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Last Updated: October 20, 2020
Peloton has issued a recall that affects 27,000 of their exercise bikes due to faulty pedals that can shear at the axle when the bike is in use. The issue is for the pedals only, not the whole Peloton bike. The recall affects Peloton’s first generation of pedals, which are on bikes sold between July 2013 and May of 2016.
The actual product is called the PR70P clip-in pedal. Peloton has documented at least 16 leg injuries, some of which required stitches; and 120 total customer reports of broken pedals.
Peloton is cooperating with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in issuing the recall. The PR70P pedals are black clip-in style pedals with “Peloton” written in white letters with an orange Peloton logo. See a picture here:
What The Peloton Recall Means
If you own a Peloton bike with these pedals, you may request a replacement pair by verifying your bike model number from Peloton, here. Affected bike owners should receive a touchscreen notification or email informing them of the recall and how to proceed.
This recall is not for the whole Peloton bike. Only the pedals need to be swapped out. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a statement urging bike owners to not use their affected Peloton bike until they have received and reinstalled new pedals. Swapping out the pedals is not difficult. Peloton offers phone support to those who may need assistance during the process.
For a full overview of this recall, you can visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website here.
Reported Injuries
Complaints about pedal integrity have been an ongoing concern for Peloton owners since the first generation of pedals led to a few widely discussed injuries. In 2018 a rider whose pedal sheared at the bolt posted an emergency room photo on Facebook of her lacerated ankle that required several stitches. Since then, Peloton users have weighed in with various accounts of pedal failures or pedals coming unthreaded. While the total number of injuries is low, Peloton did respond to rider concerns by reiterating that pedals can come unthreaded during use and should be tightened every 3 to 5 rides. Most riders probably don’t do this, which can lead to an increased risk of pedal failure and/or rider injury. Peloton, along with other exercise bike manufacturers, recommends inspecting your bike regularly for any loose and/or compromised parts before you ride.
How to Replace your Peloton Pedals
The crank arms that hold the Peloton pedals have a standard threading that will work with most bike pedals. Using a 15mm wrench, you can loosen the threaded pedal bolt to remove the PR70P pedals. Remember, the left pedal is reverse-threaded, so you’ll have to loosen by turning it clockwise (rather than counter-clockwise). This is really the only part of install and replacement that can be tricky. Don’t accidentally cross-thread your pedal by turning it the wrong way. The right pedal has a standard threading (it is not reverse-threaded).
Click here and here for a few YouTube videos on how to remove and replace your Peloton bike pedals.
Best Peloton Replacement Pedal Options
Below is a list of pedals that are compatible with the Peloton crank arms. These will all work with the Peloton bike in the interim before new pedals arrive or if you want to permanently swap out the pedals on your Peloton bike.
- Venzo CNC Pedals – Best Shimano SPD & Look Delta Option for Peloton Bike
- BV Bike – Shimano SPD & Flat Compatible Dual Sided Pedals for Peloton
- Wellgo E229 – Dual Sided Best Shimano SPD Pedals for Peloton Bike
- Venzo Fitness – Best SPD Pedals for Peloton Bike with Toe Clips
- Shimano Unisex– SPD-SL Pedals for Peloton; Perfect Fit for Peloton
- Xpedo Magnesium – Look Keo Compatible Peloton Bike Pedals
The above pedal options offer alternatives to the Delta LOOK clips typically required on a Peloton bike. We recommend looking for pedals that are aluminum (not plastic) and manufactured by a reputable bike component manufacturer. (Don’t opt for “discount” pedals from a company you don’t recognize). SPD pedals are those typically found on mountain bikes and/or indoor cycling bikes used in spin classes. If you opt for flat pedals, rubber grips around the perimeter help keep your shoe from slipping and cages are always a good idea if you don’t ride clipped in. If you ride in athletic shoes, find a stiff-soled shoe that doesn’t bend over the pedal – this can lead to plantar fasciitis or other foot pain.
Ongoing Safety Concerns For Peloton?
Product recalls happen. While manufacturers do their best to design and build quality products, sometimes failures occur after extended use. We don’t anticipate this affecting Peloton’s overall bottom line nor negatively impacting their brand; however, an awareness of possible failures or previous recalls is always a good idea when considering an investment in $2000 exercise equipment. We recommend potential buyers do product review research predicated on customer-sourced input to determine actual wear and tear over time. Peloton currently has over 1.09 million connected fitness subscribers (those who own Peloton equipment and don’t just pay for the $13/month digital app). 120 total reported pedal failures is a comparatively microscopic number of issues, so while concerning, the pedal failures are not widespread.
Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Peloton owners looking for more information can contact the company toll-free at: 844-410-0141 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET on weekends.
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