.
Previously, the company had been slow to work with officials and disagreed over potential flaws. Peloton said it took the action despite the relatively small number of bikes affected because it is a “members-first company,” according to an internal memo.
Earlier this month, the company reported a bigger-than-expected loss for its fiscal third quarter, while forecasting its first-ever drop in subscribers.