Connected fitness company Peloton has finally unveiled details of his long-awaited rowing machine.
The Peloton Row is now available for pre-sale at $3,195, with orders expected to ship in early December. There are already rowers available for shoppers to try at 18 of Peloton’s retail stores across the United States.
Peloton announced it was launching a rowing machine in May, but since 2020, some news outlets reported that it was under construction.
The rower is just under eight feet long with a 23.8-inch high-definition touchscreen that can be rotated and front- and rear-facing speakers. Peloton says it has electronically controlled resistance that makes the machine quiet and easy to row.
Platoon
To access Peloton’s instructor-led courses, users must also subscribe to the company’s software, which costs $44 per month. Users get a personalized breakdown of their form after each class, as well as access to metrics such as output, distance, pace, and stroke rate throughout their workouts.
Delivery and installation are included in the price for people living in most places. Like Peloton’s other products, the rower comes with a 30-day in-home trial so buyers can return it and get a refund if they don’t like it.
The Row is also available with accessories such as a mat, water bottle and dumbbells at a higher price. The most expensive packages cost $3,570.
The Peloton Row is available in four different packages.
Platoon website
The 156.5-pound rower can be stored upright and comes with a vertical wall anchor, which Peloton advises customers to have professionally installed.
Peloton also released a video advertisement for the product showing what it’s like to use and highlighting some of its features. On its website, the company has also added videos showing what Row classes and bootcamps will look like, as well as a sample of its stage mode.
Peloton was founded in 2012 and started shipping bikes in 2014, quickly developing a cult following and adding treadmills to the mix. It has become a pandemic darling as home fitness businesses boomed during waves of lockdown, despite huge demand resulting in long delivery times and the company having to recall pedals on around 27,000 bicycles after some users were injured.
But Peloton’s woes really began in March 2021, when a child died in an accident with one of his treadmills. After clashing with regulators, the company recalled all treadmills in May and halted their sale and distribution.
After the series of real-life incidents, Peloton was included in the storylines for two television shows. Characters from the ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Billions’ reboot have died using or after using Peloton bikes.
The reopening of the economy, which allowed people to return to gyms and group sports, caused Peloton’s sales to plunge even further.
In February, the company announced huge cost-cutting measures, including cutting around 20% of its workforce and scrapping plans to build its own factory. CEO and co-founder John Foley also announced he would step down. The company announced new rounds of layoffs in July and August, totaling approximately 1,400 workers.
Revenue from the sale of equipment dropped 55% between March and June compared to the same period in 2021, and subscription fees now account for more than half of its revenue. The company reported an operating loss of $1.2 billion for the quarter.
Manufacturers of connected fitness rowers with which Peloton will be competing, including Ergatta, Hydrow and NordicTrack. Although they are premium products, their rowers are significantly cheaper than Peloton’s.