• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
TechPeloton

Peloton shares tank after it decides to recall treadmills

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 5, 2021, 11:42 AM ET

After feuding for weeks with the U.S. consumer safety agency over several dozen accidents involving its treadmills—including one that killed a child—Peloton Interactive changed tack on Wednesday and said it would recall its Tread+ and Tread machines after all.

The news sent Peloton shares down 8% in morning trading and the stock closed down 15%.

Only two weeks ago, Peloton CEO John Foley went on the offensive in response to an “urgent warning” from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that anyone with kids to should stop using the treadmills. Foley slammed the agency’s warning at the time as “inaccurate and misleading” and brushed away any suggestion that Peloton stop selling or recall the treadmill. “I want to assure you that we have no intention of doing so,” Foley said then. He argued that the products were safe if customers followed instructions.

But on Wednesday, Foley struck a decidedly different tone, expressing regret at Peloton’s initial response in a joint press release with the CPSC. “I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize.”

Peloton will work with the CPSC to set new industry safety standards for treadmills, the company said.

The company’s initial response to the CPSC was unusual in its belligerent tone. Typically, the agency works with companies to issue new safety guidance or voluntarily recall products. The CPSC can’t impose a recall, but it can sue companies in an effort to make them comply.

Peloton has advised customers who already have the treadmills to immediately stop using them and contact Peloton for a full refund, or other qualified remedy. Treadmills are a small source of revenue for Peloton, which still gets about 90% of revenue from its bikes.

One of the hottest stocks in 2020, Peloton is down 43% in 2021 so far on concerns about the impact of gyms re-opening as the pandemic’s grip on the country loosens, waitlists for its products, and now the recall.

Our mission to make business better is fueled by readers like you. To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today.

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

is
Commentaryregulation
We don’t imprison humans preemptively based on the capability to commit crime. Why regulate AI that way?
By Ion StoicaMay 27, 2026
16 minutes ago
jordan
Commentarytrust
Your company needs a Chief Trust Officer. Here’s three reasons why
By Jonathan JordanMay 27, 2026
46 minutes ago
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
MagazineMeta
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
By Ellie AustinMay 27, 2026
46 minutes ago
This billionaire is capping his kids’ inheritance at 8 figures—like Bill Gates, he thinks generational wealth is bad for society
SuccessWealth
This billionaire is capping his kids’ inheritance at 8 figures—like Bill Gates, he thinks generational wealth is bad for society
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 27, 2026
3 hours ago
Sam Altman, wearing a suit, speaks in front of a dark red background.
AIOpenAI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago
Mark Cuban speaks onstage during a conference in Austin
CryptoBitcoin
Billionaire Mark Cuban says bye-bye Bitcoin: Why he is ‘disappointed’ by crypto
By Jack KubinecMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
6 days ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
23 hours ago
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
19 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 26, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.